Trapped Deep Within

"Matt! Yo, Ishida, wake up! C'mon Matt, get up!"

Tai frowned when the eleven-year-old boy didn't respond. He continued to shake his fellow digidestined until Sora stepped in.

"Tai, where's Gabumon? Gabumon should be here." She looked worried.

"Ohhhhhhhh, that could be bad," Tai said. Agumon never left Tai for a minute. It was the same with the other digimon and their humans. Gabumon, Matt's digimon, was missing.

"Did Machinedramon get him?" T.K. asked.

"I hope not," replied Izzy with a shudder. The boy opened his laptop and began to type.

"Well, for someone who runs whenever he sees us, Matt isn't moving much," Tai said. "Sora, take T.K. and Kari and look for Gabumon. Izzy and I can take on any digimon that comes our way!"

"Is my big brother okay?" T.K. asked.

Tai hesitated before answering. "I think so."

Kari said to her digimon, Gatomon, "What's wrong?" Gatomon looked alarmed.

"It's him," she whispered. Then the cat digimon whisked into the trees, accompanied by Biyomon, Patamon, T.K., Kari, and Sora. Tai turned to Izzy. "Whatcha doing?"

"Shh... I'm looking something up..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sora moaned. They weren't getting anywhere. The digimon were deep in thought, T.K. was scared, and Kari was trying to coax Gatomon to tell her what was wrong. Sora was only an eleven-year-old girl, and she couldn't find a stray digimon by herself. "Gabumon!" she yelled. "Gabumon, where are you?"

Patamon and Biyomon flew into the sky, but even from an aerial view Gabumon couldn't be found. Sora noticed a red dot on her digivice moving away from where they had found Matt. That isn't Matt, the girl thought. So it's Izzy or Tai. But which one? And why?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Izzy hurried through the trees with Tentomon in tow. All he was thinking of was Gabumon and what Tai had said before Izzy left: "Izzy, he tried to kill Wargreymon! He tried to kill ME! And you want me to stay here alone?"

Izzy knew Matt and Tai could be friends if they tried, but they didn't, and everyone knew what happened when someone interfered with those two.

Izzy Izumi was smart for his age. He had his own computer, and he owed thanks to it now. As he and Tentomon moved toward the dots that were Joe and Mimi - and hopefully Gabumon - Izzy kept looking at it. "Okay," he muttered, "Gabumon should be with them."

"Can Gabumon help us?" Tentomon wondered.

"Probab - oh, prodigious!" Izzy cried. "We're almost there. Tentomon, what's up with Matt?"

Staring at his ten-year-old friend, Tentomon murmured, "I shouldn't say."

"Oh, Tento, tell me."

"Shouldn't."

"Tentomon!"

"I'm sorry, Izzy."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Mimi sighed. "Oh, Joe, what should we do?"

"It's been a day and a half," Joe remarked wistfully. "Gabumon's all right, but what about Matt?"

"Maybe he left Gabumon like he did the rest of us," Gomamon suggested.

"Matt's not like that. We should go help him when Gabumon wakes up," Joe said.

"I didn't want to fight, but I guess it's inevitable," Mimi said, brushing her sandy hair out of her eyes.

"Prin - I mean, Mimi," Gekomon said, "someone's coming."

"We can fight," Ogremon said. Otamamon hopped forward agreeably.

"Let me fight, Mimi," Palmon said.

"We'll help you!" Otamamon and Gekomon shouted.

"Hey," said a voice, "Gabumon!" It was Izzy. Moments later he appeared. Before his friends could say anything he said gravely, "You're all needed, especially Gabumon. Something's wrong with Matt."

"Ohhhhh!" Mimi cried. "Gabumon's in here, Izzy."

"Not another evil digimon, I hope?" Joe said as he followed them.

"It's evil," Tentomon whispered. "We've got to hurry, or I don't want to think of the consequences!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai was getting frustrated. Agumon was asleep, just like Matt, but he was awakeable. Matt didn't move no matter what Tai did. Tai was not only bored, he was mad. Mad at Matt, mad at Agumon, mad at Digiworld.

Tai moved his goggles, only to take them off to clean them. As leader, he should be looking for Gabumon, not taking care of the rebellious and anti-social digidestined. Why'd he have to get hurt or whatever anyway? Tai wondered.

Tai... It sounded like Matt. Tai looked quickly down, but Matt was still just lying there. Tai... help me, Tai... Tai... help!

Tai yelped and backed away.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sora finally gave up and headed back to camp with all her friends. The digimon were still quiet, and the kids were, too. No one made any noise. Sora watched her digivice. Tai or Izzy had met up with Joe and Mimi. They, too, were heading to camp. Sora sighed.

"No..." It was Patamon. "No..."

"Patamon? What's wrong?" T.K. asked.

"Only Gabumon can confirm my guess," Patamon said.

Biyomon and Gatomon nodded. "I think it's true," Biyomon said.

"What, Bi?" Sora asked.

"Ah, Sora, you'll know. It would be better if you didn't, but you'll all know."

"Know what?" Kari asked.

"Ah, me," Gatomon said mournfully. "We can't tell."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Izzy, Mimi, and Joe moved toward Tai and Matt. Ogremon was carrying the unconscious Gabumon while Gomamon explained.

"Shortly after you beat Puppetmon, we were all here. Then we heard a noise and Gabumon stumbled onto our campsite. He whispered, 'Matt,' before he fainted. He's been like that since."

Palmon nodded. "We've been trying to wake him up. He should soon."

Izzy moaned. "If he doesn't, we - or rather, Matt - are sunk."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Taichi Kamiya didn't get scared often; that was why he had the Crest of Courage. He was scared now, however, scared to death of the voice in his head.

"Who are you?" Tai asked.

"Yeah, but I don't know if I want to."

"Where are you?"

"Oh, I wonder why." Tai was getting sarcastic. He and Matt always fought, but could you fight a voice in your head?

"Whadya mean, it IS you? You tried to KILL me! And I should help you?"

"But WHY, Matt? WHY?"

"You're scaring me!"

Agumon opened his eyes to stare at Tai. Tai looked as though he had seen a ghost. "Hey, if you can desert us, I can be scared!" the boy cried.

"Who are you talking to?" Agumon asked.

"I'm trying to talk to Matt - what?"

"Of course you did!" Tai said, annoyed.

"Maybe you should sit down, Tai," Agumon suggested.

"Yeah, and you do?"

"Taiiiiiiiiiii!" Agumon was really frightened now.

"I'm the leader, Matt!"

"Where are you?"

"How can I help you then?"

"Tai, what's wrong with you? Tai?" Agumon hesitated, then ran off to find Sora.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sora, T.K., Kari, and the digimon were resting when Agumon rushed into the clearing. "Something happened to Tai!" he cried, out of breath. "I was asleep, and I woke up, and he was talking, and when I asked he said he was talking to Matt! But Matt's asleep!"

"I hope my brother's all right," Kari said.

"This could be bad. We better get back," Sora said.

"If Tai really is talking to Matt, well..." Biyomon trailed off.

"They always fight. And when Matt's defenseless..." Patamon said.

"Let's go!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Izzy?"

"Izzy?"

"HEY IZZY!!!!!!!"

"What? I'm kinda busy here!"

"Sora and the others are running back to Tai and Matt. I think something's wrong," Tentomon said.

"Okay... hey, is Gabumon waking up?"

Gabumon stirred and opened his eyes slowly. "Matt..." he whispered.

"They found Matt, now what happened?" Mimi demanded.

"It's him..."

"I thought so!" Palmon cried. "Oh, this is awful..."

"What is?" the humans asked.

"You'll know."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai was shaking when Sora and the others returned. "I... I..."

"Tai, what's wrong?" Kari asked.

"Matt... he... oh, hold on." Tai closed his eyes and listened. "What? Matt, are you sure?"

"Taiiiiiiiii," Sora said.

"Shh... oh, no, not another one... that's awful!... it's not the Dark Masters? Then who?"

Agumon, Sora, and Gatomon tackled Tai. "I don't know what you're doing, but explain!" Sora ordered.

"I'm trying to - hang on a sec, what? Gosh, Matt, can't ya stay out of trouble for a second?... don't call me that!"

"Taiiiiiiiiiii!"

"Shh!"

Gatomon looked worried. She glanced at Patamon. He nodded slowly. Gatomon stood up. "I believe you, Tai."

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Izzy was completely absorbed in his computer. "Izzy!"

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?"

"Are we there yet?"

"No. Be quiet."

The group heard voices. Gomamon smiled. "Finally!"

Ogremon sighed. "Not happy voices."

Gekomon and Otamamon nodded and said, "They're arguing!"

Joe yelped suddenly. "Owwwww! I stepped on something!"

"Me too!" Palmon cried.

"There's glass here," Mimi whispered. "Why?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Tai Kamiya, tell us the truth!"

"I WAS talking to Matt, until you came."

"I know that!" Tai snapped. "Hush, I have to deal with Sora. I'll get back to you."

Sora stood with her hands on her hips. "Tai!"

"You've said my name enough already."

"Maybe if you stopped pretending to talk to Matt -"

"I'm not pretending! Would I pretend to talk to him?"

"Sora's here, talk to her."

"Of course you can!"

"You're confusing me!"

"You were!"

"Tai!" Kari cried. Tai was completely absorbed in his conversation.

"Y'know, you should talk to T.K."

"You haven't even tried!"

"I know that, everybody knows that. Are you going to tell me where you are yet?"

"You have to!"

T.K. looked as frightened as Kari. Tai continued to argue with Matt's voice. "Sora? What's wrong?" T.K. asked.

Sora was worried. "I really don't know."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Izzy poked the pieces of glass. "Something broke here," he said.

"We can see that," Gomamon said.

"Let's go," whispered Mimi.

"Hang on."

Tentomon flew over Izzy's head. "We should go."

"They need our help, and I know it, but what's wrong here?"

"Joe." It was Gomamon. By peering over a bush, the twelve-year-old boy was able to see everything the others did. Tai was still talking to Matt, Matt was still asleep, and the others were still scared. Joe and Mimi left the computer whiz to step into the clearing. Sora smiled. "Thank goodness! Tai's gone wacko. He says he's talking to Matt, but, I mean, that's impossible!"

Tai looked up. "Joe! Mimi! The rest of 'em are here now, so talk!"

"Can too!"

"See what I mean?" Sora asked.

"Now, Gabumon, tell us," Izzy said as he, Ogremon, and Tentomon walked forward.

Tai flooded with relief. "Matt, tell Gabumon, or Izzy. Send an e-mail!"

"I could if I knew where you are!"

"Tai, Matt's right there, asleep," Joe said.

"Well, he's talking to me, and it's obvious he isn't right there!"

Gabumon sighed. "Believe Tai. He's got Matt."

"I do not!" Tai cried.

"Not you, him."

"Him who?"

"Hey, if you can hear us, can't you talk?"

"We've been through this already!"

"What next, Gabumon?" Gekomon asked.

"We were walking through the woods..."

"That was dumb."

"Why?"

Tai suddenly realized that everyone was staring at him. He was as white as a sheet. "Tai, what's wrong?" Agumon asked.

Tai sighed. "Matt's trapped somewhere, and he thinks I'm the only one who can help him."

"Well," Izzy said. The six children stared at Matt and Tai. Tai was getting madder every second. T.K. and Kari both backed away. Mimi whimpered, "This is weird!" Sora watched, always the worrywart. Izzy typed eagerly on his computer, and Joe stood, thinking.

"Hey!" Izzy shouted with glee. "I know where Matt is!"

"It's about time," Tai said.

"Yeah, it's about time, all right. You've only got a week."

"A week to what?"

"Save Matt."

"You're kidding."

"Unfortunately, no. Matt's been trapped by an evil but unidentified digimon."

"I knew it!" all the digimon cried.

"Well, where is he?"

"That's the problem. How should I say this?" The boy glanced at his friends before finally saying, "Trapped in his own mind."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Later that evening, Tai was still trying to register what Izzy said. He was still talking to Matt through his mind, and they actually agreed on something: this was absolutely crazy. Matt gave Tai messages for T.K., and Tai told T.K. all of them. There wasn't anything to do but wait for Izzy to tell Tai what to do.

"It really doesn't make any sense."

"Are you going to try and kill me again?"

"Agumon and Gabumon can come with me."

After that Tai fell asleep. Unknown to him, at midnight, Izzy closed his laptop with a satisfied grin. "Everything's ready. I hope this works, Tentomon."

"It will."

"Okay, if you say so. Can Tai reach Matt in time?"

"Probably."

"Prodigious!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai yawned. He was quite aware of the fact that everyone was watching him. "Why'd it have to be me?" he mumbled.

"Now close your eyes and concentrate." Tai obeyed. After a moment the boy fell over, seemingly asleep.

"Did it work?" Mimi asked.

"We won't know till they get back."

Agumon and Gabumon had fallen against the tree they had been sitting near. Gatomon and Biyomon watched the four unmoving forms. "If it doesn't work, at least we tried," Gatomon said.

Biyomon echoed, "At least we tried."

* * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Ow!"

Tai landed with a thump on cool, wet ground. "Am I in the right place?" he asked. His tie with Matt appeared to be broken, but was that a good thing? Agumon and Gabumon were nowhere near. Tai stood up and looked around. "Whoa. If this is Matt's mind, it's pretty weird."

The forest surrounded Tai. The young boy fixed his trademark goggles and walked into the woods. "Matt?" He called. "Hey, Matt!"

Tai wished Agumon were here. Even Matt would be welcome. Just someone to help find the way.

At last Tai burst out of the forest. "Ugh, I didn't know people could have such weird minds. Hey Agumon!"

Matt didn't speak in Tai's head anymore. Tai wasn't only bored, he was lost. Now, if Matt were here, he could direct me, since this is his mind, the boy thought. "Gabumon! Agumon! Matt!"

Tai couldn't find his friends, but he wasn't sure he wanted to. Tai and Matt had never been very good friends. They were always fighting, and they had nearly killed each other not long ago. Tai knew it was Matt's fault. Agumon and Gabumon had battled, too, in their mega forms of Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon.

Tai wandered around for hours before it got dark. His mini telescope hadn't helped him much. Matt was nowhere to be seen, nor were the two digimon. Tai wanted to leave. He couldn't protect the others from the remaining Dark Masters in here!

Strangely, the megas defeated the first Dark Masters. Wargreymon took on Metalseadramon, and Metalgarurumon blasted Puppetmon. Matt was no longer with them at the time- he just appeared. Then he left again. And by their luck, Sora, Izzy, T.K., Kari, and Tai had found him.

Matt! Tai pleaded silently. Hurry up, Matt!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hurry up, Tai, Sora thought. She knew everything fell apart without him. "Bi, is everyone okay?"

Biyomon yawned. "Yes, Sora, everybody's fine."

"Joe! Joe, wake up, it's your watch." The girl shook Joe until he got up.

"Sora, what do you think of this?" Joe asked seriously.

"Well, I don't know," she said, looking at the boys' motionless bodies. "But if we've only got a week..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai knew better than to sleep. Who knew what was here? It was Matt's mind, but if Izzy was right about the evil digimon, Matt wasn't really in control of it. Tai wouldn't sleep until Agumon was at his side. Eventually he gave up looking and sat down to wait until it was light. The night seemed to go on forever. Without Agumon, Tai felt very alone.

"Tai!"

Tai knew that voice...

"Tai!"

Where had he heard it before?

"Tai!"

"Hey!" Tai sat up straight. "That's Matt!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Sora!" Izzy was shaking her. "Wake up!"

"What is it, genius?" she asked. Suddenly she realized he was very serious.

"Sora, I think I've found a way to see what Tai's doing!"

"Really?" The girl was excited immediately.

"Mm-hmm. Of course, it may not work, but it's worth a try."

"I'll say! Hey, Izzy, what do we do without the mega digimon?"

"I have no Earthly idea." He paused. "Of course, this isn't Earth, so I'm open to suggestions!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Matt!" Now that Tai knew Matt could hear him, Tai had resumed his search. "Matt!"

This is unnatural, me searching for him. If he would play that harmonica, I could go toward the sound. But he isn't calling anymore. So now what? Tai hated being worried, especially as a leader. Being a leader was hard, actually, but Yamato Ishida had never seemed to notice. He just argued and fought and was generally a pain. Tai was sick of it, but he would be glad to see Matt again if it meant he could get out of this place to take care of Kari.

Kari was Tai's sister. She was kind and caring. She was the eighth digidestined, too, the only one who hadn't gotten sucked into Digiworld. The seven had traveled to find her, and narrowly beaten Myotismon, only to return and find the Dark Masters in charge. It was little Kari who had rescued Tai, Matt, and their digimon from the fight not long before.

Tai winced when something hit the back of his head. It didn't really hurt, but he wasn't expecting it. Tai liked expecting things, so he always wanted to explore. For some reason, Matt thought staying together was more important than knowing where everything was. Take the time he wanted to climb Infinite Mountain, for example; Matt had said it was too dangerous. They pulled poor Joe into the argument, and Joe ended up trying to climb the mountain alone. Tai and Sora had to rescue him.

Tai shook his head. Matt was strange, all right, very strange, but if Tai was the only one who could help, he'd have to. He was the leader, after all, and that meant looking out for the rest of the group.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

T.K. missed his brother. Why hadn't Matt taken him along when he left the team? Why couldn't Matt talk to him? Tai had told T.K. everything Matt said, and the child remembered one thing in particular:

"Tai, what does Matt say now?"

"Well, he wants me to tell you he'll be back, and then we can finish the fight and go home for good."

Home. Home to T.K.'s parents. T.K. missed them, but he liked this adventure, with all his friends: Tai, the brave leader, Sora, who was like a second mother, Joe, the one who always found trouble, Mimi, who was nice, if a little strange, Izzy, who had his computer, Kari, the eighth child they had finally found, and of course Matt.

"Come back, Matt," the eight-year-old whispered before he fell asleep.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai was no closer to finding Matt than he had been before. He called and called, but there was no answer. Trust Matt to get in trouble, Tai thought. Then he remembered that he got in trouble a lot himself: take the battle with Shellmon, or the time he accidentally made Agumon Skullgreymon. Tai made plenty of mistakes, but at least he didn't get stuck in his own mind! With that thought to reassure him, Tai headed on to find Matt.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hikari Kamiya sat near Agumon, stroking Gatomon's head. She had been in Digiworld only a few days, and already everything was wacko. She was lucky, though, since she had Gatomon, Tai, and the rest of the team. She had escaped Myotismon, and she had stopped Tai and Matt before they seriously hurt each other. She had many friends in the digital world, but Gatomon was the best. Gatomon was Kari's digimon.

Yes, Kari was a lucky girl, for only eight years.

"Hey! Check it out!"

It was Izzy.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Tai!"

It was Matt again. Tai headed quickly in the direction of Matt's voice. "Wow. I wonder what my mind looks like," he said out loud.

"Taiiiiiiiiiiii!"

Matt sounded terrified. Tai began to run, calling, "Matt!" as he went.

Tai skidded to a stop in front of a building. "Weird," he muttered.

"Tai! Help!"

There was no doubt about it: Matt's voice was coming from the building.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Izzy was excited. He knew it would work. It had to. How else could they find out if Tai and Matt were all right?

"Where's my headset? I know I had it. It saved Mimi and Tentomon in those ruins. So where is it?"

The remaining six spread out to look. The headset was nowhere to be found.

"Izzy, what now?" Joe asked after a half-hour of searching.

"We just have to find it!" Izzy just knew his plan would work. He didn't have the Crest of Knowledge for no reason. At least, the plan would work if he could just find that elusive headset! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai raced into the building and paused. He heard his name again and dashed up the stairs. "Matt!"

"Tai!"

Tai followed the sound of Matt's voice. It led him higher and higher. "Matt!"

The noises stopped. Tai stood before the next stairs, debating. Finally he heard a muffled "Help!"

Tai darted up the stairs and into the building's attic. Matt wasn't anywhere. "Hey Matt, are you in here?"

"Tai! I'm on the roof!"

"Why?"

"Don't ask questions! I need help!"

Tai glanced around. "Well, how do I get up there?"

"I-don't know-Tai-" Matt sounded choked. Tai instantly felt the fear in his heart. Fear, for Matt! Tai searched desperately for a way onto the roof.

"Hurry, Tai!"

"I'm trying!" Tai was getting very frustrated. He banged his fist on the wall. Where were those stupid cards when you needed them?

As a matter of fact, Tai didn't need them. The panel opened at his touch. Tai hurried up the stairs and onto the roof.

Tai came very close to swearing. Matt was gone.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Joe sighed. His allergies definitely hated this spot. He sneezed, praying that Tai would hurry up.

"Joe?"

"What, Gomamon?"

"Izzy still hasn't found his headset."

"I can't look anymore! I sneeze too much." As if to prove his point, Joe sneezed.

"Joe." It was Sora. "You should help us."

"I did!" Joe said with a sneeze. "But this spot must have something I'm allergic to in it."

"Too bad. It's really important, Joe."

Joe Kido nearly sneezed his glasses off before he replied, "Yeah, I know, but I can't. It's just that I'm allergic to almost everything. I'm probably allergic to the headset!"

Sora giggled. "Then your allergies can lead us to it. Come on!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai sighed. "Man, Matt! I almost find ya, and you disappear into thin air!" Tai walked slowly down and out of the building. He set off on his quest once more, shouting for Matt and the digimon.

Agumon was nowhere, and neither was Gabumon. Matt really had vanished; he no longer shouted for Tai. Good riddance! Tai thought. Now there would be no more fighting.

But Matt hadn't wanted to fight. He had wanted help.

Tai walked slowly, weighed down with guilt. "Hey, Matt!"

This time there was no reply.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Mimi Tachikawa was rather odd. She was beautiful, and that wasn't always good when it came to Numemon. Chuumon was gone because he wanted to save the ten-year-old, and she took his death hard. Chuumon was one reason Mimi and Joe had stayed behind. Chuumon was also why Mimi was there to watch the digidestined search for Izzy's headset.

"Palmon, now that we're all together, will we stay that way?"

Palmon shrugged. "That depends on you guys."

"Matt will leave, but the rest of us will stay," Mimi said.

"Aw, Mimi, Matt won't leave."

"He's left before I don't know how many times! Oh, Palmon, what if they never come back?"

"Don't worry," the digimon assured her. But Palmon's mind was wondering, What would happen if two of the digidestined disappeared?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai kicked at the dirt. Matt, Agumon, and Gabumon were still gone. Tai wished they could go back just a little to the time Puppetmon appeared. Maybe Tai could stop Matt from leaving. Then Matt would never fight him, and they would never split up. Then Tai wouldn't be stuck here.

Grumbling, Tai wandered on.

"TAIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

"I better be able to help him this time," Tai muttered as he took off.

* * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Izzy was becoming hysterical. "We have to find it!" he moaned.

"We will," Tentomon assured him. "Maybe not as soon as you like, but we will."

Izzy's head was in his hands. "I bet I did leave it at home. It probably got knocked off the desk when we put up the digital barrier and I forgot to retrieve it."

"Izzy?" It was Mimi. "Is this it?" She held out the headset.

"Prodigious!" Izzy shouted. "Mimi, where'd you find it?"

"Over there," she pointed.

"Ahhhh. Thanks, Mimi. Now if I can only find that one program..."

"You can see Matt and Tai?"

"Exactly."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai was just plain annoyed. After the horror-filled cry for help he had heard nothing. "If Matt's eluding me, he's doing a good job," the boy muttered. He sank to the ground. "I need someone else, so I can finally fall asleep."

"Tai?"

Tai sat up, listening intently. "I know that voice. It's Agumon!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"It'll be ready for use in a few hours," Izzy confirmed. "Until then, no one touches my computer."

"Um, what's it going to do?" Kari asked.

"Well, when I've downloaded the program, we put the headset on one of them-" he gestured to the four lying on the ground- "and we can see through their eyes."

"But then we can't see them," Patamon pointed out.

Izzy shook his head. "But I think we can communicate with the person."

"Can we wait a few hours?" Sora asked.

"See, that's the problem. When I told Tai a week, I neglected to inform him that we had a week since when Matt was first taken by this evil digimon. So we really only have about a day and a half."

"That could be bad," Tentomon whispered.

"Probably."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Agumon!"

The orange dinosaur was nowhere near Tai, yet Tai knew he had heard the digimon. "Agumon?"

This was becoming monotonous. Every time Tai heard something, his friends weren't there- if you could call Yamato Ishida a friend.

Tai could barely associate the term 'friend' with Matt. Matt did have the Crest of Friendship, but he wasn't a very good friend. He tried to kill them all! Well, only Tai. And he had done that more than once. Matt was the most rebellious and anti-social person Tai Kamiya knew. He and Tai clashed whenever they went near each other. It was surprising Matt would even call on Tai for help.

"I'm getting sick of the word 'destiny'," Tai grumbled. "If it's my 'destiny' to save Matt, they could at least give me some warning!"

Tai darted in the direction of Matt's voice when he heard it again. He stopped in front of a pool. "Somebody's playing with my mind, and I don't like it," he muttered, staring down into the pool. He glared at his reflection.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Five of the digidestined were asleep. Tai and Matt, of course, were awake, and so was Izzy.

"Go to sleep, Izzy," Tentomon begged.

"We don't have much time. I'm going to figure this out so we can help!"

"Whatever you say, Izzy."

Tentomon had been asleep for a while when Izzy gave a yell of triumph. "Okay," he whispered, typing frantically. "Now we're in business!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai knelt beside the pool. He stretched out a finger toward its clear surface. Something about the pool drew him toward it...

Tai leaned over a little too far and splashed into the water. Tai was an okay swimmer, but this was a weird pool. Tai sank, and he couldn't get to the surface. Help! he thought frantically.

The panicking boy just couldn't get to the top. He couldn't even breathe anymore.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Done!"

Izzy sighed with relief. Now he could sleep while the program downloaded. When it was done, they would be able to see Matt and Tai.

"Tentomon, wake up. I'm almost finished."

"Will you go to sleep now?"

"Of course. My desktop alarm will go off when it's finished."

"Okay, Izzy."

Unknown to the young computer whiz, Sora was listening. "Good," she whispered. Then she fell asleep again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Two hands grabbed Tai and dragged him out of the deadly pool's clutches. "You gotta be more careful, Tai."

Tai was finally staring into Matt's blue eyes. He coughed. "Your mind is a weird place."

"Tell me about it. My memories are assaulting me. Sorry about the thing in the warehouse."

Tai coughed again. "Have you seen the digimon? They disappeared."

"No, I didn't see them. I didn't see YOU till now, Kamiya."

"Matt, you sound different."

"I know. It's something about being here..."

"Thanks for saving me from drowning."

"Hey, that's what friends are for." Tai felt a twinge of guilt. "Knowing you, we'll be at each other's throats soon."

"Knowing me? What about you?"

"See?"

Tai tried to smile. Matt was his friend, in a way.

"Well, what should we do now?" Tai asked.

"Honestly? I don't think we can leave until we win against this digimon. And without our digimon-"

"Uh-oh."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Before the sun came up, Izzy was hard at work. "Just in case," he whispered to Tentomon. "It's possible, um, Kari and T.K. shouldn't see this."

"You're right, Izzy." Tentomon said.

"Just a few more minutes..."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Agumon!"

"Gabumon!"

"Hey, Agumon!"

"Gabumon, it's me!"

Tai and Matt had never been separated from their digimon before. Tai glanced at Matt. It WAS Matt's mind, so he should know where the digimon were.

"Hey!"

"You forgot to call for Agumon, y'know."

"I know, but I think I know where they are!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Done!"

"Oh, good job!"

"Thanks, Tento. Wake up Sora and Joe. I'm not sure about Mimi yet."

Sora and Joe slowly woke up and heard furious typing. "Hey!" Sora cried.

"Yup, we are most certainly ready!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"No way."

"Yeah, Matt, that's the only logical explanation."

"Tai, you may be right, but that is kind of dangerous."

"You think about danger too much. There's no T.K. to protect in here."

"Taiiiiiiiii..."

"I'm getting really sick of people saying my name."

"Yeah, I guess you may be right. We can't fight now. That could be, well... fatal."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"So you see," Izzy continued, "if we can see what's happening, we won't have to just wait nervously."

"That could be good," Joe whispered.

"Try it on Matt and Tai first," Sora suggested.

Izzy nodded and placed the headset on Matt's head. The computer screen was blank. "I don't get it!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai and Matt walked on in silence. Tai felt quite sure he was right. Now, if only Matt's directions were correct...

"Yeah, it's over here," Matt whispered.

"And I bet that's where we find our digimon!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"I think it's because Matt was the one captured. Try Tai and the digimon," Joe said.

Izzy obeyed. If his adoptive parents had seen this before they had tried to stop him from putting up the digital barrier, maybe they wouldn't have stopped him. Izzy was glad they finally told him that he was adopted. He had found out he was adopted by eavesdropping.

"Prodigious!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Don't be so sure of yourself, Tai."

"I have the Crest of Courage, Matt. At least I'm courageous."

"If you're saying I'm not a good friend, you were scared to death when I started talking to you."

"Who wouldn't be? You were talking through my mind!"

"Izzy wasn't scared."

"You could mind-talk to him?"

"Only for a little while, before I fell asleep."

"We would've gotten you away IF you were still with us!"

Now things were veering onto their normal path. But that probably wasn't a good thing.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Izzy smiled widely when his computer screen lit up. They saw what Tai was seeing, and they very quickly decided it was not good.

"Tai! Tai, listen to me!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai and Matt weren't rivals exactly, they just weren't friends. They fought whenever they got near each other. Tai knew Matt was sometimes right, but Matt didn't like having fun. That was what this adventure was about, winning the battle for Digiworld and having fun. Matt just didn't want to accept that Tai was right.

"Tai! Tai, are you there?" It was Izzy. Tai gasped in surprise.

"Tai, you look like you saw a ghost."

"I heard Izzy!"

"No way."

"Tai, it's me! We're here, we can see you!"

"That was Izzy, all right," Matt said.

"Told ya so."

"Don't pretend you're always right, cuz you're not."

"Hey, who's the leader?"

Matt grabbed Tai's left wrist, the one in the brace. Tai's face twisted in pain. Finally, Matt let go. "I'm the one in charge here, Tai. It's my mind, and you're going to listen to my rules, okay?" Matt waited a moment, and then said, "What's wrong? You look like I actually HURT you."

"You did," Tai whispered.

"Really? I thought you wore it just to be cool."

"That's not the case."

"Well, I'll grab it if you misbehave. We have to get out, and we can't be fighting." He paused. "Care to tell me what happened to you?"

"No," Tai growled. "It's for me to know, and you to find out."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Joe, Sora, and Izzy watched the two on the computer screen with fascination and worry. "You know, I thought the same as Matt until now," Joe said softly.

"I have a feeling we're going to know more before this is over," Izzy said grimly.

"Matt and Tai. Who would've thought?" Sora asked.

"This really isn't good. Those two together, and us helpless out here," Izzy whispered.

"We can see them, though," Sora said.

"Have their brains even registered that we can see them?" Joe asked.

"Well, one thing's for sure," Izzy said. "We are talking about TAI here. He'll be back by sunrise."

"Yeah," Joe said," but add on a few hours for fights, why don't ya?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai and Matt walked in complete silence for a while. "Do you think it was really Izzy?" Tai asked.

"Prob'ly."

"Why aren't you talking much?"

"So we don't fight."

"Oh."

Then came another period of quiet. Tai was startled by a sharp music note. Matt was playing his harmonica.

"Why do you play that thing?"

"It makes me feel better." Matt turned his head when tears came to his eyes. I haven't cried over my harmonica in ages, Matt thought.

"You okay?"

"Just peachy."

"Hello? Izzy, are you really out there?"

"You bet, Tai. Sora, Joe, and I can see everything you see."

"That's kinda freaky," Matt said.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Izzy's computer screen suddenly blanked out. "I DO need another cord," he said. "I have it here somewhere..."

"Oh, no, here we go again," Joe whispered.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It started to get dark in Matt's mind shortly after Izzy lost his connection. "We better find someplace to spend the night," Matt whispered.

"Yeah," Tai agreed.

Suddenly Matt wrapped his hands around Tai's wrist and gave it a sharp yank. Tai crashed into Matt and they both fell down.

"Matt! That hurt!"

"Skullmeramon," was all Matt had time to say before a fireball hit the ground.

"Run!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"They could be killing each other while we sit here," Sora murmured.

"Well, we can get back on," Gomamon said. He tried to get the laptop, but Joe dragged him away.

BANG!

The boys' bodies vanished. Sora screamed. "WHAT happened?!"

Izzy had turned white. "I-don't-know," he whispered.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai and Matt were running, running, and then running some more. Skullmeramon blasted at them. "How'd he-get here?" Tai panted. "You-weren't even-there when he-attacked!"

"Evil digimon," Matt replied.

They stopped in front of the warehouse. "We can double back through the woods," Matt said.

"Okay." Tai didn't move toward the forest, though-instead he shrank back.

"What's wrong?"

"Get in the warehouse. It's Shellmon!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sora, Joe, and Izzy couldn't speak. "Does that mean-" Sora asked.

"Not necessarily," Izzy said. "Something happened, but my laptop can trace it." The search for a cord was halted as Sora, Biyomon, Joe, Gomamon, and Tentomon crowded around Izzy.

"I don't like this," Biyomon said.

"They're alive," Gomamon announced. "I can smell them."

"They've just been moved," Izzy said. "They aren't far away, but I think we should stay here. We'll know when they come back, in a manner of speaking."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai and Matt raced into the warehouse. "Up?" Matt mouthed. Tai nodded and they crept toward the roof. Tai came into the attic first. "Turn around," he hissed.

"Why?" Matt asked, coming to stand next to him. Matt gasped. Standing in the center of the room was Puppetmon.

"Goody, new people to play with!" The evil digimon stared at them for a moment before exclaiming, "Hey, you're those rotten digidestined!"

Matt's face was ashen. "I thought I beat you!"

"No no no no NO!" Tai cried.

Matt whirled around. Snaking up the stairs was none other than Metalseadramon! Tai and Matt stood, gaping, trapped between two of the Dark Masters, both who had been utterly defeated!

"River of Power!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Prodigious!"

"I guess that means we're back on track," Joe said.

"That's good," Biyomon remarked.

"Wait, I recall my 'prodigious'," Izzy said.

"What-" Sora began.

"Just look."

Sora, Joe, and the digimon crowded around Izzy. "We beat those guys!" Sora cried.

"Look closer."

Sora leaned in and had to stifle a scream. Poised right between the Dark Masters were Tai and Matt, with a River of Power headed straight at them!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai yanked Matt to the side, narrowly escaping the River of Power. "Where's that weird opening?" he hissed.

"Here... no, that's not it..."

"Hurry, Matt!"

"River of Power!"

The digidestined ducked the attack and scrambled to find the way out. Finally they found it and whipped out onto the roof.

"Now what?" Tai asked.

"Ummmm..."

"You don't know?"

"Uh..."

"They're coming, Matt! How did you disappear?"

"I just... did."

"River of Power!"

"Y'know, that's another thing I'm starting to hate!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sora's hand was over her mouth. "They-how-but-"

Izzy looked anxious. "Metalseadramon and Puppetmon... possibly more evil digimon in store... they'll never survive without Agumon and Gabumon..."

"We know that, Izzy. Now how do we help?" Joe asked.

Mimi screamed. The three turned around. "How long have you been there?" Gomamon asked.

Mimi just pointed a shaky finger at the screen.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Whoa!"

The digidestined were swept off their feet by an unseen force. "Losers!" Tai called as they were taken quickly away.

The boys landed in a garden. Suddenly a crashing note broke the stillness.

"Is that Etemon?" Matt asked as the monkey, now shining in silver, stepped into the garden.

They heard two voices at once: Joe and Mimi. "That's Metaletemon!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Metaletemon?" Izzy asked. "I don't believe I've seen him."

Joe handed Izzy his digivice. "We have. He should be in there."

"Oh, wow, Saberleomon too! Mmmm... Metaletemon... that's not good."

"Saberleomon defeated Metaletemon!" Mimi cried, tears in her eyes at the memory of her friend.

"Tai and Matt haven't seen Metaletemon, so how'd he get in there?" Izzy asked. "This whole thing is a little bizarre."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Bizarre?" Tai and Matt couldn't believe their ears. "That's a little tame!" Matt yelled.

"Heh heh heh, you can't beat me again!" Metaletemon shouted.

"I do not believe this," the twosome heard Izzy say.

"And ya think we do?" Tai asked.

Tai and Matt immediately dashed away. Before they could finally stop safely, they had to outsmart Devimon, Bakemon, Unimon, Kuwagamon, Gazimon, and even more of the evil digimon they had already beaten.

"Okay, I'm really getting sick of this whole adventure," Tai said. "Izzy's right. It's a bit too wacked out for me."

"You take first watch," Matt said.

"Whatever."

At some point they were both asleep. They knew they were both asleep because of the images that drifted across their minds.

Tai really didn't want to see this particular scene again. What he saw was a young boy, standing with his fists clenched in front of him. That boy was him, in the past.

"Dad, you promised!"

"Taichi, I was busy."

"It was the biggest game of the season!"

"Tai, you'll have bigger games."

"It was important!"

"Tai, my job gets the money to keep you in a soccer league."

The little boy's eyes filled with tears and he ran for the door. Upon reaching the outside of the building, he ran until his short legs wouldn't carry him any farther. He sat on the damp grass for a while. Then he headed back to his apartment without looking both ways.

Tai had lived, but his left arm was weak, and he wanted to hide the scars. That was the reason for the black brace. It was soft but strong, which was good. Very good. Now Tai knew why he hadn't died; he was a digidestined.

Another image floated through Tai's mind, one he didn't recognize. A hospital room, that was for sure. Then Tai saw Matt, a boy about five years old, standing near the bed. "Grandpa, don't go," the young boy pleaded.

"Matt... my harmonica... it's in my box... you can have it."

"But it'll be yours again, right? When you get better, right?"

"Yes, Yamato."

So that was why Matt treasured his harmonica. Then Tai saw something else: Digiworld. A digital Coliseum. Then he saw Greymon, and nearby a boy standing on a wall, yelling, "I'll make him digivolve!"

The boy was, of course, Tai.

That was one of the biggest mistakes Tai had ever made, and he watched it all over again, while he jumped into the battle, putting himself in danger so Greymon would digivolve.

Greymon digivolved the wrong way, since it was the wrong kind of courage. Into Skullgreymon. Tai hated that scene, watching poor Greymon as he almost killed them all.

All. Not just Tai, like Matt did, but ALL of them. Did that mean Tai was worse than Matt?

Tai watched as another image of Matt drifted into his mind. This time, Matt was walking beside a lake. Then a digimon Tai had never before seen told Matt that to change, he had to defeat his rival. In the lake would be the face of his rival. Tai knew what was coming up, and he was right. Tai's face appeared. Tai watched Matt become convinced and ride away on Metalgarurumon.

Tai knew all too well what came next, and he watched their fight play out. Then Tai woke up in a cold sweat.

"Tai?"

"Did you see all that?"

"Uh-huh. Sorry I grabbed your, um-"

"Brace."

"Yeah."

"I always wondered why you dragged that harmonica around."

"Please, Tai."

"Sorry." Tai heard the anguish in Matt's voice.

"So, shall we get away from the hall of memories?"

"Hall?"

Tai looked around, waiting for his eyes to adjust. He knew one thing; this was not the forest, and not the place where the digimon were.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Izzy, Sora, Joe, and Mimi were very confused. They had no idea what Matt and Tai were talking about. The digimon were all asleep.

"Oops."

"Izzy, I hate hearing that word coming from you," Joe said.

"Wrong again."

"In terms of time?"

"Yeah, I messed up totally. Not a week OR a day, but in reality, two very short hours."

"We have to tell them!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Tai! Tai!"

Matt yawned. "Izzy again?"

"Tai! Matt! We, um-"

"Well, get on with it," Tai cried.

"You have two hours, simply put," Izzy said.

"Two hours before WHAT?"

"That I do not know."

Tai looked at Matt. "Okay, now we HAVE to hurry."

Matt nodded. "This way."

It took ten very short, yet very long minutes to reach the place Tai had picked out. "Agumon!"

"Gabumon!"

"Are you in there?"

"Tai!"

"Matt!"

The boys looked at each other. "O-kay, Mr. Leader, let's go," Matt said.

Tai grinned. "You're the leader here."

"Oh yeah."

"Matt?"

"What?"

"You scared?"

"No scareder than when we got shot by arrows."

"You were freaked out then."

"My point exactly."

Taking a deep breath, Tai brought himself to pull open the heavy door. Suddenly he stopped. "Matt, if we're gonna die, can you tell me why you left the team?"

"Same reason Sora did once."

"To be alone?"

"Mm-hmm. Tai, first I left because I thought I wasn't needed anymore. Then, after Kari got possessed or whatever, I left because I needed to think. After we beat Puppetmon, well, I knew I needed you guys, but I wasn't ready. If we survive, I'll stay with the group."

"Is that a promise coming from Mr. Cool? Mr. Don't-touch-the-hair-or-I'll-cream-ya? Mr.-"

"Tai."

"Let's go!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sora and Joe were fast asleep. They hadn't even heard what Matt said. Izzy had, however, and he was shocked.

"Well, if Matt's confessing to TAI of all people, they're either friends, or Matt really thinks they'll die, or it's possible that he's just saying it." Izzy thought for a moment before his own mind registered what he had said. "DIE? They're the digidestined! What am I thinking?" Deep in his mind, though, a little voice was saying, "Well, you're thinking something that just might happen!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai felt a shiver of recognition. It WAS the Coliseum, only different. This time, there were no soccer goals, and one end was completely demolished.

"A-Agumon?"

"G-Gabumon?"

So, Tai thought, he's scared, too. Anyone would be, considering what happened here once.

"TaiTaiTAI!"

"Agumon!" Tai ran forward and stopped in surprise. A panel in the floor was opening, and something was coming out...

"THAT'S IT! THAT'S THE EVIL DIGIMON!" Matt shouted.

Red eyes blazing with fire, the digimon appeared somewhat like Venommyotismon, but not quite. It laughed, and Tai winced.

"So, you are the ones who bear courage and friendship. Well, we shall see how long that lasts!"

Tai almost screamed when he saw Agumon in the digimon's grip. "I am Redumon," it said. "You are my new prey!"

"NO!" the duo screamed.

"Agumon! Digivolve!"

"I can't!"

"Then I'll make you digivolve!"

"Tai." Matt laid his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Remember?"

Tai remembered all right: A boy saying those exact words jumping angrily in between two Greymon, trying to get in trouble, and the horror that followed.

Tai's brown eyes flashed and he wriggled out of Matt's grip. He ran forward. "I'm not afraid!"

"Tai! Courage!"

Reckless courage. The wrong type of courage. The courage Tai was about to use. "Agumon! Digivolve! NOW!"

"Agumon, warp-digivolve to... Wargreymon!"

"Yeah! It worked!"

Wargreymon wrestled out of Redumon's grasp. Gabumon hopped down as well and raced to join Matt and Tai. Wargreymon stood, facing the horrible new digimon. "Terra Force!"

Bits of dirt flew into the boys' eyes and they hurried backwards. "Matt! Take Gabumon and run!"

Matt stared at Tai. "I deserted you once, and I won't do it again!"

"Just go!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sora and Joe were awake again, and all they could do was stare at the screen. "Tai, trying to SAVE Matt? This is just too weird!" Joe exclaimed.

"And Matt refusing to leave?"

"Well," Izzy said. "Redumon, huh?"

"I knew it!" That was Gomamon, Biyomon, Tentomon, Palmon, Gatomon, and Patamon.

"You should have told us!" Izzy cried.

"We couldn't," Patamon said.

The humans stared in shock. "Tell us more about this Redumon," Izzy said.

"Well, rumor has it that Redumon digivolved from Venommyotismon," Tentomon said

"That would mean he's more than mega, right?"

"He's often known as evil itself," Patamon added.

Gatomon shivered. "If he's not digivolved from Myotismon, he's Myotismon's brother," she said. They could take Gatomon's word for it; she had been Myotismon's servant until she discovered that she was the eighth digimon.

"That really sounds bad for Matt and Tai," Sora said softly.

"Yeah, and if they don't hurry it'll be disastrous!" Izzy cried.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Matt was furious at Tai. Thinking he couldn't take care of himself, well, that was just plain dumb! Matt was a rebel, but people were too quick to make decisions about him. He could be a good friend, he knew he could. Hadn't he almost died for T.K. when Seadramon attacked? What about on the freezing island, hadn't he nearly FROZEN for T.K.? And Vegiemon's diner, well, hadn't he stayed there to help Joe, and then digivolved Garurumon for the same purpose? And Pumpkinmon and Gotsumon... how could he forget the fight that rocked Japan because he wanted to save them? He let himself get hit by an arrow just to fulfill a crazy prophecy!

And Tai thought he wasn't capable of being a good friend!

Actually, he really wasn't. He fought Tai for no good reason, and he let Cherrymon talk him into almost killing Tai! If that was being a good friend, well...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Izzy?"

"What, Mimi?"

"Have you thought about what would happen if they don't come back?"

"They'll be back in one-and-a-half hours whether they like it or not." Izzy paused. "I just can't guarantee that there will still be eight digidestined."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai saw Matt out of the corner of his eye. He could tell Matt was seething. Then Tai knew that he understood Matt. That was why they fought. Everyone said fighting meant you were friends. Friends. A word like destiny.

Destiny.

Destiny.

Destiny.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sora Takenouchi stood as far from the laptop as she could. The episodes it showed were too far-fetched. She watched the sleeping forms of T.K. and Kari. Soon they would wake up. Soon Tai and Matt would be back. Soon.

"Mimi?"

"What, Sora?"

"Ask Izzy how much time we have. I don't want to watch that computer anymore."

"About fifty minutes," he called.

"Sora, can they beat that-that-"

"Redumon."

"Can they beat him in time?"

"I hope so."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Matt glanced at Tai, who appeared to be spacing out. His brown eyes were open wide. "Tai?"

"Matt-I just-I mean-"

"Well?"

"Look out!"

Wargreymon used his Terra Force again. It picked up bits of everything, and it tried to get Matt and Tai. Redumon smiled-exactly like Myotismon had when their attacks had no effect-and absorbed the attack easily. Matt and Tai stood gaping as Redumon used Terra Force against them.

Sharp stones and other unpleasant objects went flying, straight at Matt and Tai!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no-"

"Joe," Izzy said. "You have to stop or you'll drive us all crazy!"

"Look."

The four, even Sora, stared at the new image. Redumon vs. Wargreymon. Terra Force spraying the Coliseum with bits of dirt and stone. And three small figures trying without much success to get away.

"How much longer now?"

"Forty-five minutes."

"Oh, no, oh, no, oh, no-"

"Mimi!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Matt fell to his knees with a cry of pain. Tai dropped down next to him, probing the sand for whatever had hit Matt. Finally he found something: a sharp, sharp, sharp piece of glass.

Tai turned his attention to his friend. Matt had passed out from the blow. Tai soon found where the glass had hit and gasped. There was almost no way Matt could survive that. The glass had struck the boy on the side of his head. "Matt! Yo, Ishida, wake up! C'mon, Matt, get up!"

Tai knew he had said the exact same words before, but this time there was a difference; Taichi Kamiya really meant his words.

"Oh, Matt, you're too good a friend to lose!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Shocked, the four stared at each other. Finally Izzy said, "Well, now we can safely assume that Tai is an alien."

Biyomon whispered, "That was the problem before, we made assumptions too fast."

Palmon and Gomamon nodded. "We made assumptions about Chuumon."

Mimi wiped away the new tears and said, "We shouldn't assume."

"Not when it comes to Redumon," Tentomon said.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Tai carefully removed his goggles. "This is only until I think of something better," he whispered. He placed the goggles on Matt's head so that the strap was on the cut. Then he tightened them and began to rock back and forth on his heels.

"Tai?"

"What, Gabumon?"

"Why did you do that?"

"Pressure stops the bleeding."

"You hate Matt."

"Did I ever say that?"

"No."

"I rest my case." Tai suddenly flinched as an idea he didn't really like came to him. "Oh, well," he whispered. "It's for Matt." He gently unstrapped the brace and handed it to Gabumon. "Go get that wet."

Gabumon gazed at Tai, his eyes wide open. "Tai-"

"Go!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Even Izzy clapped a hand to his mouth. "I've never seen anything like it," he whispered.

"This is becoming highly strange," Tentomon said.

Gatomon and Patamon said at the same time, "A miracle?"

Joe shook his head. "Miracles always come out good. According to Koushiro, we have a half-hour ONLY."

"Don't call me Koushiro," Izzy said.

The computer began to make a strange humming noise. "Oh, no, I left it on too long. It needs to recharge."

"Izzy!"

"Hey, we'll know when they're back, okay?"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When Gabumon returned, Tai pressed the brace to Matt's head. It was soft, that was for sure. "Gabumon, join the fight."

"Gabumon, warp-digivolve to... Metalgarurumon!"

Metalgarurumon bounded into battle with an Ice Wolf Claw. Redumon wasn't ready, but it didn't do much good.

Tai held the brace against Matt's head. He knew digi-destiny had something to do with this. He avoided looking at his left arm. Instead, he watched the fight.

Tai knew he was seeing things. That couldn't be Angemon, with a Hand of Fate, or Angewomon with Celestial Arrows. What about Megakabuterimon's Horn Buster, or Lillymon and her Flower Cannon? How could Garudamon and her Wing Blade be here, or Zudomon with a Vulcan's Hammer?

Yet it appeared that the other six digimon, who were ultimates, were here. They were fighting with the two mega digimon. Then Tai saw more things, humans; his friends. Sora, saying, "Tai, hurry!" and Joe, calling, "Oh, no!" Then came Izzy, "Twenty minutes," and Mimi. "Oh, my, this is bad!" Soon he saw his little sister Kari saying, "You can do it, Tai," and then T.K. shouting, "Come back, Matt!"

Tai couldn't move. He was frightened again. Wargreymon was glowing, which usually meant he was devolving back to Agumon or Koromon.

"Terra Force!" Tai yelled, just to remind Wargreymon.

The digimon nodded and sent a full force attack at Redumon, accompanied by the images of the ultimates and a Metal Wolf Claw from Metalgarurumon. Redumon screamed and began to fade away. Suddenly, somehow, he reached out to grab Tai.

Matt stirred when he heard the terrified shout, "Help, Matt!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The digidestined gaped at the digimon, who had vanished and had now returned, shaking. "We helped, but-now Redumon has Tai!" Patamon cried.

"We all digivolved, but it did no good!" Biyomon cried.

"We almost conquered Redumon, but he has Tai!" Gatomon said.

"You've said it, so what do we DO?" Joe asked, turning white.

"I think it's time to go find them. Wait, wait, I think-my computer is working!"

"Yes! Now show us Tai!" Sora pleaded.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Matt's eyes blinked open. He felt something wet pressed against his head. He vaguely remembered something hitting him...

Matt reached up to grab the wet thing. It was Tai's brace. But where was Tai?

"Help, Matt!"

Matt held Tai's brace to his head as he stood up. He dropped it when he saw Tai, writhing in the monster's grip. "Tai!"

"Matt!"

Matt hurried forward, one hand pressed to his head. "Tai," he whispered.

Redumon smirked at the young boys, one who was struggling in vain to escape, the other who was standing, completely helpless, in front of him.

Matt fell to his knees. "Metalgarurumon," he whispered.

"I'm here, Matt."

"Attack!"

"Well..."

"No, no, no, not Tai!" Eyes glistening with tears, Matt glared up at Redumon. "Let go!"

"Why, little one?" Redumon cackled. "Friendship. It doesn't fit you."

"Yes it does! Tai and Sora and everyone... they're my FRIENDS!"

"Friends. That's a laugh. You don't have any."

"Puppetmon doesn't have any, but I do! I have Joe, Tai, Sora, Izzy, Mimi, Kari, and my brother! What's more, I have Gabumon and the rest of the digimon. I have my family!"

"Family. Not anymore, young one. You and the rest of the digidestined cannot win."

Matt was getting mad. Just watching Tai cry out in pain made him mad. Redumon made him mad. Matt clenched his fists.

The Crest of Friendship began to glow.

A beam of light shot out and encircled Tai, bringing him safely to the ground. Redumon's eyes flashed. "Now you've pushed me too far!"

Matt screamed in pain as lashes of fire whipped at him. Like Myotismon's attack of Crimson Lightning, they enclosed him and squeezed tighter. Matt could practically feel his ribs break.

Eight rays of light shot out of nowhere: Blue for friendship, orange for courage, red for love, yellow for hope, pink for light, purple for knowledge, green for sincerity, and gray for reliability. The crests gave off the brilliant beams. They reached out and smashed into Redumon.

Izzy yelled, "Five minutes!"

"Hey, Matt."

"Did he hurt you?"

"Didn't know ya cared, Ishida."

"Don't expect it every day." Tai and Matt stood on trembling legs, ready to defeat Redumon once and for all. Tai held his glowing crest out and let the whacking continue.

"Four minutes!"

It was obvious they were getting somewhere. The mega digimon stood and faced Redumon again. Combining Mega Claw with Ice Wolf Claw, they smacked into Redumon.

"Three minutes!"

Suddenly Wargreymon began to glow. He was devolving for no reason. Tai gasped. "NO!"

Greymon stood before them. "Nova Blast!"

"Devolve all the way! Hurry!"

"Two minutes!"

"NO! NO, GREYMON! DON'T DIGIVOLVE AGAIN!"

"Why?"

"Matt, do the words 'reckless courage' mean anything to you?"

"Uh-oh."

"Greymon, digivolve to..."

"NOOOOOOOO!"

"Skullgreymon!"

"NO NO NO NO NO! DEVOLVE!"

"Tai, Skullgreymon's very powerful."

"He's gonna turn on us!"

"One minute!"

Skullgreymon and Metalgarurumon attacked at the same time.

"Half a minute!"

Redumon shrieked, fading into nothingness.

"All right! We did it, Tai, we did it!"

"Fifteen seconds!"

"Um, Tai? We aren't going back."

"NO NO NO!"

A deafening explosion rocked the Coliseum and the boys went flying!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Four pairs of eyes stared at each other. "They could not survive that," Joe whispered.

A dazzling light swept the clearing and woke the youngest children. "Let's go find them," Izzy said.

"Are they okay?" Kari asked.

"Where's Matt?" T.K. queried.

"This way!" Six humans and nine digimon, including Ogremon, Gekomon, and Otamamon, dashed into the trees. Finally they paused in another clearing.

"NO!" That was everyone in general.

Tai and Matt were in the clearing, and they didn't look good. Tai's goggles were scratched. They were lying next to him. Tai's brace wasn't on his arm, which looked as if it was broken again. Tai's mini telescope had rolled out of his pocket.

Matt's cut was bleeding again, and he was scraped from Redumon's vicious attack. His harmonica lay next to him, strangely untouched. Neither boy moved.

Izzy and Joe quickly knelt next to Matt while Sora and Mimi crouched near Tai. Mimi inspected Tai's wrist while Sora desperately searched for a pulse. She found it, but it was faint and getting weaker. "Tai, you have to wake up. Tai!"

Sora placed her hand over Tai's heart in the hopes of finding something more satisfactory. She gasped when she found that Redumon had broken Tai's ribs... and broken them bad.

A quick glance at Joe told her that Matt wasn't much better. Sora looked back at Tai and was startled to find that his soft brown eyes were open.

"Sora?"

"Tai! You're alive!"

"Not for long, Sora. Take care of T.K. and Kari." Tai's eyes closed again. "Taiiiiiiiiiii!" She shook him and gasped when she saw the scratch on his cheek.

Matt moved his head a little before opening his own eyes. "Izzy?"

"Matt!"

"Izzy, take care of them."

"You can't go too!"

"Tai's gone?"

"He died for you, Matt."

Matt managed a weak smile. "Ask Gennai. He'll tell you it was our... 'destiny'."

Sora and Izzy's expressions were definitely worth a thousand words. T.K. and Kari burst into instant tears, with Mimi and Sora following not far behind. Izzy kicked his computer. "Tai can whack it for all I care! I just want them back!" Even Joe started to cry for the lost digidestined.

Until Gatomon recovered enough to say, "Where are Agumon and Gabumon?" everyone forgot about the digimon. They had been left behind. Eventually they too came into the clearing. No one had to say anything; the tear-stained faces and motionless bodies told them everything. Soon Agumon and Gabumon were crying as well.

"Tai, Tai, Tai!" Agumon cried. "Why did I have to become Skullgreymon?"

T.K. cried into Gabumon's fur. The brotherless boy said over and over, "H-he never s-said g-good-bye!"

Sora finally was able to take command. "L-let's go," she whispered. Just before they left the clearing a bright light made them turn around.

The crests were glowing. Suddenly the symbols, a blue winged circle and an orange sun, shot into the air, where they exploded. The sparks rained down on Agumon and Gabumon.

Then the digivices sparked into life. A wide beam lit the clearing, and then there was nothing. Izzy raced back to Tai and Matt.

"The crests are gone! The tags are here, but the crests are GONE!" he cried. "Their digivices aren't working, and they don't show up on mine!"

If the digidestined needed any more proof that their friends were gone, this was it. They left the boys, all of them still weeping. Izzy didn't even care that he had probably ruined his computer.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Sora?"

"What, T.K.?"

"I heard Matt."

Sora smiled. "It's good to remember them, T.K."

"I wasn't. I heard Matt."

"In a dream?"

"No, Sora, I swear I heard Matt."

Sora was full of dread. "Well..."

"Can you go see if Matt woke up?"

"T.K., they're gone."

"But I heard him."

Sora sighed and agreed to check it out. She stood and walked to the edge of the campsite.

Sora was sure that it was Matt and Tai talking. If it was a trick, it was pretty good. She walked through the trees, trying to hear what was being said.

"Ohhhhh, look at my goggles!"

"At least my harmonica isn't broken."

"My telescope is fine, too."

"OW!"

"I know what you mean. Can you hand me my brace? I'm going to try fixing my wrist."

"It looks bad."

"What do we do about your cut now?"

"That would be the least of my worries right now. That Redumon sure can hit!"

By that point Sora reached the edge of the clearing. Matt and Tai were still there, but now they were standing up, very much alive.

Sora ran back to camp. "They're alive!" she yelled.

"That's virtually impossible," Joe said. "I tested and there was no pulse!"

"Nonetheless..." Sora said. "They are alive."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A few minutes later the six and their digimon reached the edge of the clearing and watched. Matt had one hand pressed to his head. Tai had discovered the scratch on his cheek. Both of them were staring at their crest-less tags. "Okay, I'm getting kinda freaked," Matt said.

Izzy was the first to step into the open. "You guys aren't alive," he said. "You got, um, killed. So are you angels, ghosts, or aliens?"

Tai raised an eyebrow. "Izzy, are you okay?"

"It's true," Joe said. "You were gone. We know you were. Your crests left and everything!"

"So that's where they went," Matt said. "And, Izzy, we are none of the above."

Mimi smiled. "Well, at least I don't have to make crosses for you! Which reminds me, we need one for Saberleomon."

"Saber who?"

"Tai, you let Leomon digivolve by exposing him to the digivice that one day."

"Ahhhh. Hey Kari, come here."

Kari gazed at her older brother in wonder. "Tai? You really are alive?"

"You bet!"

Kari ran over to her brother. Likewise, T.K. decided that his brother really was back.

"Matt, don't leave me again."

"Hey, ya think I wanted to? It's called digi-destiny."

Tai made a face. "I really hate the word 'destiny'."

"Tai!"

"Matt!"

The digimon raced over to hug their humans. "Tai, what happened?" Agumon asked.

Tai brushed his brown hair back and sighed. "It's a really long story."

Matt smiled. His blond hair was getting in his eyes too. "One part is how Mr. Leader over here was stupid enough to get his brace."

"Yeah, well you should see the heartwarming way Mr. Cool got his harmonica."

"Mm-hmm, and try reliving when Tai used the wrong kind of courage!"

"Hey, how about I tell ya why Matt attacked us!"

"Don't you dare!"

The others watched in amazement while the two continued to joke. "Well, at least we can thank Redumon for something," Izzy said.

"What?"

"He caused a real miracle."

"Which would be...?" Mimi prodded.

"He made them friends!"