They were really in it now. The operation to destroy the dark spires that the Digimon Emperor had been erecting over the digital world had been an overwhelming success in some places. When the team could spread out they were clearing 5 or 6 spires in a single afternoon. The hard work made Davis and the rest of the current digi-destined satisfied with their work. But today was just a little different.
 
It was Cody who first heard the news from Gomamon and a few of the other original digi-destined partners, that there was a particular zone in the Digital world that the Emperor had been trying to claim. Actually more than just a few zones but he just never seemed to be making any headway according to the map they were using to monitor the layout of the digital world and the spires currently in each area. Almost as though he were either having some severe trouble or he was avoiding the area all together.
 
But if there was something that dangerous, THAT powerful to deter the emperor then it was worth looking into. At the very least to keep whatever was well…THERE from falling into that dictator’s clutches.
 
That’s why they were here. The locals called it the Steamy Jungles area. Just as the name suggested, it was an ecosystem of thick foliage and exotic plant life. It received the name it did because of the high humidity and summer like temperatures at all times of the year. But in the digital world, there was hardly anything close to a seasonal change. If one place was a tropical zone then it was hot all year round. Same if it was an arctic zone.
 
Davis was front and center of the group of tamers. Both he and Veemon taking up the lead while the others remained filed in behind him. Of course…this meant he was dealing with the bulk of low hanging vines and thick webs. Once, he’d been so preoccupied pushing back a particularly thick piece of webbing that he walked right on into a branch. If not for his goggles, it would have left a mark on his forehead and drawn the criticism of his teammates.
 
“Ow! Stupid jungle…you had to leave a branch right here…?” His mumblings drawing attention from his friends whom were leaning just a bit too close. “Uhh I think we’re in the right direction! Yeah…”
 
T.K Just stared at him before leaning back with a sigh. He never could get why Davis couldn’t just be honest when he messed up, but before he could mention anything he heard a rustling overhead. Some thick branches were wobbling, leaves falling from the motion, indicating it was something that was at least something of their size or more. Definitely not a squirrel. Not that there WERE any squirrels in the digital world.
 
He was about to have Patamon check before Lillymon sprang out of the thick foilage. There was a dark spiral ring on her left leg that was most certainly not there the LAST time he saw Lillymon…She was being controlled…
 
The moment he saw her hands coming together, and the flower cannon being formed, TK quickly turned on his heels and shouted. “Everyone run!”
 
Not 30 minutes into the digital world and they were already getting into trouble. T.K knew that humanoid flower digimon anywhere. Heck, it was an evolutionary step to Mimi’s partne Palmon but he couldn’t see if it was the same one or a different digimon all together. Not that he WANTED to know. Another flower Cannon attack kicked up dust in the spot he had been standing in so she clearly wasn’t in the mood to do any sort of conversing.
 
That settled it… They couldn’t all stay clumped up together. “Split up! We’ll group up again where it’s safe!” TK shouted over the next cannon blast that nearly blew off his hat. He managed to get his hands around the rim just in time to hold it down then grabbed Kari’s hand to really pick up the pace, running through a thick brush in an attempt to obscure their position.
 
Davis and Veemon were running like they were in the middle of a marathon. Why’d it have to be flowers…They always tripped up his sinuses and now he was sneezing in the midst of his sprint. “Next…time…coach…tells me…to hit…the track…I’m doing it…! Jeez how can I be so out of shape!”
 
He was saying that but during games he could run much longer without even breaking a sweat. It wasn’t until he realized Veemon had latched onto the back of his head that he realized why he was having such a hard time. “Hey use your own legs!”
 
“I’m short! You’re an athelete Davis you can run for the both of us!”
 
“Haah…Haah…Easy for you to say…You’re not the one running with 60 pounds of dragon on your back.”
 
Veemon was about to make a quip about weighing only 40 when the ground shook from another cannon impact. “Less talking…more running Davis! I can’t digivolve like this.”
 
He wasn’t wrong. Digivolving in the middle of a fast paced attack like that. No way the evolutionary sequence would finish in time for a successful parry. Davis was about to brace himself for another Flower cannon. It didn’t come though. Did they shake her off?
 
The truth was always weirder than fiction though. Lilymon was preparing to fire another barrage when a deep booming voice cut through the air. “SONIC STORM!” Followed by well…nothing, far as Davis could see, but even so, Lilymon was blown out of sight and away from him or the others.
 
“Good…! This is our chance to regroup…Run!”
 
Davis was already out of there. Yolei and Cody were the ones falling behind as they had been the ones at the rear since the beginning. But this also meant they were the ones who got a front line and center look at the digimon that had disrupted Lilymon’s onslaugh.
 
Their appearance was…avian at the very least. It was an Anthropomorphic falcon…no…On closer inspection it looked more like a beige feathered Gryphon. It was standing on two legs and towering easily around 11 feet. Definitely above Lilymon, and most definitely above any of the tamers. His torso was bare with a surprising six pack that left him looking ripped. A brest plate that covered up his chest and with a blue orb sitting right around his right plate. Both arms even had a pair of blue arm guards reminiscent of Renamon and lastly, while you could see those green eyes peering down at you, what got mostly Cody’s attention was the white luchador mask.
 
Did this guy love to wrestle? Cody didn’t know and he didn’t really want to stick around to find out if this guy was on their side or not. “Turn right!”
 
It was mostly on instinct, but the four when including Hawkmon, dove towards a set of low hanging branches in hopes that they would offer protection. Keeping them out of sight for the moment yes…protection? They hardly had any…Not when they were watching this behemoth of a Gryphon whom was simply taking the Flower Cannon attacks right in the chest but none of them seemed to be doing anything.
 
Then they heard it. “CAPTURE!”
 
A long tongue extended from within the Gryphon’s beak and wraps around the flowery girl digimon’s waist. There was screaming, as the controlled Lilymon tried with no avail to pry that slimy tongue off her waist bu that only made the slimy appendage coil around a bit to completely entrap her. That’s when she started screaming the loudest, shouting at the brute to release her as she was being pulled right on towards that hungry beak. She stared into the abyss of the mysterious digimon’s gullet before *CHOMP*
 
Both Cody and Yolei felt sick to their stomach…they saw Lilymon’s legs flailing just outside the beak before they too were drawn in and an audible swallow was heard in the now very still…and very silent jungle…They couldn’t help but just watch as the thick bulge traveled down this chisled monstrosities gullet before vanishing only for a second in his chest before an outline formed in the beasts stomach.
 
Neither human wanted to sick around long enough to see the Lilymon’s fate and started quietly skulking away into the shadows, using some low hanging vines and branches to cover their escape, all the while hearing the sounds of this gryphon’s prey, muffled and screaming within the prison of his belly. They kicked and struggled but for the most part barely made much of a dent…It was as though their struggles were half baked…
 
The Gryphon man knew exactly why that was. He could already feel it. His power growing. He put one hand over his belly as he felt the movement of his prey, their attempts to escape were just too futile and soon they would be all his.
 
“I can smell you humans.” His voice broke the silence, even as his tongue slipped out of his beak to lick over its surface. Green eyes peering around the jungle’s surroundings, his thoughts and intentions already well and above past the struggling salad that was sitting in his stomach, and judging by the soft gurgling eminating from within, they wouldn’t be in there for long anyway.
 
“I think I’m going to enjoy each and every one of you and let you become a part of my power.”
 
Their word werent exactly reassuring. That deep voice, almost Baritone in nature almost overshadowed their imposing size. Each step they took through the jungle was like a force of nature on it’s own that shook the trees, even knocking an occasional fruit off it’s bearings. Yet…despite all of his boasting of smelling them, he just walked right past Yolei and Cody whom had their mouths covered up in their hands so as to not alert him with so much as their breathing.
 
Once he sauntered off, and his foot falls defeaned from distance, they finally allowed themselves a moment of calm after letting the air settle for a few minutes, exhaling sharply. Yolei in particular had fallen onto her backside. “Wowwee…That guy’s so huge…What is he…? A digimon? Hawkmon do you know?”
 
The little red hawk digimon looked perplexed but his own thoughts were shakey in his awe of the beast. To him the Gryphon was an exotic specimen. Maybe even one that he would be able to become if he worked hard enough. If the Dark rings and Spires were completely taken out of the picture. “I’m sorry Yolei. I have no idea WHAT that guy was. But his body was firm enough that Lilymon couldn’t put a scratch on them.”
 
“We need to catch our breath and regroup with the others.” Cody chimed in, taking a look at his D-Terminal and the grid like map of the world they were in. “There’s no Spire here… but there’s one in the location adjacent to it. Maybe that’s where Lilymon came from. Davis ran this way…” He traced his hand along the basic shapes that made up the jungle’s mapping, indicating south. “While T.K. and Kari went west…So we’re not exactly in the best spot to regroup with the others. Still…”
 
“That guy didn’t have a ring on him Cody.” Armadillomon added in mid explanation. “Maybe we can talk with him.”
 
The idea was tempting, but something told Cody that would just get them into a bit of trouble. They might not be willing to have a chat over tea. “I think before we make any sort of attempt of contact, we should regroup with everyone. Without knowing what that digimon WAS or what he can do then we’re going to be out of luck.”
 
“Oh is that what you want to know? The name’s Sodattamon.”
 
The deep tone was hard to miss. Both Yolei and Cody backpedaled onto their backsides when they turned around only to see the canopy they’d been hiding beneath was being lifted up so easily by the large winged digimon. Up close, their eyes shone with intelligence. And the smirk that they were wearing on their beak was just all too smug as he knew he had them caught.
 
“How did- We heard you walking away. You were heading east!”
 
The gryphon digimon unfurled his wings, letting a few stray feathers come off in the process. It was an answer that really didn’t need explanation. The big guy walked a ways off, at least enough so that they wouldn’t catch wind of his plans and then took to the sky when all they’d been looking for was the sound of his foot steps. They’d been careless.
 
But something was different now. In particular, Hawkmon glanced at Sodattamon’s belly, the struggling having since ceased. If anything the stomach was eerily quiet, but there was a tattoo now formed on the side of his abdomen. The face of Lilymon vaguely printed on the griff’s body.
 
“I am Sodattamon. A Mega level digimon if you must know. My powers…well…that’s for me to know and you to find out.” He made a tut tut motion with one finger before his tongue lashed out, an attempt to grab one of the human children but both managed to just narrowly avoid the whip of the fleshy appendage. It snapped back into his beak before he held an arm out, with a familiar set of rose petals started forming over his hand.
 
“That can’t be…!” Cody stared at the glowing appendage, already springing up to his feet as Yolei and their partners did the same.
 
An explosion rocked the jungle. Davis and Veemon stopped their running to catch their bearings, hanging onto a vine or branch to keep themselves from falling as the ground shook. That sounded like where Yolei and Cody were. He’d seen Sodattamon leave the area and assumed both his friends were safe. But now, he was seeing the dust cloud gathering in that area and worried.
 
It didn’t sound like the usual flower cannon. It felt worse.
 
  *
Digmon stumbled onto his back after protecting Cody from the blast. At the last second he thought it more prudent to Armor digivolve into Digmon. The golden armored carapace served as a strong durable shield for his partner. He’d managed to shield them from the blast but the impact still took so much out of him that he almost immediately regressed back to his Armadillomon form.
 
“That power of yours. How’d you get your hands on Lilymon’s attack?” The wounded armadillo was in no position to be demanding answers, but he wanted to know. That attack felt more rugged and stronger than the usual Flower Cannon. And this guy most certainly used a wind based attack the first time they’d met him.
 
Halsemon was flying just overhead, having avoided the attack and getting Yolei out of harms way but something told the flying digimon that this wouldn’t make for a good solution at all. They needed to flee, but there was no opening for it.
 
“Like I said. You’ll all find out. But it shouldn’t be that hard to figure it all out.” Sodattamon was so smug. The smile of a predator who knew he had his prey right where he wanted them. His head whipped to the side for a moment as though building up momentum before his tongue lashed right out from his beak and wrapped around Armadillomon’s right hindpaw.
 
“CAPTURE complete.”
 
Sodattamon’s tongue then almost immediately began to retract. The whole thing was disorienting on Armadillomon’s part. He tried grasping at whatever he could get his hands on as he was being pulled with great force towards the gryphon. He managed to grab hold of a loose vine with both forepaws, forstalling his fate…but after a dull snap ensued he was aware how this would turn out.
 
The Armadillo’s face went pale, staring into the ever quickly approaching beak of his predator and into that pulsing gullet beyond. “Cody!! Run! Get atop Halsemon and fly awa-“
 
SNAP!
 
Sodattamon’s beak slammed shut behind his prey. The likes of which cartoonishly bulged through his beak. A hand or foot would occasionally poke around the edges of the beak, giving Sodattamon a humorous expanded jaw, before a quick tilt of his head saw Armadillomon’s bulge slowly descending the Gryphon-man’s throat
 
It all happened so suddenly. Everything was in slow motion leading right on up to the armadillo making a bump in their adversaries hardened belly. A soft burp was all he made, before a hand reached down to pat at his stomach. “Now that was wonderful.”
 
“TEMPEST WING!”
 
The mega Gryphon barely had time to dodge before a tornado went spiraling right into his gut. It did little however to affect him, other than to leave him taking one step back to regain his balance before his beak curved a bit in a grin.
 
“Nice try. Let me show you how it’s done…! SONIC STORM!!”
 
The same blasts of air that had buffeted Lilymon not much longer ago suddenly came around at full force, blowing Halsemon not only back because of the backdraft, but by the time they suddenly regained their composure, the Gryph was already springing up and swiped his claws downward, sending the Armored digimon and human smashing into the ground, leaving a sizeable crater in it’s place as Halsemon was regretably forced to recede back into their Hawkmon stage.
 
“Ohh…I’m going to feel that in the morning…” Hawkmon mused with a weakened moan.
 
They soon heard the sound of Sodattamon landing back on his feet, ground rippling with the force of his weight settling before hearing the thudding boom of each step as he approached.
 
“Yolei…Run. You can’t stay here…Take Cody…”
 
“CAPTURE!!”
 
Yolei was more worried about Hawkmon than herself. The words rang in her ear when she suddenly recalled the moment Sodattamon whipped his tongue out to catch Armadillomon. It left her with little options but this guy was getting stronger somehow…and he wanted the digimon. She grabbed Armadillomon by his wings and tossed him towards Cody. This act however did get her caught up in the avian mega’s flexible tongue.
 
 
“Aaah!! Hawkmon. Get CODY out of here. Find Davis and the others!”
 
“Yolei…!!”
 
The young girl winced at the slimy feel of Sodattamon’s tongue. Slimy and yet…the stickiness of the apendage made her think about a frog’s and how it adhered to it’s prey to prevent escape. She knew she was going to be pulled in soon and simply glared at the Gryphon as though it might be an attack that would be effective on it.
 
It wasn’t. He just stared back down at her with a smug satisfactory gaze before his tongue started zipping right back into his maw. Only enough time to really stare into the abyss of his gullet before the beak slammed shut. Once again a bulge traveling down his gullet as even then, a tattoo reminiscent of Armadillomon formed right alongside the Lilymon on his abdomen. “Aaaah…I feel a bit stronger now! But I don’t think that human will add a whole lot to me like that Armadillo.” His tongue traced along his beak in a rather loud slurping motion. He didn’t seem to care one bit about the group other than getting a quick power boost and maybe some new abilities.
 
He was beginning to let his tongue loose again on Cody, only for his attack to miss it’s mark when Hawkmon grabbed the boy with his talons and started flying, low to the ground but he was getting them moving. That injury sustained from Sodattamon’s hurt though. His wing felt heavy, heavy and numb somehow. Maybe that sonic attack had done something to his data.
 
The Hawkmon barely managed to avoid getting them caught up in a branch but considering the slow, following footsteps that were keeping up with him, he doubted that he’d ever be able to escape. Not with Cody in his claws. He risked one look back and noted the Armadillomon tattoo, bright yellow, sitting right on one of Sodattamon’s pecs and didn’t like it’s implication.
 
“Cody. I’m going to set you loose okay? Get Davis and the others.”
 
“What? Hawkmon you can-“
 
The boy barely got another word in before those bright feathered legs lurched back before the talons came loose on his clothing, sending him hurtling away from the scene, and not a second sooner, as Hawkmon felt a slimy tongue wrap around his body. It squeezed him, yet it did not retract right away. “Cody…Hurry my boy…You don’t have much time…!”
 
“Hmhm…So you figured it out huh?” Sodattamon watched the boy run off in the distance and shrugged off his lost prey. He was slowly dragging Hawkmon’s contained form towards his beak. “I guess then we can take our time. Yes…When I eat someone I absorb their abilities and they become a part of my body…literally. But my digestion is quick. Quick enough that 5 minutes is all it’ll take to digest each of you and make me stronger.”
 
“Nnngh…5 minutes…? That’s all?”
 
“Well…If they’re strong at least. Weak mons and humans take maybe 2-3 minutes tops. IF that much. Let’s see how long you last.”
 
Hawkmon didn’t like that ominous tone. They weren’t malicious…but just the fact he was staring at a hungry, salivating digimon didn’t do anything to cool his nerves…Sodattamon saw him as prey, and was making a game out of this and that’s what chilled the smaller bird digimon. In a last bid to try and avoid complete capture, he grabbed the feather that sat on his headband and chucked it, trying to hit the gryphon like digimon in their eye but was caught by surprise when a lone claw flicked it away as though it were nothing. Then darkness as that beak snapped shut.
 
Davis was already running in towards the site, riding on Raidramon’s back he had a bad feeling that their splitting up was only going to make things worse. He could see the debris from an earlier battle but didn’t know how things were turning out. Only that his friends were in trouble. His heart was pounding in rhythm of Raidramon’s footsteps and he kept frantically typing on his D-terminal to get SOME kind of response from somebody…anybody.
 
“Everone’s split up! We need to regroup and attack. Someone’s in trouble!”
 
At first, nobody answered his call on the mini PDA. He thought either they were out of the service area, or…maybe a dark spire I causing some form of interference. But then a beep from his terminal went off.
 
Kari: We’re on our way. Just try to hold them off.”
 
That reply gave Davis the chills. Hold off a big gryphon…? He caught a glimpse of Sodattamon and already knew they weren’t going to be the run of the mill bad guy…No dark ring to pop off from what he saw before. They might really have to fight with the intent to well…kill…
 
He never liked that idea. Taichi warned him there would come a time where they’d probably have to do that in their adventures when no other option remained for them, but if he could keep from destroying a digimon, he’d be one happy tamer…
 
His thoughts were caught short when he saw Cody, rolling down a slope towards them, prompting Raidramon to slow his sprint so as to not step on the boy. “Cody! Where’s Armadillomon?” The voice came out deep and gruff, but Raidramon’s face displayed obvious concern for his friend. They were covered in stray branches and had one or two cuts along their face but he assumed that was more likely due to the natural surroundings rather than a digimon.
 
“A..A digimon. He called himself Sodattamon.” Cody quickly got up on his feet, brushing off some of the dirt that had collected on his outfit. “We need to get to the others! That thing…He’s gobbling everyone up and absorbing their power. If we fight him carelessly, we’ll be consumed too.”
 
“Woah woah- calm down buddy. I’ve already called TK and Kari. They’ll be here any minute then we can put a walloping on that guy and save our friends.” Davis tried to reassure Cody, putting a hand on their shoulder and wiping off a stray branch while another hand kept it’s grip firmly on his digivice. “We’ll just have to hold off until they get here. Right Raidramon?”
 
“Right! But you should let me become Flamedramon if he’s close by…He’s a better fighter when it comes to close combat....”
 
“You both should know…” Cody started detailing the attacks and features that Sodattamon had displayed up until now. He didn’t leave anything out from his observations, even as he heard the footsteps causing tremors around their surroundings. The trees shook, and loose fruit was removed from their branches. If the digital world had any small birds they’d probably be scattering at this point. It was starting to feel like a monster movie.
 
The first thing they saw was that face. Sodattamon was an imposing presence. Their size dwarfing any digivolution they currently had at their disposal. A smug smile was on their beak too, as they knew full well that they had full control of the situation, being the predator that was the apex of this jungle and he was daring anyone who might be foolhardy to challenge him to step up.
 
Raidramon wasted no time. He saw the head whipping around, as though the giant Gryphon were about to try and CAPTURE one of them but he quickly grabbed hold of Cody’s sleeve and leapt well over the point of impact. Knowing what this thing could do helped…but he wouldn’t be able to do a whole lot as Raidramon, other than dodge a multitude of sonic blasts.
 
Once the barrage ceased, Raidramon set Cody down and started shifting his stance. Veemon quickly discarded the armor of Friendship, the armor collapsing and reforming into it’s egg form before fading into Davis’ pocket and the egg of courage taking it’s place. Their body once again enveloped in a cool red light as the little Veemon started growing in size, like that of a young adult. His hands and feet were enveloped in flame patterned as were his thighs and chest area, leaving his belly completely exposed. The last thing to form was the helmet that grew abladed horn that protruded from his forehead, as if to signify the end of his transformation.
 
His red eyes shot open and both fists engulfed in red hot flames as if to symbolize the passion within as he boldly roared: “Flamedramon! The fire of courage!!”
 
 
“Ohhh you look like you’ll be plenty spicy…Let’s have some fun!” Sodattamon’s tongue lapped over his beak again, excitement clearly rolling over him as he charged in, meeting Flamedramon head on and clasping their claws as they tried forcing each other down. To be frank, he was surprised Flamedramon didn’t just get run down when he charged. “Ohhh hooo. So you’re stronger than the other two. I wonder what’s got you so worked up.”
 
Flamedramon felt those hands squeezing his own. The armor even denting a bit as the pressure of Sodattamon’s force was almost too much for it to bare, but he kept up his momentum. A growl came out of the armored dragon who with effort started pushing Sodattamon back, each step feeling like he was digging deep into his untapped reserves.
 
Flames errupted around his fists, prompting the Gryphon man to release his hold lest his hands start to burn. “I guess there’s more to you than your friends.”
 
“Rrragh…I won’t let you hurt them anymore. Knuckle fire!!” Flamedramon shot a pair of fireballs roughly the size of his own hands towards Sodattamon, prompting them to cartwheel to the side to avoid each flaming attack. The gryphon was fast, but Flamedramon wasn’t about to run out of fuel just yet.
 
“I think…you’re getting a little too excited. I’ve already claimed them all.” Sodattamon’s stomach started forming another tattoo, this one human, but from a distance, the most you could see was a large orange hat and a pair of rounded glasses. He gave that particular area a few pats before sticking his tongue out. “CAPTURE!!”
 
However, Flamedramon saw it coming and jumped back to avoid the thick, slimy tongue that had jettisoned towards him. His only mistake however was not seeing what was BEHIND him.
 
Cody, like a deer in the headlights saw the tongue darting towards him. Instead of wrapping around him completely however, it stuck to the fabric of his clothes. He tried to pull on it, actually GRABBING that slimy tongue in his hand and trying to yank it. “Nnngh it won’t…come off!”
 
Sodattamon hadn’t aimed for the young boy, but he wasn’t going to say no to a quick snack before the main course. He started reeling his tongue back towards himself just as Flamedramon was giving chase. Cody struggled frantically, his feet trying to dig into the ground but without much purchase. Flamedramon himself would try to burn that tongue with his own fists but would be soundly knocked back by a quick “SONIC STORM”
 
A tree fell over Flamedramon, summoning a groan from the dragon who rather than pry the thick lumbar off himself decided to burn it. His entire body engulfed in a red flaming glow as his eyes themselves had a spark in them. Angry and refusing to let his friend be consumed.
 
Cody was getting too close to that beak. He saw how it expanded before him. Saw what his future held and closed his eyes. He tried frantically to tug that tongue off but it was just firmly connected to him. With his hands holding that sticky appendage however, he couldn’t even simply remove his shirt to break free. Why hadn’t he thought of that.
 
It didn't really do him much good now though. He tugged and tried with all his strength to get that sticky appendage off but all it did was tire him out faster...
 
“FIRE ROCKET!!”
 
Sodattamon saw the Flamedramon barreling towards him and knew he couldn’t play with his food. With one quick tilt of his head, he yanked his tongue right on into his beak with Cody along with it and swallowed. The next thing he did was brace himself. He knew that Flamedramon was going to charge right into his gut and as he did, the Gryphon made sure to tense his body up in preparation of the momentum.
 
“Urrrp!”
 
A belch sounded from Sodattamon from the impact. So much power and force in Flamedramon. If he hadn’t tightened his muscles he likely would have spat Cody out there and then. What good is a meal if it comes back however?
 
“Mmmm…You almost had him! But I think that human will only serve as the tipping point of this fight!” Sodattamon grasped the flaming dragon in his claws and hurtled them towards another pair of trees. “He might not even last a full minute in my stomach. And with your attack forcing me to tense up, I’m sure that helped speed up his digestion.”
 
Flamedramon snarled and blasted the trees he’d been thrown into, chucking one of them at Sodattamon while it was still smoldering, but the gryphon simply turned his body to avoid it.
 
“STAR SHOWER!!”
 
A barrage of stars came flying at Sodattamon. The Avian mega holding his hands up to defend against the unexpected attack. He turned his head around, looking for wherever it may have been and that’s when he saw it.
 
A golden armored pegasus was flying towards them.Pegasusmon, with two humans on it’s back…One was wearing a white bucket hat with a yellow and teal shirt and teal shorts. They looked older than the prior human meal he’d enjoyed but were still quite young by his standards. The other was a female…Weaing and white shirt, almost similar in style to the male, except she wore no hat. Lastly a Gatomon was sitting between the two of them. It’s eyes zeroing in on him like they were sizing up a mouse. The thought entertained him.
 
Two human snacks. He’d be having a FEAST today if his motabolism allowed him to enjoy it.
 
“Good! We’ve got some backup. Boy are we glad to see you!” Davis cheered, runnng up towards the Pegasusmon who dropped Kari down. “Kari I knew you’d be here. We’re really going to need to work together to stop this guy. He’s trapped everyone inside his body!”
 
“If we fight together we might be able to pull it off.” Flamedramon finished, looking determined, only to stop when he suddenly felt something zipping towards him.
 
“You let down your guard.”
 
Sodattamon, in the midst of their reunion had decided to take the initiative. He honed in on Flamedramon, practically within claws reach and started striking the poor dragon in quick successive hits with his claws. “RIPPLE STRIKE!”
 
This went on for a handful of seconds. Flamedramon could do nothing but take the strikes, armor denting and in some places being cut clean through. Finally, one final swipe of Sodattamon’s claws sent the poor Flamedramon flying towards Davis’ side.
 
They groaned as they finally hit the ground and started trying to pull themselves back up with Davis’ help, but their reprieve was short lived when a tongue reached over and wrapped around Flamedramon’s arms and chest. “CAPTURE!!”
 
That sound left chills in Flamedramon’s scales. He felt himself suddenly being dragged over the ground and tried breaking loose. Fire Rocket going off as if he were attempting to burn up that tongue once and for all but all that succeeded in doing was getting a restricting squeeze around his chest that knocked the wind out of him. How a single tongue could have so much strength in it…
 
But he wasn’t going to have them that easily. Davis leapt at Flamedramon’s legs and wrapped his hands around them. It was a futile attempt but he tried to pull back. At first…those armored boots just popped right off, forcing Davis on his butt as he saw Flamedramon kicking his legs and snarling. “Nnngh…Davis…! I can’t move…! Get away!”
 
But the hard headed tamer wasn’t going to quit just because of one setback. He jumped once again at Flamedramon’s now armorless feet and tried to pull them away. His own shoes were dragging on the ground, creating a tread mark through the jungle. If this had been any other situation it could have been amusing. But as they were nearing Sodattamon’s beak he started feeling his courage waning.
 
Flamedramon, whom had been trying to break out himself, tried one last time to burst free with his fire rocket, only this time he was stopped with Sodattamon’s beak clamping around him. Half his body easily fit in there without any effort and the drool inside of this creature’s mouth easily extinguished the fires he so desperately tried to make use for his escape.
 
Davis on the other hand kept trying futily to pry his friend free. Here he was…right up next to Sodattamon…hearing their tasting of his friend and watching those feet kick. Once almost nearly hitting HIM. He heard the swallows from Sodattamon however and felt his blood going cold. Here he was, holding onto his friend’s legs and they were slowly vanishing, sliding past that beak. He had no choice but to let go and start trying to run back, just in time to see Flamedramon’s kicking legs slip past those lips and the large bulge of what was his friend travel down Sodattamon’s throat.
 
The Gryphon felt Flamedramon’s struggles in his throat. He had other digimon in the vicinity however that he really couldn’t be taking his time here so he made quick work of them. A smack of his beak and Flamedramon was gone, leaving their tamer trying to scramble away from him.
 
That wasn’t going to happen. Almost as soon as Davis was starting to run away back towards his friends, Sodattamon was already whipping his tongue back and grabbing the boy by the ankles, prompting them to trip and fall down. No doubt knocking the boy around a bit and leaving them disoriented. He only shook himself awake when he felt his body being pulled…
 
His eyes shot open and he saw that he was being pulled right in towards Sodattamon and started shoutng for help. He tried kicking his leg, using the other even to try and kick the tongue, only to get both feet stuck in the process. “Oh...I know…I’ll just take my shoes off.”
 
“Like I’d let you.” The bird man’s tongue started turning, wrapping up and around Davis’ ankle. If the human had kept quiet about the plan it might have worked…but they weren’t really the smartest tool in the shed.
 
“EQUUS BEAM!”
 
Pegasusmon tried to fire a beam of green light to stop their friends descent into Sodattamon, but a quick jump in the air and his tongue following suit, Davis was starting to retract faster into the Gryphon with the aid of gravity. The best way to describe it was someone hitting the return button on an a roll of measuring tape.
 
Davis kicked his feet a good deal more, finding that wet sticky tongue latching without any give. He stared into what was going to be his fate, and in a last ditch effort to try and break free, his hands surged forward as he grabbed hold of that lower beak, hoping to slow down his descent as his legs were being pulled down their gullet. “Nnngh...I hope you get indigestion!!” He shouted as one last tug of that tongue loosened his grip and the beak snapped shut. A loud, audible swallow came from the avian digimon as Davis' bulge traveled slowly down his gullet, a few pushes here and there, and a muffled shout, before their bulge vanished into the depths of his belly.
 
“Urrrrrrp…! Heh…They were pretty strong. Those two will really beef me up!” Sodattamon bellowed his satisfaction, booming towards Pegasusmon an the remainin humans. “If you two hadn’t caught them off guard I might have been allowed to have a little more fun. Let’s finish this all up shall we? I REALLY want to try out some of these new powers.”
 
Sodattamon lifted up one clawed hand and watched with some amusement when it ignited with flame. “Do try to make this a little entertaining fo me…”
 
That was a phrase none of them liked. But like it or not they were the only ones left. Pegasusmon glanced down briefly at the Gryphon man’s stomach and saw some movement within…Could have been Cody in there too but the biggest impressions were sharp claw like shapes indicating Flamedramon was the one putting up the most fight…That and another tattoo was forming along Sodattamon’s stomach, this one a small human shaped face with a bowl cut top.
 
“Shooting Star!”
 
Sodattamon just stood there to take it. His body suddenly being covered up in a layer of orange armor plated scales, even if only for a brief moment. Something about it reminded the Pegasus of Armadillomon.
 
“That was good! Too bad I didn’t feel any of it. Let’s try this, now that I’m super powered up from your friends…”
 
Sodattamon plucked a feather from one of his arms, fiddling with it between two fingers before tossing it towards Pegasusmon. “FEATHER STRIKE!”
 
That one was Hawkmon’s attack! Pegasusmon darted off to the side, avoiding the sharpened feather, observing how it cut so cleanly through a pair of vines. “You’re using my friends attacks aren’t you? That’s low…”
 
“Oh…here’s one more. It won’t be nearly as powerful though…THIS one’s still digesting.” Sodattamon had already jumped into the air, bringing his fist up to the side, fire and all before sending it slamming into Pegasusmon’s side “KNUCKLE FIRE!!”
 
A sharp pain went through the Pegasus as he felt the flames burning his side but his immediate fear was the moment TK had fallen right off his back. He unfortunately could not have recovered in time to recover his partner as Sodattamon came in quick. This time instead of using simply his tongue, he leaned in, beak wide open as he started to consume the equine.
 
It was a horrifying experience to Pegasusmon. He was right here, staring into the depths of someone who’d just spent the last few moments consuming their friends and using their power against him. He stared into their gullet and tried to use his hooves to force the Beak to remain open instead of clamping down on him. Whatever he could do to stall for enough time.
 
“Kari…nnngh…Gatomon! Digivolve to Angewomon! I don’t think there’s any control spire nearby and this guys clearly not just a champion!! TK…” Pegasusmon strained to keep that beak wide open, his hind legs kicking up at Sodattamon’s hands whenever they tried to grasp him. “Good luck out there.”
 
TK had taken a pretty long fall. He wasn’t feeling real lucky at all and he certainly wasn’t when he saw a sudden movement in Sodattamon’s beak as Pegasusmon vanished from sight. He watched as within seconds, his friend was being swallowed down in only a few short gulps. They kicked…they galloped, but so close to the beast that claimed their friends there was little he could do.
 
They needed time for Gatomon to digivolve. They couldn’t just let him see the act because frankly that tongue of his would snatch her up mid evolution before she could even finish. Even if he didn’t use his tongue, Sodattamon proved that he was fast enough that he’d be able to PHYSICALLY close the gap with his claws.
 
There was only one real choice. As Sodattamon was finishing off Pegasusmon, he reached around for a loose branch and held it in hand as if it were a sword, even giving it a few swings as if to test it’s durability. The plan was suicidal…It was insane…! But this guy was getting stronger with each one of them consumed and if it managed to get Gatomon before she could digivolve they may as well throw themselves up on a platter.
 
“Get going and digivolve.” T.K. started circling around Sodattamon, not caring right now if this was foolish or not. Something told him if he didn’t then the order of consumption would be only slightly different. At least with Angewoman they had a chance.
 
Sodattamon smacked his lips and even licked it as he felt the struggling intensifying in his belly. He then looked towards T.K. Whom to his amusement, was holding out a stick. The human must have just given up, but then the look in their eyes told a different story. “You’ve accepted your fate human?”
 
“I’ve accepted that I won’t be able to run. So I chooe to fight on my own terms.”
 
The Gryphon man smirked and just watched the boy charge towards him. It was a pointless gesture but Sodattamon admired strong in his opponents, and the strength to fight him when you knew you weren’t going to win? He couldn’t help but want to add them to his collection.
 
It was swift, and the branch snapped the moment it hit Sodattamons stomach. T.K winced, but knew what was coming next as that tongue wrapped around his hands. He kicked and fought, even managing to get a good swing in at Sodattamon’s beak, making them tilt their head back just for a moment.
 
“Heh…I got one hit in at least.”
 
“Mmph…You did.” Sodattamon agreed, using his tongue to dangle the boy over into his mouth feet first. It was an odd spectacle but really showed the flexibility of that tongue as T.K. Squirmed, wiggling his legs and kicking Sodattamon just a few times along the beak as though he were trying to bend it, even as the outside world just seemed to…vanish for him…Darkness creeping in as his legs tried to keep that beak open wide as if it were all that mattered in his renewed struggles as it inched it's way shut, eventually snapping closed with a rather audible clack within the woods.
 
*Glurrrk!*
 
The distraction had only ever been for a few seconds at most…maybe 30…And by then, Flamedramon and Davis’ faces formed on Sodattamon’s chest, indicating how they had been finished, leaving both T.K and Pegasusmon to digest together. It was almost touching in some ways, Sodattamon thought. Human and partner digesting together and being absorbed into him together.
 
His musing was brought to a halt however when he saw a bright ligh and an angelic digimon hovered in front of him. He knew it all too well by that bright and heavenly light that it was Angewoman. An Ultimate that very likely would have had the strength to put him to the test. The key word being WOULD.
 
“Sodattamon. You’ve taken all of our friends and used their power for your own selfish gain. What do you have to say for yourself?!”
 
“Mmmph…Needs salt.” Sodattamon laughed, giving his squirming belly a few pats as if to drive in his point home. “Some of them were stronger than others, but I’ll gladly give them all a spot on my body! You look pretty strong so I think I’ll do the same for you too.”
 
“So you don’t feel any kind of remorse for what you’ve done… Very well.”
 
Angewoman brought her hands up in the air, summoning a bow of light as she fit an arrow right into it, aiming to pierce him right in the stomach. “I have no words for someone like you. Be cleansed in light of my Celestial Arrow!!”
 
She let the arrow fly. An arrow full of powerful lightning and holy light that could purify most digimon. It was one of her strongest attacks, and one she thought should be enough to save their friends, their allies…but she miscalculated.
 
“If you fought me before the others you probably could have stopped me.” Sodattamon’s abdomen was actually resisting the arrow. It tried to pierce his hide but it’s thickness and defense seemed to be a cut above what she’d fought before as the arrow just seemed to disappear into several bits of zeroes and ones as he gave his muscles a flex.
 
“Had you fought me first, while Flamedramon was not inside of me, you probably could have purified me. But you gave me so much time to absorb and accumulate too much power. Your holy attacks won’t do anything to me now.”
 
He took one step forward, and enveloped himself in fire just as Flamedramon had before and launched himself at her. “FIRE ROCKET!!”
 
Angewomon let out a single scream as her body was suddenly layered with a few burns. The attack was a good deal stronger than she remembered it to be…Flamedramon didn’t have that kind of kick to it. But when she got one good look at that blade horned tattoo on his chest she got it. She didn’t have a lot of TIME to think on it because soon as she was falling to her demise, a tongue suddenly broke her fall, wrapping around her as it started drawing itself towards it’s owner.
 
“With you in my belly I’ll have nothing else to worry about. Rest assured…The emperor won’t have his way.” Sodattamon decided to take his time, pulling Angewoman in feet first into his mouth. Tongue wrapped around her he could already sample her flavor easily enough but he wanted to take his time with her. Even as she tried to worm her way out of his beak.
 
“No…! You can’t…!”
 
“Mmmph…I can anf I will.
 
She did manage to get her arm out of his slimy grip but it didn’t do much to alleviate her position. As her legs sank down his throat, the humidity of his breath really kicked in around her, causing her to sweat which only added to an already divine flavor. Sodattamon rumbled around her, feeling such delight that he was actually eating oe of the holy digimon. And whole at that!
 
All the while Kari could only watch in her horror. Inch by inch, Angewomon’s body was disappearing, his jaws steadily taking in more of her partner’s body, drool dripping from his beak down to the ground as he was really starting to enjoy himself.
 
“Get help Kari…I’m sorry I couldn’t save them…”
 
“I can’t leave you! Angewomon! You can’t let this guy beat you!”
 
“Kari!! Please! Get away while you still can!!”
 
It was a screaming match between the two of them. Once again Sodattamon was touched by their friendship. It wouldn’t save them, but he’d let them retain that friendship in his belly. His prior catch was already finishing their trip within him as a horse like image formed on his chest, followed by T.K.’s image. His hat taking up most of his own face tattoo however.
 
With one final gulp, Sodattamon pulled Angewomon into the depths of his gullet, swallowing her down like she’d just been a really delicious and enjoyable snack. He really did wish he could have more digimon like her, but there weren’t many holy type digimon around that could replicate such an exostic and robust flavor…
 
Flamedramon did…somewhat. Armor digimon equally had a unique flavor that was hard to get from other digimon.
 
Maybe all of them had something he was looking forward to. Sodattamon allowed himself a moment to relax, and take in everything he had consumed today…Right now the only one actively squirming in his belly, undigested was Angewomon. His belly gurgled around his prey, knowing full well what he had to do next. Just one more…
 
  *
 
Kari was running. She hadn’t wanted to leave but with how desperate Angewomon sounded, she didn’t want to disappoint her friend. Her brother…Tai! Maybe he or Matt could help. Maybe they could find some way to fix this.
 
She was about to make her way to one of the terminal gates. It was like a small CRT Television that usually had nothing but static. But she could see it plain as day…The school’s computer room that they’d used to get here from the other side.
 
She fumbled around her bag for her digivice before she finally found it. “Ok…Let’s go. We still have a chance!” She pressed the digivice to the monitor and watched as the light formed around her. Relief swept through her.
 
Then a loud thud shook her. She felt her blood running a little cold before she turned her head to see the beaked muzzle grinning down at her. An arm reached down to grab hold of Kari who was trying to push and pry those fingers off but the difference in their physical abilities was pretty apparent. She was a human while he was buffed up from everyone currently empowering him. She stared into is beaked maw and kicked her feet trying to keep herself from being drawn in before the beak clamped shut behind her. As the swallowing began, and her trip into his depths was being concluded, the light from the CRT was dragging Sodattamon in...He was going on a trip himself now. A place where he could find his fill.
 
Sodattamon, was now in the human world.
 
  *
 
Some time later…
 
 
Sodattamon stretched his limbs out in the middle of a beach. After such a huge meal with the digidestined with their partners he felt so powerful. He’d successfully digested each of them and the tattoo’s around his abs and chest were proof that they all added to his strength. What was more…as he digested their digivices he found that he could now travel to and from the real and digital worlds.
 
Shortly after he’d finished digesting the last of his prey, he’d decided to go rest it off. Creating 5 Digi eggs, formed in the colors of the Digidestined’s colors, or rather the colors of their clothing. Next to them had been the digi-eggs of their partners, or the eggs they had been sealed within at the very beginning.
 
He was amused by how they all formed…each egg right in his stomach, spat out just like most of his prey. What they’d become upon hatching he didn’t really know but what he DID know is that there were a lot more digi destined out in this world, and that meant there were equally strong fighters that he could add to his collection of tattoo’s and power. It was only a matter of finding them.