Allison buried her nose in a book even as she listened to the radio. However, her attention was grabbed by a song. The more she listened to it, the more she recognized it. "No way. It can't be. I've only been gone," she tallied the days in her head, "twenty one days. So three weeks, and this! How long have they been planning to leave me?" She heaved a sigh. "Oh well. This is much more important. The new Digidestined need me."
Vari overheard her, but didn't understand what she was talking about. "Allison?"
Allison reached out and turned off the radio. "Huh?"
"We're ready to go."
"I'll be right there."
Jihan saw Matt walk out of a building. He looked tired. "Guess he's heading home," she told herself. "I should too."
Minutes later, Jihan was surprised to see Matt enter a nearby apartment building. "Huh. I didn't think he lived so close." After casting a wary glance up at the gray cloudy sky, she rushed home.
Allison looked at the others. "Let's go." Six digivices were held up to the screen. Then Joe, Vari, Allison, Msaada, Tai, and Sarran were gone.
The Master of Digimon was aware of the Digidestined. "So, they aren't done meddling, are they?" He looked at the list of his servants. "Darkgreymon!" The big Digimon moved forward. "Capture the Digidestined's Digimon for me. You are not allowed to digivolve."
"Yes, master."
"Get going!"
Vari glanced around. "Where are we?"
Joe glanced up the path. "Somewhere that we don't want to be. Let's get going."
Lupimon stopped and sniffed. "I smell food."
"Just ignore it. Please," Joe said anxiously.
Tai thought he knew what was going on. "We're near that restaurant, aren't we?" Joe nodded.
Allison looked around. "Where's Sarran?"
Joe, Allison, and Tai looked around before sharing a horrified look. "She's at that restaurant," Tai realized. "Let's stop her from being caught like you were, Joe." He and the others rushed toward the restaurant, although the new Digidestined looked confused.
Sarran and Trisermon finished their meal. Digitamamon walked over. "And how will you be paying your bill?"
"My bill," Sarran said slowly, only now realizing she'd made a mistake in coming here.
"We don't serve free meals," Digitamamon said. "If you can't pay, you'll have to work off your debt."
The door slammed open, revealing Joe standing in the doorway. He almost seemed to be radiating fury. Almost. "Let her go!"
"She must pay her bill!"
Joe replied, "I'll work it off for her."
Tai, Vari, Allison, and Msaada arrived just in time to hear Joe's offer. Tai asked, "Are you serious, Joe? Remember what happened last time?"
Joe turned and smiled at him. "I'm serious, and I do remember. In fact, I probably still have a little of my debt left to do anyway."
Jihan winced as she felt the raindrops on her head. "Okay, time to go."
As she stepped onto the street, Matt saw her walking in the rain. "Jihan!"
Jihan looked over at him. "Oh, hi."
Matt walked over to her. "You're soaked! Let's get you inside before you get sick. Can't let you go into the Digiworld if you're sick, you know."
Jihan looked at him, then into his blue eyes. "I guess," she replied. She told herself, "He's the first person in a long time to care if I get sick or not."
Darkgreymon waited for Digitamamon. "Have you trapped any Digidestined?"
"Six."
"Six! Which ones?"
"Reliability, Knowledge, Courage, and Perseverance."
"That's only four, Digitamamon," Darkgreymon rumbled angrily.
"Both Reliability and both Courage," the egg shaped Digimon clarified.
"That's better. And the Digimon?"
"They refuse to leave the Digidestined's side."
Darkgreymon smiled. "Good. Keep them here, please. If you don't, you will face my wrath."
Digitamamon trembled. "Yes, Darkgreymon."
"And make sure Vegimon understands as well. Neither of you are to let the Digidestined and their Digimon get away. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Darkgreymon."
"Good."
Jihan walked inside with Matt. "Sorry for the inconvenience," she whispered.
"Inconvenience?" Matt smiled sadly. "Face it, the Digidestined need you and you can't help if you're sick. Like I told you before."
Jihan knew he was hiding something, but she couldn't figure out what. "I know."
"Do you want to change into some dry clothes? You are pretty soaked."
"Not really."
Matt read into her words. He made a mental note to see if Mimi would take Jihan on a shopping spree. "You can borrow some of mine," he said.
Jihan shrugged. "Whatever."
Allison, Joe, and Tai looked up at the sound of breaking glass. "There's another day of work if that's Msaada again," Joe said from where he was drying dishes.
"If I had any money, I'd bet you that it was Msaada," Allison commented, up to her elbows in dishwater.
"How'd we get ourselves into this," Tai asked.
An hour or so later, the Digidestined sat outside. "Wish we could get out of here," Vari said with a sigh.
"Want out? Because I'm willing to make a deal." Darkgreymon suddenly looked down at them.
"Just out of curiosity," Allison said, "what is this deal? Even though I personally don't think I'll agree to it."
"I'll give you our freedom. All you have to do is give your digivice, computers, and Digimon to me."
"Never," Sarran cried. "Power of Courage!"
"Trisermon Courage Star digivolve to...Courtrisermon."
"Power of Knowledge!"
"Power of Reliability!"
"Lupimon Knowledge Star digivolve to...Knolupimon."
"Daraimon Reliability Star digivolve to...Redaraimon."
"Wolf Thunder Slash!"
"Fireball Crash!"
"Claw Missile!"
All three Digimon struck at once. Darkgreymon was barely even fazed. "So that's how you want to play it," he asked. "Flame Burst!"
The fire enveloped them. When it died away, Trisermon, Lupimon, and Dararimon stood there. Tai held out Taki's computer. "From what Izzy told me, you guys can use this."
Msaada, Sarran, and Vari reached out and took it from him. Each girl had a hand on it as they yelled, "Power of Perseverance!"
"Lupimon Perseverance Star digivolve to...Perselupimon."
"Trisermon Perseverance Star digivolve to...Persetrisermon.
"Daraimon Perseverance Star digivolve to...Persedarimon."
Perselupimon had a silvery blue shaggy fur coat, increasing her lupine appearance. Standing on four paws, she was heavily built. Despite this, she was silent as she stepped forward. On one paw was the star mark.
Persetrisermon was now silver in color. Dragon wings unfurled from her back as she took to the air. Her horns were gone, but instead she had a feathery crest. Around one eyes was the mark of the star.
Persedaraimon looked like a brown version of Ikkakumon without a horn. She didn't look like she'd be budging anytime soon. Her green eyes shone with an internal fire. The Perseverance Star glowed between them.
Perselupimon was the first to attack. "Lupine Blizzard!"
Persedaraimon followed suit. "Ice Harpoon!"
Finally, Persetrisermon attacked. She was backed up by Sylvimon, Gomamon, and Agumon. "Freezing Wing!"
"Pepper Breath!"
"Ice Breath!"
"Marching Fishes!"
As all six attacks hit Darkgreymon, he dedigivolved. Agumon looked up at Tai. "That's Tysamon. He's a fiery Digimon with evil tendencies."
Tysamon snarled. "I'll be back!" Then he ran off.
Perselupimon, Persedaraimon, and Persetrisermon dedigivolved. On each of the girl's computers, a silver star appeared.
"Time to talk to Izzy," Allison said softly.
Jihan looked at Matt. "The rain's stopped and my stuff's dry. I'll go change, then I'm going."
"Sure."
Moments later, Jihan waved goodbye. Then she walked away.
Matt watched her go. "We'll talk later, Jihan," he whispered when she was out of earshot. And he seriously meant it, too.
Izzy listen impassively to their story. "This requires quite a bit of study," he said when they were done.
Msaada, Vari, and Sarran held out their digivices. "That's what Joe said you'd say."
What does the Master of Digimon have planned next for the Digidestined? Will they see Tysamon again? Or is he gone for good? And how are the new Digidestined able to use more than one of the stars? To find out, tune in next time.
