Dreams and Reality
"TAI!" Sora screamed again, anguished. She broke down sobbing over his lifeless body.
"Tai's dead?" Somehow, it wasn't registering with anyone else.
"GARURUMON DIGIVOLVE TO: WEREGARURUMON!"
"KABUTERIMON DIGIVOLVED TO: MEGAKABUTERIMON!"
"BIRDRAMON DIGIVOLVE TO: GARUDAMON!"
"Wolf Claw!
"Horn Buster!"
"Wing Blaze!"
Myotismon retreated from the barrage. "YOUR LEADER DIDN'T HOLD OUT AFTER ALL. ONE DOWN, SIX TO GO!" Myotismon disappeared, laughing. Izzy looked over at Sora, who was still crying. "I believe it would be wise to let her deal with her grief before disturbing her. Even you, Yokomon."
Only Mimi and Sora were crying. No one else could bring himself to believe that it was true. This was Tai, after all. He was their leader, their friend. He couldn't just die. TK picked up Koromon and carried him to the fire. Nobody said anything, but sat staring into the fire until one by one, they fell asleep. Towards dawn, Sora fell asleep too, drained from crying.
"Do you want to bring Tai back?" A voice asked in her dream.
"How can I?" The dream version of Sora answered.
"Simple. Join me. I have the power." The voice materialized into Myotismon.
"No!" Sora shrank back, to afraid to do anything else.
"You claim you love him. Or are you so selfish that you would rather keep him dead, so that you don't have to share?"
"I'm not selfish! Tai wouldn't want me to follow you just so he could live. He would prefer to stay dead, and I'd rather die and join him."
"As you wish. Prepare to join him!" Myotismon bared his fangs and moved forward. Sora stood her ground, thinking If I'm going to die, I'm going to do so fighting. A bright light suddenly flashed, sending Myotismon back. Angemon hovered there. "The girl is not yours, Myotismon. Leave her be."
"Next time, little one." Myotismon disappeared. Sora looked up at Angemon. "There is another way to bring Tai back to life, but you must discover it yourself." Angemon faded.
Sora slowly opened her eyes. She found herself lying against Tai's body, her head resting on his bandaged chest. Was that just a dream? Or was it real? Even if it was just a dream, that doesn't mean it wasn't telling me something. Another way…it's possible to bring him back. Sora sat up. Something glimmered in the sand next to her. The object turned out to be her Crest. Humph. The Crest of Love. Lot of good it did. A memory forced itself to the front of Sora's mind.
"I felt something, Sora. It must have been your love shining through." Tai had said. Tai was the only one that felt it. Why didn't I see it then? Her Crest suddenly began to glow. Could it be that her Crest could bring him back? Please, let this work Sora thought as she laid her Crest over Tai's heart. It began to glow even brighter and spread light over Tai's lifeless body. C'mon, c'mon…It's not working…It's not strong enough by itself. Tai's Crest began to glow as well. Tai's Crest of Courage…Yes, he demonstrated courage simply by telling me how he felt. The light from the Crest joined with the light from Sora's Crest. Tai began to stir and finally opened his eyes.
"Sor-ra?" Tai managed feebly.
"Tai! You're alive! It worked!" Sora hugged him. Confused, Tai struggled to sit up. Sora helped him and let him lean against the rock. She picked up her Crest from where it had fallen and slipped it back over her head. "How do you feel?" Sora asked, still unable to believe he was back.
She's acting like I never told her I loved her. I did tell her, didn't I? So hard to remember...not thinking clearly yet...
"Tai?" Sora's plaintive question made him look up.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I feel okay. A little weak." Really weak...but I don't want her to worry. Tai's vision finally came into focus. She looks like she's been crying for three days straight. Wait a minute...I died, I know I did. Could she have been crying for me? "Um, Sora?"
"Yes?"
"Did I tell you..." I can't go through with it! I have to. I have to know if she has any feelings for me. "That I-I love you?" I can't look at her. Tai dropped his chin to his chest.
"Yes, Tai, you told me. And I never got the chance to respond." Sora said calmly.
Oh no, oh no, oh no! I don't like that...she sounded icy. Tai swallowed a lump in his throat. "Well?" He croaked.
"Tai..." She reached out and touched his shoulder. He looked up. "I love you too." Then, before Tai could react, she leaned towards him and kissed him. Surprised, he was almost too shocked to kiss back. Almost.
Izzy woke first. I'd say it's approximately ten in the morning. He stood and stretched. Hmm, I wonder what that strange glow is? It's coming from where Sora and Tai are! Or rather, Tai's body. Izzy thought sadly. Still, I should investigate, despite the grief of losing a friend. He walked toward where the light had been coming from. Using caution, he advanced until he could see. What? Is that...Tai? Alive? But he died, he must have, otherwise Koromon would be Agumon. I wonder what could have possibly brought him back to the realm of the living? An intriguing puzzle, to be sure. Perhaps I should go offer my congratulations. Izzy nodded to himself at this last thought and moved forward. Neither Tai nor Sora noticed his approach. They were quietly talking about the dream they had had. It wasn't until he was actually standing beside them that they noticed. "Izzy, um, hi." Sora said, jumping up. Tai attempted to stand, but failed and sat back down. I wonder how long he's been watching us? Did he see us kiss?
Odd, they both seem nervous and jumpy. I don't see what the big deal about having the same dream is, even if it involves kissing. Or is there more to this that I didn't see? Well, first things first. "Tai, you're obviously alive, but how?"
"My Crest started to glow, and then his did. I don't know how, but it brought him back." Sora answered.
Izzy nodded to acknowledge he had heard her. The Crests of Love and Courage. Clearly Tai showed his courage when he shoved Sora out of harm's way, but love? I believe I know to some extent what they are so nervous about. As I recall, Sora did cry quite a bit. She was still sobbing strongly as I nodded off, and I was the last to fall asleep. Perhaps Sora's Crest alone was not strong enough, or else she wasn't confident enough in its power. Anyway, Tai's Crest began to glow in response to hers and the combined power was able to bring him back to life. Interesting. I wonder how I can delicately ask them if I am correct without upsetting either too much?
"How is it that you live, yet your wounds do not seem to have healed?" Izzy asked, masking his true thoughts.
I guess he didn't see us kiss after all, or else he would have asked about it. "I don't know myself, but it doesn't feel like someone's pouring molten lead through my veins anymore." Tai answered.
Molten lead in his veins? He didn't tell me about that. I guess he was trying to protect me.
Izzy nodded. "I see. So my belief that there was poison on the quills was correct. The wounds on their own would not have killed you, but the introduction of the poison when you had already lost so much blood did." Sora didn't seem to know about the effects the poison was having on Tai. Was he too weak to tell her, or trying to prevent her from worrying? It's really none of my business, but I just can't resist a good puzzle.
"Izzy, what are you doing? You said we needed to leave Sora alone to deal with-" Tentomon was interrupted by Yokomon. "Sora? Are you okay?"
Koromon blinked. "Tai? Is that you?" The small Digimon bounced forward into his friend's arms. Tentomon had digivolved because he had eaten, but Koromon and Yokomon were too depressed and worried about their humans.
"But you-" Tentomon was cut off by a sudden wave of darkness spreading in the sky.
"Most unusual…It's originating from our camp!" Izzy yelled. Sora helped Tai up and they ran to the camp. The darkness was fading. "Where'd they go?" Yokomon asked.
"What's that?" Sora asked, pointing to an object in the sand. Izzy picked it up. "It appears to be Matt's harmonica. He never goes anywhere without it."
"There's no trace of them. I wonder what could have happened." Tentomon said nervously.
Izzy pulled out his laptop and began typing. "Izzy, is that really going to help?" Tai asked.
"It will allow us to pinpoint their location using the signals from their digivices. Once we have determined their location, it will be possible to formulate a plan if necessary." Izzy replied.
"Oh, okay." Tai sat down on a log. Sora sat next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. Koromon and Yokomon looked at each other. "They're acting strange."
Tentomon tapped Izzy's shoulder. "Izzy, what are Tai and Sora doing?" Izzy briefly glanced up. "They are displaying affection for each other." he answered and resumed typing.
Izzy accepted this really quickly. Of course, he's a genius, so he probably doesn't even really see it Tai thought. He put his arm around Sora's shoulder and in her sleep she leaned into him a little more. Tai soon drifted off as well.
"Huh? Where am I?" Tai and Sora said at the same time. Surprised, they turned around to face each other.
"Okay, correction. Where are we?" Sora asked.
"I don't know." Tai answered, looking around. Wherever we are, they don't have housekeeping. The walls were dank and the whole place emitted a chill. Tai squinted. He could make out something in the darkness. "Hey Sora, look over there." He said, pointing to the vague object. He pulled out his mini-scope and focused. He could make out the forms of his friends in a cage suspended above a pit of nothingness.
Section 4