Unlikely Friends, Part Four

Adventure in the Realm of Doom

AN~Well, people, this is Part Four. What more did ya expect? In this part, the kids have some... well... problems with each other, and in the end figure out what they really want to do next. This part changes POV's, so Matt's only narrating part of the time.(I know! Sorry! But hey, writers always strive to break away from the original, ne?)

Things do get a little more adult in this, but not overly so. In the Realm of Doom, the leaders get trapped in a cave and-well, read the story to find out. There's more language in this part than all the rest, and like I've said over and over again, some of the stuff in here isn't for the extremely prim and proper. But it should be okay for most people, if you're mature enough and enjoy the trials of teenage guys in love and the most interesting way they handle it...

Arrrrggghhhh!Shut up, Garurugirl, shut up! Do you want to give the whole story away?

Well, that's all I'm gonna say for now. Please send me E-mail! Look at me! I'm gettin' desparate here!

"They sure have been gone a long time,"...

"Don't worry, T.K., I'm sure they're fine,"...

"But what if something's happened to them?"...

"Nothing's happened to them, Kari, any minute now

they'll be back,"...

"Thanks, Erin, you sure are nice,"...

"You'll tell us when they get back right?"...

"Absoutely, now get some sleep,"...

"Okay,"...

"Erin?"...

"Yes, T.K.?"...

"You're worried about Kat, aren't you? 'Cause if ya

are, you can always talk to me about it,"...

"Thanks T.K., and you're right. I am a little worried,

but that's no reason for you to be, too. I always

worry,"...

"Just like Joe?"...

"Just like Joe,"...

"I'm worried about Matt,"...

"I know. I'm worried, too. But I'm sure they're all

right. As of now, we've got to worry about us. Digimon

are still after us, like that Parillusionmon guy we beat

yesterday. We're still important. And we've still got a

job to do. Don't worry, T.K. Everything will be fine because if it weren't-,"...

"Erin? You're rambling,"...

"Huh? Oh, sorry,"...

" 'Night, Erin. Thanks for making me feel

better,"...

~*FLASH*~

"They are in the Realm of Doom. They will not survive it, so there is no need to send out more fighters. But still... We must be careful. Send out a scout to lure them to the cave on the northwest side of the ruins. Trap them there. If they do not perish from starvation or dehydration, they will surely tear each other apart from madness..."

"A good plan, my lord."

"But I want it done, now! The leaders are on the outskirts of the Realm. If they are not stopped, they will make it to the Cave of Destiny. Now go!"

"I will sssend sssomeone now, sssir..."

~*FLASH*~

"This place doesn't look very colorful,"remarked Matt as we stood facing the Realm of Doom. It was a ghost town, the color all drained from it, leaving it a lifeless gray. Most of the structures were in ruins, and hanging signs creaked from the buildings lining the one road that led out of there.

"My how... observant of you," I told him sarcastically, still upset that he thought I looked like Sonic the Hedgehog.

"I bet you would've never noticed it unless someone told you!"he retorted, turning to face me.

"Oh, yeah! Well, you-"

"Knock it OFF!" I heard Kat yell from my right. I was stunned into silence. Kat rarely ever yelled, although it seemed she was doing a lot more of it lately.

"Jeez, sorry Kat,"I apologized, dropping my eyes. "If Matt weren't such a jerk-"

"You're the jerk!"

"Well at least I-"

"SHUT UP!!!" We stopped fighting and turned to her.

"Listen," she said, struggling to keep calm, "We've really got to have all our energy focused on the journey ahead. You think the Digimon we've seen before are tough? They only get stronger as we go along. Not only do we not have the time to fight over stupid little things, but we don't have the energy or the power, either. And I sure as hell know I don't have the patience as well. So can we just keep our heads and try to make it out of here in one piece? Kudasai?!"

"You're right Kat,"I told her quietly. "I didn't mean to get on your nerves."

"Me neither,"Matt added, turning to stare into the valley.

"But I have just one question," he asked her, and I could since a smartass remark coming on."How do we lose our heads without Parillusionmon around to help us?" Kat laughed and turned to him, a smile on her face.

"It depends,"she replied, joking back. "If ya piss me off real bad, I might just get the sudden urge to try out my new attack on the nearest person I see." She grinned at him.

I just love that grin. It makes my heart melt down to my toes.

As a matter of fact, I love everything about Kat. She was always so nice to me, even when Matt was calling me a bigass jerk or Joe was complaining about the reckless way I did things. She understood why I do what I do, and she always has a funny joke or story to make me feel better. She was just one of those people you couldn't stay sad around, and she didn't always fight with me the way eveyone else did, or call me stupid and an inept leader. She was right by my side when I fought the final showdown with Etemon. And just lately, she taught me how to be brave again.

Oh, plus, did I mention the fact that she's a hottie?

I really like her hair. It's all long and swishy and nice-smelling. And her eyes are the most beautiful shade of gray, with black flecks in them that sparkle whenever she's excited or angry. And the fact that she has a great body.

But hey, I'm not that kinda guy. Using women is uh... Matt's department.(AN~I know! But this is Tai's POV, not mine! It's just a stroy!!!)

"Well, let's go,"Kat sighed, in that pretty voice of her's, and we started down into the Realm of Doom.

~*FLASH*~

"Is this place even alive?"Tai asked as we walked through the ghost town that was the Realm of Doom.

"Obviously, no,"I replied quietly, walking ahead of he and Matt. Something about the sheer emptiness of this place was unnerving. I'd always heard evil Digimon who had gotten turned into people lived here. And that a wicked ruler reigned this land.

"So Kat,"Matt asked me, running up behind me, "What exactly do you know about the Realm of Doom?"

I racked my brain for stuff that woudn't freak him out. Even though he was fourteen, like me, a lot of times it felt like I was the older one.

"Well, let's see,"I awnsered him, still thinking. "A long time ago, evil Digimon used to live here. They were cunning and greedy, but extremely smart and and strong." As I spoke, the whole story of the Realm of Doom flowed from my mouth, even though I didn't want the Digidestined to know all of it. "They were under surviellance by an even more crueller ruler than they. And unfortunatly, much more powerful as well.

One day, the occupants of the monarchy grew too restless with the king's way's of handling their people. A horrible revolt took place, with hundreds of Digimon against one.

But this ruler was very powerful, and even after hundreds and hundreds of warriors charged at him, he fought valiantly, and hundreds and hundreds of warriors fell.

When the great battle that had ensued was done, and the dust cleared and the smoke settled, the beautiful but evil realm was gone. In it's place was a 'para de royale'. A ghost kingdom.

One would think that this ruler would have simply walked away from his fallen people, but he did not. It was not a matter of mercy, but a matter of power. What good was a ruler with no subjects?

This ruler was faced with a dilema. If he brought his people back to life, surely they would revolt again. But if he brought them back to life and took away their powers, who would be left to defend his territory but himself?

Finally, the king came to a decision. He would return his people to normal, but on one condition-he would make it so that they could defend his kingdom, but never be able to deliver a blow to him. He reached the perfect solution. He turned them into people."

"People like me." I watched their stunned faces as I finished.

"Wow, that's-that's, wow."I sighed at Tai's remark.

"So people really live here?"Matt asked me, looking into one of the empty windows.

"Last time I heard,"I told him, sitting on a dusty bench, one of many that lined the dusty street in this dusty town.

"So if there are people here, then we should be able to cross through here without much trouble, ne?"

"Wrong,"I awnsered him. "Were you even listening to my story? The ruler turned them into people like me."

"So they can fly and shoot shit from their hands just like you?"Tai asked me, disbelieving.

"Not all of them can fly. As a matter of fact, I don't think any of them can. The people here do not enjoy following their ruler, but they have no choice. If word gets around that we come to fight on the side of good, then a select few may be willing to help us."

"But they can still shoot at us?"

"Yes, but if worst comes to worst, I can fly us out of here in no time."

"Are you like, a descendant of the people here?"

Matt's question hit me like a ton of bricks. I was a descendant of the evil crossovers that occupied this land.

Not all of them were evil, merely a select few that were considered 'pets' to the malicious ruler. I sighed, then decided it was time for Matt and Tai to know the truth.

"Remember how I told you about Mr. and Mrs. Aida, and what great parents they are? Well what I'm about to tell you now will shoot that idea to hell. They're my foster parents. My father died when I was little, and my mother died four years ago, by the Digimon's battle at Heighton View Terrace. And Earl and Janine are the short-shit replacements the foster people have the nerve to call sound guardians."

Tai gasped and sank onto the curb next to me. When I looked down, I was suprised to see him crying.

"What's wrong, Tai?"I asked him gently, putting my arm around his shoulders, even though I had a nagging in the back of my brain that something was wrong.

"Like you didn't know! It was a Greymon who destroyed that bridge! It's all my fault! If he hadn't Digivolved to protect me, then your mom wouldn't be where she is now!" His shoulders heaved and his breath came in gasps as he was racked with uncontrollable sobs.

"It's not your fault,"I consoled him, although in all truths, I knew it was. If that damn Greymon had never existed, then my kind, loving, beautiful mother wouldn't be so... so... dead. And I wouldn't be stuck with Earl and Janine. Of course, I would never tell that to Tai.

"Yeah it is, and you know it is,"he said miserably, staring into space.

"Even if it was, do I look like I care? If my mother wasn't destroyed by the Digimon, then she would've been when Myotismon would've taken over the earth, along with millions of others."

"No, she wouldn't have."

"If Parrotmon had destroyed you and Hikari under that bridge, then you wouldn't be Digidestined. And if you weren't Digidestined, then who would be left to save the world?"

"Everyone else."

"And what makes you think that the group could've survived without you two? You were the one who saved us from Etemon, and Venommyotismon, and Metalseadramon, and Machinedramon. Without you, we would've never made it as far as we did."

"Don't you hate me, though? I all but killed your mother."

"No, I don't hate you, Tai, nor will I ever. I understand, and so does my mother, I'm sure, wherever she is."

"Thanks, Kat."

"You're welcome. But we've got to get out of here now. We're still on a mission."

"Let's go!"

~*FLASH*~

As we walked down the street, I couldn't help but notice that Tai was sticking really close to Kat, always telling her dumb jokes that he usually said to Sora. This was kind of interesting.

Looks like our courageous leader's found himself a girlfriend, I thought wryly, laughing this over in my head. Wow, the ever-so independent Tai bitten by the love bug? The thought made me want to bust up in convulsions right there.

Suddenly, Kat stopped and stiffened up. I knew what this meant. Something was wrong.

"What is it?"I asked her, joining her by her side.

"Someone else is here besides us. Maybe it's one of the townspeople here."

"Do you think they'll attack us?"Tai asked her, a slight tremor of fear in his voice.

"Maybe not, if they knew we plan to overthrow their leader..."

"You plan to defeat the great Lord Shikuao?"a whispering voice asked from behind me.

"Ahhhh!"I jumped at least four feet in the air.

"Yes, we do,"Kat answered simply.

"Then you are a fool,"the voice hissed, and from the shadows stepped a hooded figure. "But if you wish my help, then you shall have it."

"I don't trust him, do you?"Tai whispered in my ear. I shook my head slightly, just enough to let him know that I didn't.

"Well actually, yes, you can be of some help to us,"Kat told him. "Do you know how far it is to get to The Cave of Destiny? And where exactly it really is?"

"You wish to journey to the Cave of Destiny?"the voice asked, and raised gloved hands to push down it's hood, revealing a young girl with long silver hair and deep black eyes, so much like Justin's that it was scary. Kat gasped.

"Nikolai?"she breathed, as if she were seeing a ghost. The girl laughed.

"It's me, Kat,"she awnsered, pulling off her gloves. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yes, it has,"Kat said warily, raking back her hair with her hands. "I'm sorry I was such a coward and left you all."

"You weren't a coward,"Nikolai told her fiercely, shaking her head. "You were the bravest one of us-and the smartest, too. I can't believe you actually got out of here alive."

"Well, I'm back, and on a mission,too. I've got to find the Cave of Destiny and recover this stone tablet that Myotismon hid in there. Once it's found and deciphered, we'll be on our way back home."

"If you could call it that,"Nikolai muttered, a trace of bitterness in her voice.

"Um, excuse me?"I butted in, trying to make sense of all this, "But could someone please tell me what's going one here?!" Kat and Nikolai turned to me.

"Oh, Matt, Tai, this is a friend of mine who lives here,"she told us. "Her name is Nikolai."

"Did your ancestors use to be evil Digimon, too?"Tai asked, and Kat kicked him in the leg, but Nikolai just dropped her gaze to the ground.

"Unfortunatly, yes," she answered him softly, sighing. "I'm not proud of it, though."

"None of us are, Nikolai,"Kat consoled her, putting her hand on her shoulder. "I have a question though. Is Nikolai the sixth or Nikolai the fifth still living? I want to talk to them about... stuff I was too little to ask before I ran away."

"Well, Mom's still around, but I'm afraid Granny passed away not long ago. I'll take you to her. She'll be so glad to see you again, Kat!"

So the four of us set off for... wherever it was we were going, with me up front with Nikolai, and Tai and Kat in the back of us, talking quietly to each other.

Look at him, I thought bitterly. Does he think this stupid oh-my-God-I'm-so-sorry act is going to hold up with Kat? She'll see right through him sooner or later.

Was I jealous? Yeah, maybe a little. I thought that Kat was really nice, and that the souffle-headed Taichi Kamiya didn't deserve her. Did I like Kat? Maybe. It would never turn into this head-over-heels, sallivating-everytime-I-see-her-type obssesion, though. I'm too cool for that.

Anyway, we walked some more, not knowing where exactly we were going, with me up front doing some major hitting on Nikolai, and Tai doing the same with Kat, never once guessing that our new friend may be leading us into some kind of trap.

~*FLASH*~

Something's wrong, I thought, barely listening to what Tai was saying to me. Nikolai's eyes. I remember them like yesterday. They were never black-they were blue, a deep navy just like Matt's. That's why I could never look him straight in the eye-because every time I did, I would see Nikolai, not him. So why has Nikolai changed so much?

She never used to be so, well... happy. She hated the Realm of Doom, as far back as I can remember. All of us did. So why is she acting like it doesn't matter anymore? And why is she taking us to the northwest side of town? If I recall correctly, they lived on the other side.

"We're here,"Nikolai announced, stopping in front of a huge cave. "You guys go on ahead. I've got to pick some stuff up at the market. Just yell in to Mom that your here."

We walked in, me very uneasily. Then I remembered something. Something that made my heart turn to ice. I stopped.

"Nikolai,"I whispered faintly, and Tai and Matt turned around to face me.

"Yeah,"Tai said to me. "She went to go get some stuff. She'll be back."

"No! You don't understand!"I shouted, running for the cave opening."Nikolai!"

"Sorry, old friend,"she laughed, an evil laugh I'd never heard come from her before. "I guess you figured it out already, but oh, well. It was fun toying with you while it lasted, but I have my orders, so I guess it's over... Freezing Touch!" The icy attack blasted away a portion of rock above the cave opening, and it fell down. I couldn't move.

"Goodbye, old friend!"Nikolai cried evilly, and I still couldn't move, no matter how hard I tried. With the rock falling all around me, I managed six words:

"I'll see you in hell, Nikolai."

Then a giant boulder fell atop me from out of nowhere, and everything went black.

~*FLASH*~

I watched Kat sleeping by the fire that Agumon had lit. She still hadn't woken up, and there was a nasty lump on her forehead.

Damn, it's times like these that I wish Joe were here,I thought, leaning back against the stone wall of the cave we were trapped in. He'd know how to wake Kat up.

I almost had the urge to wake up Matt, just to keep me company, but then the absurdity of that thought registered in my brain, and I almost busted out laughing at the very thought of it. So I woke up Gabymon instead.

"What is it, Tai?"she yawned sleepily, revealing huge, pointy teeth.

"I don't know,"I told her truthfully, looking at Kat. "I just needed some company, that's all."

"You still blame yourself, don't you?"she asked knowingly. "It's not your fault, Tai."

"I hate how everyone says that!"I exploded, jumping up. "Why can't you guys just blame everything on me for once?! If I had done something sooner, then Kat would be okay now!"

"You love her, don't you?"Gabymon prodded quietly, staring down at her Digi-partner.

Damn that intuitive Gabymon! Sometimes she can see right through me!

"Yeah,"I admitted, my face flaming a brilliant crimson. "How did you know?"

"Why else would you care so badly? Plus, it's kind of obvious, the way you're always talking to her and hanging around her."

"Oh."

"I'm not the only one who's noticed too, Tai. Matt and all the others have noticed as well."

"Great. Now Matt will be all on my case about it."

"What makes you say that?"inquired Gabumon, who had just woken up and joined the conversation.

"Oh, hi, Gabumon. Because he always has to make fun of me for everything I do. He couldn't possibly understand how I feel."

"Maybe he could. I have a feeling that Kat's caught not just your eye but Matt's as well."

I busted up laughing. I could see it now, Matt knocking on Kat's door with a bouquet of flowers in his hand and wearing a tuxedo.

"And you wonder why Matt's going to laugh at you," Gabymon told me sternly, shaking her head. "When you do the same to him."

"I'll stop,"I said, sobering up. "But Matt? Mr. I'm-so-cool-stay-the-hell-away-from-me-and-my-hair? In love? I just find it kind of hard to believe."

"Why? You love her."

"Yeah, but... oh, never mind."

"So why do you like Kat?"Gabymon asked conspiratorlly, sounding like a fifth grade school girl with those words.

My face burned, and if there had been enough light to see by, I'm sure I would've looked like a tomato with hair.

"I-I don't know,"I admitted, looking down at my shoes. "At first, it was just because she was pretty and had a great body. But then it became more than that. Even when everyone else was calling me thick and insensitive,she was always there to tell me they were wrong. She's alway's stuck by my side, even at the very end, when things seemed hopeless. And why shouldn't I like her, either? I think she likes me."

"Really?"Gabymon asked, and I began to doubt my confidence of this assumed fact.

"You don't think she does?"I wasn't sure I wanted an answer.

"I wouldn't say that, Tai. All I know is that she's got a lot of hate inside her. Hate at her foster parents, hate at the Digimon that destroyed her mother, but mostly, hate at herself. She won't think you really love her that easily. You're going to have to prove it to her. She'll just think you're taking pity on her, otherwise."

The Digimon went back to sleep, and I continued to watch Kat while she slept, wishing there were some way I could come to an easy resolution about what to do.

~*FLASH*~

First thing I could recall when I woke up was the pain. A dull throbbing ache that started from the back of my head and spread to the rest of my body.

What happened?I thought, struggling to recollect the events of the day. Then I remembered. Oh, God, Nikolai, the betrayal, Nikolai, the cave, trapped like frightened mice, Nikolai, Christ how could I not have guessed, oh God, Nikolai, Tai, Matt...

"Nikolai!!!"I screamed before fading back into unconciousness.

~*FLASH*~

I was awoken by Kat's screaming in the middle of the night. Or was it day? It was so dark in this cave, it was impossible to tell.

Tai, who had fallen asleep by the fire, was startled awake, jumping to his feet and tripping over Agumon in the process. i ran over to them and pulled Agumon to his feet, then knelt by Kat's side. I checked her pulse. She wasn't dead, praise God.

"Must've been a bad dream,"I told Sonic, since he looked pretty taken aback by this whole thing. "I'm sure she's okay."

"What did she yell?"he asked me timidly, looking at her.

"I don't know,"I answered him, trying not to yell at him for not stying awake when it was his turn to watch her.

"Nikolai,"Gabymon whispered, her eyes huge.

"Oh, man,"I moaned."I had no idea this Nikolai thing had freaked her out that bad."

"Well, obviously,it did,"Tai said stiffly.

"But why?"

"She was just betrayed by her best friend, Matt! Of course it's gonna freak her out! Stuff like that hurts, y'know! Oh, wait, that's right, I forgot! You wouldn't know! You don't need any friends! Well not everyone is as cold as you, Matt!"

I felt like I'd just swallowed a brick. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. All I knew was that I had to get out of there.

So I ran.

Ran away from the Digimon, their faces registering their shock and disbelief, ran away from the accusing stare and hatred etched on Tai's face, ran away from Kat's limp, pallid form, ran away from the sheer hopelessness of our situation and the pain that I would endure if I stayed.

Gabumon ran after me, calling my name over and over again. But there was no turning back now. I knew I could never return to the others again.

~*FLASH*~

I finally regained conciousness three days after being trapped in the cave by Nikolai, Tai told me. First thing I noticed when I was fully awake was that Matt was gone.

"Where's Matt?"The first two words out of my mouth for three days, and they had to be those.

"She speaks,"Tai said softly, managing a half-hearted smile, but I knew he was upset that I hadn't asked anything about him. "As for Matt, well, we kinda got into a little fight, and he... ran off."

"Oh, no,"I moaned, putting my hand on my forehead. "Three days I go away, and you two still manage to become willfully separated."

"I know," he said, sounding slightly pissed off. I wondered if this was Matt's fault as well as his, and that he wasn't here to get any of the blame for it.

"Do you know where he and Gabumon went?"I asked, struggling to sit up. I couldn't do it, so I had to settle for propping myself up with her elbows. Tai shook his head.

"Not a clue,"he told me, standing up. "Did you see anything, Agumon?"

"Nope, Tai."

"I didn't either,"put in Gabymon.

"Did any of you try looking for him?! This a cave, for Christ's sake! How in the hell can you lose someone in a cave, with the only entrance being blocked by a goddamn pile of rocks?!" With that, I stood up with great diffuculty and walked off in search of Matt. Tai quickly followed me.

" Very carefully, but I'm sorry, Kat,"he apologized, walking alongside me.

"No, I'm sorry",I said to him, stopping and letting out a long sigh. "It's just-well, I can't easily protect Matt from danger when he's not here, now can I?"

"You don't have to watch out for us all the time, Kat. We still have Agumon and Gabumon to take care of us when you can't be here."

"Yeah, but it's not just that. I really wish you and Matt could get along. Everyone else does. Why do you dislike Matt so much?"

My question caught him off guard. Why did he hate Matt? Was it his I'm-so-cool attitude? The fact that he could think up things that Tai usually couldn't? Or was it the plain fact that he'd hated him and he's hated him back right from the very start and both of them refuse to give in? No.

"I-I think it's because... we're too different. Always having different ideas on where to go and what to do, who to look out for, y'know?"I nodded in underestanding. That was my exact thought from the beginning. "Even some of our physical stuff is different. My color is orange and his is blue. Agumon's element is fire and Gabumon's is ice. He has blonde hair and blue eyes. I have brown hair and brown eyes. Don't you see? We're destined to be enemies among friends forever."

"Horseshit!"I said, contemplating what I'd just heard. "You're differences only go skin-deep. You can help each other and learn from each other. You two are not friends because you choose not to be. And you remember what I told you about choices?"

"Yeah,"he nodded."They make us who we are."

"Exactly!"I shouted to the gray stone walls and the sandy floor and the vast emptiness around us. "So let's go find him!"

~*FLASH*~

We walked for three hours, farther and farther in the cave, searching for Matt. We never found him.

"Perhaps,"Kat panted, dragging her feet in the sandy ground,"you were... right... when you said... it's fairly easy to lose someone... in a cave." We walked along in silence a few minutes more.

Suddenly, Kat tripped over something on the ground and sprawled forward. She would've fell, but I stretched out my arm just in time, catching her.

"Thanks,"she said, straightening up.

"I think it's time we camp out for tonight,"I decided, looking at Kat's watch and seeing it was close to midnight. "It's late, and the Digimon are tired."

"They're not the only ones,"Kat groaned, leaning against the cool surface of the cave wall.

She was driving me crazy, with every little thing she did. It had been three whole days since we'd gotten stuck in this place, and not once had she made a pass on me. God, I wanted to make out with her so bad. Even for just five minutes, it would be good enough for me. Even if I just kissed her once, I would die a happy guy.

So I did.

Plain and simple as that-or so I thought. I leaned over and lightly brushed my lips over hers, praying that she wouldn't spazz out and slap me or some other mood killing disaster.

She looked surprised at first, but she soon relaxed and even started to kiss me back.

It was great. I don't know how long we stayed like that, our arms entwining each other, her hair flowing around me, and my lips hot against hers, just enjoying being together.

But I guess I was wrong, because suddenly, she pushed away from me.

"This isn't right,"she told me sadly, looking away. "I can't do this."

But something came over me. I couldn't control myself any more. And I wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Of course it's right,"I told her, pushing her back against the wall and kissing her again. She shoved back a second time, but this time I didn't wait before pulling her into another warm, passionate kiss.

For ten minutes this went on, her jostling me off her, and me all over her again in two seconds. I wondered why she didn't fight back, until then it hit me-she couldn't. She was sent to protect me, she was my Guardian, so she could never deliver a blow to me, no matter how much she wanted to. There was nothing she could do. Everything was in my hands now.

I laughed out loud at the predicament we were in, and threw back her head, forcing her into another deep, bruising, posessive kiss.

~*FLASH*~

"Matt, you know you should go back now,"Gabumon said to me as we came across a gigantic pool in the middle of the cave. Ferns, lilies, and boulders surronded it, and a beach full of pearly white sand led straight down into the water, where a rainbow-colored cataract fell with almost no sound at all. "Your friends are probably worrying. And they worry because they care. Even Tai. Now will you please go back and make amends?!"

"Just a second, Gabumon,"I told him, walking up to the glistening surface of the blue water. I knew he was right. It was a cave. I couldn't run from them forever. "Have you ever seen anything like it? It's like something out of Journey to the Center of the Earth." (AN~In this book by Jules Verne, three explorers come across phenomoneons of unnatural porportions in a huge cave under the earth, such as... you guessed it, a giant ocean.)

"That's great,"Gabumon said irritably, "but I really think it's time we got back to the others. You can show them this later."

"Yeah, I guess so,"I said forlornly, wishing I could've stayed longer. "It's been two days since I left. Kat's probably doing better by now, and Tai and his incompetence will probably be drooling all over her. And his tree-like hair, too."

"Since when can hair drool?"Gabumon asked, laughing in that jolly voice of his, and I laughed too, starting on my way back, to friends.

I got back there in fifteen minutes time alongstride Garurumon, much shorter than the two days it had taken when I was walking.

But not everything was as it was when I had left.

Tai had Kat pinned up against a wall, her arms at her sides. He was kissing her-either that or giving her an extremely brutal mouth-to-mouth. And I don't think his partner was enjoying it, by the looks of her struggling. Kat couldn't do anything. I knew she was strong enough, but no matter how hard she tried, she wouldn't be able to lay a finger on Tai.

But that didn't mean I couldn't.

I jumped down off Garurumon and ran toward them.

"Arrrgghhhh!!!"With a fierce yell, I plowed into Tai from the side, sending us both crashing into the floor.

"What are you doing you f*cked-up piece of shit?!"I screamed at him, almost beside myself. He rolled over and faced me-and then I saw it. He was beside himself. I could see it in his eyes. He was crazy.

"Having fun."He grinned maliciously, like he was baring all his teeth at me."Until you interrupted us."

"So raping women is your idea of fun, you goddamn pervert?!!!"

"Who says it was rape? Just a little tonsil hockey, nothing more."

"The most screwed up round of tonsil hockey I've ever seen! And what makes it even more sickening is that you know that Kat can't fight back, no matter how hard she tries! So that's why I'm here-to fight for her!"

I punched him in the jaw, and he punched me back. I jumped off him, standing up, gaining more strategic ground. He lunged at me, but I dodged him, and he turned on his heel, just in time to get the martial-arts kick I shot at him.

I kept on edging back, until-

"You're trapped now,"Tai said to me in that evil voice I found so infuriating. "There's no where left to run." He was right. He had me backed up agianst the cave wall.

Tai lunged for me once more, and in the nick of time I leapt to the left and out of the way-but he couldn't turn in time. He smashed into the wall and fell to the floor with a sickening thud.

"Is-is he dead?"I heard Kat ask from behind me, and I prayed to God he wasn't, because even though Tai had forced himself on her agianst her will, I knew she could never forgive herself if something were to happen to him.

I checked his pulse.

"Nope,"I said, and I could hear Kat sigh in relief from behind me. "He's unconcious. I think he'll be out of it for a few days." I turned to her, and was shocked at what I saw.

She was curled up in a corner of the stone, trembling visibly. She had bruises all over her, and Tai had been kissing her so hard that her lips were bleeding. I watched in horror as the blood trickled down her chin and onto the front of her shirt. I couldn't help but stare. Kat was always so tough, able to handle any situation, and here she was shaking like a leaf on a tree. I walked over to her.

"Are you okay, Kat?"I asked her softly, meaning both physically and menataly.

"Nothing I can't handle,"she replied weakly,trying to stand up but failing horribly in the attempt. I gave her a hand, and when I thought she could stand on her own, I let go of her. I guess she couldn't stand up, yet.

First thing she did was stumble forward and collapse on my chest, her face buried into my shoulder, crying.

I was shocked. I certainly didn't expect this behavior from Kat under normal circumstances. Of course, we weren't exactly under normal circumstances, now are we?

I decided just to take this as it came. Kat needed moral, emotional, and physical support, and there was nobody there to give it to her but me.

So I put my hands behind her head and on her back, rested my chin atop her onyx-colored hair, and just held her that way for God-knows-how-long, trying to get her to stop shivering.

~*FLASH*~

I couldn't believe Matt was being so nice. I knew I kind of freaked him out when I collasped all over him, but he hadn't said a word, merely lended me whatever silent comfort he could.

I just couldn't help it. This thing with Tai had really scared me, knowing how far it might of went if Matt hadn't been there to stop it. Too far...

The idea of that brought new fear into my heart, and I gripped Matt tighter as a fresh wave of tears flooded from my eyes and found their way(along with many others)onto the emerald green surface of my compainion's tank top.

"It's okay, Kat,"I could hear him consoling me, patting my head in what I guessed to be a comforting gesture. "Everything will be fine."

"Fine?!"I laughed tiredly, the sound muffled by his chest. "Don't even lie, Yamato, you know it will never be fine again!"He knew I meant business when I called him by his full name. I pushed away from him and stared him straight in the eye, he still holding on to me by the arms.

~*FLASH*~

She stared at me, fire burning in her stony eyes, and then I saw why Tai went so crazy over her. Her eyes, her hair, wow, and her smile-unbelievable.

Woah, cool it Ishida, I thought, stopping myself in time. She's just been through a traumatizing event, and one wrong move and your ass is grass. Better hold off for now.

"You're right, I'm sorry,"I apologized, realizing my mistake, and accounting for it. "But I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you're okay now, nobody's gonna hurt you anymore." Much better, smart guy.

Kat's face softened. "I didn't mean to yell, Matt. It's not easy, being me."

"Yeah, I guess not," I said, smiling a little and letting go of her.

She was feeling better. She didn't need my support anymore.

~*FLASH*~

Why did he let go of me? I wondered, leaning against the wall of the cave, something I'd been doing a lot of today. I guess even the one person I thought understood me has stopped caring about me.

We didn't say much for a while, and I knew he was picking around the one main question he wanted to ask-what the in the hell had happened?

~*FLASH*~

What in the hell had happened?!my mind was screaming, just yearning to ask her. I come back and find Kat being molested by a Ritalin-overdosed Tai and then he attacks me like a goddamn Siamese fighting monkey(if there is such a thing.)! What is going on!

"It started out friendly enough,"Kat began, sniffling through her words. "Then I told him that I couldn't be his girlfriend, it wasn't right. But something wierd happened to him. This-this force like... posessed him or something, and suddenly, he wouldn't take no for an answer. I didn't see it, but I could feel it. It made him crazy. And that was the way it was, me pushing him off, and then he climbing all over me again before I could do anything, until you showed up. If you hadn't come along when you did, things could have been a lot worse. Thanks for sticking up for me, Matt."She laughed ironically. "Imagine that, a Guardian being saved by her protectee! Wouldn't the others just love to hear that?"She stopped. "Where did you and Gabu-san go?"

"To the coolest place in the world,"I told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her down the cave path. She just had to see where Gabumon and I had went.

"Hey! Where are we going?!"she protested, trying to stop, but I held her wrist in a tight grip and dragged her along. She fought me for a long time, beating my hands with her head, and kicking me in the legs.

"You'll like this place,"I told her, still not releasing my grasp on her hand. "It's like something out of a TV show or a fantasy story." It was almost like I couldn't stop. This force was pulling me along in that direction.

Suddenly, to my surprise, I felt a really heavy weight pull down on my arm, almost taking me to the ground with it. It was Kat, who had fainted again.

How could I have been so stupid?!I thought furiously, giving myself a mental kick in the ass. She's been knocked out what-eighty million times in the past week?! And here I am scaring the shit out of her by pulling her to some place that she's never been to! Christ, I'm turning into Tai!

Now that was a scary thought.

"Uh, Gabumon, what do we do now?"I asked him, praying for an answer.

"Water,"was all he said to me before walking ahead.

Some help. Water? What was that supposed to mean? And where do I find water, since, according to Gabumon, it will help?

Then it hit me. Water! Water revives finted people! And I know where to find a whole lot of it!

I bent down and picked up Kat with some amount of diffuculty, then started off for the pool in the deepest recesses of the cave.

~*FLASH*~

When I woke up, six hours later by my digital watch, I discovered that I was atop a huge hill overlooking what appeared to be a giant lake.

How did I get here?I thought furiously, trying to remember. Then, in a flash, I did. Fear paralyzed me as I remembered the same force that had controlled Tai had controlled Matt, too, him dragging me along to this-this place, where God-knows-what is going to happen to me.

I hope I'm not going to be burned at the stake or sacrificed to some voodoo cults' gods or something, I thought as I slid to my left, planning to slide down the hill without Matt seeing me. For all I knew, he was still crazy.

My plan went perfectly, except for one small problem. I fell.

My hand had been on a tree root that must've broken off, throwing me off balance and sending me tumbling down the hill.

The good news-I made it down the hill.

The bad news-I was spotted.

"Christ Almighty, Kat, what were you trying to do, get yourself killed?"Matt said, sliding down to my side. He landed on two feet. How unfair.

I was planning to run away until I looked at his face. There was no insanity there-just concern. I literally sagged in relief as I realized he wasn't a phsycotic cult-involved serial killer.

"That was my original intention,"I answered, so glad to see him sane that I accientally told the truth. "It's geat to see you sound of body and mind."

"What?-Oh, after that whole thing..."he trailed off, looking away. "I think I was crazy for a few minutes there. It's just-being in here so long, well, this whole place here is like-the first of the outside world any of us have seen in days."

"It's all right,"said I, forgiving him easily because I could relate to how he was feeling. "But I say we go and get the hell outta here!"

"How?"

"You guys didn't do anything for three days because you were so worried about me. The way out of here is easier than you think. I remember this cave now. There's a back way out of it-just a little farther on from here."

"How do you remember this cave?"

I grimaced. When everyone sees me they see a perfect person-somebody who's never made a mistake in their whole life and always knows where they're going and what they want to do. But that's not me. I have a pretty dark past outside of what little dark parts everyone here knows, like, my heritage and my shitty foster parents-but no one knows the real truth about me. And I decided it was time someone did. I was tired of carrying around this sadness forever.

"What I'm about to tell you,"I started, my voice low,"no one else, not even Erin or Bandit or Justin knows. So you'd better not tell anyone, or I'm liable to kick your ass. Or make Bandit do it,"I added quickly, before he could counter that statement."So keep quiet."

"Four years ago, just before my mother died, the rift into the digital world opened, spitting out Koromon and Parrotmon. My mother and I were sucked in, centuries ago by Digiworld time. Once there, my mother met her some friends in the Realm of Doom. Shikuao had just triumphed over his people, and reincarnated them into his army of powerful war machines. The people here are very spiritual, and prophesied of two flyers under protection of a dragon coming and saving this world. They recorded it on the stone tablet Gennai told us about and left in their temple. My mother and I stayed here for one year digital time, when the most awful thing that could have happened to me, did.

"Shikuao needed three children to follow in his footsteps and become his heir. Three in case the other two should refuse or fall by some way unpreventable. So he rode through the village, picking out three children he ound suitable to be his heirs, one for their strength, one for their brains, and the other for their beauty. Those heirs were none other than my three best friends, who I didn't even know at the time. Justin for his strength, Bandit for her brains, and Erin for her beauty.

"But Shikuao was not finished yet. Unfortunatly, he found me."

I bowed my head at the memory. A single tear dripped from my face and splashed in the dust.

"I was his fourth heir."I finished.

"Is that the end?"Matt asked, indecrelous. "Why you? And how did you and your mother get out of this place? And how in the hell do you Nikolai?!!!" I cringed at the mention of my old friend's name.

"Very well, I will tell you the rest. I was picked as Shikuao's fourth heir because he claimed I met all three of the requirements-strength, brains, and beauty.

I was a smart little kid. I knew who to trust and who not to trust. And I didn't trust this Shikuao character.

But I stayed at his castle for a little while, gaining knowledge of the territory. Nikolai was a servant in his castle, working alongside her mother. She helped me in my quest to overthrow Shikuao.

"I knew something was wrong with Nikolai when we ran into her earlier. When I asked if her mother or grandmother were still alive, she told me her mother was, but her granmother wasn't. That was impossible because Nikolai's mother died just before my mother and I were sent back home. Also, Nikolai hates the Realm of Doom, more than anything. And her eyes were never black, she always hated the color."

"So what color were they?"Matt interupted, asking the one question I almost didn't answer.

"Navy. Like yours. As a matter of fact, exactly like yours, so much that when I talk to you, sometimes I think I'm talking to Nikolai."

"So are you seeing her now?"

"Nope. Only you. After what she did to us, I don't think I'll be seeing her again for a long time. I should've known, though. Shikuao must have turned her evil."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault. It's mine. I should've known..."

"It's not your fault. All of this stuff that's happened can all be traced back to Shikuao. Will you finish the rest of your story?"

"Okay. So after I felt I had gained enough knowledge of Shikuao's castle to do some major damage to him, Myotismon arrived and stole the stone tablet from the temple that was built in honor of the two flyers and the dragon. Shikuao tryed to save it, but Myotismon had already fled by then.

"That same year, I gained my wings, as a gift from Shikuao. I keep them only because I think of all the good they do for us now. When your purpose is finished here, I will bear them no more forever.

"My mother got it into her head to run away from the Realm of Doom, as many others before her had once thought, too. I did not think there was a chance of us suceeding, but I would follow my mother anywhere, even into death.

"As we ran, Shikuao himself chased after us, shooting his attack over and over again. More than once I thought we were hit, but the fact that I could still move and run proved otherwise. Just when it seemed everything was over for us, a great light shone upon us, and we were back on Earth, just twenty minutes after we had left. Koromon had Digivolved into Greymon, and my mother was no where in sight. I remember calling her for hours, but I never saw her again."

Silence fell upon us as I completed my story, the story I had told no one for the past four years I had known it.

"Maybe your mother never made it back to Earth,"Matt suggested, finally breaking the silence.

"If she did not, then she surely would have been killed by Shikuao later,"I said bitterly. "I would rather have my mother die free than die a prisoner."

"Oh. Well, what do you say we get out of her?"he proposed, standing up from the boulder he had been sitting on when I was telling my story.

"But what do we do with our impetuous leader, Sonic?"I spoke of him with loathing now, no longer afraid of him.

"Bring him with us,"Matt answered, much to my surprise. "Normally I would just leave him, but I want to know about that force that had him under that spell-like thingy."

"Gabymon, go and bring he and Agumon back,"I told her, walking down to examine my surrondings. "I myself want to keep as much space between me and him as long as possible." She Digivolved and ran off.

"Kat?"Matt asked me, furrowing his brow. "This thought just crossed my mind-if you're a descendant of the people here, well, then how? You never mentioned any relatives or anything."

"By extremely distant cousins. As a matter of fact, I don't think any of my blood relatives are alive now."

"And also?-"he ventured, and he looked at me, waiting for my reaction. I nodded."Why can you fight Shikuao? I mean, if you are one of these people, then shouldn't you have to defend him?"

"He broke the Realm Bond of Consent that these people live their lives by. Shikuao broke his own law. He attacked one of his own people. He shot at my mother."

I walked down around the lake, closing my eyes peacefully, that is, until I tripped.

"Not again,"Matt moaned, helping me up. "You are a walking disaster, and your bleeding again."

"I was bleeding before?"I asked, curious. I hadn't known that. "How much?"

"Let's just say your once white T-shirt has been dyed a lovely shade of red. Look down." I did.

"Oh, man,"I moaned, realizing my shirt was ruined. "And my other shirts are back with our stuff. I just hope Garirimon has enough sense to remember it."

She didn't, I later learned when she returned with Tai, who wouldn't look me straight in the eye.

"Sorry, Kat,"she said as she de-Digivolved. "It completely slipped my mind."

"I'll go back and get it,"I sighed, turning around in the direction I had already come from. "Wait here, when I get back we'll get the hell out of here, okay?"

"I'll come with you,"Matt hurridly suggested, not wanting to be too near Tai himself, I could tell.

"Alright,"I sighed again, wishing we could just get going. "Tai, you stay here. If we're not back in fifteen minutes, then come looking for us." He nodded forlornly, staring at the ground.

I climbed up behind Matt on the newly Digivolved Garurumon, and we set off.

For the whole ride up we said nothing, and I was glad of it. I didn't want to be bothered with questions right now.

"Wait here, Garurumon,"Matt said when our original campsite was just around a bend. "Our stuff is right around this next corner. We'll be back in two seconds." We jumped down and walked away.

When we were out of earshot, a barrage of questions was shot at me. I groaned inwardly. Damn this inquisitive boy! Why did he have to know the answer to everything?!

Because he was Matt, I laughed to myself.

"Hey, Kat, what are you gonna do about Nikolai when we're back in the Realm of Doom?" I paused before answering.

"You keep your mind focused on our journey ahead. This is my fight. When the time comes, I will deal with Nikolai then."

~*FLASH*~

We rode back in silence, me enjoying the feel of her arms around me, even if it was just for balance. I couldn't help but notice that she seemed distracted by something, and I think it was about Nikolai. I felt so sorry for her. Her decision wasn't an easy one, that was for sure.

When we got to Tai, Kat led us to the back exit of the cave. All of us stood staring at the blackness of it, after we were safely out in the sun, which almost blinded us at first.

"Never again,"Kat said and used her Flaming Dart to seal up the other exit from the world forever.

We walked into town,not knowing what to expect.

"Damn,"I said, realizing something. "We still don't know where the Cave of Destiny is."

"Sure we do,"Kat pointed up to something. "Right there." She was right. On top of a foreboding cliff sat the Cave of Destiny. A rainbow glow shone out from it, and I knew that it would take all of our strengths to get past the dragon guarding the entrance. I could only see the outline of it, but the outline was big.

"But you won't be getting there!"shouted a familiar evil voice, and from behind us came Nikolai.

"Hello, Nikolai,"Kat said calmly, with an underlying of hatred and bitterness there. "Did you miss us?"

"Hardly! Freezing Touch!"The icy attack flew right at Kat.

"Flaming Dart!"The two attacks combined with a force strong enough to level a city block.

"It's over, Katsura!"yelled Nikolai, as Kat flapped into the air."There's no way you can win!"

"Funny how many times we've heard that before!"Kat shouted back. "And the Digimon who utter that phrase are not here to tell you about it, now are they?! Swirling Tempest!"

"Same as your mother,"Nikolai hissed. "A fool. Freezing Touch!"

A familiar silver light began to surround Kat, and I knew she was about to learn a different attack. She looked up, and she was crying.

"I know the old Nikolai's in there somewhere,"she started, the light growing brighter,"but I have failed in finding it and bringing it back. I never tried, but I shouldn't have to-just seeing me should've been enough. However, for the past we once had as allies, I'll give it one last try. Nikolai, if you're in there, please come back to us."

Nikolai said nothing, merely stared from her spot on the ground. After about a minute or so, she finally spoke.

"Idiot!"she snarled, and leapt into the air, grabbing onto Kat and pulling her to the ground. "I serve only Shikuao, no one else!" A vicious catfight ensued after that, with hair pulling, punching, kicking, slapping and yes, even one or two bites sunk into those girls' skins that day.

Suddenly from my right, Tai joined the fight, grabbing Nikolai by her long silver hair and throwing her off Kat. Kat looked up, surprised, then really pissed off.

But she was still ready to forgive him, even after what he had done. The two of them had been through a lot of stuff together, and I think Kat finally realized it, too.

Her face relaxed, and she smiled sadly at him, sinking into a low bow before taking off into the air again. Tai fell back by my side, a smile on his face.

"I'm forgiven,"was all he said. I smiled too, knowing things were finally returning to normal.

"Nikolai,"Kat began again, the silver light surronding her being joined by a golden one, "I'm sorry. I'm not afraid of you anymore, but I just want you to know, I'll always be your friend."Her Fusion Crest began to glow with a blue light. A golden ring formed around her, then shot up above her head. The sun's rays shone into it, making the former ring now a shining yellow disc.

"Solar Circle!"she yelled, grabbing the object and flinging it like a Frisbee at Nikolai, hitting her in the chest.

"I'm not through yet, Kat!"Nikolai yelled back, and shot a Freezing Touch at Kat, who dodged it easily.

Instantly, the sky turned black, and a giant silver moon appeared above us. From it, a silver beam shot down from the sky, and a metallic-colored orb appeared in Kat's hands.

"I'm so sorry, Nikolai,"she whispered, more tears streaming down her face,"That I couldn't set you free." A sparkling silver streak of light shot out from the ball in her hands, cutting a hole straight through it's intended target. "Lunar Beam!"

The sky returned to it's normal blue color as Nikolai fell to the ground and Kat floated down beside her, folding her wings and bowing her head.

"Forgive me, old friend,"Nikolai whispered hoarsely, and reached her hand up to Kat, who took it. Nikolai's eyes were a deep sapphire, and, like Kat said, they were remarkably similar to mine."I have betrayed you all." She suddenly disintegrated into dust, and a wind came by and blew the last remnants of her away, leaving behind only a silver heart-shaped locket and some memories.

Or so we thought...

It turns out that inside the locket was a picture of Kat and Nikolai on the one side.

We stayed on the outskirts of the Realm of Doom for two more days, since Kat didn't want to leave the spot where she and Nikolai first met, and where she and Nikolai were last together. Finally, on the third day, Kat woke Tai and I up at six in the morning, saying it was time to go. We think she must've had a nightmare, and that's why she wanted to get the hell away from this place.

Just before we were about to leave, Nikolai appeared. It was her spirit, floating in the air, a white light surrounding her.

"Hello, Katsura,"she said in a voice that sounding very regal and not at all the evil tone we had been accustomed to hearing from her."Hello, Taichi, Yamato."Tai and I stood stock-still. How she knew our full names still remains a mystery to this day."I have come to repay my debt I owe to you."

"What debt?!"Kat wailed, throwing her arms into the air. "I failed to set you free of the evil here. I killed you!"

"On the contrary, Katsura,"Nikolai told her, smiling. "You were the one who did just the opposite. You set me free. And I have come to repay my debt to you by telling you what you want to know-and maybe a little more."

"Like what?"Tai asked.

"The Cave of Destiny is not easily penetrated. You will have to defeat the dragon guarding the entrance. Once inside, you will recover the stone tablet my people had once owned. From there, you will return to your friends, and defeat the final evil, and peace will reign for centuries to come."

"Really?"I couldn't believe it. We were this close to home."Do you remember any of the prophesy?"

Nikolai shook her head. "Not enough to be of any help. I was too little then. All I know is stuff Katsura has already told you, I am certain, about the two flyers and the dragon?"

I nodded, but Tai looked confused.

"What?"he asked and Nikolai told him of the history Kat had told me, excluding her personal past, of course.

"Listen, leaders of The Chosen Children,"Nikolai told us urgently, "the dragon and this final evil are not easily destroyed. It will take all of your powers combined to defeat them. I leave you with some advice-fight fire with fire, ice with ice, and so on. The only way you will be evenly matched is if one combines the strength of the rest, and the Chosen Children realize where they stand... A long time ago, you were told you all had something in common, as a whole. Find out what that something is, and you will be undefeatable."

"What about my mother, Nikolai?"Kat asked her fearfully. "Do you know if she survived Shikuao's attack?"

"Hai,"Nikolai answered sadly. "What ever became of Katsura the sixth?"

"Gone,"Kat said sadly.

"Gone, but not forgotten, Katsura the seventh. Your mother still lives-in more than one person."

"Huh?"

"Do you seriously think your mother would go without leaving behind a legacy first?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your mother is gone-but she left behind a legacy-not just in you, but someone else, as well. She left behind a son. She gave you a brother."

"A brother? Who?"

"I leave you only with one clue-the strength he posesses is enormous. Enough to make him known all throughout this land for the brief period he was here. Figure it out for yourself... goodbye, leaders..."

"Wait, Nikolai! Wait!!!" But it was too late. With a flash of light, Nikolai was gone.

"She's gone,"Tai staring at the spot she had once been.

"She 's gone,"Kat agreed, opening up the locket, the glass covering the picture glinting against the glare of the sun. "But she left behind a legacy."

~*FLASH*~

We reached the Cave of Destiny in two days. Hiding on a stone ledge with a cave under it, just beneath where the dragon stood guard, we waited in anticipation for the moment when the dragon would sleep. Of course, all of us never wanted to see a cave again in our entire lives, but we had no other choice. I walked up to Kat, who was sitting by the fire.

"I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry about what I did earlier this week,"I told her sincerely."I know I already did, but I want so bad for things to return to normal. I don't know what happened. It was like some sort of spell had control over me. It was really scary. Even I didn't know what I was doing. It's all my fault. Not only did I force myself on you against your will, but I viciously attacked one of my fellow Digidestined. I've done you all wrong, and I'm sorry."

A hush fell over the group as I lowered my head and sat down. Finally, Kat spoke.

"I cannot say I understand, Taichi,"she said, using my full name, so I knew this was a serious thing with her. "You attacked me with a strategic advantage which, although it was not right, it was very clever. I am glad to see you have gained such a quick eye for your opponent's weaknesses, but I'm afraid I must teach you a thing or two about honor."

"But I don't want to think of you as my opponent, Kat. I can't believe you're treating this whole thing like it was nothing!"

"Then how would you have me treat it, Taichi?"

A pause."I-I don't know. I think you're right, though, about that whole honor thing. I could use a little lesson in what's right. I attacked my own allies-my own friends. I just want to know if you forgive me. And not just you-Matt, too. I attacked him without thinking, remember?"

"Tai, you so could not kick my ass. Don't give yourself too much credit, Sonic,"Matt said to me arrogantly.

"So is that a forgiven?"I asked him.

"Arrgghhh,...man... since you dealt out an apology so nicely, I guess I'm roped into forgiving you, our 'courageous leader'."

I laughed, knowing that was his way of saying we could still be friends.

"Kat?" That I wasn't so sure of.

"Like I have told you many times, mistakes can be corrected as long as you learn from them. What did you learn from this mistake, Tai?"

"Um... never go into a foreboding cave again when your best friend is about to blow it up?"I answered hopefully, and Matt and I laughed. Kat, however, stared down across the valley, and I knew ultimately, I had hit her hard. Not my best move.

"Also,"I added, to patch things up, "I learned that no matter how badly you want something, you should always ask first. And that you should always fight for what is right, even if your not sure what right is sometimes. And finally, you should never strike a blow at your allies, because, well, then they won't be your allies anymore. Right?"

"Yeah...,"Kat murmured absently, and I realized all those things I said had just described what happened with her and Nikolai. I decided to quit right now, because no matter how hard I tried to make things better, they always got worse.

"Goood night, Kat,"I said resentfully, since she still hadn't given any sign she accepted my apology since her battle with Nikolai. "Good night, Drachenfire." It felt wierd, using the nickname Kat called Matt.

Didn't sound insulting, like Sonic. Drachenfire. Dragon fire. It suits him. Always a hot-head. Always poking around the fire. Always mad about something.

But he was cold, too, in so many ways. Not exactly your basic friendly let's-go-have-a-margarita-during-lunch-break-kind of guy. Seemed to only care about T.K. and himself.

Until lately. Now it seemed that he and Kat had something going, if not romantic sparks, than a really good friendship.

Just what hot-head needs, I thought, settling into a comfortable posistion, if you could find one on the ground. A friend. And so does Kat.

"Tai?"came her voice, and before I knew it, she was crouhing by my side."I forgive you." Those three words filled me with relief. She didn't hate me, after all.

She sat on the stone floor beside me, seemingly lost in thought.

"Tai?"she ventured again.

"Hmmmm?..."I murmured, almost asleep.

"Y-you said a lot of stuff back there about me, about how I was beautiful and you had loved me for a long time. I-I just wanted to know, was any of it true?"

I was fully awake now. What should I do?I thought fervently. If I tell her the truth, she might hate me forever. But if I lie, well, not only is it dishonorable, but I'll never know...

"Sure it was, Kat,"I told her softly, grasping her slender, white hand with both of my tanned ones. "And you told me you just wanted us to stay friends. And that's okay. But I just want you to know I meant every word of it."

"Thank you, Tai,"she said,overlapping my hands with her other one. "For being there for me. I know now that no matter what happens, we'll always be friends. Just closer ones, from now on. But still friends, and only that, nonetheless."

"I could live with that,"I grinned, and closed my eyes again, slipping off to sleep. Kat's hands slid from mine, and just before I drifted off, I could feel her hair brush my face as she gave me a tender good night kiss on the cheek. I smiled.

Suddenly, from my left, Matt sat up, staring straight ahead.

"Hey, dude?"he asked me, and I propped myself up on my elbows. "Did you just-" He stopped and I nodded.

I laughed to myself. Looks like Kat gave a little present to Matt, too, I thought. For the first time in his life, Yamato Ishida doesn't know what to say! Somebody get me a camera!

"First time being kissed by a girl, Ishida?"I taunted him, slipping back into our rivalry ways.

"What about you, Kamiya?"he shot back."And your mother doesn't count, either!" We stopped for a few seconds.

"Yeah,"we said in unison.

"At least now we have something in common,"I said wearily, before trying to go back to sleep.

But I guess Matt was still kinda spazzed out, because he got up and walked out the cave and onto the ledge where the fire was.

"Pyro!"I yelled after him.

"That's why I'm called Drachenfire!"he shouted back. I sighed contently. Things were finally back to normal.

~*FLASH*~

"Did I freak you out that bad?"Kat asked me when I got to the fire and was surprised to find her sitting there.

My cheeks flared crimson.

"No! I mean, yes! I mean, maybe!"I stopped as I heard her laughing.

"So is it A,B,or C?"she asked jokingly.

"Um... all of the above?"I suggested hopefully, and Kat bursted out laughing at that.

"But why did you do it?"I asked, directing the conversation at her.

"I..."It was her turn to blush and my turn to laugh now.

"I don't know,"she finished simply."Why? Did you mind?"

"Yes! I mean, no!I-"

"Not this damn multiple choice bullshit again! It's a simple yes or no question! No maybe's allowed!"

"Okay, well, no, actually. If anything, I wish you'd do it again."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"But why? I mean, what is this fascination you guys have with me?! Is it the wings?"

"I don't know why Tai feels the way he feels about you, but I know I like you because well, why wouldn't I? Your smart, funny, independent-"

"Pretty?"

"Beautiful! I-I don't know! Why the hell are you asking me this?!"

"Why are you answering?"

"Did I mention you're such a smartass?"

"No. So... what do you like best about me?"

"Tsk, tsk. Never thought I'd see the day when Katsura Hikone asked such a superficial question like that." She looked up and stared at me.

"Y-you said my full name."

"What?!Oh, yeah. Sorry."

"How did you figure it out? No one knows my full name but-oh, you must've found it out when Nikolai said it."

"Actually, no. I knew it before, sort of. I just guessed. Your not the only one who knows a little foreign language. I happen to know for a fact that Katsura Hikone means 'beautiful swift tiger' in Japanese."(AN~I don't really know this! Please don't sue me! And if you really know Japanese, send me an E-mail and tell me what it means! And if you don't know, well, people, just plain don't send me any E-mail if you're gonna yell at me!)

"You're smarter than I thought. I underestimated you, buddy. My mother gave me my name, since I was named after her. She was a beautiful, swift, tiger."

"And so are you. The name fits."

"You mean it when you say I'm beautiful?"

"Sure."

"You never did answer me when I asked what you liked best about me."

"Damn! I was hoping you'd forget! Oh, well, here goes."

"Here goes?! What the hell does that mean?!"

"Your cute when you're pissed off."

"Ugghhhh. Don't say the word cute around me, please. And if you call me cute, I'm gonna hafta kill ya."

"Oh. Well I do think you're really pretty, but I guess what I like best about you is that you have a split personality. One minute you're cussing me out, then the next minute you're crying all over my shoulder."

"Hey! I was upset! What the hell else was I supposed to do, after nearly being raped by the person I'm sent to protect!"

"Christ, you'd better hope Tai didn't hear that." We waited. He didn't.

"So all you likeabout me is the fact that I have a split personality?"

"I didn't say that! I also like your charming demeanor and your eyes and your hair and-oh, hell, I'm going to bed."

"'Night, Yamato."

"Good night, Katsura."

Uggghhh, the wierdness at using each other's full names. But I forgot all that when Kat suddenly leaned toward me and kissed me right on the lips.

At first I was so surprised I couldn't move, but then somehow, I got the hang of it and wrapped my arms around her waist and just held her in my arms as long as I could.

"First time kisser, huh?"she asked when we were done.

"Damn! Uh, I mean, no."

"Ha, ha very funny, it's a good thing you're a hottie."

"Oh, um, thanks, I guess..."

"And you wonder how I know these things."

"Jeez, was it that obvious?"

"You just need more practice."And she leaned over and kissed me again.

"I could get used to this,"I grinned through her lips, pulling her close.

"Me, too."

I didn't mind this at all. But it was wierd. Being in a small area with people you barely knew, you came out knowing them even better than the people who knew them well before that. It's amazing how much somebody's true colors shine through when you're stuck in a life-or-death situation.

"Did anyone tell you you look like Setsuna (AN~Sailor Pluto) from Sailor Moon?"I asked her when we broke apart.

"Yeah, a lot of people, well, except for the green hair. It's the Hikone heritage. My mother looked the same way."(AN~I know these kids are in a different show thingy, and Sailor Moon doesn't exist in the other anime shows, but I thought this was cool anyway.)

"So where's your two-inch long skirt?"

She grinned."At home. I've got a skirt and the heels right here, but it's a long skirt."She pulled out a really long silver skirt and a pair of black strappy sandals from her duffel bag.

"Why the hell did you pack that crap to go camping?"(AN~Kat, Erin, Bandit, and Justin were all set to go camping when they were sucked into the Digital World, so they have food and other supplies.:sigh:Too much crap to explain in these author's notes)

"They were holding a dance the last day we were scheduled to be up there, so all of us packed nice clothes-we even managed to con Bandit into wearing a skirt by buying her a bigass pack of stink bombs."

"Cool. Well, I'm going to bed. Thanks for making me feel better after you embarrassed me."

"Wait. I know that well... stuff's happened between us that normal friends don't do, but would you mind if we tried to keep it at an at-friends level until we get back home? I've got too many other problems to deal with besides this."

"But we'll get back together when we get home, right?"

"I promise. I just need to sort out the rest of my life first."

I believed her when she said that, and I fell asleep without any problems at all.

~*FLASH*~

"I'll never wear a dress unless it's to my own funeral,"I remember Bandit saying once. I had agreed with her then, and I hadn't worn a dress to this day.

I looked down at the clothes I held in my hands for a few seconds before putting them on, along with a black tank top.

I can't let Matt and Tai fight this dragon,I thought sadly, realizing what I had to do. There's no way they could win.

Of course, there's no way I can either, but at least I can weaken it enough for Wargreymon and Metalgarurumon to defeat it easily.

It was a shame I had to die without finding out who my brother was, but if that was the price I had to pay for saving Matt and Tai, then I'm not afraid. I won't let my friends fall, unless I fall first.

With those words, my Crest of Courageous Friendship began to glow, and I climbed up the rock to the top of the cliff.

My heels clicking on the hard stone, a wind blew in from the northeast, lifting my hair but not my spirits as I stopped facing the Cave of Destiny-and my impending destruction...

AN~So is this part any good? I know the cave part with the whole crazy thing was really crappy and it never got solved, but I don't feel like changing it now, and besides, you make up your own endings! Speaking of which, send me E-mail to give me an idea for any of the endings for parts to come! I have ideas in mind, but if I hear a really good one, then maybe I'll put that up instead! Also send me E-mail answering the following questions:1)Who should Kat's brother be-Justin, or Izzy?(Sorry, not any of the others because the plot wouldn't fit in)

2)Should Kat sacrifice herself in the end to save the rest?(Tough question, but hey, that's just my opinion:P)

3)Do Matt and Kat make a good couple?(And don't say no all because you want Yama paired with another character or yourself, just do you think they fit well together)

4)Wasn't this a hellava long AN?

5)Do you like this story so far? Am I a good author? Should I write another story with the same characters?

That's about all, I think. This is your host garurugirl53, signing off...

~garurugirl53~