Chapter 14
"Maybe we should go back to help them," suggested Gabumon.
"What was that?" questioned Lily.
"They could have gotten really hurt," added Gaomon.
"This is war or have you forgotten?" stated Lily. "That means I have to win no matter what and you three shouldn't argue. After all, you are my fans now."
"Angel would never stoop to something like this," complained Gomamon.
"Since when has she needed to scheme?" asked Lily. "All her life everything has been presented to her on a silver platter. I've had to struggle to climb my way up, but the cruel truth is that I've never been able to get past that wall she put up. I was always forced to be second best. Now's my chance to finally get ahead of her and I don't simply intend to keep her as a second fiddle. I'll downright crush her until she's just a faded memory."
Gabumon, Gomamon, and Gaomon didn't like this one little bit, but there was nothing they could do. They were bound as Lily's fans and couldn't disobey her. They could only ride on Mammothmon as he followed the trail the Tyrannomon blazed for them and hope that Angel found a way to save them.
Flint groaned as he got to his feet. He was amazed he survived the drop and even surprised unharmed. He looked up and discovered could see the sunlight shine down but it was blocked by countless three roots circulating overhead. As his eyes adjusted he quickly found the others still out of it.
"Wake up everyone" he called as he nudged them awake.
"Oh, Angel," said Dan lovingly. "Sure I can go with you on a world tour. Don't worry about transportation, I'll carry you every step of the way."
"Oh, Angel," swooned Jack. "Don't worry about all those wads of cash. I'll carry them. I'll even count them for you."
"Oh, Angel," moaned Fonz. "Yeah I know I'm coolest."
"Would you guys just wake up!" shouted Flint abandoning a gentle touch to slap them till they came to their senses.
"Why'd you do that for?" groaned Dan. "Wait, where's Angel?" He jumped to his feet and rushed to her unconscious body.
"That fall was really uncool," stated Fonz.
"Well, I'm just glad I've come to my senses," said Jack. "I can't believe I was swooning like that over a chick when I should be swooning over money."
"Well you can swoon all you want when we get out of here," explained Flint. "But first we need to get out of here. But before that we need to find Rex."
"Well he couldn't have gotten far," commented Jack. "He was tied to a log so he couldn't run away."
"Oh..." came a familiar voice above them. They turned to look and saw Rex had managed to get snagged in the roots of the trees. He was just coming too. "Oh, Flint, I had the worst nightmare. We went to this stupid island and I was tied to a stupid log. Then to make things worse we fell into a stupid hole. It was just so stupid and... why can't I move?" Rex opened his eyes and quickly discovered his nightmare was real. He didn't think he could feel any worse until he roots holding him up lost their grip and dropped him facedown onto the ground. "Ouch..."
"Are you alright?" asked Flint as he rolled Rex around.
"Can we go home now?" begged Rex.
"Not until we win," stated Flint. "We've been humiliated by the enemy and we can't stand for it."
"You're right we're going to win," added Angel as she got to her feet. "I refuse to lose to that witch."
"That's all fine and good," commented Jack. "But how are we going to get out of here. What kind of place is this?"
Fonz took a look around and examined the dirt on the wall. As he pressed a hand against it, the dirt crumbled away. "It looks like the dirt around here is so dry it just crumbled away, but the root system in the trees managed to support the forest. Still, what caused such a phenomenon to occur?"
"I think I know," said Flint as he looked ahead. Steam burst through the cracks in the walls and on the ground small pools of lava bubbled. Every few seconds some lava squirted out of the ground creating new pools.
"Well, that's it," commented Rex. "We can't go on so we'll have to give up. So, if you'll release me now..."
"We're going in," ordered Angel as she rode Dan piggy-back style. "Charge!"
On her order, Dan ran forward and grabbed onto Jack and Fonz carrying them through the dangerous territory. They cried and screamed, but Dan was completely infatuated with Angel to respond. He moved swiftly to avoid the dangers and avoid burning his feet on the blazing ground. It wasn't long before they were out of sight leaving Flint and Rex behind.
"Looks like it's our turn," said Flint as he picked up Rex.
"Isn't this a little early for us to contend with lava?" asked Rex. "I mean isn't there some sort of a progression we need to go through first?"
"When did you become such a worry wart?" asked Flint.
"The same time you tied me to a stump!" he cried. "Why not just sacrifice me into a volcano while you're at it."
"Well I'd untie you, but Dan was carrying the key," replied Flint.
"What are you waiting for then?" asked Rex. "Go after him."
"Gladly," stated Flint and he raced after the others while carrying Rex on his back.
Unlike Dan who was practically running on air thanks, Flint was having a much harder time. He was hardly as strong as him and the log was difficult to get a solid grip on. The heat didn't make things any easier as he and Rex were perspiring from head to toe in minutes from starting. His feet stung from burning ground. He couldn't get his feet off the ground fast enough allowing the fragile ground to crack under him and unleash scolding hot air at him.
"We're not doing half bad," commented Flint, breathing heavily due to the hot air being hard to inhale.
"Fantastic," added Rex. "If you consider the fact that we're still alive. I had my doubts about this, but we're actually making pretty good progress."
"Yeah," replied Flint. "And here I thought that we were going to have some sort of disaster nipping at our heels." As he said that the ground started to quake and crack around them. Chunks of earth began to get swallowed into the lava beneath them.
"And there it is," replied Rex. "Care to start running faster?"
"I'm already running at full speed so if I can't outrun this... well... we've lived a short, but fulfilling life," joked Flint
"No we haven't," cried Rex.
Flint raced as fast as his legs could carry them as the path behind them was sunk under the lava. Without the ground covering the lava, the temperature around them rose severely, draining his strength and dehydrating him. He did his best to remain focused, but, finally, his legs gave on his and he flew forward, clinging to the log and Rex with all his strength. He was really considering this the end, but as they hit the ground they suddenly sprung back up. Then it happened again as they reached the ground then again and again, each time going higher and higher than before.
"What's going on?" asked Flint as they hopped about.
"I told you," announced Rex. "I don't want my lift to end short. I am not short!"
Flint watched in amazement that despite Rex's entire body restrained and all the weight he was carrying he was still able to jump hop around and he managed to keep it up and outrun the lava until they were safely out of danger and able to rest.
"What took you so long?" asked Angel as she walked over to greet them.
"Near death experiences," replied Flint angrily. "Nothing special."
"Are you guys ready to release me yet?" asked Rex pleadingly.
"We've no time," stated Jack hearts in his eyes meaning Angel bewitched him again. "We've got to find a way up there fast or we'll never catch up." Flint and Rex looked up and the climb up was going to be just as difficult as the run had been.
"Going up the side's no good," explained Fonz. "It's too brittle to support our weight so we can't climb it."
"Oh, Angel," said Dan in a loving tone.
"And Dan is not going to be a lot of help," finished Fonz.
"Come on guys," cried Rex figuring the faster they got this competition over with the faster he'd be freed. "Think of something. I'm getting a cramp and I got splinters on my butt."
"I'm thinking as fast as I can," replied Flint. Then he spotted Rex"s bandana and quickly recalled a past experience that was the answer to their problem. "That's it." He went to work taking the Angel Flag from Dan and giving everyone a part to hold onto.
"What are you planning?" asked Angel curiously.
"This," answered Flint as he closed his eyes and grunted. At first they didn't like where this was going, but then they realized it was getting a lot hotter very fast. The heat was emanating from Flint as his scales turned a darker orange and sweat ran down his body.
Just when the heat felt unbearable, Flint released a flume of smoke and hot air out his nostrils causing the flag to rise above him. The others quickly understood his plan and held onto their makeshift hot air balloon. Fonz and Jack grabbed onto Flint while he continued to lift them up. Dan grabbed Rex and despite all the weight they managed to float to the top.
"We're almost there!" stated Angel excitedly. Looking into the distance she saw a clearing where the finish line was positioned. Then she noticed Lily and her team was getting close to the end as well. "We got to hustle everyone, but if we run straight there we should just make it."
"Little problem," replied Fonz looking ahead and staring down at the mouth of an active volcano.
"We'll have to go around," said Jack as he kicked a rock into the volcano and watched it fall into the lava. "No way will we survive falling in there."
"We won't make it if we have to detour," explained Flint annoyed that victory was getting further out of reach.
"Can't we use the flag as a hot air balloon?" asked Angel.
"Not if over the volcano," explained Flint. "The heat it's giving off would be much hotter than the air under the flag and even so, the wind is hardly blowing strong enough to get us across."
"We'd need some sort of secret weapon to get through this," added Fonz.
"I've got an idea," stated Dan. He huddled up with the others and then they looked at Rex making him grow very nervous.
And that brings us back to the present. Rex was screaming as he was soaring over the mouth of the volcano. As he felt that he reached the height of his jump he knew it was all downhill from there. He had no idea what his friends had been thinking as he started his descent.
It was then that Angel made her move. While the rest of the team was still in midair she used her cat-like grace to jump from one member's back to the next till she reached Dan who then proceeded to chuck her towards Rex. She shot at him like a rocket and managed to hitch a ride onto him, carrying all her momentum to help push them both forward just enough to reach the other end. With that done, they started down the side of the volcano; Angel determined to beat Lily and Rex begging for this worsening nightmare to end.
"There's the finish line," said Lily looking into the distance. "I can't wait to see the look on Angel's face now, right guys."
"Yeah," moaned Gomamon sadly.
"Don't sound defeated," replied Lily. "You're my fans now."
"Just because you got us in a bet doesn't mean you can change how we feel," stated Gaomon.
"It doesn't matter," stated Lily. "Once this little game is over I won't need you in my cheering section."
"Uh, guys," commented Gabumon as he stared behind them. "What is that?" They all turned to see a dust cloud racing down the side of the volcano towards them at an alarming speed.
"We're making good time," stated Angel carefully hanging onto the log.
"Great," replied Rex. "But what happens when we reach the bottom. They're still ahead of us."
Angel looked ahead of them and saw the rock formation curved like a ski jump. "That might not be a problem," she told him as she hung on tighter.
"Why?" he asked nervously sensing that she had become a lot tenser too. She didn't have the time to respond as they hit the jump and went soaring through the air again. Their unintended landing point was right on Lily and the rest of her team.
"What's that noise," asked Lily as they watched the cloud of dust fly into the air and come straight at them.
"Sounds like screaming," replied Gaomon.
"Don't be absurd," argued Lily. "Dust can't scream."
"But two Digimon riding a flying log can," explained Gabumon as he saw them come into view and Lily and the others screamed in terror as well.
There was no time to react as they crashed into Mammothmon sending them all flying into Tyrannomon for a second crash that created a mushroom cloud of dust around the crash site. Out of the smoke burst the smaller Digimon flying through the sky while the larger ones were on the ground and out cold.
The only positive thing about their unscheduled flight was that it was in the direction of goal line. Angel and Lily flapped their hands believing it would help propel them forward. The others were in a daze still trying to process what had just happened.
One after another they landed, Gabumon, Gaomon, and Gomamon the furthest from the finish line. Angel and Lily were closer and finally the Rex and his log mere inches from the finish line. Finding their last bits of strength, Angel and Lily raced to the finish line on their own, pushing and shoving at one another trying to pull ahead. It was a heated battle to the very end until Lily made one last push and pulled ahead to claim victory.
"I won! I won!" exclaimed Lily as she jumped for joy. "This is the greatest day of my life."
Angel sadly walked over to sit beside Rex and sulk. "We tried so hard," she sobbed and now I've lost even all of you." She paused for a moment for Rex to reply, but he didn't say anything. "I understand if you don't want to talk to me. This was my fault to begin with." She waited again and still no reply. "You can stop me anytime, Rex. Rex?"
Curious to why Rex wasn't responding to her she turned the log around to find that Rex wasn't chained to it anymore and figured he must've popped out at some point in the collision. It was then she heard a mumbling nearby and turned towards Lily, but looked past her to see Rex minus his head which was stuck in the ground.
Quickly, Angel raced to him and happy beyond belief hugged Rex. "Oh, you did it," she cried. "You won, you wonderful, wonderful Veemon you. You are so amazing and incredible. How can I ever repay you?"
"You could start by digging me out," he muttered through the ground.
"Oh, right, silly me," she replied blushing.
"What's going on over here?" asked Lily.
"It turns out you weren't the first one to cross the finish line," explained Angel smugly. "That means I win."
"What?!?" cried Lily. "You can't be serious."
"Talk to the butt," she said pointing at Rex's as he was still struggling to get free. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to call Rich so he can book a concert and don't worry I haven't forgotten that you'll be my opening act." Angel left Lily with a giggle.
"This is the worst day ever," shrieked Lily. "I'll get you Angel if it's the last thing I do!" She then stormed off.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" asked Rex. "Help."
Flint dug Rex out after he and the rest of Team Matrix arrived. They were informed by an all too happy Gaomon, Gomamon, and Gabumon that they won and were all rejoicing. Rex was rejoicing most of all now that he was finally free of that stump.
"So, can we finally go home?" asked Rex.
"Right away," answered Flint. "But first, Angel owes us something isn't that right?"
"I promised you transportation and I'll keep my end of the deal," replied Angel. "And I'll give it to my biggest and best fan." Hearing her say that made Dan, Fonz, and Jack excited, each expecting to be the one she was talking about. "Here you go, Rex." She handed him a pair of springs and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Dan, Fonz, and Rex looked completely destroyed by what just transpired like they had just turned to dust and were blown away by the wind.
"What's this?" asked Rex confused. "What is this supposed to be?"
"Did you expect my plane or something?" she asked. "I couldn"t very well part with that, but I figured you could put them on your feet and hop around like a kangaroo."
"Like a kangaroo?" repeated Rex and Flint sounding skeptical at first before smiling ear to ear. "So cool!" With a sparkle of excitement in their eyes they took the springs and put them on the bottoms of Rex's sandals so he could start hopping around.
"Hey, don't hog them," complained Flint.
"I just got them," replied Rex. "Wait your turn."
Flint chased Rex around for a bit until he took a notice at the temple the finish line was located at. In all the fuss over the competition he neglected to even consider where they were going. He stared at it intently, in a wondering sort of manner.
"It's Idol Stadium," explained Angel. "It was named that because the inside looks like an enormous concert hall. It makes this the perfect island for a couple of Idols to compete against one another in that respect."
Flint's stomach rumbled. "I was just wondering if there was any food in there," he replied. "We've been here for a while without anything to eat."
"Pearls before swine," sighed Angel. Just then she got a call on her cell phone and stepped away to answer it.
Flint stared up at the stadium for a while and was about to walk up the stairs when he felt the Chimera Fang tug towards him forward. "It hasn't done anything since that one temple a while back," thought Flint as he ran up the steps to investigate. As he ran up the steps the rest of his team caught sight of his and quickly regained their composure before running after him.
Flint reached the top and saw the inside was loaded with seats and several staircases leading down to a stage. Flint followed the lead of the Chimera Fang onto the stage and just like the first time it revealed a USB drive for him to plug into the DigiPad.
"We found another one," stated Flint as he turned to his friends.
"Another what?" asked Jack. He grinned sensing it was something that could turn a profit.
"It's another random location," replied Flint. "It's over land this time, but it doesn't really give us much to go on."
"Well this was all definitely worth it," said Rex bouncing around happily.
"Mind if I take a look at it?" asked Dan curiously.
Flint handed Dan the DigiPad. The others huddled around to take a look and muttered excitedly to themselves while Flint watched. Suddenly, he heard a faint sobbing sound and looked around, but nobody was there.
"Everything cool?" asked Fonz.
"I thought I heard a girl crying," commented Flint. The others grew quiet and listened, but all they heard was silence. The first sound to break this silence was the roar of the plane engine as it was taking off. It didn't take long for them to realize it was coming from Angel's plane. They rushed out of the stadium to see the plane flying away.
"Sorry, but we've got to head back immediately," she shouted through a megaphone. "Wish you all a safe ride home. Kisses Rex!"
Dan, Fonz, and Jack waved lovingly back at her, ignoring who the message appeared to be directed at. Flint and Rex were shaking their fists angrily at her.
"You are our ride!" they shouted. "How are we supposed to get home now?!?"
