Digimon Frontier: The Warrior's Return

Chapter 43: Bullets and Blades

Chapter 43: Bullets and Blades

~Junpei POV~

I got a surprise after I landed and de-evolved. From out of nowhere Ally tackled me and started squeezing!

At first I thought she was just being her usual self and teasing me so I tried to pull her loose. "Quit it, Ally! You're gonna snap me in half!"

"That's cuz I missed you, you big idiot!" she barked and her grip tightened.

For a second I thought she might be crying. But no, Ally didn't cry. It was impossible.

I started hugging her back awkwardly but she jumped away as if an electric current had gone through her. "Oh, Junpei!" she cried. "So much crazy stuff happened! I've gotta tell you about it all!"

Her eyes were bright but dry. Of course she wasn't crying, what had I been thinking? "A lot happened to all of us, I think. Have you seen anyone else?"

"No, just you. Why? Is something wro-"

Suddenly a massive explosion ripped apart the tranquility. The ground fractured in an instant and coated the two of us with sand and grit. At first I wasn't sure what was going on; the sand had gotten in my eyes and my ears were ringing. But I could feel Ally clinging to my arm with all her strength. Clearly we were in the middle of something going horribly wrong.

I sensed the dust and smoke clearing, slowly being blown aside by the gentle ocean breezes, to reveal an enormous monster. My heart stopped for an instant - was the Destruction Dragon back to finish me and Ally off?! Had I led him right to her?!

But I quickly realized that this creature wasn't the same one as before. It was as big as the shadowy dragon but it was completely solid and standing normally on the ground. Through the dust I could see orange scales and glowing red eyes; the face was covered in armor and from its back arched three long cannons. All three barrels were trained on us.

And on top of the beast's head stood a familiar figure. One we had encountered just days ago.

"Avast ye scurvy dogs!" it raged. "Finally, I shall have my revenge! Prepare to walk the plank!"

"Oh, crapballs!" Ally squeaked. "It's Hookmon!"

"And he brought along a VERY big friend!" I added.

"Cannondramon!" Hookmon swung his gun around and pointed it at us. "Ready! Aim!"

"RUN!!" I bellowed. I grabbed Ally's hand, prepared to drag her away if necessary, but she was running along with me.

I was already planning my next move: as soon as the attack was over I'd Spirit Evolve and start the counterattack. We just had to avoid being hit long enough for me to do that. Hopefully that wasn't asking too much.

But instead of the blasts landing behind us, there were eruptions of flame and sand in front of us, blocking the way. My thoughts of Spirit Evolving on the run were blown up along with the courtyard as darts of molten glass sliced up my arms. Over the booms of the explosions I heard Ally coughing at my elbow and Cannondramon's snarls.

"You can't escape!" Hookmon shouted.

"I... think he's... right," Ally coughed to me. "Junpei, we've got to stand our ground. Let's evolve!"

I agreed completely. "Right! SPIRIT EVOLUTION! Beetlemon!"

"SPIRIT EVOLUTION! Dramon!"

Together Ally and I charged at Hookmon and Cannondramon, instinctively aiming for the fleshy parts of the larger Digimon. Not that it mattered to me - my electricity would do just as much damage to circuitry as to flesh. And I still owed Hookmon for kidnapping Ally before. If only I had my beast spirit; a blast in that form would be just what he deserved!