Part 1: Shadow
"Angemon?"
Taichi Kamiya stared at the angel-like digimon that had just saved his life. Well, where Angemon was, T.K. was, and where T.K. was, Kari and Sora were. Sure enough, the three emerged from the bushes. "I took care of them just like I said I would!" T.K. said happily.
"Good job!" Tai looked at the sky. The two dragons, Gigadramon and Megadramon, were gone. Hmm. Now for Machinedramon!
"You look better, Kari," Tai said. Kari smiled weakly. She felt a little better, that was for sure.
"They're leveling out the whole metropolis! We have to move!" Sora said. Tai nodded, watching the sky for the digimon. He was lucky, and maybe they wouldn't be so lucky next time. Izzy looked up when Tai tapped him on the shoulder.
"Certain people are busy," Izzy said, annoyed.
"Certain people have to go. Now. Namely us!" Sora said.
"I hope Matt's okay," T.K. whispered. Tai snapped to attention. Matt...had he been trapped by the disappearing forest? A digidestined...that would be horrible!
Tai was shaken, and they all noticed it. "I think it's time we joined up again," he said softly. "Everyone says we have to be together." Tai cast a worried glance at Kari. What would they do with a sick eight-year-old?
Tai suddenly remembered the aspirin he had brought and handed it to his sister. "Take this," he said.
Sora screamed and Tai looked up. A huge hole had been blasted in the street, and Machinedramon was rising out of it! Tai shouted, "Run!" and the five children dashed into a building.
"Giga Cannon!" the digimon said. A cannon blasted the building to bits.
"Tai! Help me, Tai!"
"Kari!" Tai yelled as they fell deeper. Tai tried to reach his sister, but he just couldn't get to her. Then everything went black...
Tai opened his eyes slowly. In the very dim light he could see Agumon staring anxiously at him. "We fall a lot," he whispered. "Miracle no one has a concussion."
Izzy shook Tai. "Get up. We're all here."
Tai shook his head and sat up. Kari, T.K, Sora, Izzy, and the digimon. That was everyone. Tai rubbed his head. "Agumon, where are we?"
"Here. Under the metropolis," Tentomon said.
"How do we get out?" Sora asked. She glanced at the unconscious eight-year-olds before adding softly, "Because, well, there doesn't seem to be a way."
"It's my fault we're here," Izzy moaned. "Now we'll all die."
"You bet it's your fault!" Tai said angrily. He grabbed Izzy. "Ya think you're so cool, well, I'll show you who's tough!" Sora and Biyomon grabbed Tai's arm just before he smacked Izzy. Izzy stared at Tai, who shook free of Sora.
"O-kay, Tai, you're being very violent now. What's up?"
"I'm under a lot of pressure, Izzy, so leave me alone!" Tai walked quickly away. Izzy shrugged.
"Flight!" Tai suddenly shouted. "They all fly when they digivolve!"
"Yeah!" Agumon said. "Unfortunately, we can't digivolve." Tai didn't bother to ask why.
After a while the three fell asleep. Tai woke up a few times, but he never stayed up for long. Kari was so pale, so lifeless. Tai only checked on her when he arose.
"Tai-i!"
Tai didn't stir when he heard the voice. "It's me, Tai!"
Finally, Tai opened his eyes. The sewer room they were in was a lot brighter. All the digimon were sleeping. Tai knelt beside Agumon. Agumon wouldn't sleep, not if no one else was awake...
A sharp music note startled Tai, and he whirled around. Someone in the darkness was playing a harmonica, and only one person in Digiworld had one...
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"It will happen tonight...."
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"Matt! You came back!"
A blond boy stepped out of the shadows and glared at his rival. "Come on, this way."
Tai blinked. "Whatever you say, dude, if it'll get us outta here." He picked up his sweet younger sister and woke Izzy with a gentle kick. "Matt's here, get up."
Moments later, Sora carrying T.K., the digidestined followed Matt through a tunnel. Tai couldn't stop hearing the tone in Matt's voice. Something weird was in it...
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"The unknown evil will send his servant to bring his victims..."
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Matt beckoned to his fellow digidestined. They followed him into a dark tunnel. Suddenly Tai heard Matt stop.
"Hill here. Watch your step." Tai heard Matt scramble over the hill. A few seconds later Matt's hand found Tai's and pulled him up. Tai held onto his sister, hoping that she would awaken soon. He grabbed Izzy, then Sora, and soon they were all over the hill. Matt continued on, toward a small light.
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"Then they will be made to sacrifice what is important to their survival..."
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The six finally climbed out of the tunnel and into a large room. Tai spotted Mimi and Joe nearby. "Yeah! We're all together again!"
All eight digimon stood silently against the wall. Tai was about to run over to Agumon when Matt said, "I need your crests. All of them."
"No way!" Joe cried. "Our crests are important! Right, Gomamon?"
The digimon made no move to answer. Matt held out his hand. "Now."
Seven of the digimon walked over to their digidestined partners. Tai gasped when Agumon grabbed his tag and crest. "What do you think you're doing?"
Likewise, the others took the crests and dropped them at Matt's feet. With an evil grin, he picked them up. "So, Tai, maybe-"
He was cut off by a shriek from Mimi. A shadow figure was forming on the high dais that stood before them.
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"And their greatest test will begin..."
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"Hey! It's my turn!" Matt shouted.
"You said I could have one," it replied.
"Not till I'm done. I've got the crests," Matt said.
Guilt, Tai realized. Guilt was in Matt's voice.
"Traitor," Tai hissed.
"This one first," the shadow said, reaching out to grasp Tai.
"No!" Matt yelled. "You can't take Tai, he's the leader!"
The shadow put the startled boy down and stretched out for T.K. Matt shook his head. "I thought you watched us. I'm only your servant, and I know more than you! T.K.'s my brother. Kari's too young, Izzy's the smartest one here, Mimi, well, you could have her, but she's too pretty to die."
Mimi blushed. "Thanks, Matt."
"Sora," Matt continued, "is our practical one, and Joe is the oldest." Matt smirked at the shadow. "Nope, none of them can be yours."
"Then you!"
"Exactly." Tai saw Matt reach into his pocket while he continued, "I'm not needed. I almost killed them! I don't even fit my crest anymore. So you can have me. I shoulda thought of that sooner, before I brought them..."
"Are you insane?" Tai asked. He looked at Matt, who now held his hand out behind his back. In his gloved fingers were eight pebbles, each a different color.
"So, are you gonna just sit around all day?" Matt asked as Tai inched closer. Suddenly, a Blue Blaster hit the ceiling. The shadow whirled around, and in that second Tai snatched the stones-and his crest. He took the orange stone and passed the rest to Sora.
While the others found their stones and Mimi pressed the pink and yellow pebbles into the unconscious young childrens' hands, Matt said, "Ah, I haven't introduced you! This is Gavinmon, my master." Sora tapped Tai gently on the shoulder and held out Matt's blue stone. Tai nodded, and in one smooth movement, pressed the final stone into Matt's palm. Then all eight began to glow. The light woke the youngest, who clutched the stones without knowing what they were doing.
Suddenly a warm voice whispered, "Transport," and the kids and their digimon disappeared.
"Ow!" Tai cried as he crashed into the ground at the foot of Spiral Mountain. Two stripes still formed it, one for Machinedramon and one for Piedmon. Tai looked around at his friends. They were all here. "Matt? What just happened?"
Matt smiled. "For once I know something you don't," he said. "Those stones belong half to us and half to another digimon. They're like our crests, only instead of a digivolution, the digimon gives us help."
"Interesting," Izzy said.
"Yeah, interesting you didn't find them!" Tai snarled.
"Tai, what's wrong with you?" Joe asked.
"He's been very fierce lately," Izzy explained.
T.K. blinked. "Matt? Is that really you?" he asked.
"Yeah, I just saved you guys." T.K. ran over to Matt while Tai glared at him.
"You brought us to what's-his-name in the first place!" Tai yelled. The others held him back.
"Tai, this isn't like you," Palmon said. "I remember, and you never used to yell at us."
"Lay off! Kari, how are you feeling?"
"My head hurts, Tai."
Sora quickly explained Kari's condition to the three who hadn't been there. Joe sighed. "We should have stuck together."
"Oh, no!" Mimi cried suddenly. "What happened to Ogremon?"
"Ogremon? Was he attacking you?" Tai asked.
"Are you crazy, Kamiya? He's traveling with them. Mimi saved his life. And you two can't forget about Gekomon and Otamamon," Matt said.
"How exactly did you know that?" Gomamon asked. Izzy shook his head and muttered something under his breath.
Later that night, Tai was still trying to piece together what had happened. He and Izzy had tried several times to get the truth out of Matt, but he always avoided it. Tai shook his head and stared at Matt, who was standing guard first. Then Tai fell asleep.
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Notes: So, did ya like it? Kinda weird...but I want to find out what else my brain can come up with! Be prepared for part two, very soon! Email me at: tuqei@yahoo.com with feedback. *laughs* If you have any...
