Danger Approaches

"Hmph, don't touch someone else's children without permission. Don't you even know that? You rude little brat. You're nothing like Zhou Zhu." Taking Yuramon from T.K.'s hands, Elecmon continued grumbling as he put the baby back in the cradle.

I finally found a human. Too bad Zhou Zhu is still over at Andromon's Factory. No, I have to hurry and let him know!

"Zhou Zhu? You've met Zhou Zhu too? Where is he?" Alone and separated from the others, T.K. suddenly heard news of a companion from Elecmon and grew visibly excited.

"Huh? A rude little brat like you knows Zhou Zhu? I was just thinking of going to tell him to come over. He kept asking me to look out for any signs of humans, after all." Is this kid Zhou Zhu's friend? In that case, I'll let his earlier rudeness slide.

"So where is Zhou Zhu now? Elecmon, could you take me to him?" T.K. barely paid attention to Elecmon's complaints about his manners. All he wanted now was to reunite with his companions.

"That's right. We got separated from Zhou Zhu and the others a few days ago. Elecmon, please take us to find him!" Beside him, Patamon also looked hopeful. After all, he still couldn't evolve into a Champion Digimon. If they ran into some vicious Digimon, both he and T.K. would probably be in serious danger.

Well, Candlemon is only a Rookie Digimon too, but there's strength in numbers. Besides, I can fly. Outrunning that legless Candlemon would be a piece of cake. Q~Q

"A... a few days ago? So you saw Zhou Zhu a few days ago? Where did you meet him?" From the kid's tone, were they friends Zhou Zhu had made after going to Andromon's Factory?

"Yeah, just a few days ago." Patamon flapped his wings, still gazing hopefully at Elecmon.

"We met Zhou Zhu at Andromon's Factory, but everyone got scattered because of Devimon." At that, T.K.'s spirits began to sink.

"Devimon? Zhou Zhu actually ran into someone like that! Is he all right? The Candlemon with him is still a child who hatched less than a year ago!"

So he ran into Devimon after all? But Zhou Zhu should have been safe as long as he stayed inside Andromon's Factory. A Champion Digimon like Devimon is no match for Andromon.

"I don't know, but he should be okay. Leomon stopped Devimon in the end, after all. That was when we got separated. Elecmon, can you take us to find Zhou Zhu?" As he spoke, the dejection in T.K.'s eyes slowly gave way to hope.

"Well, the last time I saw Zhou Zhu was a week ago. He was still at Andromon's Factory then, so I can't help you with that." As long as Zhou Zhu and Candlemon are all right. With Leomon's strength, a Champion Digimon like Devimon shouldn't be hard to handle, right?

"Huh? A week ago? That was before we even met Zhou Zhu, wasn't it? So that's what happened..."

His hopes had been raised for nothing.

"T.K., should we go look for them?" Seeing T.K.'s disappointment, Patamon no longer felt like staying here either.

"Yeah, Patamon. We have to find my brother and the others."

Remembering that his brother, Tai, and the others were still missing, T.K. lost the happiness he had felt when he first arrived.

"Heh, kid, I'd advise you to stay here. It's not safe out there right now. For some reason, a lot of kind Digimon have become extremely aggressive. With what little strength you two have, you won't get far before running into danger."

Sigh, they're Zhou Zhu's friends, after all. I can't just watch them walk into danger, can I? These two really are a handful.

"Huh? Kind Digimon have become extremely aggressive?" What Elecmon described sounded familiar to T.K.

"It's the Black Gears!"

Patamon understood at once. This had to be Devimon's doing, using the Black Gears.

"Never mind all that. Just stay here. Since you're Zhou Zhu's friends, I, Elecmon, will make sure you're well looked after."

With that, Elecmon stopped paying attention to the two of them and turned to sort out the fish he had set aside earlier.

"Patamon, what should we do?"

After hearing Elecmon's explanation, T.K. no longer wanted to rush off in search of his brother. He had personally experienced what those Digimon controlled by Black Gears were like, after all.

If he charged straight out there, he probably wouldn't even live long enough to find his brother.

"Let's stay here for now, then. Tai, Matt, and the others will definitely come looking for us." It's all because I can't evolve. If I could, going outside wouldn't be so dangerous.

As a native of File Island, Patamon knew full well where Champion Digimon stood on the island. He was also confident that if he evolved, he would never lose to Agumon and the others. The catch, however, was that he had to be able to evolve...

"Hey, are you two brats just going to stand there and watch? Don't you know to come help? You really don't have any manners, do you? Zhou Zhu knew to help me look after the babies when he first arrived. Are you really his friends?"

While handling the fish, Elecmon eyed the two sources of free labor before him. His big, doll-like eyes darted about, and he began laying on the guilt.

"Huh? Okay, I'll be right there."

"I'll look after the babies!"

Inexperienced as they were, T.K. and Patamon had never dealt with anything like this. A few words from Elecmon were enough to make them feel embarrassed...

"Hmph, that's more like it."

Come to think of it, why hasn't Andromon dealt with that Devimon yet? Now I have to be extra careful every time I go out to gather food...

A few days later...

"T.K., Yuramon is hungry again. Hurry and bring some food!" Cradling a little cutie in his arms, Elecmon called orders in T.K.'s direction.

"Hold on, I haven't finished feeding this baby yet. Patamon, could you go first?" With next to no experience caring for babies, T.K. was already sweating from all the work.

"But I'm busy over here too!" Patamon was so exhausted that he didn't even have the strength to flap his wings...

Meanwhile, on a nearby mountain, the controlled Leomon stared toward T.K. and Patamon with furious, deathly pale eyes.

"Eliminate the DigiDestined!"

With that low, furious roar, Leomon drew the King of Beasts Sword from his back and charged down the mountain toward T.K.