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The arrow soared high and far, but was nowhere near reaching its target. Fonz ran his fingers through his thundercloud afro to ready another arrow to try again. Underneath him, Rex and Jack were carrying him in order to keep up with the blimp so he could focus on trying to hit it. Flint ran in front holding him by the legs and Jack had the pleasure to manage the rear. They had been in hot pursuit of the blimp since it began its departure, but despite keeping it in sight they could not do anything about its vertical ascension.\n\n\t\"No good,\" announced Fonz. \"We'll never stop it at this rate. We need to get to higher grounds.\"\n\n\tGood luck with that,\" replied Jack. \"There's nothing but trees around here and I'm no Tarzan.\"\n\n\t\"Just leave it to me,\" stated Rex. \"Hang on tight and we'll catch up in no time.\"\n\n\t\"What are you talking about?\" was all Jack managed to mutter before Rex picked up speed. He couldn't run as fast as he normally could for very long with Jack slowing him down and having to support Fonz, but he just needed an increase for a moment as he charged at a nearby tree. Not wanting to get left behind, Jack held onto Fonz's tail as Rex carried them both with the momentum. When he was within jumping distance to the tree he went airborne head on at it. He freed one of his hands from carrying Fonz to cling to the tree for a moment before kicking off font it to another with his friends in two. Jack had the misfortune of being in the back and not being as acrobatic as Rex. He has the displeasure of slamming into the tree before getting peeled off to be pulled on by the others. Rex repeated the process until he was onto of the forest, running along it as if he was gliding on air.\n\n\t\"What just happened?\" cried Fonz, a bit surprised. \"What were you raised by monkeys or something?\"\n\n\t\"Just for a day,\" replied Rex. \"But it got me over the dislike of climbing trees. I'm just glad I didn't lose you guys on the way up.\"\n\n\t\"We kind of lost Jack,\" commented Fonz, looking back to see he was in a daze after ramming into all those trees. Amazingly enough he was still with them, his grip still fastened to Fonz's tail.\n\n\t\"Well, just leave it to me,\" declared Rex. \"I'll carry all of us to the blimp and then we'll save Dan and Rex.\" With that said he continued onward with all his might.\n\n\n\tFaust continued to torment Flint and Dan as he held his fingertips against Flint's chest threatening to infect him with a Dark Tattoo. Flint felt his stomach churning through a mix of the icy feeling against his torso and his extreme disgust for this fowl, evil Digimon. Dan was looking down tears dripping off his forehead. He didn't say anything, but was breathing heavily.\n\n\tFaust smirked and turned to Dan. \"Nothing has changed has it Dante? You're still as powerless as ever to save anyone but yourself. I wonder how many Digimon you've seen me put the Dark Tattoo on and you've done nothing but stand petrified. This one must be particularly painful since he has become so close to you. Well? Don't you have anything to say?\"\n\n\t\"Yes,\" said Dan quietly. Faust leaned an ear in closer to hear him better. \"Flint was right, you do talk too much.\" Faust seemed confused by his response, but then Dan arose with his own fierce gaze that caught his foe off guard. \"I won't stand idly by!\" He shouted before lunging at him. Faust held out his arm shielding his body with his free arm allowing Dan to dig his claws and fangs into it. Faust's cringed from the pain of his arm getting punctured, but it was not nearly enough to have a significant effect on his. He instead turned his aim on Dan and threw him at the wall with enough force to dent it.\n\n\t\"So you really aren't Dante anymore. You may have some part of him in you, but now you are Dan,\" concluded Faust bitterly. \"I may have lost him, but you still have information that I need. I don't care how long it will take, but I will break you.\"\n\n\tDan managed to weakly pull himself up, and stare defiantly as the MalevoDevimon stabbed his chest with his hand. It didn't pierce the flesh; it didn't pierce his body, but pierce his soul, allowing the Dark Tattoo to corrode him from the inside out.\n\n\t\"Dan!\" cried Flint, struggling to free himself.\n\n\t\"Keep him quiet!\" shouted Faust. \"I want to enjoy this.\" He licked his lips as he stared at Dan, his body still and his eyes vacant.\n\n\n\tInside Dan's mind he felt a bitter coldness surround him and encase him in a black dome sealing him from the light and his senses. He hugged himself tightly to try and stay warm, but it didn't work. His breath appeared in front of his with each exhale.\n\n\tSuddenly, a light appeared on the dome like a television screen. He went to watch it and saw it was a memory. One that Dante had. It was on the last mission he had before he joined Faust and the Excavation Guild.\n\n\t\"It's your fault,\" cried one of his teammates after their less than successful mission. \"We lost Noah this time because you had to come here.\"\n\n\t\"This place was for teams of a higher rank than us,\" said another. \"Why do we ever listen to you? You make it sound like we'll find a lot of treasure, but we've lost so much since we let you join.\"\n\n\t\"I didn't mean to,\" cried Dante, feeling the sting of their words. They hurt all the more since he knew they were right.\n\n\t\"You're not sorry,\" shouted another. \"You never are. You get excited about some old rocks and everything else takes a backseat to your stupid obsession including us. You're official on your own.\"\n\n\tWith that the other members of the team left, vanishing before Dan's eyes as Dante had no further memory of them. Tears streamed down Dan's eyes; he really was sorry that had happened and saw the memories of all the teammates that were killed because of him appeared. He wanted to look away, but his eyes were drawn to them forcing him to watch and add the pain to his heart. Another section of the dome lit up and despite his unwillingness to see more moved over to it. This time it was his first encounter with Faust; it was a day that would change his life forever.\n\n\t\"I see your so-called friends abandoned you,\" said Faust in a sympathetic tone. \"You have such talents yet they are being wasted with such childish \"\n\n\t\"And who are you?\" asked Dante nervously. His friendly attitude was paper-thin and Dante smelled a vile bloodlust on this acquaintance of his.\n\n\t\"How rude of me,\" he apologized. \"Dante, my name is Faust. I am a businessman of sorts. I enjoy funding projects such as yours. You see I too believe these places that keep popping up in the Digital World have more valuables beyond the treasure that is in plain sight.\"\n\n\tDante felt a great sense of unease when Faust said his name. He never gave it to him which made him wonder just how long this guy had been keeping an eye on him. Nonetheless, Dante couldn't let this opportunity pass him by when he was out of money, out of friends, and out of options.\n\n\t\"Alright,\" he finally said, trying to suppress how forced he answered Faust, but his new business partner grinned.\n\n\t\"I knew you would make the right choice,\" he said. \"Now, I want to show you something, interesting.\" With a wave of his hand a pair of Digimon with the Dark Tattoo walked over with a Digimon restrained just as Flint was. He struggled, cried and pleaded to let go, but his words fell on death ears. \"With the power I'm about to show you I've amassed a large workforce to handle the many projects I'm involved in. This is how I intend to help you with your archeological expeditions.\"\n\n\tDante wanted to speak up, but a cold fear gripped him and he could only watch as Faust demonstrated the ability to him for the first time. He could still clearly remember the expression of the poor Digimon. It was so scared and terrified and it managed to shed on last tear before his expression went blank and his body grew still. When Faust removed his hand the Dark Tattoo appeared on his body and he had a beastly expression that matched Faust's other henchmen. Dante couldn't stop shaking after seeing such a horror. He could only stare as Faust led them back to his blimp and then follow behind them.\n\n\tMove videos played of all the victims he saw Faust curse along with all the ones he lost on his archeological digs. He knew they had to hate and fear him as much as they did Faust. Their only purpose was to be tools to allow Dante to do his research. Dan remembered the great guilt he felt or all the Digimon that he used until they broke. He wanted it to stop, but he was too afraid to go against Faust. As long as he obediently did his work he was safe and so he chose to selfishly save himself at the cost of so many others. Dan felt all that fill him as well. The coldness wrapped around him, making his body numb all over and drained away his energy. One last video appeared. This one was the last day that Dante truly existed.\n\n\tHe had been searching through a temple for hours. He felt so excited seeing all the symbols and drawings on the walls. It was the only true pleasure he had left in his life. He ran his fingers across the wall when he felt a loose tile. His heart pounded as he investigated and to his delight found it was a hidden compartment. Opening it up his eyes filled with wonder. It was a single tooth with a string that was strung through a hole in it. It was the Chimera Fang. This was Dante's first real bit of proof that his research was bearing fruit. He carefully placed it on his neck and made his way out. Only as he neared the entrance that he realized he would have to hand it over to Faust. After all he worked for him he knew he wasn't thinking of benefiting anyone other than himself. If there was any true power to this artifact he would only be making other Digimon suffer more. It was too much guilt for him to bear.\n\n\tWith a heavy heart he whimpered, \"I wish I could just be gone from this world forever.\"\n\n\tDante didn't know if it was the Chimera's Fang or not, but as if answering his request he felt his body begin to disappear. He may have wished for this to happen, but his purple-scaled body was starting to disappear from his feet up. Moving around frantically he tried to think of a way to stop it, but to no avail. He ended up exhausting himself on a pile of treasure as the last of his body disappeared along with the Chimera's Fang and some of the nearby treasure.\n\n\tFor a while everything was dark, but then a light came as Dante felt himself reborn as all Digimon are. He hatched from his Digiegg, but immediately knew something was wrong. The first was that he retained all his memories. Under normal circumstances Digimon started their rebirth with no idea who they used to be or what they did before. There were special exceptions, but they didn't remember more than a few significant things at most. Dante could remember it all.\n\n\tThe other thing that was different was that he wasn't a Ketomon, his Baby form. Instead he was a Jyarimon, a Baby form that most commonly became a Guilmon. Such a case never occurred before. It was then he was certain that he wasn't Dante, at least not in body. He had Dante's memory and his mind, but he was also this Guilmon. He thought it was some nightmare, something too awful to be real, but then he noticed the Chimera's Fang and the treasure from the temple was all there with him. It was real.\n\n\tWhether he was Dante reborn as a Guilmon or a Guilmon that had somehow obtained Dante's will it didn't matter. In his desperation to escape his life he had now burdened another with his problems. He knew Faust's type. He would search for Dante to obtain the Chimera's Fang and find out what kind of power it had. He had to hide it and keep it safe. And once again Dante was alone.\n\n\tThese memories of Dante's life haunted Dan. It drained the life from him and made the cold begin to freeze his body. He wanted to sleep and put a stop to it all. And slowly he closed his eyes.\n\n\n\tRex gasped for breath, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. His speed was starting to drop and the blimp was moving farther and farther away from them. \"Out of gas,\" he moaned weakly.\n\n\t\"Come on Rex,\" replied Fonz. \"You're the only one who can get us close enough to the blimp.\"\n\n\t\"And you'd better do it soon,\" replied Jack who had managed to regain consciousness. \"Look what's up ahead!\" He pointed into the distance and they saw there was a fairly large lake in their path.\n\n\t\"Can't we just swim it?\" asked Rex.\n\n\t\"Not if you have some way to keep this afro dry,\" commented Fonz. \"If it gets wet I can't use it.\"\n\n\t\"Can't you just poof it back up like before with that Seadramon?\" suggested Rex.\n\n\t\"A little water yes, but if it gets drenched it'll take weeks to dry. So you have to pick up the pace.\"\n\n\n\t\"I could go faster if I didn't have to carry you two, but therein lays the problem,\" explained Rex.\n\n\t\"Well, I know a way to make you speed up,\" Jack informed them. \"But do you want to save your friends that badly?\"\n\n\t\"Enough to do anything,\" Rex answered. \"Hurry up and do it, we don't have much time left!\"\n\n\t\"Okay, but you owe me one,\" explained Jack. With that he flicked his fingers on his free hand producing a small flame.\n\n\tHe then focused in on Rex's tail bouncing up and down as he ran from tree to tree. Rex's exhausted face quickly turned lively as he felt a burning sensation from his rump to the tip of his tail. \"MY BUTT IS ON FIRE!!!\" he screamed as he picked up speed at an alarming rate. Fonz held onto Rex with all his might and Jack held on to him, but he quickly lost his grip and tumbled though the trees grunting and groaning. He avoided hitting the ground at the cost of getting stuck upside down on a branch by one of his legs.\n\n\t\"Well, I suppose this could be worse,\" Jack said just before the branch snapped and he fell to the ground. \"Never mind.\"\n\n\tRex continued to run at his made pace getting ever closer to the blimp, but at his current speed Fonz had to hold on with all his might and couldn't take a shot. Even worse, they were about to reach the lake.\n\n\t\"We're so close, but what are we going to do now?\" asked Rex loudly, trying to speak loud enough for Fonz to hear him while moving at their current velocity.\n\n\t\"We've got one chance,\" answered Fonz. \"At the last moment gain as much altitude as you can. I should be able to get at least one shot.\"\n\n\tRex nodded and searched for the best place to make his leap. He spotted it at a lone branch extending in the direction of the lake. He leapt at it and used it as a diving board to propel the two of them into the air like a missile. While airborne Fonz worked to maneuver him body into a comfortable position to take his shot stepping all over Rex as a result. When the moment came and he had a clear shot he shouted his attack as he fired his bow.\n\nAFRO THUNDER\n\n\tThe arrow flew more light a bolt of lightning penetrated into one of the blimp's engines. Even though the attack was small compared to the blimp its strength was quite massive, causing the engine to break down. The electrical current spread through the rest the equipment causing it all to fail as well and cause it to descend at an alarming rate. Rex and Fonz cheered, feeling victorious just before the hit the water.\n\n\n\tThe effects of Fonz's attack were much more apparent on the inside of the blimp as shook violently from front to end. Everyone was a bit worried at first, but they didn't panic until it collided with the trees as it made a crash landing. It was felt even in the room with Flint and the others. His restrains were caught off guard by it causing them to loosen their grip on him just enough for him pull himself free, but not out of danger as they quickly tried to recapture him. Flint dodged and countered striking one in the face only to be caught by the other at his jacket's collar. He held Flint in place to allow his partner to use him as a punching bag, but Flint slipped his arms out of the sleeves escaping the attack, but at the cost of a hole in his jacket.\n\n\t\"I liked that!\" growled Flint who quickly followed up with a double uppercut to both his opponents right in the chin and sending them both flying backwards; they were both unconscious before they even hit the ground.\n\n\tWith nothing else in his way, Flint ran straight for Faust to stop him once and for all. \"Dan!\" roared Flint his conviction to save him as strong as ever.\n\n\n\tBroken and defeated, Dan could do nothing, but wait for the darkness to consume him and make the hurt go away.\n\n\t\"Dan...\"\n\n\tHe though he heard a voice, but he figured it was just wishful thinking on his part.\n\n\t\"Dan...\"\n\n\tThere it was again. It couldn't be a coincidence. He cracked his eyes open a bit.\n\n\t\"Dan!\"\n\n\tIt was louder this time and there was no mistaking it. That was Flint's voice and it was calling out to him. Dan opened his eyes completely and attempted to get up, but still felt weak.\n\n\t\"Dan!\"\n\n\t\"Dan!\"\n\t\n\tThere were two voices now. He could also hear Rex now. His strength was starting to return and the cold around him started to part. A new screen appeared on the black dome and Dan was compelled to watch it. It was a recent memory and a warm one. It was the first time he ever met those two.\n\n\tIt had been a while since Dante had been living by the lake. He felt that living a solitary life would keep the Chimera's Fang safe from Faust and in his time alone he managed to at least be at ease. Still it was so quiet all the time that it felt quite strange when he heard another's voice let alone two as noise as those two just over a nearby hill.\n\n\t\"What's going on?\" he thought as he went to investigate.\n\n\tAs he approached he saw Flint and Rex fighting each other with bumps and bruises covering them from head to toe. Still, they were fighting quite fiercely against each other. Flint had just reached the edge of the hill when Rex took advantage of it to tackle him and knock him all the way down it. His planned only half-worked as Flint managed to grab his arm while he was losing him balance and pull him down with him. They tumbled haphazardly around prompting Dante to get in closer.\n\n\tWhen they finally stopped rolling, Rex wobbled to his feet trying to shake the dizziness away. As the world stopped spinning he focused in on Flint who had already recovered and landed a solid blow on his chest knocking him to a tree. He followed up by pinning him to it by his chest.\n\n\t\"This is the finishing blow!\" he stated as he pulled back his free arm for one punch with everything on it.\n\n\t\"Why are you two fighting?\" shouted Dante causing Flint to stop. Flint and Rex turned to Dante, noticing him for the first time.\n\n\t\"To pass the time,\" Flint explained.\n\n\t\"We didn't have anything better to do for the last seven days while we were coming here,\" added Rex.\n\n\t\"You've been fighting like this for seven days?\" cried Dante. \"Are you both nuts?\"\n\n\tFlint and Rex looked at Dante as if he was the crazy one. Rex then saw this as his window of opportunity and forced the unprepared Flint to the ground, pinning him and claiming victory.\n\n\t\"I win!\" he declared.\n\n\t\"No fair,\" groaned Flint. \"Interference.\"\n\n\t\"No rules in a fight, remember,\" Rex stated like in a mocking tone.\n\n\t\"Fine,\" admitted Flint. \"It's still the leader. I won the other six fights we had.\" With that Rex helped Flint up, but it didn't last as they both collapsed the fatigue from their traveling and brawls finally taking their toll. They awoke shortly after at Dante's campsite.\n\n\t\"What happened?\" asked Rex.\n\n\t\"The same thing that happens when you don't rest for seven days,\" explained Dante. \"What were you trying to do anyway? You said something about being the leader?\"\n\n\t\"That's right,\" replied Flint. \"We were fighting to see who would be the leader of our new team. We're going to join the Treasure Guild and find the Infinity Zone.\"\n\n\tDante was surprised to hear this. It had been so long since he had ever thought about the guild. \"You want to join the guild?\" asked Dante.\n\n\t\"Yeah,\" answered Rex. \"We're going to be called Team Matrix!\"\n\n\t\"Okay, I understand that,\" said Dante. \"But you do realize it requires a minimum of three to be able to join and go on missions.\"\n\n\tRex didn't seem concerned by this fact until he started counting. \"One...\" he pointed at himself. \"Two...\" he pointed at Flint. \"Three...\" he didn't have anyone to point at. Understanding this fact Flint and Rex quickly looked upset.\n\n\t\"It's alright,\" said Dante feeling bad for having to break it to them.\n\n\tSuddenly, they looked at him with puppy dog eyes and asked. \"Will you be our third teammate?\"\n\n\t\tGuilt! Dante had been taken completely off guard by this display to get his pity. \"Gee, I don't know it I...\" he couldn't finish that sentence as they quickly increased the guilt beyond his ability to resist. \"Okay! I'll join you.\"\n\n\t\tTheir moods quickly changed as they grew cheerful and began to drag him by the arms to the Treasure Guild Facility to register.\n\n\t\tIt had been an unusual day to be certain Dante figured, but for some reason he hadn't felt this happy in such a long time. \"Who are you guys?\" he asked.\n\n\t\"I'm Flint,\" answered Flint.\n\n\t\"I'm Dexter,\" added Rex stating it with a bit of embarrassment. \"But everyone calls me Rex. So, what do you call you, big guy?\"\n\n\t\"I'm Dant...\" began Dante before deciding against it. \"Just call me Dan.\"\n\n\t\"Alright, Dan!\" said Flint cheerfully. \"This looks like the beginning of a wonderful friendship.\"\n\n\tDan smiled at this memory and more started to appear around it. All the memories of his adventures so far with them started to appear. Despite it being so brief there were quite a lot. Even happy memories of when he was still Dante started to appear. A lot of them were of the many trips he made to the Cat's Cradle to watch Angel sing. All these happy memories filled the room and the sad ones blurred into static. The black dome began to crack all around him as bright light seeped in through the cracks before it burst open.\n\n\tLife returned to Dan as he returned to reality gasping for breath as if he had been holding his breath the entire time. Faust's hand was rejected from Dan's body much to his surprise.\n\n\t\"It failed?\" he grimaced. \"That's impossible!\"\n\n\t\"I told you that Dan's not weak!\" shouted Flint as flew at Faust and struck him in the face with all his face. He sent him flying into the wall adding another dent beside the one that Faust made with Dan. Flint breathed heavily after that attack.\n\n\t\"You may be stronger than the average rookie level Digimon, commented Faust, \"But you're no match for me.\" He got up rubbing his punched cheek with the back side of his hand.\n\n\tFlint knew this wasn't good. He was still tired from his trek through the blimp and he had a feeling it wouldn't have mattered if he was at full strength. He still had one attack he could use, but unless he could score a direct hit it would be useless. Flint had to make an opening for it and charged at Faust to strike him again, but without the element of surprise he could him by the arm.\n\n\t\"You know,\" stated Faust. \"I've never been attacked before, let alone punched in the face.\" He slowly dragged his nails across Flint's arm quite painfully. \"Should I do it slow and painfully or fast and agonizingly like waxing a hairy guy's back?\" With that he clawed all the way across his arm causing Flint to scream out painfully.\n\n\t\"Flint!\" screamed Dan rushing to his aid.\n\n\n\tRex and Fonz made it to the blimp's crash site. They were still dripping wet from their swim. Fonz was holding his soggy afro as it was not wearable in its current state. When they found the door to the blimp, they tried to open it, but someone was blocking it from the other side.\n\n\t\"I have an idea,\" Rex said as he pounded on the door.\n\n\t\"Who is it?\" asked the Digimon on the other side.\n\n\t\"Uh, pizza delivery,\" lied Rex.\n\n\t\"We didn't order any.\"\n\n\t\"That was your big plan?\" asked Fonz. \"We have to find another way in.\"\n\n\t\"No. Flint and Dan need us. We have to get in there now. I guess there's no helping it now. I'm going to have to use that.\"\n\n\t\"What?\" asked Fonz.\n\n\t\"My special move. Flint and I agreed not to use our moves until we at least made it to Rank 2.\"\n\n\t\"Well, this is a special case,\" replied Fonz. \"So, I think its okay.\"\n\n\tRex nodded and lined up with the door. He spun his arms around to flex his muscles then did some stretches.\n\n\t\"Would you just get on with it?\" shouted Fonz losing his patience.\n\n\t\"Oh, sorry,\" Rex apologized. He then ran at the door in a normal fashion. Fonz figured it was just another futile attempt, but suddenly he just saw him freeze in mid-stride and he was filled with a strange sensation.\n\nMACH 1: VEE BULLET\n\n\tAn intense wind blew at Fonz as he braced his face with his arms and held onto this afro so it wouldn't blow away. Rex became a blue blur as shot at the door. All the Digimon holding the door so that it wouldn't be opened were knocked backwards out cold from the impact. The door itself had an indent of Rex's face in it and Rex was in a daze from the attack.\n\n\t\"That was incredible!\" exclaimed Fonz, helping Rex up.\n\n\t\"Are you kidding?\" asked Rex sounding disappointed. \"I didn't even knock the door down.\"\n\n\t\"Forget the door. Let's just save Flint and Dan.\" With that they made their way into the blimp. Shortly after they left the front door creaked and then fell off its hinges.\n\n\tThey made it in just Faust tossed Flint at Guilmon. They both looked like they had taken a brutal beating.\n\n\t\"Flint, Dan, are you guys alright?\" cried Rex.\n\n\t\"Been better,\" said Flint, \"But I'm glad you're here. What say we put this guy in his place?\"\n\n\t\"But you don't look like you can even stand,\" said Fonz.\n\n\t\"I'm alright, but Dan's been through enough,\" Flint said. \"Can you get him out of here? We're going to finish this in one more move.\"\n\n\tThe look Flint gave Fonz made him realize it was better not to question him and he grabbed Dan and helped him make his way out.\n\n\t\"Flint... Rex...\" Dan said weakly.\n\n\t\"Don't worry, we'll be fine,\" said Flint confidently.\n\n\t\"So, what's the plan?\" asked Rex.\n\n\t\"Just keep him busy,\" explained Flint. \"We can't beat him unless we hit him with our best attack.\"\n\n\tThey crossed arms causing Flint to flinch at the pain of his injured arm.\n\n\t\"Your arm,\" said Rex.\n\n\t\"Don't worry, it is nothing. Just worry about beating this guy.\"\n\n\tRex nodded and rushed Faust who swatted at him with little luck at hitting him.\n\n\t\"I try swatting you flies and more just keep coming,\" he groaned.\n\n\t\"So, you're the guy who kidnapped our friend. I thought Flint would have kicked your butt by now, but I guess he was waiting for me so I could join in on the fun.\"\n\n\t\"He's only alive because I allowed him to be, but now I'm going to kill you and him and everyone else even if I have to use my entire organization to do it. You hear me?\"\n\n\t\"Not really,\" taunted Rex as he made his way back to Flint.\n\n\tFaust turned to the two dino Digimon and saw they appeared blurry. He also noticed the temperature had suddenly risen and realized it was due to Flint. Sweat trickled down his body as his body boiled. His breathing caused smoke to rise from his nostrils. The air bent as the hot air mixed with the cold.\n\nTORCH BREATH\n\n\tA massive blast of fire erupted from his mouth heading straight for Faust. He tried to counter it with his own power, but unintentionally sent it upwards into the balloon filled with highly flammable gases igniting it and causing a massive explosion.\n\n\t\"Flint!\" shouted Rex.\n\n\t\"Rex!\" shouted Flint breaking off his attack. He reached for his friend just as the explosion began moving throughout the entire blimp.\n\n\n\tFonz and Dan had made it a safe distance from the blimp, but Dan refused to go any further without Flint and Rex.\n\n\t\"Stop worry,\" said Fonz. \"I'm sure they're fine.\" His words were followed as the entire blimp burst into flames scaring the area around it with a massive fireball. Fonz and Dan braced themselves behind a tree screaming words that were lost to the deafening explosion.\n\n\n\tThe explosion managed to burn itself out leaving the area filled with ash. Fonz and Dan looked around to find their friends, but it didn't appear like anything survived save for some scrap metal. Dan was on his knees beginning to cry. \"They're gone,\" he cried. \"It's my fault.\"\n\n\t\"What do you mean gone?\" shouted a voice from above. Dan and Fonz looked up and saw something appear through the smoke. It was faint, but he was certain it was Rex and Flint. They were alive, parachuting down on Rex's bandana.\n\n\t\"It was crazy!\" screamed Rex. \"We were on fire and then Flint took my bandana and used it to right the hot air through the blimp. It was awesome!\"\n\n\t\"Except for the almost dying part,\" added Flint.\n\n\t\"Relax. We're out of danger and just going to float down safely.\" It was then they realized they were starting to fall faster. They looked up and saw the bandana was on fire and making them fall faster. In an instant their descent increased greatly and they screamed as they fell.\n\n\tOn reflex Dan ran to his falling friends and leapt as they were about to hit the ground catching them just in time. They tumbled about getting covered in ash. Fonz ran to see them and were in disbelief that they were laughing.\n\n\t\"You guys are made for each other,\" he said. \"Now let's get out of here. I don't know about you guys, but the coolest thing we can do after this is get some rest.\"\n\n\tFlint, Dan, and Rex agreed and just as they got to their feet Flint and Rex passed out. Dan smiles and picked them up. \"You guys never change do you?\" With that they made their way back to their campsite.\n\n\n\tAs night arrived, a figured emerged from the ashes. It was Faust shielding himself with his wings. As he looked at all the destruction around him he growled angrily and shouted into the sky.", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "Chapter 9


\tAn arrow flew towards the blimp from the ground wrapped in a cloak of lightning as Fonz attempted to shoot it down.  The arrow soared high and far, but was nowhere near reaching its target.  Fonz ran his fingers through his thundercloud afro to ready another arrow to try again.  Underneath him, Rex and Jack were carrying him in order to keep up with the blimp so he could focus on trying to hit it.  Flint ran in front holding him by the legs and Jack had the pleasure to manage the rear.  They had been in hot pursuit of the blimp since it began its departure, but despite keeping it in sight they could not do anything about its vertical ascension.

\t"No good," announced Fonz.  "We'll never stop it at this rate.  We need to get to higher grounds."

\tGood luck with that," replied Jack. "There's nothing but trees around here and I'm no Tarzan."

\t"Just leave it to me," stated Rex. "Hang on tight and we'll catch up in no time."

\t"What are you talking about?" was all Jack managed to mutter before Rex picked up speed.  He couldn't run as fast as he normally could for very long with Jack slowing him down and having to support Fonz, but he just needed an increase for a moment as he charged at a nearby tree.  Not wanting to get left behind, Jack held onto Fonz's tail as Rex carried them both with the momentum.  When he was within jumping distance to the tree he went airborne head on at it.  He freed one of his hands from carrying Fonz to cling to the tree for a moment before kicking off font it to another with his friends in two.  Jack had the misfortune of being in the back and not being as acrobatic as Rex.  He has the displeasure of slamming into the tree before getting peeled off to be pulled on by the others.  Rex repeated the process until he was onto of the forest, running along it as if he was gliding on air.

\t"What just happened?" cried Fonz, a bit surprised. "What were you raised by monkeys or something?"

\t"Just for a day," replied Rex. "But it got me over the dislike of climbing trees.  I'm just glad I didn't lose you guys on the way up."

\t"We kind of lost Jack," commented Fonz, looking back to see he was in a daze after ramming into all those trees.  Amazingly enough he was still with them, his grip still fastened to Fonz's tail.

\t"Well, just leave it to me," declared Rex. "I'll carry all of us to the blimp and then we'll save Dan and Rex."  With that said he continued onward with all his might.


\tFaust continued to torment Flint and Dan as he held his fingertips against Flint's chest threatening to infect him with a Dark Tattoo.  Flint felt his stomach churning through a mix of the icy feeling against his torso and his extreme disgust for this fowl, evil Digimon.  Dan was looking down tears dripping off his forehead.  He didn't say anything, but was breathing heavily.

\tFaust smirked and turned to Dan.  "Nothing has changed has it Dante?  You're still as powerless as ever to save anyone but yourself.  I wonder how many Digimon you've seen me put the Dark Tattoo on and you've done nothing but stand petrified.  This one must be particularly painful since he has become so close to you.  Well?  Don't you have anything to say?"

\t"Yes," said Dan quietly.  Faust leaned an ear in closer to hear him better.  "Flint was right, you do talk too much."  Faust seemed confused by his response, but then Dan arose with his own fierce gaze that caught his foe off guard.  "I won't stand idly by!" He shouted before lunging at him.  Faust held out his arm shielding his body with his free arm allowing Dan to dig his claws and fangs into it.  Faust's cringed from the pain of his arm getting punctured, but it was not nearly enough to have a significant effect on his.  He instead turned his aim on Dan and threw him at the wall with enough force to dent it.

\t"So you really aren't Dante anymore.  You may have some part of him in you, but now you are Dan," concluded Faust bitterly.  "I may have lost him, but you still have information that I need.  I don't care how long it will take, but I will break you."

\tDan managed to weakly pull himself up, and stare defiantly as the MalevoDevimon stabbed his chest with his hand.  It didn't pierce the flesh; it didn't pierce his body, but pierce his soul, allowing the Dark Tattoo to corrode him from the inside out.

\t"Dan!" cried Flint, struggling to free himself.

\t"Keep him quiet!" shouted Faust.  "I want to enjoy this."  He licked his lips as he stared at Dan, his body still and his eyes vacant.


\tInside Dan's mind he felt a bitter coldness surround him and encase him in a black dome sealing him from the light and his senses.  He hugged himself tightly to try and stay warm, but it didn't work.  His breath appeared in front of his with each exhale.

\tSuddenly, a light appeared on the dome like a television screen.  He went to watch it and saw it was a memory.  One that Dante had.  It was on the last mission he had before he joined Faust and the Excavation Guild.

\t"It's your fault," cried one of his teammates after their less than successful mission.  "We lost Noah this time because you had to come here."

\t"This place was for teams of a higher rank than us," said another.  "Why do we ever listen to you?  You make it sound like we'll find a lot of treasure, but we've lost so much since we let you join."

\t"I didn't mean to," cried Dante, feeling the sting of their words.  They hurt all the more since he knew they were right.

\t"You're not sorry," shouted another.  "You never are.  You get excited about some old rocks and everything else takes a backseat to your stupid obsession including us.  You're official on your own."

\tWith that the other members of the team left, vanishing before Dan's eyes as Dante had no further memory of them.  Tears streamed down Dan's eyes; he really was sorry that had happened and saw the memories of all the teammates that were killed because of him appeared.  He wanted to look away, but his eyes were drawn to them forcing him to watch and add the pain to his heart.  Another section of the dome lit up and despite his unwillingness to see more moved over to it.  This time it was his first encounter with Faust; it was a day that would change his life forever.

\t"I see your so-called friends abandoned you," said Faust in a sympathetic tone.  "You have such talents yet they are being wasted with such childish "

\t"And who are you?" asked Dante nervously.  His friendly attitude was paper-thin and Dante smelled a vile bloodlust on this acquaintance of his.

\t"How rude of me," he apologized.  "Dante, my name is Faust.  I am a businessman of sorts.  I enjoy funding projects such as yours.  You see I too believe these places that keep popping up in the Digital World have more valuables beyond the treasure that is in plain sight."

\tDante felt a great sense of unease when Faust said his name.  He never gave it to him which made him wonder just how long this guy had been keeping an eye on him.  Nonetheless, Dante couldn't let this opportunity pass him by when he was out of money, out of friends, and out of options.

\t"Alright," he finally said, trying to suppress how forced he answered Faust, but his new business partner grinned.

\t"I knew you would make the right choice," he said.  "Now, I want to show you something, interesting."  With a wave of his hand a pair of Digimon with the Dark Tattoo walked over with a Digimon restrained just as Flint was.  He struggled, cried and pleaded to let go, but his words fell on death ears.  "With the power I'm about to show you I've amassed a large workforce to handle the many projects I'm involved in.  This is how I intend to help you with your archeological expeditions."

\tDante wanted to speak up, but a cold fear gripped him and he could only watch as Faust demonstrated the ability to him for the first time.  He could still clearly remember the expression of the poor Digimon.  It was so scared and terrified and it managed to shed on last tear before his expression went blank and his body grew still.  When Faust removed his hand the Dark Tattoo appeared on his body and he had a beastly expression that matched Faust's other henchmen.  Dante couldn't stop shaking after seeing such a horror.  He could only stare as Faust led them back to his blimp and then follow behind them.

\tMove videos played of all the victims he saw Faust curse along with all the ones he lost on his archeological digs.  He knew they had to hate and fear him as much as they did Faust.  Their only purpose was to be tools to allow Dante to do his research.  Dan remembered the great guilt he felt or all the Digimon that he used until they broke.  He wanted it to stop, but he was too afraid to go against Faust.  As long as he obediently did his work he was safe and so he chose to selfishly save himself at the cost of so many others.  Dan felt all that fill him as well.  The coldness wrapped around him, making his body numb all over and drained away his energy.  One last video appeared.  This one was the last day that Dante truly existed.

\tHe had been searching through a temple for hours.  He felt so excited seeing all the symbols and drawings on the walls.  It was the only true pleasure he had left in his life.  He ran his fingers across the wall when he felt a loose tile.  His heart pounded as he investigated and to his delight found it was a hidden compartment.  Opening it up his eyes filled with wonder.  It was a single tooth with a string that was strung through a hole in it.  It was the Chimera Fang.  This was Dante's first real bit of proof that his research was bearing fruit.  He carefully placed it on his neck and made his way out.  Only as he neared the entrance that he realized he would have to hand it over to Faust.  After all he worked for him he knew he wasn't thinking of benefiting anyone other than himself.  If there was any true power to this artifact he would only be making other Digimon suffer more.  It was too much guilt for him to bear.

\tWith a heavy heart he whimpered, "I wish I could just be gone from this world forever."

\tDante didn't know if it was the Chimera's Fang or not, but as if answering his request he felt his body begin to disappear.  He may have wished for this to happen, but his purple-scaled body was starting to disappear from his feet up.  Moving around frantically he tried to think of a way to stop it, but to no avail.  He ended up exhausting himself on a pile of treasure as the last of his body disappeared along with the Chimera's Fang and some of the nearby treasure.

\tFor a while everything was dark, but then a light came as Dante felt himself reborn as all Digimon are.  He hatched from his Digiegg, but immediately knew something was wrong.  The first was that he retained all his memories.  Under normal circumstances Digimon started their rebirth with no idea who they used to be or what they did before.  There were special exceptions, but they didn't remember more than a few significant things at most.  Dante could remember it all.

\tThe other thing that was different was that he wasn't a Ketomon, his Baby form.  Instead he was a Jyarimon, a Baby form that most commonly became a Guilmon.  Such a case never occurred before.  It was then he was certain that he wasn't Dante, at least not in body.  He had Dante's memory and his mind, but he was also this Guilmon.  He thought it was some nightmare, something too awful to be real, but then he noticed the Chimera's Fang and the treasure from the temple was all there with him.  It was real.

\tWhether he was Dante reborn as a Guilmon or a Guilmon that had somehow obtained Dante's will it didn't matter.  In his desperation to escape his life he had now burdened another with his problems.  He knew Faust's type.  He would search for Dante to obtain the Chimera's Fang and find out what kind of power it had.  He had to hide it and keep it safe.  And once again Dante was alone.

\tThese memories of Dante's life haunted Dan.  It drained the life from him and made the cold begin to freeze his body.  He wanted to sleep and put a stop to it all.  And slowly he closed his eyes.


\tRex gasped for breath, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.  His speed was starting to drop and the blimp was moving farther and farther away from them.  "Out of gas," he moaned weakly.

\t"Come on Rex," replied Fonz.  "You're the only one who can get us close enough to the blimp."

\t"And you'd better do it soon," replied Jack who had managed to regain consciousness.  "Look what's up ahead!"  He pointed into the distance and they saw there was a fairly large lake in their path.

\t"Can't we just swim it?" asked Rex.

\t"Not if you have some way to keep this afro dry," commented Fonz.  "If it gets wet I can't use it."

\t"Can't you just poof it back up like before with that Seadramon?" suggested Rex.

\t"A little water yes, but if it gets drenched it'll take weeks to dry.  So you have to pick up the pace."


\t"I could go faster if I didn't have to carry you two, but therein lays the problem," explained Rex.

\t"Well, I know a way to make you speed up," Jack informed them.  "But do you want to save your friends that badly?"

\t"Enough to do anything," Rex answered.  "Hurry up and do it, we don't have much time left!"

\t"Okay, but you owe me one," explained Jack.  With that he flicked his fingers on his free hand producing a small flame.

\tHe then focused in on Rex's tail bouncing up and down as he ran from tree to tree.  Rex's exhausted face quickly turned lively as he felt a burning sensation from his rump to the tip of his tail.  "MY BUTT IS ON FIRE!!!" he screamed as he picked up speed at an alarming rate.  Fonz held onto Rex with all his might and Jack held on to him, but he quickly lost his grip and tumbled though the trees grunting and groaning.  He avoided hitting the ground at the cost of getting stuck upside down on a branch by one of his legs.

\t"Well, I suppose this could be worse," Jack said just before the branch snapped and he fell to the ground.  "Never mind."

\tRex continued to run at his made pace getting ever closer to the blimp, but at his current speed Fonz had to hold on with all his might and couldn't take a shot.  Even worse, they were about to reach the lake.

\t"We're so close, but what are we going to do now?" asked Rex loudly, trying to speak loud enough for Fonz to hear him while moving at their current velocity.

\t"We've got one chance," answered Fonz. "At the last moment gain as much altitude as you can.  I should be able to get at least one shot."

\tRex nodded and searched for the best place to make his leap.  He spotted it at a lone branch extending in the direction of the lake.  He leapt at it and used it as a diving board to propel the two of them into the air like a missile.  While airborne Fonz worked to maneuver him body into a comfortable position to take his shot stepping all over Rex as a result.  When the moment came and he had a clear shot he shouted his attack as he fired his bow.

AFRO THUNDER

\tThe arrow flew more light a bolt of lightning penetrated into one of the blimp's engines.  Even though the attack was small compared to the blimp its strength was quite massive, causing the engine to break down.  The electrical current spread through the rest the equipment causing it all to fail as well and cause it to descend at an alarming rate.  Rex and Fonz cheered, feeling victorious just before the hit the water.


\tThe effects of Fonz's attack were much more apparent on the inside of the blimp as shook violently from front to end.  Everyone was a bit worried at first, but they didn't panic until it collided with the trees as it made a crash landing.  It was felt even in the room with Flint and the others.  His restrains were caught off guard by it causing them to loosen their grip on him just enough for him pull himself free, but not out of danger as they quickly tried to recapture him.  Flint dodged and countered striking one in the face only to be caught by the other at his jacket's collar.  He held Flint in place to allow his partner to use him as a punching bag, but Flint slipped his arms out of the sleeves escaping the attack, but at the cost of a hole in his jacket.

\t"I liked that!" growled Flint who quickly followed up with a double uppercut to both his opponents right in the chin and sending them both flying backwards; they were both unconscious before they even hit the ground.

\tWith nothing else in his way, Flint ran straight for Faust to stop him once and for all.  "Dan!" roared Flint his conviction to save him as strong as ever.


\tBroken and defeated, Dan could do nothing, but wait for the darkness to consume him and make the hurt go away.

\t"Dan..."

\tHe though he heard a voice, but he figured it was just wishful thinking on his part.

\t"Dan..."

\tThere it was again.  It couldn't be a coincidence.  He cracked his eyes open a bit.

\t"Dan!"

\tIt was louder this time and there was no mistaking it.  That was Flint's voice and it was calling out to him.  Dan opened his eyes completely and attempted to get up, but still felt weak.

\t"Dan!"

\t"Dan!"
\t
\tThere were two voices now.  He could also hear Rex now.  His strength was starting to return and the cold around him started to part.  A new screen appeared on the black dome and Dan was compelled to watch it.  It was a recent memory and a warm one.  It was the first time he ever met those two.

\tIt had been a while since Dante had been living by the lake.  He felt that living a solitary life would keep the Chimera's Fang safe from Faust and in his time alone he managed to at least be at ease.  Still it was so quiet all the time that it felt quite strange when he heard another's voice let alone two as noise as those two just over a nearby hill.

\t"What's going on?" he thought as he went to investigate.

\tAs he approached he saw Flint and Rex fighting each other with bumps and bruises covering them from head to toe.  Still, they were fighting quite fiercely against each other.  Flint had just reached the edge of the hill when Rex took advantage of it to tackle him and knock him all the way down it.  His planned only half-worked as Flint managed to grab his arm while he was losing him balance and pull him down with him.  They tumbled haphazardly around prompting Dante to get in closer.

\tWhen they finally stopped rolling, Rex wobbled to his feet trying to shake the dizziness away.  As the world stopped spinning he focused in on Flint who had already recovered and landed a solid blow on his chest knocking him to a tree.  He followed up by pinning him to it by his chest.

\t"This is the finishing blow!" he stated as he pulled back his free arm for one punch with everything on it.

\t"Why are you two fighting?" shouted Dante causing Flint to stop.  Flint and Rex turned to Dante, noticing him for the first time.

\t"To pass the time," Flint explained.

\t"We didn't have anything better to do for the last seven days while we were coming here," added Rex.

\t"You've been fighting like this for seven days?" cried Dante. "Are you both nuts?"

\tFlint and Rex looked at Dante as if he was the crazy one.  Rex then saw this as his window of opportunity and forced the unprepared Flint to the ground, pinning him and claiming victory.

\t"I win!" he declared.

\t"No fair," groaned Flint. "Interference."

\t"No rules in a fight, remember," Rex stated like in a mocking tone.

\t"Fine," admitted Flint.  "It's still the leader.  I won the other six fights we had."  With that Rex helped Flint up, but it didn't last as they both collapsed the fatigue from their traveling and brawls finally taking their toll.   They awoke shortly after at Dante's campsite.

\t"What happened?" asked Rex.

\t"The same thing that happens when you don't rest for seven days," explained Dante.  "What were you trying to do anyway?  You said something about being the leader?"

\t"That's right," replied Flint.  "We were fighting to see who would be the leader of our new team.  We're going to join the Treasure Guild and find the Infinity Zone."

\tDante was surprised to hear this.  It had been so long since he had ever thought about the guild.  "You want to join the guild?" asked Dante.

\t"Yeah," answered Rex.  "We're going to be called Team Matrix!"

\t"Okay, I understand that," said Dante.  "But you do realize it requires a minimum of three to be able to join and go on missions."

\tRex didn't seem concerned by this fact until he started counting.  "One..." he pointed at himself.  "Two..." he pointed at Flint.  "Three..." he didn't have anyone to point at.  Understanding this fact Flint and Rex quickly looked upset.

\t"It's alright," said Dante feeling bad for having to break it to them.

\tSuddenly, they looked at him with puppy dog eyes and asked.  "Will you be our third teammate?"

\t\tGuilt!  Dante had been taken completely off guard by this display to get his pity.  "Gee, I don't know it I..." he couldn't finish that sentence as they quickly increased the guilt beyond his ability to resist.  "Okay!  I'll join you."

\t\tTheir moods quickly changed as they grew cheerful and began to drag him by the arms to the Treasure Guild Facility to register.

\t\tIt had been an unusual day to be certain Dante figured, but for some reason he hadn't felt this happy in such a long time.  "Who are you guys?" he asked.

\t"I'm Flint," answered Flint.

\t"I'm Dexter," added Rex stating it with a bit of embarrassment.  "But everyone calls me Rex.  So, what do you call you, big guy?"

\t"I'm Dant..." began Dante before deciding against it.  "Just call me Dan."

\t"Alright, Dan!" said Flint cheerfully.  "This looks like the beginning of a wonderful friendship."

\tDan smiled at this memory and more started to appear around it.  All the memories of his adventures so far with them started to appear.  Despite it being so brief there were quite a lot.  Even happy memories of when he was still Dante started to appear.  A lot of them were of the many trips he made to the Cat's Cradle to watch Angel sing.  All these happy memories filled the room and the sad ones blurred into static.  The black dome began to crack all around him as bright light seeped in through the cracks before it burst open.

\tLife returned to Dan as he returned to reality gasping for breath as if he had been holding his breath the entire time.  Faust's hand was rejected from Dan's body much to his surprise.

\t"It failed?" he grimaced.  "That's impossible!"

\t"I told you that Dan's not weak!" shouted Flint as flew at Faust and struck him in the face with all his face.  He sent him flying into the wall adding another dent beside the one that Faust made with Dan.  Flint breathed heavily after that attack.

\t"You may be stronger than the average rookie level Digimon, commented Faust, "But you're no match for me."  He got up rubbing his punched cheek with the back side of his hand.

\tFlint knew this wasn't good.  He was still tired from his trek through the blimp and he had a feeling it wouldn't have mattered if he was at full strength.  He still had one attack he could use, but unless he could score a direct hit it would be useless.  Flint had to make an opening for it and charged at Faust to strike him again, but without the element of surprise he could him by the arm.

\t"You know," stated Faust.  "I've never been attacked before, let alone punched in the face."  He slowly dragged his nails across Flint's arm quite painfully.  "Should I do it slow and painfully or fast and agonizingly like waxing a hairy guy's back?"  With that he clawed all the way across his arm causing Flint to scream out painfully.

\t"Flint!" screamed Dan rushing to his aid.


\tRex and Fonz made it to the blimp's crash site.  They were still dripping wet from their swim.  Fonz was holding his soggy afro as it was not wearable in its current state.  When they found the door to the blimp, they tried to open it, but someone was blocking it from the other side.

\t"I have an idea," Rex said as he pounded on the door.

\t"Who is it?" asked the Digimon on the other side.

\t"Uh, pizza delivery," lied Rex.

\t"We didn't order any."

\t"That was your big plan?" asked Fonz.  "We have to find another way in."

\t"No.  Flint and Dan need us.  We have to get in there now.  I guess there's no helping it now.  I'm going to have to use that."

\t"What?" asked Fonz.

\t"My special move.  Flint and I agreed not to use our moves until we at least made it to Rank 2."

\t"Well, this is a special case," replied Fonz.  "So, I think its okay."

\tRex nodded and lined up with the door.  He spun his arms around to flex his muscles then did some stretches.

\t"Would you just get on with it?" shouted Fonz losing his patience.

\t"Oh, sorry," Rex apologized.  He then ran at the door in a normal fashion.  Fonz figured it was just another futile attempt, but suddenly he just saw him freeze in mid-stride and he was filled with a strange sensation.

MACH 1: VEE BULLET

\tAn intense wind blew at Fonz as he braced his face with his arms and held onto this afro so it wouldn't blow away.  Rex became a blue blur as shot at the door.  All the Digimon holding the door so that it wouldn't be opened were knocked backwards out cold from the impact.  The door itself had an indent of Rex's face in it and Rex was in a daze from the attack.

\t"That was incredible!" exclaimed Fonz, helping Rex up.

\t"Are you kidding?" asked Rex sounding disappointed. "I didn't even knock the door down."

\t"Forget the door.  Let's just save Flint and Dan."  With that they made their way into the blimp.  Shortly after they left the front door creaked and then fell off its hinges.

\tThey made it in just Faust tossed Flint at Guilmon.  They both looked like they had taken a brutal beating.

\t"Flint, Dan, are you guys alright?" cried Rex.

\t"Been better," said Flint, "But I'm glad you're here.  What say we put this guy in his place?"

\t"But you don't look like you can even stand," said Fonz.

\t"I'm alright, but Dan's been through enough," Flint said.  "Can you get him out of here?  We're going to finish this in one more move."

\tThe look Flint gave Fonz made him realize it was better not to question him and he grabbed Dan and helped him make his way out.

\t"Flint... Rex..." Dan said weakly.

\t"Don't worry, we'll be fine," said Flint confidently.

\t"So, what's the plan?" asked Rex.

\t"Just keep him busy," explained Flint.  "We can't beat him unless we hit him with our best attack."

\tThey crossed arms causing Flint to flinch at the pain of his injured arm.

\t"Your arm," said Rex.

\t"Don't worry, it is nothing.  Just worry about beating this guy."

\tRex nodded and rushed Faust who swatted at him with little luck at hitting him.

\t"I try swatting you flies and more just keep coming," he groaned.

\t"So, you're the guy who kidnapped our friend.  I thought Flint would have kicked your butt by now, but I guess he was waiting for me so I could join in on the fun."

\t"He's only alive because I allowed him to be, but now I'm going to kill you and him and everyone else even if I have to use my entire organization to do it.  You hear me?"

\t"Not really," taunted Rex as he made his way back to Flint.

\tFaust turned to the two dino Digimon and saw they appeared blurry.  He also noticed the temperature had suddenly risen and realized it was due to Flint.  Sweat trickled down his body as his body boiled.  His breathing caused smoke to rise from his nostrils.  The air bent as the hot air mixed with the cold.

TORCH BREATH

\tA massive blast of fire erupted from his mouth heading straight for Faust.  He tried to counter it with his own power, but unintentionally sent it upwards into the balloon filled with highly flammable gases igniting it and causing a massive explosion.

\t"Flint!" shouted Rex.

\t"Rex!" shouted Flint breaking off his attack.  He reached for his friend just as the explosion began moving throughout the entire blimp.


\tFonz and Dan had made it a safe distance from the blimp, but Dan refused to go any further without Flint and Rex.

\t"Stop worry," said Fonz.  "I'm sure they're fine."  His words were followed as the entire blimp burst into flames scaring the area around it with a massive fireball.  Fonz and Dan braced themselves behind a tree screaming words that were lost to the deafening explosion.


\tThe explosion managed to burn itself out leaving the area filled with ash.  Fonz and Dan looked around to find their friends, but it didn't appear like anything survived save for some scrap metal.  Dan was on his knees beginning to cry.  "They're gone," he cried.  "It's my fault."

\t"What do you mean gone?" shouted a voice from above.  Dan and Fonz looked up and saw something appear through the smoke.  It was faint, but he was certain it was Rex and Flint.  They were alive, parachuting down on Rex's bandana.

\t"It was crazy!" screamed Rex.  "We were on fire and then Flint took my bandana and used it to right the hot air through the blimp.  It was awesome!"

\t"Except for the almost dying part," added Flint.

\t"Relax.  We're out of danger and just going to float down safely."  It was then they realized they were starting to fall faster.  They looked up and saw the bandana was on fire and making them fall faster.  In an instant their descent increased greatly and they screamed as they fell.

\tOn reflex Dan ran to his falling friends and leapt as they were about to hit the ground catching them just in time.  They tumbled about getting covered in ash.  Fonz ran to see them and were in disbelief that they were laughing.

\t"You guys are made for each other," he said.  "Now let's get out of here.  I don't know about you guys, but the coolest thing we can do after this is get some rest."

\tFlint, Dan, and Rex agreed and just as they got to their feet Flint and Rex passed out.  Dan smiles and picked them up.  "You guys never change do you?"  With that they made their way back to their campsite.


\tAs night arrived, a figured emerged from the ashes.  It was Faust shielding himself with his wings.  As he looked at all the destruction around him he growled angrily and shouted into the sky.", "pools_count": 1, "title": "Digimon Treasure Quest R1 - Ch.9", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "text/plain", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "0", "rating_name": "General", "ratings": [], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "f", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "0", "views": "17" }