"Stinger Poration!"
Dokugumon fired a poisonous blast from its mouth to the nearest child, which happened to be Joe.
"Gyaaaah!" Joe hurriedly dodged the poisonous blast. The blast made contact with the grass where Joe had just been standing, blackening rapidly.
"What just happened?!" Joe exclaimed with horror.
"Dokugumon fires poisonous blast, it's dangerous if we touch it!" Motimon explained worriedly.
"Geez, I wouldn't have guessed it by myself." Taichi muttered sarcastically while looking at the blackened grass spot.
"Everyone, run! Follow me!" Puroromon warned, before it took flight towards the forest.
"Everyone, Sora, quick!" Pyocomon urged.
They didn't waste more time and started to run following Puroromon.
"Bubbles!", "Bubble Attack!" Tokomon and Tanemon blew bubbles from their mouth to Dokugumon's eyes, temporarily blinding it. it roared while using its forelimb to get rid of the bubbles. It then swung out both of its forelimb, hitting Tokomon and Tanemon.
"Aaargh!"
"Tokomon!" Takeru shouted.
"Tanemon!" Mimi turned around to fetch the two Digimon who was flung away by Dokugumon and ran away as fast as she could. When she reached Takeru, she placed Tokomon on to his arms.
"Why are both of you so stupid! How can you beat Dokugumon?" Mimi reprimanded Tokomon and Tanemon.
Tokomon, on Takeru's arms, just said weakly. "But I need to protect Takeru."
"Me too, I must protect Mimi." Tanemon on her arms looked at her.
"You… Stupid!" Mimi shouted at Tanemon. Her eyes were tearing up as she continued to run.
On the front, Taichi led the group's escape. "Everyone, quick!"
Airi wanted to run as fast as she could and follow Taichi, but her stamina was severely depleted only by a short run they had done before. Her breathing had become irregular, her foot ached, and her head was dizzy.
She wanted to forced herself just a bit more, but this was her limit. She didn't see a big rock on her way, and tripped down because of it.
"Airi!" Yamato shouted from her side.
"Airi-san!" Takeru's shout made Taichi looked behind himself.
"Airi, pull yourself together!" Taichi urged.
Hearing them, Airi stood up hurriedly and tried to continue running. But her body swayed and her vision blackened. She almost fell down again, but a firm hand had supported her shoulder, preventing her from falling.
"Are you okay, Airi?" Airi heard faintly Joe's worried voice as he placed both hands on her shoulder.
"Stupid Airi! Don't force yourself!" She also heard Mimi's shout, who she reckoned was worried about her.
"But we needed to run from Dokugumon!" Taichi said.
"We have no choice, then!"
"We'll fight it!"
Dokugumon had reached them, followed by countless Kodokugumon around it. Before it had time to attack them first, the Digimon had launch a flurry of attacks.
"Bubbles!" "Bubble Attack!"
"Bubble Attack!"
Dokugumon swatted away their bubble attacks easily, and swing its forelimb to hit all of them.
"Koromon!" Taichi had shouted.
"Tsunomon!" "Motimon!" "Pukamon!" "Pyocomon!" the children were all worried, looking at their Digimon who were hurt.
When all the bubbles had dissipated, it set its sight to Airi and Joe who was the nearest. It was preparing to unleash more poisonous blast at their way.
"Stinger Poration!"
"Chikkuritto!" Puroromon hit one of Dokugumon's eyes with its stinger, laced with venom. The poisonous blast was deflected to Airi's side as Dokugumon roared with pain. It angrily stomped the earth below them and swatted its forelimb to hit Puroromon.
"Puroromon!" Airi shouted as she saw Puroromon being flung away by Dokugumon's forelimb and landed near her.
"Airi…" Puroromon called weakly.
"What are you doing? It's dangerous!" Airi reprimanded Puroromon even as she gathered him to her arms.
"Because, Airi is hurt. I must protect Airi." Puroromon said calmly.
"Puroromon…" Airi cried out.
Why were Puroromon so adamant on protecting Airi? Even though they just met today. Even though they hadn't known each other before.
Yet Puroromon had said it after they had just met.
'Airi, I finally meet you'
'Because Airi is my partner'
Had Puroromon really waited for Airi?
Was that why, despite never meeting before, Puroromon had risked itself for protecting Airi?
There was an indescribable feeling in Airi's chest. It threatened to come out so strongly that Airi had felt a powerful surge on her body.
Was this what friendship felt like?
It filled her with unlimited strength!
Suddenly, there were a blinding light on Airi's right hand. It had felt warm but so bright, that Airi had to shield her eyes from the brightness.
Then, a white device materialized itself on Airi's hand.
"What is this?" Airi wondered. A quick glance around her revealed that all of the children had similar device on their hand.
Whatever was these, it didn't feel like a danger. On the contrary, it felt like it could make them stronger.
Can these devices help them fight Dokugumon? Airi felt that with these devices, the children could help Digimon fight.
Trusting her gut instinct, she looked at Puroromon.
When their eyes met, all of a sudden, Puroromon's body was bathed in the same light that had made the device materialize.
What on earth just happened?!
"Puroromon!!!" Airi shouted.