The Inner Darkness...

Zachary's warning was spot on as the exhaust flame blast shot off through the street. Panthermon, being the most agile of the three was able to dodge and the heat didn't bother him too badly due to him being a 'hellcat'. The other two Agumons got safe behind a nearby wall-- and Zachary hit the concrete as fast as he could, keeping his arms covered and out of the stream of the fire. He felt the sweltering heat of the flames, but he was not hit. Simply him wearing a jacket merely made him feel warmer than normal after that. They got clear...

... however, there was one big problem. The flame attack kept going-- and right for the building where Rei and Musimon was. A gasp went off from her as she saw the flame attack as it shot overhead. "Rei-chan!!" Musimon cried as the little rabbit grabbed as hard as he could with his hand-ears and pulled her along. The little rabbit was stronger and faster than he looked, and pulled his partner away just as the flame attack struck the b uilding. The explosion went off on the store's hanging sign. Now on fire and smoking, it came crashing down, almost hitting Rei and Musimon!

Acting fast enough, the little rabbit had pulled his partner away just in time, now lying on the ground from the rough dodge. Zachary's eyes went wide as he saw Rei not moving for a brief moment, hidden behind the smoke and fumes from the damaged building. Had that attack gone any further, the whole building would have caught fire. She was no older than 11-- and that idiot risked to hurt her for kicks of a fight?!

Something inside Zachary snapped. His eyes were wide and his teeth gritted as he pushed himself up. Even Panthermon saw it, and sensed the fury in his partner. He snapped his head around to the bully with the Blackgrowlmon. "THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Zachary roared, "You... YOU ALMOST KILLED HER! THAT'S IT! YOU"RE GONNA PAY FOR THAT, YOU D*CK!"

The crushing grip he had on his Digivice felt like he could almost crack it-- but by those words, those emotions, his senses went blank but the pure, unadulterated hate he felt at the bully for hurting him and now his friend. It pushed him over...

... and blacklight glowed from the violet D-Power. The glow became a powerful light-- but pitch black as the streams came from the screen. Energy screamed from the device as Zachary's focus was on the target of his malice.

And Panthermon was overwhelmed by it. The psychic link they had made him feel the same emotion he had, even if justified-- but it flowed into him like water from a broken dam. A panther's like cry came from his as his eyes glowed red... and dark energy radiated off him. It gathered and swirled around him, specks of the same dark light engulfing him in a shell of energy.

"Panthermon... DIGIVOLVE TO---!"

The sphere of chaotic, dark energy swirled, spun and trembled-- till it finally burst open, revealing a grown silhouette.

Panthermon's evolution was a powerful, mythical beast black panther who was much bigger than his rookie form. It had mythic golden armor, glowing runes on its fur, and a pair of magnificent flaming wings on its back...

... this, however, was not him.

The black energy still masked it, but this creature was standing tall, on two legs like a humanoid figure, hulking with muscle and size. Not as tall as Blackgrowlmon, but significant either way. A wild head of hair could be seen, and an imposing aura of its red eyes through the dark energy. Finally, it dispersed, revealing the shocking image of a 'lion-man' standing with its arms to its side and head hunched forward. Its fur was almost pitch black, with lighter shades marked to form tattoos along his body. He looked like a punk-rock lion, wearing deep violet leathers for his pants and straps along his arms. His 'mane' was also long and wild, far more than a Leomon's should be. He was dark from head to tail. A dark growl escaped him slowly as his eyes continued to glow red. "... Maloleomon..." he growled.

The ominous black aura continued to fume off the dark lion's body, as if he was seething with miasma that made everyone nervous.



Snapped out of his hate and fury, he saw the explosive and ominous transformation of his partner, enough to clear his head to realize something was wrong. He let out a breath and took a step back towards Kayden. "That's... not Mytholomon," Zachary confirmed, his Champion Digimon name. This was something else.

In that brief moment of fury and wrath, Zachary triggered something different in his partner. And now, it was like looking at something completely different.

Even surprised by the transformation, the Blackgrowlmon growled at him, threatened by the sudden evolution. It's tamer, however, was more thrilled than afraid. "Finally! Bring it on. Let's tear this place apart and see who comes out on top!"

For the moment, the black lion didn't move. Didn't respond to anyone. Its red eyes looked forward at the Blackgrowlmon, as if looking with the eyes of death.

Zachary was torn-- the new incarnation of his Digimon partner now before him. Was he to fear the new level of power his partner envoked, which oozed with an ominous vibe that made him very nervous or, turn to behind and look to find his young friend Rei and her partner laying near t he front of a burning building.

His friend, Kayden, seemed to be okay for a moment and after moments of back and forth of his head-- he finally gave way to concern and ran towards Rei and Musimon at the end of the street.

Meanwhile, as Yin and Yang rejoined their tamer, Maloleomon stood menacing before the enemy. The tamer to the Blackgrowlmon didn't even seem bothered, but excited to see a strong enemy. "About time we had a real challenge. Blackgrowlmon-- tear him apart!" he declared.

The giant dark dragon roared, but Malolemon charged without fear with a growl of his own.

Zachary had reached Rei, now face down on the street as Musimon roused. "Rei? Rei! You alright?" Zachary asked, giving her shoulder a shake to rouse her. After a moment, she groaned and slowly looked up, realizing she was on the ground. Beside her, Musimon too roused up, relieved he got Rei out of the way just in time.

"Oh... yeah, I'm fine..." she said as she looked up, and saw the new scene of the black dragon fighting the ashened dark lion Maloleomon. "Wait-- who is that?"

"Um... not good," Zachary grasped as Musimon rose up and joined Rei's side to keep her safe.

Maloleomon was the first to strike, despite the enemy tamer's order. With a swift move of his body, he was already right under the Dark Dragon-- and jumped up. A wicked uppercut of a punch went out, causing the dragon to suddenly be knocked backwards and into the air, like a sucker punch.

The attack was brutal, and crass-- like fighting dirty. It was something Zachary never seen Panthermon personally do, and that began to worry him. Whether too fast to use a visiable attack, or just that strong, Maloleomon was one ripped and scary lion.