Tai stared out the window, brown eyes not really focused on anything. "Don't worry, Agumon. I'll save you."
"Tai?"
He turned to look at Kari. "We're ready to go into the Digiworld. Are you coming?"
Tai was silent for a few minutes. "I'm not coming. Not this time, anyway."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am." Tai looked at Kari. "He won't send Agumon or Viralgreymon or whoever against us. Not yet, anyway."
"If that's what you decided," Kari said. She turned and left, leaving Tai to his thoughts. Immediately after she left, Tai was again thinking of Agumon.
The Digidestined, except Tai and Izzy, looked around. "Hey! It's the Forest of Irrelevant Road Signs," TK exclaimed. Matt grinned, remembering that he had been the one to name this place.
"I'd love to see what my Driver's Ed teachers would make of this," Allison commented with a smile on her face. She enjoyed the fact that she was out of school now.
Joe turned to the new Digidestined. "The Digiworld has stuff like this all over the place. Telephones that don't work, an abandoned trolley car, telephone poles with no wires. We encountered them all."
"We'll be on the lookout," Vari replied jokingly.
The Master of Digimon called out for one of his servants. "I want you to tend to the Digidestined. No foul-ups, do you understand?"
"Yesss, massster."
"Get moving!"
A reptiliam Digimon appeared. "That's Slimon," Sylvimon yelled.
"Digivolving time," replied Aurimon.
Glen held out his computer to the others. "Let's use mine this time." There was a nod of agreement all around.
"Power of Sincerity!"
"Labumon Sincerity Star digivolve to...Silabumon."
"Aurimon Sincerity Star digivolve to...Sinceraurimon."
Much to the others' surprise, their Digimon failed to digivolve. "What happened," Tarini asked.
Mimi answered, "You aren't sincere enough."
Sinceraurimon had leaves around his wrists and ankles. Thorns formed a sharp crest on the back of his head. The Sincerity Star was a mark on top of head just in front of his crest.
Tarini and Chan yelled, "Power of Sincerity!"
"Bordemon Sincerity Star digivolve to...Sibordemon."
"Parmon Sincerity Star digivolve to...Siparmon."
Sibordemon had light green fur. Vines were wrapped across her chest were bound in an X shape by the Sincerity Star. Tucked behind one ear was an iris.
Siparmon had green stripes over his brown furred body. The Sincerity Star was wrapped around the end of his long tail. Siparmon looked, shapewise anyway, like a cheetah.
Jihan spoke the words next. "Power of Sincerity!"
"Geramon Sincerity Star digivolve to...Sigeramon."
Sigeramon wasn't much larger than Geramon. Her skin was green and on top of her head was a simple flower. The Sincerity Star was the center of the flower.
Msaada and Vari tried their hand next. "Power of Sincerity!"
"Lupimon Sincerity Star digivolve to...Silupimon."
"Daraimon Sincerity Star digivolve to...Sidaraimon."
Silupimon had ivy twined around her entire body. Instead of ears, she had two rose buds. The Sincerity Star was a mark between what would have been her ears. She had no fur, but was instead covered with needles.
Sidaraimon was the biggest of the Sincerity Star Digimon. She stood on two massive legs. She had tree bark for skin and long vines for hair. The Sincerity Star was a mark on her chest.
Slimon struck then. "Hypnotic Dazzle!" His eyes started to glow. Trisermon, Sparromon, Sarran, and Ashi were mesmerized by the glow. "You are not sssincccere. You have never been sssincccere," Slimon hissed.
Matt groaned. "I know that voice," he whispered.
"You'll never be able to defeat Slimon without those two," Allison said dismally.
"Then we've got to persuade them Slimon's wrong," Taki said, his voice filled with determination. "But how?" Msaada started to consider his point.
"You're asss good asss gone," Slimon sneered.
"Tai!"
Tai ignored Izzy's call. Izzy walked up to Tai, frustrated at his behavior. "You offered to let me do this a decade ago. I refused then, but I think you need it now." Izyy punched Tai as hard as he could, which wasn't very hard.
Shocked, Tai turned to look at Izzy. "What was that for?"
"I know, I told you I didn't believe violence was the answer. But, Tai, you were being irrational. You weren't doing anything but agonizing over the fact that Agumon has been captured. That's not like you at all, and it doesn't help Agumon any. I had to do something, Tai."
"I forgive you, Izzy. Now what do you need me to do?"
"Sarran and Ashi, along with their Digimon, have listened to Slimon." Tai scowled, remembering his own encounter with Slimon. "They need your help, Tai."
"Let's go."
Tai and Izzy soon reached the sides of Sarran and Ashi. "Snap out of it," Izzy told Ashi. Ashi continued to stare into Slimon's eyes.
"We've tried everything we could, but nothing worked," Allison said.
"Well, it's our turn now," Tai countered. He looked at Sarran's vacant eyes. "I've got an idea."
"What is it," Taki asked.
"Just get Slimon's eyes off them."
Msaada nodded sharply. "You got it," Jihan said.
Sinceraurimon struck with his Fissure Drive. The ground split open, cracking in a long line that culminated between Slimon's feet. The reptilian Digimon leapt to one side, eyes still locked on Sarran and Ashi. "Drat, I missed," Sinceraurimon said.
Silabumon followed suit. "Lily Blaze!" Unfortunately, he hit a tree. "Oops!"
Determined to save her allies, Sibordemon attacked. "Iris Spear!" She threw the iris from behind her ear, only to have another appear in its place. She hit Slimon, but his eyes didn't move.
Siparmon leapt forward. "Cheetah Smash!" Slimon still didn't move his eyes.
"This isn't working," Vari said as Sidaraimon prepared to attack.
Sigeramon narrowed her eyes. "Star Flower Blast!" She tipped her head forward. From the Sincerity Star shot a narrow beam of green light. It struck Slimon squarely in the center of his chest. However, he still focused on Sarran and Ashi.
Sidaraimon reached out with one thick arm. "Needle Shot!" Needles flew from her palm to hit Slimon's left eye, blinding it. Slimon screamed in pain. Sarran started to come out of her trance, but not fully.
Tai looked into her grey eyes. "Sarran! Come on, I know you're sincere. You've been sincere about trying to save the Digiworld since you first came here. Don't listen to Slimon!"
"I have, haven't I?" Sarran's eyes cleared as she took hold of Glen's computer. "Power of Sincerity!"
"Trisermon Sincerity Star digivolve to...Sitrisermon."
Sitrisermon had needles in place of Trisermon's horns. The Sincerity Star was centered over the needles. It also formed stripes over each of her blue eyes. She was slender on her four legs.
Tai looked at the others. "Now we've gotten her out, so it's time to work on Ashi."
Silupimon smiled. "My turn," she said. She ran toward Slimon. "Bud Fire!" From what would be her ears shot plumes of fire. Her aim was less than perfect, as her attack shot into the sky.
"Go, Sitrisermon," Sarran yelled.
Sitrisermon tipped her head forward, frill of palm leaves protecting her neck. "Needle Blast!" Her three needles fired and hit Slimon's other eyes, completely blinding him. "Got 'em!" Ashi started to come out of his trance.
"Ashi! Snap out of it, Ashi," Izzy whispered.
Ashi, be sincere like you were. I know you've been sincere about saving the Digiworld," Sora said. "And I know you'll be sincere again."
"I've been sincere?" Ashi snapped out of his trance completely. He held Glen's computer as he yelled, "Power of Sincerity!"
"Sparromon Sincerity Star digivolve to...Sisparromon."
Sisparromon had red feathers. His long legs were perfect for running. He looked a lot like an ostrich. However, needles took the place of the bristles on his neck. The Sincerity Star had wrapped around his throat.
"Attack together," Sinceraurimon cried. "Fissure Drive!"
"Ice Breath!"
"Lily Blaze!"
"Poison Ivy!"
"Iris Spear!"
"Boom Bubble!"
"Cheetah Smash!"
"Lightning Claw!"
"Star Flower Blast!"
"Blue Blaster!"
"Needle Shot!"
"Marching Fishes!"
"Bud Fire!"
"Super Shocker!"
"Needle Blast!"
Sisparromon joined the others in their attack. "Slicing Petals!" Flower petals appeared and formed the shape of a bird. The petal pird streaked toward Slimon, cutting him when it hit.
"Spiral Twister!"
With Biyomon's attack, Slimon was destroyed. "Yes," Sarran cried.
Tai smiled. "I owe you one, Izzy. If you hadn't done what you did, we never would have won that last fight. Thanks."
"You're welcome."
Sarran and Ashi walked over to them. "Thanks for saving us," they said.
"No problem," Tai said. "After all, Digidestined must stick together."
Will Agumon be saved? Is the Master of Digimon bringing back destroyed Digimon from the past? How is digivolution being blocked? Tune in next time to find out.
