The plain plains

[Dante]

As the stone discus passed him, Dante was moving both to dodge and to see where the thing landed. Maybe the betrayer could achieve something positive with his inaccuracy. He turned around just after the rock hit the Fangmon that had been lurking in his blind spot.

If the Fangmon was this close to me, he thought, Which one of us was Shiv aiming for?

The point was the same, however. The Fangmon was struck, and Dante was just fine. Making use of his spinning motion, he extended his right leg and spun with all the power he could muster, planting his shoe right into the wolf's face. It probably wouldn't have so much of an effect as the rock, but it made Dante feel better. Immediately after his foot separated from the face of the Fangmon, Wizardmon's attack struck it. The timing was close enough that Dante was able to really appreciate the virtue of staying out of a digimon fight. He was still on his guard, however. If the Fangmon tried to move, he wouldn't wait.

Salamon looked over as Wizardmon fired another Thunder Ball, this time at the Fangmon directly next to her partner. She wiggled a little to warn Wizardmon that she was jumping down before doing so, then stared at the likely wounded Fangmon.

"Sledge Dash!"

While the motion would have been more intimidating were she larger than a breadbox, seeing Salamon's feet moving in a blur, carrying her ever faster on to her goal certainly demonstrated her resolve. By the time she reached the Fangmon, she was moving like a cute little white freight train. Salamon jumped at the end of the motion so she could plant the force of her attack right into the Fangmon's torso. Even if it didn't do too much damage, she wouldn't be watching this fight from Wizardmon's arms. Even if it was more comfortable there...

[shivdeeviant]

Dante's kick landed on the Fangmon's shoulder, buckling it somewhat and causing the Fangmon to lurch sideways a bit. Lightning played across the Fangmon in a similar lightning pillar as the first. The Fangmon, already stunned by Shiv's throw, was unable to dodge in the slightest. The Fangmon howled in pain and was unable to avoid Salamon's attack either. The air left Fangmon's lungs in a whoosh. The gimped Wolf fell over with the cute little white freight train's momentum.

The Fangmon tried to catch the errant breath that had been so forcefully driven from its lungs. Surrounded by the enemy, the Fangmon looked shocked at the gall of its prey. And yet still a small smile remained upon its lips.

"Hee hee!" He giggled softly, "Gotcha!"

From outside the circle of firelight came a roar.

"BLAST COFFIN!"

Four coffins popped up from the ground at uneven intervals about the party. One popped up between Wizardmon and Fangmon (Meaning right underneath Salamon), one between Fangmon and Dante, one between Shiv and Yang, and one in front of Inori. The coffins sizzled and smoked, reeking of sulfer and dark fire.

Shiv reacted before Yang could. He kicked out, catching Yang across the middle, sending Yang sprawling backward. Sadly, that was the only action he could afford.

The coffins exploded in quick succession, sending dark fire outwards in burning indignation to the sky.

Into the firelight Fangmon walked, completely undamaged. Its sibling still lay among two of the craters, giggling manically in ragged breaths.

"Got you indeed."

[Inori]

Inori was sent flying back when the coffin in front of her exploded. The girl landed on her back, sprawled on the ground. Wizardmon similarly was sent flying, but he got back up. Inori did not. This made Wizardmon one very unhappy digimon.

Wizardmon turned to the undamaged Fangmon, pointing at it.
"Vision of Terror!" He yelled before following it up quickly with: "Thunder Ball!"

Once the attack left his fingers, the wizard digimon staggered back a few steps. He'd used a lot of energy and taken a good solid hit. He knew what was likely coming next, but he was certainly going to try and hold it off for as long as he could.

[Dante]

Salamon reacted first when the coffins started to rise. Her mind snapped to her task at hand, and the champion digimon before her wasn't it.

"Sledge Dash!" she cried, hoping with all her might that she could make it in time. She drew her line carefully, avoiding the downed Fangmon and the other rising coffin and heading directly for Dante. She jumped and tucked her chin.

Dante's mind also focused quickly, and on the same thing, but he couldn't see Salamon past the Fangmon. He heard her declare her attack and wondered what she was doing in the fraction of a moment before she hurtled toward him. He thought he sensed her purpose and began to move backward to catch her and jump clear of the coffin all in one motion. He saw too late what she was planning when her head went down.

"NO!" he managed before her attack knocked the wind out of him and sent him sprawling.

The coffins exploded, sending their wrath outwards and up towards the starlit sky. Dante found himself having been thrown clear of the blast, but focused intently thereupon, looking for signs of what happened to his partner. He hit the ground hard, and it hurt a lot. He sat up quickly, ignoring his body's protests, just in time to see Salamon, having been launched by the explosion, land right in his outstretched arms. He held her close to himself, his nightmares of Nyaromon getting pounded by a falling Gotsumon rushing to the fore.

"Speak to me, Salamon," he said, speaking quietly to her.

"I'm okay..." she replied weakly, "I had to...had to save you..."

"Don't talk, Salamon. Just rest. I'm just fine," he said, cutting off any further speech from his partner. The truth was that he'd definitely been better, but he had most certainly been worse, and would have been if his partner hadn't acted quickly.

He stood up slowly, taking note of every part of him that complained at the motion. He looked around the camp, taking in both the state of the enemies and the state of the other two and their digimon.

[shivdeeviant]

The Fangmon shook slightly as the Visions of Terror gripped it. Its eyes dilated slightly. Its smile widened ever further and the wolf shook its head slightly.

"Is that all you've got?" It whispered gleefully, "Then this should be ea-"

Its words were cut off as the Thunder ball attack hit. A pillar of lightning shot into the sky, the Fangmon in its center. When the blinding light had passed, the Fangmon still stood there, smoking slightly.

"Ooooh." The Fangmon sighed, "Running low on power? That attack was so much weaker than the other two. Heh Heh."

The Fangmon paced over to its fallen sibling, eyes locked on the remaining foes. Upon reaching the downed digimon, the Wolf spun around quickly, kicking its sibling beyond the reach of the firelight.

"Sooo, let's see." The Wolf muttered to itself, as though it were going over the grocery list, "We have most of the important ones taken care of, and you have done surprisingly well! But sadly, this is going to be where we must make an end to things."

It glanced over at Wizardmon.

"You my friend, are far beyond your depth. It is obvious that you are fatigued, the power of that last attack told me that much. And then there is only one other annoyance."

It glanced at Yin.

Suddenly, two coffins sprung from the ground, one under Yin and one under Wizardmon. In much the same line of timing, they detonated. Yin was caught entirely off guard, as the Fangmon had declared nothing. Thus he was thrown into the darkness, shouting out in pain.

"And annoyance gone!" declared the wolf, "Now which of you to eat first?"

Its eyes locked on Shiv as the youth lay unconscious on the ground, and the wolf's mouth started to drip with saliva.

"Yes... This one looks tasty."

[Inori]

Something went flying out of the smoke, but it wasn't Wizardmon. Something a good deal more candle shaped went flying out, crashing into the ground.

Unseen to most the others, a vial was going straight for the unseen Fangmon...and ideally would smash across it's face. Alchemon had been restraining himself from acting after Inori had fallen. He wanted to see what the others could do. Clearly, what they could do was rather pathetic. Filled with a dark seething hatred, the alchemist digimon stalked out of the shadows, masking it all with a twisted devious grin. Instead of offering some quip to taunt them, he just started cackling manically.

[Dante]

Dante didn't fail to notice that while it was Wizardmon who entered the explosion, it wasn't Wizardmon who exited it. The fact wasn't lost on the little digimon in his arms.

"No...Wizardmon..." she said weakly.

"Take it easy, Salamon. What do you think you can do in such a state?"

"You don't...understand...Have to...even if..."

"Salamon, it's taking almost all you have to even stay awake. You can't possibly fight in this condition."

"Are you...with me...Dante?"

"What are you talking about? Try and rest. The others will take care of this."

"No...Dante...Help me...digivolve."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"If I...digivolve...I can...fight..."

"Salamon, no. You can't fight. I won't let you risk your life for total strangers!"

"Dante...they're...our friends..."

"One of them's a betrayer, Salamon. We can't trust any of them."

"Let me...save Wizardmon...He's...my friend..."

"But you don't even know him! We've only been traveling together for a couple days!"

"Dante...please..."

Dante sighed heavily. He couldn't understand his partner's trust and attachment to people he would just as easily leave to be devoured by the Fangmon. Some would call him a coward, but part of him would sleep well that night after leaving Shiv to die. Still, though, even though he couldn't understand, couldn't trust, he knew that this was important to his partner. Just because he couldn't trust in them didn't mean he couldn't trust in Salamon. She was the only one he could remember who was so honest, so worthy of trust that he couldn't give. Even though he knew that she shouldn't fight, and had even explained his reasons, she still wanted to get in there and protect people she hardly knew. When he looked into her eyes, though, he saw something that made his heart skip a beat. It was about him. It was all about him. She wanted to protect the others for him. Maybe to prove that she was strong enough to protect him. He couldn't really explain what he saw in her eyes, but it rocked him. He set her down gently.

"Be careful, Salamon. I can't lose you. Not here."

"I understand, Dante. Thank you."

He shook his head.

"Don't thank me yet," he said, standing. He reached for his belt and grabbed his digivice, holding it in a clenched fist.

"I trust you," he said, partially choking on the words. For the first time in years, he meant the words. In this moment, this time only, he was willing to risk everything and trust her, even just a little. A glow sprang up from within his fist, and Salamon glowed, soon obscured by the light she was giving off.

"Salamon shinka! Gatomon!"

She stood there, a cat on two legs, new strength flooding her limbs. Gatomon turned back to her partner, her tail ring glistening a little as she did so.

"Thank you, Dante."

"Get in there," he said, not wanting to have yet another emotional moment in the middle of combat.

She turned, facing Yang, who still hadn't stood yet, and charged towards the Fangmon that had been approaching the unconscious Shiv.

"Lightning Paw!"

Almost faster than the eye could track, Gatomon's left front paw shot towards the jaw of the Fangmon, still dripping as it was with saliva. She wouldn't much enjoy having Fangmon drool on her paw, but it was important. This Fangmon was closest, and after she had its attention, she would try to distract its siblings to keep them from attacking her partner and her friend. She knew she only had a limited period of time in this form, but she would use it to the best of her ability.

We're not done yet, you big drooling pile of...

[shivdeeviant]

The Fangmon was not lost on the change of the fighting capabilities on the field. It kept moving toward the downed Shiv, feigning ignorance of the conversation and change. As the attack came at the Fangmon's jaw, the Fangmon was ready. As the attack was declared, Fangmon's eyes locked onto those of Gatomon's and it's grin spread ever wider. In a flash, the Wolf was gone. disappeared into the night.

Also in the darkness, the phial did not find its target, at least not in the way that the attacker intended.

"Snipe steal."

The phial was out of the air, plucked by the jaws of the Fangmon.

Out of the darkness, the phial was returned with a forceful throw, aimed at the back of the Alchemon's head.

Yang got slowly to his feet, the surprise of the kick unexpected. Shiv had saved him. Such an amazing thing! But how silly as well! Didn't he know anything?! It was the digimon who was supposed to protect the human! How strange!

"Shiv!" Shouted Yang, "Where are you!? You're in trouble for that!"

His eyes rested on the unconscious teenager lying motionless on the ground.

"Shiv?"

[Inori]

Alchemon's scarf shifted, batting the vial away before the owner turned in the direction of where the vial had just come from. He'd half been expecting it, but it was worth a shot. The virus digimon darted away attempting to vanish back into the shadows to plan his next move.

Inori remained unmoving while Wizardmon, now Candlemon groaned and shifted slightly, trying to get up.

[Dante]

Gatomon hadn't entirely expected to hit the Fangmon, so was only a bit frustrated when he vanished. She stood there, not far from the downed boy who vexed her partner so, and only a little farther from the digimon who was once Wizardmon, who seemed to be trying to get up. There were no Fangmon she could see, but she knew they were still out there. If she closed her eyes, she could almost sense-

Wait a moment, she thought to herself, Why does it seem like there isn't just two of them? There was the one Wizardmon zapped, the one Dante punched, and...

"Be careful!" she shouted, to no one in particular, "There's three of them, at least!"

Beyond that, her only contribution to the situation could be to stand ready once the Fangmon started moving again, and to be careful not to spend her strength too recklessly. Once she started to run low on energy, she wouldn't be able to maintain this form. When that happened, she'd be out of the fight, possibly for good this time. No matter what, she wouldn't let that happen. She hadn't heard Dante's whispered confession, but she could almost feel his trust enfolding her, giving her the strength to fight when her body would claim otherwise.

I'm not going to let you down, my friend.

[shivdeeviant]

Yang ran over to Shiv, collapsing over his unmoving partner.

"Shiv!" He cried, "Shiv! Why did you do that?! I could have taken the hit! You didn't need to do thaaaat!"

In the darkness, the Fangmon withdrew, licking their wounds. These were interesting prey. Just full of surprises. Better they wonder. Better they wait for the inevitable. Better they squirm. All that wafted through the air was a soft, malicious chuckle.

Yin stirred. He got up, stiff from the explosion, his energy reserves were almost spent. The danger had passed, though the damnable virus still lingered in the shadows off to the side. The Fangmon could still be hiding in the shadow of Alchemon's wrath. Yin limped over to his brother.

"Yang," He said gravely, "Are you unhurt?"

Yang looked up at Yin with teary eyes and snuffly nose.

"Uh-huh." He snuffled, "All because Shiv broke the ruuuuuuules!"

And then Yang degraded into fits of crying.

Yin looked at the others, taking stock of the situation. The only two who were still up were Dante and the newly digivolved Gatomon. Inori and, Candlemon it looked like, were still down, though Candlemon was stirring. Alchemon lingered in the shadows, and Yang was all right. Yin didn't know how he felt about Gatomon. That morning Dante's partner was only an in-training, and now she had jumped two levels higher! Though Gatomon had done nothing to provoke it, in fact it was probably due to Gatomon that they were all still alive, Yin felt a creeping kind of paranoid distrust envelope him. This Digimon was as unstable and prone to fits of violence much like her partner. Yin would need to be sure to keep his guard up even more around this one.

From his deep slumber, Shiv stirred...

[Inori]

Candlemon rolled over after a moment, and pushed himself up as best he could. A difficult task given he had no legs. While he should have probably taken a moment to assess his own damages, his unconcious partner was a much more pressing matter. The awkward candle digimon hopped as quickly as it could to Inori.

Inori didn't seem to be too horribly injured, but she had yet to stir from her state of unconsciousness. Candlemon slumped forward in a depressed sort of way, both sets of eyes watching their partner waiting for her to wake up.

[Dante]

Dante heard the chuckle, and felt it deep within him. He knew as well as the Fangmon did that Gatomon was the only fighter left to their group. Yin was at least alert, but Dante wouldn't count on particular feats of heroics from him. Alchemon was also about, but the fact that he'd been in the fight at all had very much surprised Dante. Inori was safe enough for the time being, so he imagined Alchemon's goals were accomplished for the moment. Everyone else was either out or in no shape to fight. Worse, he could sense the moment passing. He knew as well as his partner that this power she possessed was for this moment alone. It wasn't given to them to taste this power for longer than a fleeting moment just yet. Someday, perhaps, but as the moment passed, so too would pass Gatomon's remaining strength. Before too much longer, she would be just as incapable as the others. Still, Dante believed in her. So long as she chose to fight, he chose to stand with her. He owed her as much.

Gatomon could feel Dante's faith in her, but she was realistic enough to know that her time in this form was almost up. She looked around, ready for even the slightest hint of another attack, and moved slightly as she did so to put herself in position to be close to both Inori and Shiv, such that she could stand in for either's partner should the situation warrant. As much as it pained her to leave Dante even this exposed, she knew as he did that the other two were more important right now, even if Dante would never say as much aloud.

Come on, you big stupid hairballs, she thought, pretending they could hear, Either bring it on or get lost...

[shivdeeviant]

Shiv grumbled as he woke. Why was Yang crying so loud? Couldn't he tell that Shiv was trying to rest? God! That rocks crying could wake the dead! What ever could the issue be that would set his partner to weeping so?

"Gah! Yang! Shut up!" Mumbled Shiv as he opened his eyes. Shiv then got a look at his leg.

And the world came crashing painfully into focus.

Shiv gasped as the pain coursed through his body. He curled into a fetal position, clutching his damaged leg. The skin appeared to be burned, and the angle at which the explosion through it had sprained a muscle in an area Shiv would rather not speak of. It felt as though the leg was on fire. Tears flowed down Shiv's face as he cried through a clenched jaw. His soft sobbing wafting over the crackling of the fire.

Yang was barely restraining himself. He wanted to throw himself at Shiv in joy but knew that his partner would neither enjoy nor benefit from such interaction. Yin huffed, though still breathed more easily.

Shiv merely cried, enduring the pain with as much grace and dignity as a thirteen year old could muster. Which is to say, not a whole lot. His sobs grew in volume, enough that they could be heard softly by anyone else within the circle of fire.

Yang, crouched over Shiv, a worried look in his eyes. Yin closed his eyes, understanding what the adolescent was going through, but still looking down on the child's lack of composure as a sign of weakness. If this was all a human could do, and by that Yin meant having the constitution of a baby-level digimon, why did they need humans in the first place?

[Inori]

The eyes on Candlemon's flame shifted their attention to Shiv while the other set of eyes remained on Inori. He realized the situation was upsetting, but he didn't quite get why it warranted tears. Baffled, the little flame seemed to frown momentarily before turning it's attention towards Gatomon and Dante.

Alchemon on the other hand, made his presence known, appearing not too far from Dante. The devious grin he usually wore was temporarily absent as he watched Dante for her...albeit somewhat begrudgingly based on the irritated sound he was making.

Inori stirred slightly mumbling something about worst vacations ever. At her movement, all of Candlemon's focus returned to her. Tentatively he reached down and poked her arm, probably hoping it would wake her up a little bit faster.