~*~DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything associated with "Digimon: Digital Monsters". This story is written for entertainment purposes only; no infringement of copyright is intended or should be inferred. Onward, happy campers. ~*~
They were trapped on a narrow rock ledge, a seemingly endless drop before them and a thousand feet of solid rock behind. The digimon had wasted no time in digivolving to their champion forms to battle the vicious reptilian creatures who'd appeared to attack the children, and a fierce fight was now underway. Izzy, using the analyser Gennai had installed into his laptop, had figured out that the new digimon were called Raptormon, savage predators native to the jungles of this area. They always travelled and hunted in packs, and a group of them had apparently been trailing the Digi-Destined for several miles, finally making their presence known here on the mountainside, where the kids had nowhere to run.
The Raptormon appeared to be surprised at the presence of seven very large and very angry guardian digimon, but after only a moment's hesitation they surged forward, jagged maws gaping wide, hissing threateningly. Garurumon took out two with a blast of icy breath, sending them hurtling over the cliffside to their deaths. Three of the creatures latched onto Sonic, biting and clawing, but his thick fur prevented them from causing any damage; a few well-aimed bursts of electricity from Ex-veemon quickly rid the shaggy sea creature of their presence.
The children pressed close to the mountainside to watch the fight. Psydro, as usual, had positioned himself to the fore of the group, cheering on Dyno as the monstrous orange reptile Nova Blasted another raptor. Davis was close behind him, observing Birdramon's overhead manoeuvers with serious eyes; beside her, Mimi clasped her hands together worriedly. Joe was practically clinging to the rock wall, looking characteristically tense, while Izzy was hurriedly trying to put away his laptop and keep an eye on the battle. At the rear, Matt huddled with TK, the younger boy wide-eyed as he took in the activity before him.
Mayko winced as three of the raptors tackled Kyuubimon, slamming her into the rock wall. Distracted, she fumbled as he tried to shift her knapsack onto his shoulders; the bag holding her laptop and other equipment slipped to the ground. The boy turned to retrieve it, his eyes catching a glimpse of movement not far away. He froze into a crouch as a sick feeling of dread filled him.
Only a few yards behind Matt and TK was another raptor, its teeth bared in a silent snarl as it crept up on its prey. The boys were too engrossed in the battle playing out in front of them to take notice.
Almost before he knew what he was doing, Izzy leaped toward them, shouting a warning.
"Matt, behind you! Look ou - "
His cry was cut off as the raptor slashed wildly at the approaching interloper with its gleaming talons. The blow caught Izzy across the chest, and the boy stumbled, clutching at his torn body and gasping in pain. Growling furiously, the raptor whirled, lashing at Izzy with its tail. Already off balance, Izzy received a crushing blow to the ribs; he found himself hurtling dizzily through the air before managing to find a precarious hold on the edge of the cliff.
Matt stared in horror at the spot where the younger boy hung by his fingertips. He moved to aid his companion, torn between protecting TK and saving Izzy, when a low snarl caused him to look up into the leering amber eyes of the raptor. It lunged forward, and Matt curled himself around his brother, feeling a blast of hot breath on his cheek...
The raptor never reached its mark. Garurumon leaped to his partner's defence, roaring in fury as he sank his fangs into the reptile's leathery hide. Matt took advantage of the distraction to scramble on his hands and knees to the edge of the cliff. His frantic blue eyes stared into the dark, frightened gaze of Izzy. The boy's face was contorted into a mask of pain, and Matt could see a dark stain spreading across the tattered remains of his shirt.
"Matt..." Izzy wheezed, his voice strained.
"Hang on, Izzy!" Matt cursed his poor choice of words, reaching towards the smaller boy. "Give me your hand and I'll pull you up! C'mon, you can do it!"
Trembling with the effort, Izzy strained to grasp Matt's extended hand. The blond-haired boy grabbed Izzy by the wrist, his grip tenuous at best.
"Please don't let go," Izzy moaned, tears forming in his eyes.
"You'll be all right, I promise..." Matt leaned forward, preparing to take hold of his other arm.
To his right, the raptor bellowed in pain and contorted his body wildly, trying to disengage the infuriated wolf. With a burst of sudden agility, it threw off its attacker, sending Garurumon flying. His considerable bulk slammed into the mountainside, and a wildly flailing paw clipped Matt in the chest. With a startled yelp, Matt was jerked backwards, losing his hold on Izzy. With a cold shock of horror, Matt felt the other boy's fingers slip through his, heard his terrified scream echoing off the rock walls...
"IZZY!"
Two voices cried out at once - those of Matt and Kabuterimon. The winged digimon still had two of the raptors to contend with, and the other guardians were similarly occupied. Kabuterimon's attempts to fly to his partner's aid were foiled by the persistent Raptormon; he fought wildly, aiming his Electro Shocker at them again and again, until his body suddenly stiffened, surrounded by a sphere of glowing white light. His shriek of pain and anguish caused all present to halt their activities and look up in time to see Kabuterimon disappear and Motimon take his place. The tiny pink digimon slumped to the ground, silent and still.
"Harpoon Torpedo!" A barrage of missiles peppered the lurking Raptormon, sending one diving off the cliff and the other streaking homeward, abandoning the fight.
"Howling Blaster!" Garurumon, recovering quickly, poured all his anger into one final attack, striking the remaining beast head-on. Reeling under the attack, the raptor stumbled blindly to the edge of the narrow trail, lost its footing and after a moment of furious scrabbling, pitched forward and plummeted to its doom.
Matt stared after it in shock. "What happened to Izzy? We gotta get down there!"
"We're on it!" Sora leaped onto Birdramon's leg as the huge phoenix folded her wings and dove into the swirling mists, her body an arrow dropping parallel to the cliffside.
Several tense moments passed. The remaining five digimon reverted to their normal forms, and Palmon and Agumon rushed to Motimon's side. No one spoke a word.
The whoosh of fiery wings heralded Birdramon's return. The giant avian rose into view, her expression as unreadable as always; she settled carefully onto the ledge, gently depositing the still form of Izzy and a very shaken Sora.
All eyes were on the auburn-haired girl as she stepped off her mount, trembling as though she might fall apart any second. She stared straight ahead, her eyes huge and unseeing, and she gestured aimlessly towards the inert body nearby before dropping to her knees to throw her arms around a now de-digivolved Biyomon.
The group switched its gaze to Izzy. His eyes were fixed, staring, devoid of their usual spark of life; his battered body was limp and unmoving; blood still seeped fitfully from the three long gashes across his chest and trickled from his mouth and nose. He was so still and silent; the only movement was the result of the wind ruffling his hair and tugging at his clothes, almost mockingly. It whispered an eerie, haunting tune as the reality of the situation began to sink in.
Tai could only stare numbly at the space in front of him. Mimi covered her face, weeping softly. Joe turned away, retching, and TK - looking frightened and confused - looked to his brother for some sort of explanation.
"No..." Matt stepped forward, gazing at his lifeless companion. "Oh no, God, no...he can't be..." Shock and horror turned to anger. "He can't be!" His hands clenched into fists and he threw his head back, screaming at the heavens. "BRING HIM BACK! DO YOU HEAR ME?! BRING HIM *BACK*!!!"
Sora rose, stepping in front of him and placing her hands on his arms. "Matt. Matt!" she shouted, and he fell silent, staring at her. Tears streamed unchecked down her cheeks, but otherwise she seemed amazingly calm. "That won't do any good, Matt. He's gone."
The blond boy regarded her a moment longer. Fury warred with despair in his deep blue eyes; finally, he turned away and wrapped his arms around himself, shoulders shaking with barely-stifled sobs. "He was trying to warn us," he choked, squeezing his eyes shut to keep at bay the tears that threatened to fall. "It should've been me, not him. Should've been me..." Sora said nothing, covering her mouth with a hand as her own tears continued to flow.
TK's lower lip began to quiver. Something was upsetting Matt, and that was upsetting him. He looked over at Patamon, but the little rodent-like digimon seemed as confused as TK himself. The boy climbed to his feet and headed over to stand by Tai.
"Tai?" The brown-haired boy snapped out of his trance at the sound of his name. He glanced down as TK continued, "What's wrong with Izzy? He's gonna be okay, isn't he?"
Tai swallowed around an enormous lump in his throat, then knelt down to look TK in the eye. He wanted with all his heart to believe Izzy would be all right, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to the boy standing before him, regarding him with anxious, questioning eyes. "No, TK. Izzy...Izzy's not going to be okay. He's...dead."
"Dead?" TK's eyes welled up with tears.
Tai nodded sorrowfully. "He's gone and he's never coming back. I'm sorry." He wasn't sure why he apologised, but it seemed to be the least he could do. Unexpectedly, he wrapped his arms around the little boy, drawing comfort as much as giving it.
The digimon were growing concerned. They were not familiar with the concept of death, and they were not sure why their human companions were so upset, but they knew that something very bad had happened to Izzy and Motimon. The little digimon had not stirred ever since his sudden de-digivolution; they were aware that he and Izzy shared life forces, but none of them had ever really thought about what might happen if those life forces should ever run out. Gabumon was the most distressed of all; he'd never seen Matt so emotional, not even when the group had been separated and he'd been trudging through a blizzard looking for TK.
"What is wrong with them?" He turned to Biyomon, his brow furrowed and his crimson eyes flashing with worry.
"Maybe they're all sick," Gomamon suggested, rubbing Joe's back with his claws, but even that usually light-hearted digimon could tell something much worse was afflicting their friends.
"Not sick," Palmon murmured, cradling Motimon in her arms and gazing worriedly at the distraught Mimi. "Something more. I just wish I knew what."
__________________________________________________________________
Nobody slept that night. They had not bothered to start a fire or find somewhere safe to camp; as night fell and the temperature dropped, the remaining Digi-Destined huddled together, seeking warmth, comfort and reassurance. Only Matt refused to join them; he distanced himself from the group, his face anguished and drawn. TK had managed to doze off wedged between Tain and Mimi, who did not mind his warm presence pressed close to their sides. The group were wide awake, but nobody spoke; not even Gomamon had the heart to crack a joke and try to cheer up his companions. The only sound was that of the wind howling through the mountain pass, punctuated occasionally by a choked sob.
Several hours after moonrise, with everyone wrapped in their own morose thoughts, a glow began to fill the air. It solidified into a column of shimmering rainbow light, and a figure materialised inside it. Gennai regarded the somber, withdrawn figures with concern.
"I'd say good evening, kids, but if I'm not mistaken this evening is anything but good. What happened?"
Tai stared at the hologram dully for a moment before clambering to his feet and storming over to the luminescent column. "What's wrong? You have the nerve to show up now and ask what's *wrong*?" he shouted, his voice growing shrill. "Izzy's *dead*, that's what's wrong! Look!" He jabbed a finger at the shadowy form several feet away. Nobody had bothered to move the body, since no one really had any idea what to do with it, although they had laid Motimon by his human's side.
Gennai turned his head to take in the scene, his eyebrows raising a bit but his expression otherwise steady. "Oh my," he murmured. "This is bad news, isn't it?"
Tai gaped at him. "Bad news? Gee, ya think?" His tone dripped sarcasm. "Look, if you don't have anything helpful to say, why don't you just go to - "
"Now hold on there!" Gennai cut him off sharply. "It just turns out I do have something helpful to say, so listen up."
The old man now had everyone's attention, even Matt's, although the brooding adolescent remained where he was sitting and did not join the rest of the group in a huddle around Gennai's holographic transmission. "There's a legend passed on through generations of digimon regarding an enchanted pool," he told the kids. "This pool is said to have regenerative powers that can cure any illness, heal any injury, even restore life to the deceased."
"But it's just a legend," Joe pointed out, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "A legend's not going to do us much good."
"It's all we've got to work with, Joe," Tai snapped, glaring at him. Turning back to Gennai, he demanded, "Tell us where this pool is and we're there."
"I'm afraid it's not that easy," Gennai cautioned him. "The exact location is unknown, and it's said to be protected by a fierce guardian."
"But if you can tell us the general direction it's in, I'm sure we can find it, with your help," Sora said.
"And any guardians had better just stay out of our way," Tai added in a growl.
"You're sure you want to do this?" Gennai questioned, though he must surely have known the answer already. "It's bound to be dangerous."
"It always is, isn't it?" sighed Joe.
"We'll do whatever it takes." Matt appeared, his eyes hard and his expression unwavering. "We're not gonna give up Izzy that easily."
Gennai looked round at the kids and saw that they were all in agreement, even Joe. "Very well," he relented. "We'll get started first thing in the morning. After you've gotten some rest - "
"How can we sleep at a time like this?" Matt protested, clenching his fists.
"You'll need to conserve all the energy you possibly can," said Gennai firmly, and something in his voice told Matt that there was to be no arguing on this point. "When all of you are rested and clear-headed, I'll give you all the information you need. Now," and his voice grew gentler, "why don't you try to get some sleep. There's a small cave not too far away that should keep you all warm until morning."
Tai glanced over at the body. "But we can't - "
"He'll be all right for now." Gennai tried to smile, though he sounded genuinely sad. "Go now. I'll talk to all of you in the morning."
__________________________________________________________________
His shoulders burned and his back ached. Pulling the litter that bore Izzy's body was exhausting work, but Matt didn't complain. Gennai had awakened the children early that morning to give them instructions on reaching the Healing Pool, which he said was located in the dense jungle southwest of the mountain. Biyomon used the last of her energy to digivolve into Birdramon and transport the Digi-Destined to the base of the mountain; from there on, the journey would have to be made on foot. The children and digimon had gathered sturdy bamboo stalks and broad, heavy leaves to construct a stretcher for Izzy and Motimon which the kids agreed to take turns dragging behind them.
The heat in the jungle was moist and oppressive, and sweat ran in rivulets down Matt's face, dripping off his chin. He'd been pulling the travois all morning, and a couple of times Sora suggested he let someone else take over or that he at least stop for a rest before he killed himself, but he had curtly refused. Finally, Sora took matters into her own hands, claiming that she needed a break from the heat. Tai shot her an odd look, thinking such a request was rather unlike her, but one look at Matt's flushed face convinced him to do as she asked.
Matt didn't realise how tired he was until he got a chance to sit down; as he lowered the long poles of the stretcher to the ground and eased himself onto a mossy rock nearby, his various aches and pains came leaping out at him, crying for attention. Matt winced and gingerly rubbed a shoulder, glancing round at his travelling companions. They all looked exhausted, physically and emotionally, although the notion of the Healing Pool had taken some of the edge off of their despair. The digimon were reflecting their humans' demeanor; there was none of the amiable chatter amidst the group that usually ensued during the long hikes, and the empathic creatures seemed tense and on edge.
Gabumon sidled up to Matt and settled himself on the ground by his side; he said nothing, lending his calm and comforting presence to his partner, and the pair sat in silence for several minutes.
A rustling in the undergrowth before them caused everyone to startle and jump to their feet, the digimon forming a protective line of defense in front of the children. The broad leaves of a low-growing plant parted, and from behind them emerged a small, vaguely reptilian creature about two and a half feet in length. Clutched in its jaws was the small pink body of what appeared to have once been a Koromon. It paused only briefly to hiss at the children and digimon, the sound muffled by the carcass in its mouth, before scuttling off to disappear into the foilage once more.
The group relaxed slightly, save for Agumon, who looked somewhat ill. Tai gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, then glanced over at Sora. "We'd better get moving," he called to the others. "I'll take care of Izzy," he told Matt. The taller boy started to protest, but as he stood up his aching muscles convinced him to remain silent on the matter and take Tai up on his offer.
Gennai visited the children again late that evening as they prepared to bed down for the night. "If the information regarding the legend hasn't gotten too muddled over the years," he told them, "you should reach the Pool sometime tomorrow." The announcement brought a number of relieved sighs. "In the meantime, how are you all doing?"
Tai shrugged at the image. "Okay, I guess," he replied with a quick glance around at his bone-weary troops. "I think we'll all feel a lot better once we find that pool and get Izzy taken care of."
Gennai nodded. "Only remember that the Pool's guardian might not take kindly to trespassers," he warned. "Or if he does agree to let you use his pond, he might require something in return. The price may be very high."
"Whatever it is, we'll pay it," Tai assured him with his usual bravado.
"Very well. I'd best let you all get some sleep. Good luck, kids."
__________________________________________________________________
Matt jerked himself awake. His was the last watch of the night; it was nearly sunrise, and he'd somehow managed to nod off during his shift. Shaking his head to clear it, he looked quickly round to make sure nothing was wrong. His eyes automatically picked out TK, curled up with Patamon near the dying embers of the fire they had lit to scare away predators. It seemed Matt was the only one awake.
Stretching his arms over his head, Matt glanced over to his right, towards the spot where they'd set the travois down last night. He stiffened and curled back his lip at the sight that greeted his eyes, then grabbed a rock and darted over to the litter.
Three of the small scavenger-lizards they'd come across yesterday were sniffing at the corpse, having managed to paw away the layer of leaves that had been used to cover Izzy's body. One of the lizards was getting entirely too close to Motimon's tiny carcass, and with a snarl of fury, Matt heaved the rock at the reptile's head. The projectile missed its mark, hitting the ground with a *thud*, but it did serve to scare the scavengers away, and they scuttled into the undergrowth, emitting squeaks of alarm.
Chest heaving, Matt glanced down at the travois and its contents. Apparently no harm had been done; another couple of minutes and he would've been too late. He cursed himself silently. If he hadn't fallen asleep he would have seen the lizards before they got anywhere near the body. Figuring he'd better get the leaves rearranged before anyone else woke up and discovered his mistake, Matt knelt to gather up the fronds, but caught himself staring at the husk before him.
Izzy looked so little and vulnerable, just lying there; somebody, he couldn't remember who, had closed the boy's eyes before moving him down the mountain, so now it almost looked as though he were just sleeping. His skin was pale from blood loss, though, and - although Matt hadn't gotten up nerve enough to touch the body since they'd transferred it to the litter - he suspected it was probably growing stiff.
A hand on his shoulder caused Matt to jump in fright and whirl around. Tai was standing there, staring at Matt staring at the body. The blond boy made a sound of disgust and glared at Tai. "What are you doing up?"
"I heard a noise. What happened?"
Matt had no desire to admit he'd fallen asleep on the job, but it looked like he was caught. "I dozed off and some of those lizard-things tried to..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the thought.
Rather than rub Matt's face in his mistake, however, Tai only nodded, following Matt's gaze to the uncovered body. "No harm done, though. Right?"
"Nope." Matt knelt and began to replace the leaves.
"It wasn't your fault, Matt. It wasn't anybody's fault. Bad stuff happens, y'know?"
Matt paused. He expected to feel angry, insulted, but instead he merely felt drained. "Yeah," he agreed half-heartedly. "Stuff happens."
Tai watched him cover Izzy, then squinted up at the sky. "Sun's up. Guess we'd better get started." He moved away to rouse the others, leaving Matt alone with his muddled feelings.
_________________________________________________________________
"Is this it?" Sora wiped her brow and peered up at what appeared to be a haphazard piling of rocks. However, from what little description Gennai had been able to give them, the Healing Pool was concealed inside some sort of temple, and this vine-shrouded structure seemed to fit the bill.
"Let's hope so," Joe commented, leaning against a stray boulder. "I'm pooped."
Tai lowered his end of the travios with a grunt. "You haven't been pulling this thing for the past three hours," he muttered. Rotating his stiff shoulders, he approached the pile of rocks and began searching for an opening. "How do we get in?" he asked no one in particular.
"We could try this way," Mimi said brightly, drawing the group's attention to a narrow crevice half-covered in foliage.
The crack was barely wide enough to admit the travois, now being dragged by Joe. The group found themselves in a cramped tunnel whose ceiling was scant inches above their heads. Everyone was on the alert, and the digimon kept glancing around warily, testing the air for scents or sounds that might indicate trouble.
Tai felt his way along the wall, following the rough-hewn rock as it rounded a corner. He shielded his eyes from a sudden glare. "Hey, there's a light at the end of this tunnel," he quipped.
The others crowded behind him to see for themselves what lay ahead, and drew in a collective breath of awe. Before them was a surprisingly spacious rock cavern, its walls covered in moss and clinging vines. A tiny gap in the ceiling allowed a ray of sunlight, filtered through the jungle canopy, to shine down into the cove. Reflecting the luminence into a dappled pattern on the roof and walls of the stone room was a tiny pool which fairly glowed with a brilliant sapphire aura.
"That must be it," Tai murmured, then gestured to his companions. "Come on!"
"Remember what Gennai said about there being a guardian?" Joe reminded them, cautiously manoeuvering the litter down the gentle slope leading into the cavern. "Shouldn't we be running into him about now? I mean it never fails, we get *this* close to our goal and then something bad happens..."
"Oh Joe, you worry too much!" Mimi teased him.
"Nonetheless, my dear, I'm afraid your friend is right," intoned a low, sinuous voice. The children froze, and their digimon circled round them, glancing up and all around for the source of the sound. A low chuckle met their actions. "Don't bother trying to use any of your attacks on me," the voice continued, nonchalantly. "This is a magic place, and your powers are useless here."
"Come on out and we'll just see about that!" Tai shouted, his eyes flashing.
"As you wish." A figure seemed to coalesce from the shifting miasma of light and dark rippling across the ceiling. It was clothed in a grey-blue cloak with a hood that concealed its face; two glowing eyes of electric blue peered out unblinking at the group of strangers huddled near the tunnel. It seemed to float several feet above the ground on a cloud of mist which obscured its lower half. In its gloved hands it clutched a staff adorned with enigmatic symbols.
"I am Azurmon," he announced, drifting towards the children and Digimon, "and I think you trespassers owe me an explanation."
"Stay back!" Matt shouted, darting in front of TK.
The wraith-like Digimon did not obey. "You dare to command me in my own fortress?" he questioned, sounding more amused than indignant. Continuing his advance, he repeated his request. "What are you doing here? You are trespassing."
"Blue Blaster!"
"Pepper Breath!"
Gabumon and Agumon leaped forward to defend their friends from the advancing stranger, but when they opened their mouths to attack, nothing happened. At the expressions of confusion and alarm on their faces, however, Azurmon halted his approach. "I told you," he reminded them casually, "I've put a spell on this place that prevents any intruders" - he emphasized the last word - "from trying to attack me. Maybe now you'll answer my question. I've tried to be polite but I do have a finite amount of patience."
Sora stepped to the fore. "We need to use your Healing Pool," she told Azurmon, gesturing for Joe to bring the litter forward. "Our friends are... Well, they need your help."
Azurmon glanced at the shrouded bodies and regarded Sora silently, as though considering her request. "Why should I let you use my Pool after you've come barging in uninvited and tried to attack me?"
"We're sorry about that, really, but you've *got* to help us. We need your Pool to bring our friends back to life. Please," she added, desperation edging her voice.
Silence settled over the cove as Azurmon pondered her words. Finally, he spoke. "I require two things of you," he began.
"Anything, just name it!" Tai interjected.
The guardian glared at him. "Make that three things, the first being that you not interrupt me when I'm trying to help you," he continued, and the group threw warning looks at the abashed Tai. "Bring me each of the following things, and you shall have the use of my Healing Pool to aid your friends. One, the bloom of a swamp cactus, which grows in the marshes just west of here. Two, a handful of soil from the Garden of Springs Eternal. Return here with these items and your companions will be restored. I encourage you to think carefully about this, however, before blindly agreeing to anything. Feel free to discuss it amongst yourselves. I'm not going anywhere." True to his word, he floated back a few paces and hovered there, his arms crossed patiently.
Tai turned to the others. "Sounds easy enough," he commented, shrugging. "I say we go for it!"
"I wish you wouldn't say things like that," Joe moaned. "It's never that easy. It's bound to be dangerous."
"It's Izzy's only chance," Matt responded fiercely. "Still, I don't want TK to go. He can stay here with Patamon."
"Matt, I wanna help!" the youngest boy insisted. "Please, Matt, you gotta let me come!"
"No, TK," his brother insisted, fixing him with a stern look. "You'll be safer here - "
"Where Patamon can't defend him from that guy?" Tai jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the silent Azurmon.
"He can wait for us outside or something, but he is *not* going with us! End of discussion!" he added when TK started to protest again.
"But we're definitely going," Sora confirmed. "We ought to split up into teams to save time."
"Sora, you and Joe stick with me," Tai said. "Matt, you and Gabumon can take Mimi and Palmon to that garden thing and get the handful of dirt." To her credit, Mimi did not comment on the prospect of picking up dirt.
That decided, Tai turned back to face Azurmon. "We'll do it," he reported. "Tell us where to go."
Azurmon nodded, then waved his staff towards one wall. "You will find the swamp cactus in this direction," he said, as a door appeared leading out into the jungle. He gestured to the far wall, and another portal materialised, revealing a narrow path cleared in the midst of the rainforest. "The Garden is that way. But I must warn you that your digimon will not be able to protect you with their fancy attacks, for any land accessed through this chamber is as enchanted as this very room. And leaving someone behind here - besides your sleeping friend, that is - " He nodded towards Izzy " - would be a very bad idea. You'll need to rely on each other to accomplish these tasks, and everyone's help will be needed." Azurmon fixed his blue gaze on Matt and TK.
The blond boy frowned deeply, then looked down at his brother. TK's expression was poignant, hopeful. "All right. TK's with Mimi and I." The younger boy beamed with happiness and exchanged an excited glance with Patamon.
"Okay. Let's do it!" Tai, Sora, Joe and their respective digimon stepped over to the first portal, heading into the dense jungle foliage with determination. Matt hesitated, turning to give Izzy one last look before continuing on his way.
"Hang in there, pal," he murmured, and taking hold of TK's hand, began following the jungle trail.
They were trapped on a narrow rock ledge, a seemingly endless drop before them and a thousand feet of solid rock behind. The digimon had wasted no time in digivolving to their champion forms to battle the vicious reptilian creatures who'd appeared to attack the children, and a fierce fight was now underway. Izzy, using the analyser Gennai had installed into his laptop, had figured out that the new digimon were called Raptormon, savage predators native to the jungles of this area. They always travelled and hunted in packs, and a group of them had apparently been trailing the Digi-Destined for several miles, finally making their presence known here on the mountainside, where the kids had nowhere to run.
The Raptormon appeared to be surprised at the presence of seven very large and very angry guardian digimon, but after only a moment's hesitation they surged forward, jagged maws gaping wide, hissing threateningly. Garurumon took out two with a blast of icy breath, sending them hurtling over the cliffside to their deaths. Three of the creatures latched onto Sonic, biting and clawing, but his thick fur prevented them from causing any damage; a few well-aimed bursts of electricity from Ex-veemon quickly rid the shaggy sea creature of their presence.
The children pressed close to the mountainside to watch the fight. Psydro, as usual, had positioned himself to the fore of the group, cheering on Dyno as the monstrous orange reptile Nova Blasted another raptor. Davis was close behind him, observing Birdramon's overhead manoeuvers with serious eyes; beside her, Mimi clasped her hands together worriedly. Joe was practically clinging to the rock wall, looking characteristically tense, while Izzy was hurriedly trying to put away his laptop and keep an eye on the battle. At the rear, Matt huddled with TK, the younger boy wide-eyed as he took in the activity before him.
Mayko winced as three of the raptors tackled Kyuubimon, slamming her into the rock wall. Distracted, she fumbled as he tried to shift her knapsack onto his shoulders; the bag holding her laptop and other equipment slipped to the ground. The boy turned to retrieve it, his eyes catching a glimpse of movement not far away. He froze into a crouch as a sick feeling of dread filled him.
Only a few yards behind Matt and TK was another raptor, its teeth bared in a silent snarl as it crept up on its prey. The boys were too engrossed in the battle playing out in front of them to take notice.
Almost before he knew what he was doing, Izzy leaped toward them, shouting a warning.
"Matt, behind you! Look ou - "
His cry was cut off as the raptor slashed wildly at the approaching interloper with its gleaming talons. The blow caught Izzy across the chest, and the boy stumbled, clutching at his torn body and gasping in pain. Growling furiously, the raptor whirled, lashing at Izzy with its tail. Already off balance, Izzy received a crushing blow to the ribs; he found himself hurtling dizzily through the air before managing to find a precarious hold on the edge of the cliff.
Matt stared in horror at the spot where the younger boy hung by his fingertips. He moved to aid his companion, torn between protecting TK and saving Izzy, when a low snarl caused him to look up into the leering amber eyes of the raptor. It lunged forward, and Matt curled himself around his brother, feeling a blast of hot breath on his cheek...
The raptor never reached its mark. Garurumon leaped to his partner's defence, roaring in fury as he sank his fangs into the reptile's leathery hide. Matt took advantage of the distraction to scramble on his hands and knees to the edge of the cliff. His frantic blue eyes stared into the dark, frightened gaze of Izzy. The boy's face was contorted into a mask of pain, and Matt could see a dark stain spreading across the tattered remains of his shirt.
"Matt..." Izzy wheezed, his voice strained.
"Hang on, Izzy!" Matt cursed his poor choice of words, reaching towards the smaller boy. "Give me your hand and I'll pull you up! C'mon, you can do it!"
Trembling with the effort, Izzy strained to grasp Matt's extended hand. The blond-haired boy grabbed Izzy by the wrist, his grip tenuous at best.
"Please don't let go," Izzy moaned, tears forming in his eyes.
"You'll be all right, I promise..." Matt leaned forward, preparing to take hold of his other arm.
To his right, the raptor bellowed in pain and contorted his body wildly, trying to disengage the infuriated wolf. With a burst of sudden agility, it threw off its attacker, sending Garurumon flying. His considerable bulk slammed into the mountainside, and a wildly flailing paw clipped Matt in the chest. With a startled yelp, Matt was jerked backwards, losing his hold on Izzy. With a cold shock of horror, Matt felt the other boy's fingers slip through his, heard his terrified scream echoing off the rock walls...
"IZZY!"
Two voices cried out at once - those of Matt and Kabuterimon. The winged digimon still had two of the raptors to contend with, and the other guardians were similarly occupied. Kabuterimon's attempts to fly to his partner's aid were foiled by the persistent Raptormon; he fought wildly, aiming his Electro Shocker at them again and again, until his body suddenly stiffened, surrounded by a sphere of glowing white light. His shriek of pain and anguish caused all present to halt their activities and look up in time to see Kabuterimon disappear and Motimon take his place. The tiny pink digimon slumped to the ground, silent and still.
"Harpoon Torpedo!" A barrage of missiles peppered the lurking Raptormon, sending one diving off the cliff and the other streaking homeward, abandoning the fight.
"Howling Blaster!" Garurumon, recovering quickly, poured all his anger into one final attack, striking the remaining beast head-on. Reeling under the attack, the raptor stumbled blindly to the edge of the narrow trail, lost its footing and after a moment of furious scrabbling, pitched forward and plummeted to its doom.
Matt stared after it in shock. "What happened to Izzy? We gotta get down there!"
"We're on it!" Sora leaped onto Birdramon's leg as the huge phoenix folded her wings and dove into the swirling mists, her body an arrow dropping parallel to the cliffside.
Several tense moments passed. The remaining five digimon reverted to their normal forms, and Palmon and Agumon rushed to Motimon's side. No one spoke a word.
The whoosh of fiery wings heralded Birdramon's return. The giant avian rose into view, her expression as unreadable as always; she settled carefully onto the ledge, gently depositing the still form of Izzy and a very shaken Sora.
All eyes were on the auburn-haired girl as she stepped off her mount, trembling as though she might fall apart any second. She stared straight ahead, her eyes huge and unseeing, and she gestured aimlessly towards the inert body nearby before dropping to her knees to throw her arms around a now de-digivolved Biyomon.
The group switched its gaze to Izzy. His eyes were fixed, staring, devoid of their usual spark of life; his battered body was limp and unmoving; blood still seeped fitfully from the three long gashes across his chest and trickled from his mouth and nose. He was so still and silent; the only movement was the result of the wind ruffling his hair and tugging at his clothes, almost mockingly. It whispered an eerie, haunting tune as the reality of the situation began to sink in.
Tai could only stare numbly at the space in front of him. Mimi covered her face, weeping softly. Joe turned away, retching, and TK - looking frightened and confused - looked to his brother for some sort of explanation.
"No..." Matt stepped forward, gazing at his lifeless companion. "Oh no, God, no...he can't be..." Shock and horror turned to anger. "He can't be!" His hands clenched into fists and he threw his head back, screaming at the heavens. "BRING HIM BACK! DO YOU HEAR ME?! BRING HIM *BACK*!!!"
Sora rose, stepping in front of him and placing her hands on his arms. "Matt. Matt!" she shouted, and he fell silent, staring at her. Tears streamed unchecked down her cheeks, but otherwise she seemed amazingly calm. "That won't do any good, Matt. He's gone."
The blond boy regarded her a moment longer. Fury warred with despair in his deep blue eyes; finally, he turned away and wrapped his arms around himself, shoulders shaking with barely-stifled sobs. "He was trying to warn us," he choked, squeezing his eyes shut to keep at bay the tears that threatened to fall. "It should've been me, not him. Should've been me..." Sora said nothing, covering her mouth with a hand as her own tears continued to flow.
TK's lower lip began to quiver. Something was upsetting Matt, and that was upsetting him. He looked over at Patamon, but the little rodent-like digimon seemed as confused as TK himself. The boy climbed to his feet and headed over to stand by Tai.
"Tai?" The brown-haired boy snapped out of his trance at the sound of his name. He glanced down as TK continued, "What's wrong with Izzy? He's gonna be okay, isn't he?"
Tai swallowed around an enormous lump in his throat, then knelt down to look TK in the eye. He wanted with all his heart to believe Izzy would be all right, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to the boy standing before him, regarding him with anxious, questioning eyes. "No, TK. Izzy...Izzy's not going to be okay. He's...dead."
"Dead?" TK's eyes welled up with tears.
Tai nodded sorrowfully. "He's gone and he's never coming back. I'm sorry." He wasn't sure why he apologised, but it seemed to be the least he could do. Unexpectedly, he wrapped his arms around the little boy, drawing comfort as much as giving it.
The digimon were growing concerned. They were not familiar with the concept of death, and they were not sure why their human companions were so upset, but they knew that something very bad had happened to Izzy and Motimon. The little digimon had not stirred ever since his sudden de-digivolution; they were aware that he and Izzy shared life forces, but none of them had ever really thought about what might happen if those life forces should ever run out. Gabumon was the most distressed of all; he'd never seen Matt so emotional, not even when the group had been separated and he'd been trudging through a blizzard looking for TK.
"What is wrong with them?" He turned to Biyomon, his brow furrowed and his crimson eyes flashing with worry.
"Maybe they're all sick," Gomamon suggested, rubbing Joe's back with his claws, but even that usually light-hearted digimon could tell something much worse was afflicting their friends.
"Not sick," Palmon murmured, cradling Motimon in her arms and gazing worriedly at the distraught Mimi. "Something more. I just wish I knew what."
__________________________________________________________________
Nobody slept that night. They had not bothered to start a fire or find somewhere safe to camp; as night fell and the temperature dropped, the remaining Digi-Destined huddled together, seeking warmth, comfort and reassurance. Only Matt refused to join them; he distanced himself from the group, his face anguished and drawn. TK had managed to doze off wedged between Tain and Mimi, who did not mind his warm presence pressed close to their sides. The group were wide awake, but nobody spoke; not even Gomamon had the heart to crack a joke and try to cheer up his companions. The only sound was that of the wind howling through the mountain pass, punctuated occasionally by a choked sob.
Several hours after moonrise, with everyone wrapped in their own morose thoughts, a glow began to fill the air. It solidified into a column of shimmering rainbow light, and a figure materialised inside it. Gennai regarded the somber, withdrawn figures with concern.
"I'd say good evening, kids, but if I'm not mistaken this evening is anything but good. What happened?"
Tai stared at the hologram dully for a moment before clambering to his feet and storming over to the luminescent column. "What's wrong? You have the nerve to show up now and ask what's *wrong*?" he shouted, his voice growing shrill. "Izzy's *dead*, that's what's wrong! Look!" He jabbed a finger at the shadowy form several feet away. Nobody had bothered to move the body, since no one really had any idea what to do with it, although they had laid Motimon by his human's side.
Gennai turned his head to take in the scene, his eyebrows raising a bit but his expression otherwise steady. "Oh my," he murmured. "This is bad news, isn't it?"
Tai gaped at him. "Bad news? Gee, ya think?" His tone dripped sarcasm. "Look, if you don't have anything helpful to say, why don't you just go to - "
"Now hold on there!" Gennai cut him off sharply. "It just turns out I do have something helpful to say, so listen up."
The old man now had everyone's attention, even Matt's, although the brooding adolescent remained where he was sitting and did not join the rest of the group in a huddle around Gennai's holographic transmission. "There's a legend passed on through generations of digimon regarding an enchanted pool," he told the kids. "This pool is said to have regenerative powers that can cure any illness, heal any injury, even restore life to the deceased."
"But it's just a legend," Joe pointed out, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "A legend's not going to do us much good."
"It's all we've got to work with, Joe," Tai snapped, glaring at him. Turning back to Gennai, he demanded, "Tell us where this pool is and we're there."
"I'm afraid it's not that easy," Gennai cautioned him. "The exact location is unknown, and it's said to be protected by a fierce guardian."
"But if you can tell us the general direction it's in, I'm sure we can find it, with your help," Sora said.
"And any guardians had better just stay out of our way," Tai added in a growl.
"You're sure you want to do this?" Gennai questioned, though he must surely have known the answer already. "It's bound to be dangerous."
"It always is, isn't it?" sighed Joe.
"We'll do whatever it takes." Matt appeared, his eyes hard and his expression unwavering. "We're not gonna give up Izzy that easily."
Gennai looked round at the kids and saw that they were all in agreement, even Joe. "Very well," he relented. "We'll get started first thing in the morning. After you've gotten some rest - "
"How can we sleep at a time like this?" Matt protested, clenching his fists.
"You'll need to conserve all the energy you possibly can," said Gennai firmly, and something in his voice told Matt that there was to be no arguing on this point. "When all of you are rested and clear-headed, I'll give you all the information you need. Now," and his voice grew gentler, "why don't you try to get some sleep. There's a small cave not too far away that should keep you all warm until morning."
Tai glanced over at the body. "But we can't - "
"He'll be all right for now." Gennai tried to smile, though he sounded genuinely sad. "Go now. I'll talk to all of you in the morning."
__________________________________________________________________
His shoulders burned and his back ached. Pulling the litter that bore Izzy's body was exhausting work, but Matt didn't complain. Gennai had awakened the children early that morning to give them instructions on reaching the Healing Pool, which he said was located in the dense jungle southwest of the mountain. Biyomon used the last of her energy to digivolve into Birdramon and transport the Digi-Destined to the base of the mountain; from there on, the journey would have to be made on foot. The children and digimon had gathered sturdy bamboo stalks and broad, heavy leaves to construct a stretcher for Izzy and Motimon which the kids agreed to take turns dragging behind them.
The heat in the jungle was moist and oppressive, and sweat ran in rivulets down Matt's face, dripping off his chin. He'd been pulling the travois all morning, and a couple of times Sora suggested he let someone else take over or that he at least stop for a rest before he killed himself, but he had curtly refused. Finally, Sora took matters into her own hands, claiming that she needed a break from the heat. Tai shot her an odd look, thinking such a request was rather unlike her, but one look at Matt's flushed face convinced him to do as she asked.
Matt didn't realise how tired he was until he got a chance to sit down; as he lowered the long poles of the stretcher to the ground and eased himself onto a mossy rock nearby, his various aches and pains came leaping out at him, crying for attention. Matt winced and gingerly rubbed a shoulder, glancing round at his travelling companions. They all looked exhausted, physically and emotionally, although the notion of the Healing Pool had taken some of the edge off of their despair. The digimon were reflecting their humans' demeanor; there was none of the amiable chatter amidst the group that usually ensued during the long hikes, and the empathic creatures seemed tense and on edge.
Gabumon sidled up to Matt and settled himself on the ground by his side; he said nothing, lending his calm and comforting presence to his partner, and the pair sat in silence for several minutes.
A rustling in the undergrowth before them caused everyone to startle and jump to their feet, the digimon forming a protective line of defense in front of the children. The broad leaves of a low-growing plant parted, and from behind them emerged a small, vaguely reptilian creature about two and a half feet in length. Clutched in its jaws was the small pink body of what appeared to have once been a Koromon. It paused only briefly to hiss at the children and digimon, the sound muffled by the carcass in its mouth, before scuttling off to disappear into the foilage once more.
The group relaxed slightly, save for Agumon, who looked somewhat ill. Tai gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, then glanced over at Sora. "We'd better get moving," he called to the others. "I'll take care of Izzy," he told Matt. The taller boy started to protest, but as he stood up his aching muscles convinced him to remain silent on the matter and take Tai up on his offer.
Gennai visited the children again late that evening as they prepared to bed down for the night. "If the information regarding the legend hasn't gotten too muddled over the years," he told them, "you should reach the Pool sometime tomorrow." The announcement brought a number of relieved sighs. "In the meantime, how are you all doing?"
Tai shrugged at the image. "Okay, I guess," he replied with a quick glance around at his bone-weary troops. "I think we'll all feel a lot better once we find that pool and get Izzy taken care of."
Gennai nodded. "Only remember that the Pool's guardian might not take kindly to trespassers," he warned. "Or if he does agree to let you use his pond, he might require something in return. The price may be very high."
"Whatever it is, we'll pay it," Tai assured him with his usual bravado.
"Very well. I'd best let you all get some sleep. Good luck, kids."
__________________________________________________________________
Matt jerked himself awake. His was the last watch of the night; it was nearly sunrise, and he'd somehow managed to nod off during his shift. Shaking his head to clear it, he looked quickly round to make sure nothing was wrong. His eyes automatically picked out TK, curled up with Patamon near the dying embers of the fire they had lit to scare away predators. It seemed Matt was the only one awake.
Stretching his arms over his head, Matt glanced over to his right, towards the spot where they'd set the travois down last night. He stiffened and curled back his lip at the sight that greeted his eyes, then grabbed a rock and darted over to the litter.
Three of the small scavenger-lizards they'd come across yesterday were sniffing at the corpse, having managed to paw away the layer of leaves that had been used to cover Izzy's body. One of the lizards was getting entirely too close to Motimon's tiny carcass, and with a snarl of fury, Matt heaved the rock at the reptile's head. The projectile missed its mark, hitting the ground with a *thud*, but it did serve to scare the scavengers away, and they scuttled into the undergrowth, emitting squeaks of alarm.
Chest heaving, Matt glanced down at the travois and its contents. Apparently no harm had been done; another couple of minutes and he would've been too late. He cursed himself silently. If he hadn't fallen asleep he would have seen the lizards before they got anywhere near the body. Figuring he'd better get the leaves rearranged before anyone else woke up and discovered his mistake, Matt knelt to gather up the fronds, but caught himself staring at the husk before him.
Izzy looked so little and vulnerable, just lying there; somebody, he couldn't remember who, had closed the boy's eyes before moving him down the mountain, so now it almost looked as though he were just sleeping. His skin was pale from blood loss, though, and - although Matt hadn't gotten up nerve enough to touch the body since they'd transferred it to the litter - he suspected it was probably growing stiff.
A hand on his shoulder caused Matt to jump in fright and whirl around. Tai was standing there, staring at Matt staring at the body. The blond boy made a sound of disgust and glared at Tai. "What are you doing up?"
"I heard a noise. What happened?"
Matt had no desire to admit he'd fallen asleep on the job, but it looked like he was caught. "I dozed off and some of those lizard-things tried to..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the thought.
Rather than rub Matt's face in his mistake, however, Tai only nodded, following Matt's gaze to the uncovered body. "No harm done, though. Right?"
"Nope." Matt knelt and began to replace the leaves.
"It wasn't your fault, Matt. It wasn't anybody's fault. Bad stuff happens, y'know?"
Matt paused. He expected to feel angry, insulted, but instead he merely felt drained. "Yeah," he agreed half-heartedly. "Stuff happens."
Tai watched him cover Izzy, then squinted up at the sky. "Sun's up. Guess we'd better get started." He moved away to rouse the others, leaving Matt alone with his muddled feelings.
_________________________________________________________________
"Is this it?" Sora wiped her brow and peered up at what appeared to be a haphazard piling of rocks. However, from what little description Gennai had been able to give them, the Healing Pool was concealed inside some sort of temple, and this vine-shrouded structure seemed to fit the bill.
"Let's hope so," Joe commented, leaning against a stray boulder. "I'm pooped."
Tai lowered his end of the travios with a grunt. "You haven't been pulling this thing for the past three hours," he muttered. Rotating his stiff shoulders, he approached the pile of rocks and began searching for an opening. "How do we get in?" he asked no one in particular.
"We could try this way," Mimi said brightly, drawing the group's attention to a narrow crevice half-covered in foliage.
The crack was barely wide enough to admit the travois, now being dragged by Joe. The group found themselves in a cramped tunnel whose ceiling was scant inches above their heads. Everyone was on the alert, and the digimon kept glancing around warily, testing the air for scents or sounds that might indicate trouble.
Tai felt his way along the wall, following the rough-hewn rock as it rounded a corner. He shielded his eyes from a sudden glare. "Hey, there's a light at the end of this tunnel," he quipped.
The others crowded behind him to see for themselves what lay ahead, and drew in a collective breath of awe. Before them was a surprisingly spacious rock cavern, its walls covered in moss and clinging vines. A tiny gap in the ceiling allowed a ray of sunlight, filtered through the jungle canopy, to shine down into the cove. Reflecting the luminence into a dappled pattern on the roof and walls of the stone room was a tiny pool which fairly glowed with a brilliant sapphire aura.
"That must be it," Tai murmured, then gestured to his companions. "Come on!"
"Remember what Gennai said about there being a guardian?" Joe reminded them, cautiously manoeuvering the litter down the gentle slope leading into the cavern. "Shouldn't we be running into him about now? I mean it never fails, we get *this* close to our goal and then something bad happens..."
"Oh Joe, you worry too much!" Mimi teased him.
"Nonetheless, my dear, I'm afraid your friend is right," intoned a low, sinuous voice. The children froze, and their digimon circled round them, glancing up and all around for the source of the sound. A low chuckle met their actions. "Don't bother trying to use any of your attacks on me," the voice continued, nonchalantly. "This is a magic place, and your powers are useless here."
"Come on out and we'll just see about that!" Tai shouted, his eyes flashing.
"As you wish." A figure seemed to coalesce from the shifting miasma of light and dark rippling across the ceiling. It was clothed in a grey-blue cloak with a hood that concealed its face; two glowing eyes of electric blue peered out unblinking at the group of strangers huddled near the tunnel. It seemed to float several feet above the ground on a cloud of mist which obscured its lower half. In its gloved hands it clutched a staff adorned with enigmatic symbols.
"I am Azurmon," he announced, drifting towards the children and Digimon, "and I think you trespassers owe me an explanation."
"Stay back!" Matt shouted, darting in front of TK.
The wraith-like Digimon did not obey. "You dare to command me in my own fortress?" he questioned, sounding more amused than indignant. Continuing his advance, he repeated his request. "What are you doing here? You are trespassing."
"Blue Blaster!"
"Pepper Breath!"
Gabumon and Agumon leaped forward to defend their friends from the advancing stranger, but when they opened their mouths to attack, nothing happened. At the expressions of confusion and alarm on their faces, however, Azurmon halted his approach. "I told you," he reminded them casually, "I've put a spell on this place that prevents any intruders" - he emphasized the last word - "from trying to attack me. Maybe now you'll answer my question. I've tried to be polite but I do have a finite amount of patience."
Sora stepped to the fore. "We need to use your Healing Pool," she told Azurmon, gesturing for Joe to bring the litter forward. "Our friends are... Well, they need your help."
Azurmon glanced at the shrouded bodies and regarded Sora silently, as though considering her request. "Why should I let you use my Pool after you've come barging in uninvited and tried to attack me?"
"We're sorry about that, really, but you've *got* to help us. We need your Pool to bring our friends back to life. Please," she added, desperation edging her voice.
Silence settled over the cove as Azurmon pondered her words. Finally, he spoke. "I require two things of you," he began.
"Anything, just name it!" Tai interjected.
The guardian glared at him. "Make that three things, the first being that you not interrupt me when I'm trying to help you," he continued, and the group threw warning looks at the abashed Tai. "Bring me each of the following things, and you shall have the use of my Healing Pool to aid your friends. One, the bloom of a swamp cactus, which grows in the marshes just west of here. Two, a handful of soil from the Garden of Springs Eternal. Return here with these items and your companions will be restored. I encourage you to think carefully about this, however, before blindly agreeing to anything. Feel free to discuss it amongst yourselves. I'm not going anywhere." True to his word, he floated back a few paces and hovered there, his arms crossed patiently.
Tai turned to the others. "Sounds easy enough," he commented, shrugging. "I say we go for it!"
"I wish you wouldn't say things like that," Joe moaned. "It's never that easy. It's bound to be dangerous."
"It's Izzy's only chance," Matt responded fiercely. "Still, I don't want TK to go. He can stay here with Patamon."
"Matt, I wanna help!" the youngest boy insisted. "Please, Matt, you gotta let me come!"
"No, TK," his brother insisted, fixing him with a stern look. "You'll be safer here - "
"Where Patamon can't defend him from that guy?" Tai jerked his thumb over his shoulder at the silent Azurmon.
"He can wait for us outside or something, but he is *not* going with us! End of discussion!" he added when TK started to protest again.
"But we're definitely going," Sora confirmed. "We ought to split up into teams to save time."
"Sora, you and Joe stick with me," Tai said. "Matt, you and Gabumon can take Mimi and Palmon to that garden thing and get the handful of dirt." To her credit, Mimi did not comment on the prospect of picking up dirt.
That decided, Tai turned back to face Azurmon. "We'll do it," he reported. "Tell us where to go."
Azurmon nodded, then waved his staff towards one wall. "You will find the swamp cactus in this direction," he said, as a door appeared leading out into the jungle. He gestured to the far wall, and another portal materialised, revealing a narrow path cleared in the midst of the rainforest. "The Garden is that way. But I must warn you that your digimon will not be able to protect you with their fancy attacks, for any land accessed through this chamber is as enchanted as this very room. And leaving someone behind here - besides your sleeping friend, that is - " He nodded towards Izzy " - would be a very bad idea. You'll need to rely on each other to accomplish these tasks, and everyone's help will be needed." Azurmon fixed his blue gaze on Matt and TK.
The blond boy frowned deeply, then looked down at his brother. TK's expression was poignant, hopeful. "All right. TK's with Mimi and I." The younger boy beamed with happiness and exchanged an excited glance with Patamon.
"Okay. Let's do it!" Tai, Sora, Joe and their respective digimon stepped over to the first portal, heading into the dense jungle foliage with determination. Matt hesitated, turning to give Izzy one last look before continuing on his way.
"Hang in there, pal," he murmured, and taking hold of TK's hand, began following the jungle trail.