Because I Missed You

by Dobokoyuramon

My last summary sucked! Right after the first season, Patamon leads the digimon into the portal 'cuz he has a bad feeling. They see he's right when they run into Meokomon. PG-13 is actually a VERY harsh rating, but it has blood/drama. Don't run away 'cuz

Heyo, to start, I don't own the following: Tai, Matt, Sora, Mimi, T.K., Joe, Kari, Izzy, their destined digimon and all of their stages from fresh to ultimate, Metalgarurumon, Wargreymon, Herculeskabuterimon, the gazimon, the numemon, the sukamon, Myotismon, Devimon, Piedmon, Etemon, the eight children's parents, the whole dang concept of digimon, and any others I didn't mention that I don't own.

So here's a warning for those of you who only want to read interesting stories. This is yet another infamous ninth digidestined story. PLEASE don't use my characters without my concent, or I will be forced to destroy you. Okay, so now that that's cleared...this story is all crammed together into a short...thing. Well it seems long when you're typing it!! Some of it may be unexplained by the end, but it will be explained in.......THE SEQUEL!!! Muahahahaha!

To conclude, all I can really do for this story is apologize. Well, I can still apologize for......THE SEQUEL!!! Muahahahaha! Look for it when the second season ends! Or ten years later, whatever.

Note: Write comments either saying A) It was okay B) It was good C) It was hardly worth wasting my digimon obsessed time D) It was the best story I've ever read and ever will read E) I only cared enough to send a blank e-mail F) I think that the story was so good that you should be premoted to emperoress of the digital and real world or G) This story was so bad that I am going to personally hunt you down and murder you.

Prologue: Because I Missed You

By Samantha Walton (I will haunt you forever if you steal my story)

"You know...it's been exactly thirty four seconds since they left...right about now." Tentomon whispered.

"You don't have to keep reminding us." Gomamon sighed miserably.

A long period of silence passed before Agumon spoke. "You know what I miss most about Tai?"

"What?" Gabumon asked.

"Tai." he groaned and looked at the ground.

"Why don't we do something to get our minds off of them?" Palmon suggested.

"That's impossible." huffed Gomamon.

"You mean like a game?" Biyomon asked.

"Sure." Palmon agreed.

"What do we play?" Gatomon figured she would try anything to get her mind off of Kari.

"I'm up for five card draw if you are." Tentomon attempted to lighten the mood.

All through the conversation, Gomamon couldn't help but notice that Patamon kept very quiet. "Hey...cheer up, Pattie." he half smiled.

"Hm? Yeah, kay." Patamon looked up at the sky where the little black gap remained. He knew it would bother him until that gap was gone. It was horrible. He fought the feeling that this was a mistake. 'What if T.K. needs me? What if he's thinking the same thing, that this was a mistake? I miss him.' he made little murmuring sounds as he fought away tears, but they weren't noticed. That gap was still there, and once it was gone, it was gone forever. 'I made a pact to see T.K. again, but what if I won't?'

Agumon scooped up Patamon and put him on his head. "It's better this way, Patamon."

"What, on your head?" he asked innocently.

"No, I mean all of us in our own homes. Maybe T.K.'s gone, but not forever."

"But I don't care! I just want to be with him! I waited my whole life for T.K. and he's all the reason I have." he sniffed.

"Come on, we'll see 'em again." he set Patamon down.

"Okay." he said. Patamon turned his head and looked at the always-shrinking gap. Out of all the things the small digimon was thinking, only one thought that ran continuously through his head was, 'I want T.K." he stared hypnotically at the hole and lifted off the ground. He flew ever so slow, stretching to reach the portal in time. Time seemed to slow down for Patamon.

It took a second before Tentomon turned and saw Patamon flying off. "Patamon!! Stop!" he bolted into the sky, praying he would make it in time.

Agumon snapped around upon hearing Tentomon and gasped. "No!! Patamon, wait! Biyomon!"

She immediately reacted. "Biyomon digivolve to...Birdramon!" she scooped all of the other digimon in a claw and flew as fast as she could.

Tentomon rushed after Patamon. "Patamon! Stop! Are you insane?!"

"T.K.!!!" cried Patamon as he was swallowed by the portal.

"PATAMON!!!" Tentomon plunged after him.

"Tentomon!" Agumon yelled.

"What do we do, Agumon?" Birdramon asked.

"Follow them!" he said sternly.

"But-"

"Do it!" Birdramon obeyed and squished into the hole.

"We're in for it now!" Gomamon's voice echoed.

Ch 1: A Familiar Reunion

Patamon was hurled out of the portal and landed flat on the street, bouncing and rolling until he stopped. "Urrhhh...." he slowly opened his eyes to find all of the other digimon staring down at him.

"Patamon, what were you thinking!?" Agumon screamed. "You shut us out of the digital world maybe forever!"

"Now we'll never get home!" sobbed Biyomon.

"Why did you do it?" Gomamon moaned.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" cried Gatomon.

Agumon sighed. "Why Patamon?"

Patamon exploded. "I WANT T.K.!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!"

Agumon jumped back. "Patamon...you would've seen him again! You didn't have to drag all of us-"

"You didn't have to follow me!" he hissed in a bitter tone of voice, tears falling from his face. "It was my choice! Leeme alone!! Ahhh!!!!!" he fell on the ground and rolled over. "Where's T.K.?!!!"

"Patamon?" the digimon all turned to see Tai. "Agumon? What are you guys doing here?"

"Tai! Ha ha ha!!" despite Agumon's current anger, he ran up and hugged Tai's leg.

"Matt! Sora! Guys! It's our digimon!" Tai called. The group of the digidestined followed Tai.

"Palmon!"

"Gatomon! You're here!"

"Biyomon! How did you get here?"

"Tento!"

"Gabumon! You're back!"

"Gomamon! Ha ha!"

"Patamon!!"

"T.K.!!!" he shot into T.K.'s arms.

"Patamon! How did you get to Earth?"

"I went back through the portal!"

"Great! Now you can live with us forever!" T.K. threw Patamon into the air and caught him. "Mommy!!" T.K. ran over to his mother. "Mom, this is Patamon! If it weren't for him, I'd be Devimon food!"

"Oh..hel..lo...Patamon..." she said nervously.

"Don't be afraid of me T.K.'s mom!" he said as he flapped his ears.

"Mom, please can he stay with us? For a while? Until he gets back home?" T.K. pleaded.

"S-sure...of course, T.K." she reluctantly patted Patamon on the head.

"Mom!" yelled Izzy as he ran over. "I believe you have already met Tentomon."

"Hello! Might I say you're a wonderful cook!" Tentomon said.

"Nice to meet you again, Tentomon." said Izzy's dad as he shook his claw.

"Can he stay with us for a while, Mom? Dad?" Izzy asked.

"Of course he can!" said his mother. "Anyone who takes care of my son is welcome!"

"Ooh! Does that mean I can eat at your house too?"

"Of course Tentomon."

"Mom, Dad, this is Agumon and Gatomon. Can they stay too?" Tai asked.

"If Miko gets along with them."

"Mimi! Your digimon friend will go great in my garden!" said her mother as she grabbed Palmon around the throat.

"Does that mean she can stay?" Mimi asked excitedly.

"She's so cute! She can stay!"

"Yay!"

"Dad, what about Gomamon?"

"Sure son."

"Did you hear that, Jim? I can keep Gomamon!" Joe said happily.

"Just as long as it doesn't get in the way of you being a doctor." Mr. Kido said.

"Joe can be what ever he wants and don't you think he isn't good enough!" Gomamon boomed.

"Gomamon, sh!" Joe clamped his hand over his mouth.

"Mmm!"

"Mom?" Sora asked.

"Hello Biyomon!" she pet Biyomon. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Come on Gabumon." said Matt as he motioned him over to the group.

"Shouldn't you ask your dad if I can stay?" he said as he clicked his claws together.

"He...he doesn't care."

"Oh.."

"Tai, I'm hungry!" said Agumon, forgetting about the digital world.

"Me too, Sora!"

"Yeah!"

"Okay." said Tai. "Where should we go?"

"Umm...let's-" started Agumon, but he was cut off by Tentomon.

"Let's eat at Izzy's house!"

Izzy turned to his mother. "Can they, Mom?"

"Sure! I'd better get cooking, then!"

"Come on guys!" Tai said. So everyone's family was on their way to Izzy's house.

Later......................(at Izzy's house, duh).................................................................

"Smells delicious, Mom." said Izzy as he came into the kitchen.

"Chicken and rice. And lots of it!"

"My favorite!" said Tentomon as he floated up onto the counter. "It's just so nice to have a break from fighting evil digimon for once!"

"Here you are!" she handed Tentomon a large bowl of chicken and rice.

"Mmm! Thank you!"

"It's the least I can do!"

As his mother served all of the people and digimon their dinner, Izzy went into the living room to find all his friends watching television. "We finally get back from the digital world and this is the first thing you do?"

Tai waved his hand. "T.V........"

"Is that a digimon, T.K.?" asked Patamon as he pointed to the TV

"No, that's Godzilla!"

"What's that?"

"He's kinda like a digimon. He's a big lizard that blows fire and saves Japan!"

"That's nothing!" Patamon threw out his chest proudly. "We did a lot better than that."

"Yeah...this show is kinda boring after what we've been through."

"Yrr mrm mrakes grreat frrd Izry!" garbled Agumon. "(Gulp) what's for dessert?"

They all laughed because you know how all those anime characters love to laugh at really stupid stuff. -_-

"Isn't it great to eat good food like this and know it's not because you have to digivolve?" Biyomon said.

"I'm stuffed!" said Gomamon as he flopped onto the floor.

Gatomon waddled into the kitchen and held up her bowl. "Excuse me Ma'am, but could I get a second helping?"

She laughed and scooped some more into Gatomon's bowl. "The smallest digimon are the hungriest!"

"Sorry." she said as she shoveled in more food. "It's just that I haven't tasted food like this in forever. Maybe never."

"I understand!"

"I just eat more because I'm in champion form."

"What?"

"Hm? Oh, nothing. Hm hm!"

Patamon flew into the kitchen, followed by Biyomon. "I'll get you, Patamon!"

"Make way for flying digimon!" Patamon yelled as he rushed by them.

"Oh my! I may never get used to this. Does Izzy's Tentomon fly?"

"Mm hm." Gatomon nodded.

"Go Godzilla!!" they heard Agumon's voice from the living room.

After a while of television and dessert, all of the kids and their digimon went home. "Well that was fun!" said Tentomon.

Izzy yawned. "It's getting late, Tentomon. We should go to bed."

"Yeah." he followed Izzy into his bedroom and floppped out on the end of his bed. "Goodnight Izzy."

"Goodnight Tentomon."

"Yeah! Come on! Come on!" Tai yelled at the screen.

"I said jump you stupid thing!" Agumon shouted at the video game.

"Ha ha! Game over, I win!" Tai said.

"Two outta three!" Agumon challenged.

"You're on, Augzilla!"

"Sounds like Tai and Agumon are having fun." said Kari and she scratched Gatomon behind the ears.

"Mrrrooow.." she heard Miko's neglected meow.

"Don't worry, Miko. I haven't forgotten about you." she picked him up and set him on her lap. "I'd like you to meet Gatomon."

"Mow?" he sniffed her and rubbed up against her.

"Hi Miko." Gatomon patted him.

"I'm really glad you came here." Kari said.

"Thank Patamon. We got stuck here chasing him." she sighed.

"Sorry Gatomon. I missed home while I was in the digital world, so I know how you feel."

"What kept you from getting depressed?"

"Having a friend like you stand by me! And Tai, too."

Gatomon smiled and hit Kari's leg. "Tag!" she jumped off the bed and ran out the door.

"You won't get away with that!" she was quickly followed by Kari.

At Joe's house, he decided to take a bath because as always, the day had been too stressful. Gomamon joined him for his love of water. "Hey Joe, watch this. Marching fishes!"

"Gomamon! Don't do that he-" Joe was suddenly swarmed by colorful fish. "Ah!"

"Ha ha ha ha!" Gomamon splashed around.

"Will you call your fish back already!?"

"Sorry." Gomamon chuckled as the fish were sucked down the drain.

"Jeez!"

Gomamon picked up the soap. "What's this, Joe?"

"That's soap."

"Whoops!" it slipped out of his claws and into the water. "Don't worry, I'll get it!" he dove under water.

After a long while, Gomamon still didn't come up. "Gomamon?" Joe called. "Gomamon? Where did you go?"

He suddenly sprung out of the water and landed on Joe's head. "Time to wash the hair!" he said.

"Gomamon!" he laughed as Gomamon rubbed soap wildly on Joe's hair.

"Hee hee hee!"

"Sora!" cried Biyomon as she ran into her room. "My tail got shut in the door!" she held up a long pink feather. "It came out."

"Oh, sorry Biyomon. I don't think those go back in." she examined her injured tail. "It's just a feather. You'll be fine."

"Okay. You can keep the feather!"

Sora took the feather and some tape and attached it to her wall. "It looks good!"

"Hm! I really like your mom, Sora. She gave me this." she held out an ice-cream bar. "They taste great!"

"You just had dessert. Don't you ever stop eating?"

"Ummm....nope!" she took a big bite.

After a while, Sora broke the silence. "Have you ever played soccer, Biyomon?"

"No."

"I could show you how."

"Really? So I can be cool like you?"

"You think I'm cool?"

"You're the coolest person I know!"

"Thanks Biyomon!" she went to her closet and pulled out a soccer ball. "It goes like this." she said as she set it on the ground. "There's two different teams. Each team is trying to kick the ball into the other team's goal. But you can't use your ha-uh, wings."

"Okay! I get it!" Biyomon backed up.

"Here it goes!" Sora kicked the ball at Biyomon who kicked it back.

"Hey! I did it!"

"You still have to get it into my goal." she kicked it back, but Biyomon was quick to learn and she ran up and blocked it, kicking it back to Sora who immediately kicked it back to Biyomon. Biyomon kicked it hard, but Sora missed and it bounced off of the wall behind her, hitting her in the back and making her fall onto Biyomon. "Looks like you won that round." they both started laughing.

"Sora? Biyomon?" her mother walked in. "I thought I said no soccer in the house."

"Sorry." they both said in unison.

"Okay." she laughed.

"Ahh!!!!" yelled T.K.

"Say uncle!" Patamon demanded as he hit T.K.'s back with his ears while having him pinned on the couch.

"Never!"

"Say it!!"

"No!!"

"I'll digivolve!"

"I'll never give up!"

"That's it! If you won't give up, it's time for torture!"

"Nooo!!" Patamon started to tickle his sides. "N-no!! Hah ha ha!! St-stop! Stop! P-pl-please! Ha ha ha ha!! Uncle! Uncle, you win!!"

"I thought so!" Patamon rolled off of T.K. and accidentally off the couch. "Hee hee."

"Now I have you right where I want you!" T.K. picked up Patamon and started to tickle him.

"Ahh!!! Don't T.K.! I'm too little!" he laughed.

"I'm not so sure this is a good Idea, Mimi." said Palmon.

"Of course it is! Your roots would look great pink."

"Are you sure nail polish won't kill plants?"

"Don't be silly Palmon, now hold still!"

"Matt?" Gabumon nudged his friend. "Matt, come on. Aren't you glad to be home?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Hmm...want to play a game?"

"I don't think so, Gabumon."

"Aww...Matt! I'm going to lick you if you don't play with me."

"Gabumon, I don't-ah!! Stop it!!" Gabumon was on top of Matt, covering him with his large tongue.

"Play (slurp) with (slurp) me(slurp)!"

"G-Gabumon! Stop! Stop! Ah ha ha! Quit it! I'll play!"

"That's the spirit Matt! I want to play....your harmonica!"

"What?"

"I want it!"

"All right..." he handed Gabumon his harmonica.

"Ooohh........." he put his mouth on it and many horrible sounds came from it.

"Ahh...enough. Enough!" he grabbed his harmonica.

"I'm...sorry Matt." he sat on the bed beside him. "What's wrong, Matt?"

"Nothing."

"I KNOW something is wrong."

"Well....it's just that I want to be alone, you know? Away from all my friends for a while."

"That's not it Matt. You weren't like this before in the digital world lately."

"Shut up, Gabumon!"

"Mm." he backed away with a hurt whine.

"Look....sorry Gabumon. It's just...I don't really want to talk about it."

"Okay." he came over and curled into Matt's lap. "Can you teach me to play the harmonica?"

Ch 2: Nine?

"Tai? Tai, wake up." Agumon shoved Tai.

"Huh? Agumon? (yawn) What is it?"

"Um Tai, we have a problem here." he pointed to a black triangular blob with eyes and a mouth.

"Ah!" he rolled off the bed. "What is that?!"

"My name's Kuwimon." it said.

"You're.......a digimon?" he sat up and examined him.

"I found him by the window. I don't know how he got here." Agumon explained

"Whoa....so how did you get here?"

"We don't have alotta time!" Kuwimon insisted. "The digital and this world are in big trouble!"

"Slow down! What kind of trouble?"

"It's Meokomon! He's trying to reconfigure all the digimon!" he bounced into Tai's lap. "Please help me!"

"Wait, first how did you get here?"

"I followed your digimon through the portal! I need to find my digidestined! I need to give them this crest!" he motioned to Agumon who was holding it for him. He handed it to Tai.

"Hmm, the crest of..faith? A crest? Another digidestined?! You're kidding me!" he rubbed the back of his neck. "Okay, okay. One thing at a time. Why are our worlds in trouble?"

"It's Meokomon! He's an evil digimon! He somehow found a way to jump from this world to the digital! He's been in this world for a long time, hiding from humans obviously. He's a shape shifter! It makes it much easier to hide. He wants to reconfigure all the digimon to work for him. He shape shifts into somebody that a certain digimon trusts, picking them off one by one. Soon he'll bring his reprogrammed digimon to this world and destroy humans! You've gotta do something!! I have to find my digidestined!"

"Does your digidestined have a digivice?" asked Agumon.

"I don't know!" Kuwimon bounced onto the window. "We have to find them. Whoever they are."

"I'll get the others and were outta here! Kari! We've got trouble!"

"I knew this was too good to last." she mumbled.

"Sora! Taichi called! He says he needs to see you and Biyomon, quickly!" Sora's mother walked into the room. "What is it? It isn't dangerous, is it?"

"I..don't know Mom. Come on Biyomon! We'd better go!"

"Sora, should I-"

"No Mom, no offense, but you'd be in the way! Bye!"

"MATT! Get your lazy tail out of bed! Tai wants you and Gabumon!" his father screamed.

"Huh? W-what? Oh, Gabumon, come on." he got up as quick as he could, threw on his clothes and rushed upstairs. "Dad, did he say what it-"

"Just get outta here!" he grumbled as he lit a cigarette.

"Mimi, it's Tai!"

"Izzy, you've got work to do!"

"T.K., we're going!"

"Joe! Tai called!"

"Oh no, more trouble. We're probably gonna die."

Sooner or later, they all ended up at Tai's house, curious of what it was all about. Tai and Kuwimon told the story much to the other children's surprise. "What do you mean another digidestined?!" Matt said dumbfounded.

"Wow. I thought Kari was the last." said Sora.

"Well right now we have to focus on finding him-uh, or her, and watching out for this Meokomon guy." Tai reasoned.

"It was hard enough to find Kari! How are we supposed to find this other one?" said the always high spirited Joe.

"At least we have the crest this time. It should be a lot easier to track him. Uh, or her." said Tai.

"So we just walk around the city with the crest and hope to find them? You're crazy!" complained Joe.

"No," said Sora. "we fly around the city with the crest." she patted Biyomon.

"Hm! Biyomon digivolve to........Birdramon! Everyone on!"

"Oh, usually that's my job." said Tentomon as he climbed on and Birdramon took off.

"Is the crest glowing yet, Tai?" asked Kari.

Tai looked down at the crest in his hand. "No."

"This is crazy, Tai." said Matt. "Who knows if they're even in this city anymore?"

"Stop! It's glowing!" Tai yelled.

"Boy was that ever easier than finding Kari." said Joe.

Birdramon landed and Tai followed where the crest said to go. He followed it to a field full of kids. "Wonderful." he scanned the many faces of children. "How do I know which one it is?"

"I'll find out!" Kuwimon bounced around the field and looked around. "Hmm...this way! I feel it!" he bounced up to a little girl somewhere around Izzy's age. "It's you!!" she turned around. She was a....girl...with long black hair, a green shirt, a flannel jacket/sweat shirt and jeans which were both far too big for her, and thick tan gloves.

"Huh? Ah! What is that?!" she gasped.

Tai ran up behind Kuwimon. "Sorry!"

"Hey! I saw you on TV! You're that guy who saved our world with your...digi..things."

"Digimon. I'm Tai." he held out his hand.

"Catrina." she shook his hand.

He leaned his head slightly and spotted something on her belt. She's the one. He knew immediately. "What's that?" he pointed to it.

"This?" she pulled out a digivice. "I don't know. I just...found it."

"You're the one!"

"What?"

"You're the ninth digidestined. This is your digimon." he held up Kuwimon.

"W-what?" she said in confusion.

So Tai explained. Yes, I left it to Tai to explain it because I am too lazy to explain the whole freaking digimon concept. So, ahem, later.........

"And Kuwimon is your digimon." Tai finished.

She took Kuwimon. "Prodigious!"

"Hm?" Izzy reacted to the word as if it were his name.

Catrina took the crest and put it around her neck. "The crest of faith?"

"It sure was easier to find you with the crest." Tai said.

"Okay..."

"Oh, this is Matt and Gabumon, Sora and Biyomon, T.K. and Patamon, Kari and Gatomon, Izzy and Tentomon, Joe and Gomamon, Mimi and Palmon, and..oh, this is my digimon, Agumon."

"Uh..hi. So..I'm like...one of you guys now?" she looked at Kuwimon.

"You bet!" Tai said. "Follow us."

With a confused shrug to her friends, she followed Tai and the others. "Where are we going?"

"To find Meokomon." said Kuwimon. "He's an evil digimon."

"That isn't where we're going, Kuwimon." said Tai.

"What? Then where are we going?! We're just gonna let him destroy our wor-"

"Cool it! We're not just gonna go around looking for a digimon that could be anywhere, anything, or anyone!" Tai said.

"So what are we gonna do?" cried Kuwimon.

Tai turned. "Izzy?"

"I'm already on it, Tai." said Izzy as he worked away on his computer.

"You've got mail." said the computer.

"Ah ha! It's from.....Mom? Um, heh heh. N-nevermind."

"Oh man! What are we supposed to do without a message from Gennai?" Tai paced around for a minute.

"Wow, you have your own laptop?" Catrina sat down by Izzy and began to examine the computer. "Cool. Why yellow?"

"Yellow is a perfectly logical color." he said, folding his arms.

"Don't mind Izzy!" advised Tentomon. "He's just a computer freak!"

"Having a sufficient amount of knowledge about the worlds current technology is nothing to be ashamed of." Izzy defended.

Catrina chuckled. "I like computer stuff too." Izzy turned to see her working on his computer. "Hey, do you have computer solitaire?"

"Uh-no."

"Yes you do, it's right-"

Izzy quickly closed his laptop. "Uh-er-no it's not. So Tai, what are we going to do next?" he asked, eager to change the subject.

Tai thought for a while, and after a long moment said, "Go eat. I'm starved."

"That's it? That's your big solution? Go get something to eat? That's it?!" Kuwimon said furiously.

"Look, we can't find this guy without some kind of clue from Gennai! We don't need to go on some wild goose chase!" he scanned his friends. "Now look, we're all hungry. It isn't gonna do us any good to look for this guy right now."

"So let's eat!" Gomamon said hungrily.

The not until recently nine digidestined made their way to a restaurant. They ordered and sat, talking about what to do next. "I say we wait for him to come to us!" said T.K.

"What do you mean?" Tai asked.

"We're the digidestined! All the bad guys come to us!" T.K. said simply.

"Umm...anyone else have any ideas?" he sighed in thought as they all shook their heads.

Kari looked around at the many people giving them odd looks and whispering to each other. "Maybe T.K.'s right. It's not like we aren't noticed."

"To any source of evil this world may hold for us, T.K.'s suggestion would prove to be an extremely idiotic idea." Izzy said as he took a drink of soda.

"Well excuse me." said T.K. resentfully.

"My apologies if I came off offensive."

Tai caught Catrina sitting quietly alone out of the corner of his eye. "What about you, Catrina?"

"M-me? I..don't know. This is kind of a whole new thing for me." she nervously looked around at the strangers surrounding her.

"Come on!" Kuwimon encouraged. "We've tried everything else."

"Umm...I really don't...know.." she said in a small voice.

"Okay...umm...why don't you go get us some napkins?" Tai suggested.

"But....you have some right there." she pointed.

"Oh, uh-" he shoved them off the table. "Oops! Could you get us some more?"

"Okay, I guess." she stood up and walked over to the counter.

"This isn't working." said Tai.

"What?" asked Mimi.

"This ninth digidestined."

Sora gave him a confused look. "But...we don't really have a choice. You're not thinking of getting rid of her, are you?"

"What? No! No, no, no. From what I can tell, she's shy and apparently real trustful to strangers. Hmm...maybe she just needs someone to show her around, you know, help her get familiar. What about you, Mimi?"

"Me? Uh..sorry Tai. I don't think I could do that. Me and her? I mean just look at her outfit! It clashes horribly."

"Rrr, what about......ah ha! Izzy...ha ha..."

"Tai, whatever you're thinking, stop thinking it." Izzy's attention was for once off of his computer.

"Come on, Iz." he chuckled. "Just, you know, be kinda her...uh..."

"Tour guide?"

"Yeah! Something like that."

"No way, Tai. My time is too important-"

"Doing what? Playing computer solitaire?"

"N-no!" Izzy replied nervously.

Tai wrapped his arm around Izzy's throat. "Think about it, man. She's a girl, she's your age, what more could ya ask for?"

"If," Izzy pushed Tai away. "every couple based their relationships simply on that vague comparison of traits, where would our world be?"

"All right all right! But just help her out, please?"

"I don't know....why don't you do it?"

"I.....gotta...uh..look out for Kari. Sorry."

With an irritated groan, Izzy gave in. "I believe this will make you owe me one, Tai."

"Izzy's got a girlfriend!" Tentomon yelled. He gave Tentomon a furious look that made him feel like de-digivolving. "I mean-"

"Aw thanks Iz!" Tai watched Catrina sit back down. "So guess what!"

She looked over. "What?"

"Izzy here decided he was gonna help you out. You know, get to know people or digimon?"

"Why him?"

"Um..well...why not him? He's smart, he's got a computer, he...has.......red hair. Stick with him and you'll never be lost! Your trusty, obedient companion who will-"

"Don't push it, Tai." Izzy grumbled.

Tentomon put an arm around Catrina's shoulder. "We'll have fun together!"

"Yeah!" Kuwimon bounced on top of Tentomon's head. "Just you wait! I'll digivolve and beat that Meokomon!"

"Wait'll I tell Jenny my new friends are a giant bug and a black blob." she said, squirming uncomfortably in Tentomon's grip.

"You'll have to introduce me to this Jenny." said Tentomon. "Does she have a boyfriend?"

"Yes."

"Oh dang."

"You're much cuter though."

"Yay!"

After eating, they all went outside and sat on the grass. "Check your email, Izzy." Tai said.

Izzy opened his laptop and went into his mail. "It's a message from Gennai!" he said triumphantly.

"What does it say?" Tai asked anxiously.

"Hello digidestined, it appears the battle is not yet over." Gennai's voice came from the computer. "I've come to tell you that there is a new digidestined. Number nine. Her name is Catrina Kayoto. Her digimon is Kuwimon, and you must find them both."

"That information would have been a lot more useful earlier." said Joe.

Gennai's message continued. "A new threat has reared its ugly head into the two worlds. An evil digimon named Meokomon has found a way to jump from one world to the next. He is a shape shifter, making it almost impossible to find him, or even see his true form. Catrina's digivice should be able to track him, but be careful, he has armies of reprogrammed digimon that live by his command. I know this is all kind of on short notice. Good luck!"

"We just don't get a break!" Patamon huffed.

"Catrina, let me see your digivice." Tai took the digivice handed to him. "Hmm....." it suddenly let out a loud beep and showed Tai a map. "Whoa! Here we go." he studied it. "We must be...here....and this red flash must be Meokomon. He's way on the other side of town!"

"Let's use the subway." said Matt.

"C'mon!" Tai waved his hand in a motion for the others to follow.

They got on a subway train and sat. "So when are you gonna digivolve?" Catrina asked Kuwimon.

Izzy cleared his throat. "Actually, Kuwimon won't digivolve until you face a threat. Our digimon digivolve to protect us."

"Oh. So does he stay that way when he digivolves?"

"Well, Kuwimon is a digimon in fresh form. He'll digivolve next into his in-training state. Next, he'll go into his rookie form, which he'll stay in most of the time, and then champion. But he'll go back to rookie after that. If he goes too far, and loses too much energy, he'll fall back into in training. But he'll almost never be Kuwimon again."

"Okay. What do you digivolve into next, Kuwimon?"

"I don't know. I hope I digivolve soon though......rrrgh......"

"What's wrong?" she put him on the ground.

"I'm digi...."

"Here we go." said Izzy.

"Kuwimon digivolve to............Otamon!" in a flash of light, Kuwimon melted into Otamon. Like most of the digimon in-training forms, he was just a head. He was completely black with very long arms and cat like ears. His large yellow eyes scanned his extremely long arms.

"Check me out!" Otamon bounced up and down.

"Kuwimon, you digivolved!" Catrina picked him up.

"I'm Otamon now! Yippee!"

The group of people on the train began to scream and squish towards the corner of the train. Tai came at them, trying to reassure them that they didn't need to be afraid. "Hey! You're the kids from TV!"

Otamon returned to his spot on Tentomon's head. "You gained a little weight, Otamon!"

"This is our stop, Tai!" called Matt as the others made their way off the train.

"Where does the digivice say to go now?" asked Sora.

"Up the street. This way." Tai pointed.

They all followed Tai up the street and to a very old hotel building. "Let's go." said Catrina. She walked up to the door, but Tai pulled her back. "Wait."

"Maybe we should knock first." said Joe sarcastically.

Tai pushed on the door. "Locked."

"No problem!" Gatomon walked up to the door. "Lightning Claw!" with a quick swipe, Gatomon knocked off the rusty lock. With a wood splitting creak, the door opened and the nine children walked in.

"Talk about your poor house keeping." Palmon said as she brushed a spider web from her face. The building was very old and very dusty. Bugs and rats scurried across the floor, in a hurry to get away from the new visitors. Tai peered onto the counter where a book sat that hadn't been used in years. With each step the floor seemed to crumble beneath them, making each board crack with stress.

"It doesn't look like anyone's here." observed Mimi.

"Sh!" ordered Tai. He looked up as dirt fell onto his face and the sound of steps could be heard from upstairs. "Quick, everyone hide your digimon. If it's Meokomon, we don't want him to know who we are."

The nine digimon hid in various places as the footsteps became louder. From a doorway came a tall, shadowy man with short black hair and a look of never ending hatred engraved on his face. "Can I....help you children?" he said in a dark voice.

Tai glanced at Catrina's digivice and saw the lights flashing on top of each other. This was Meokomon. "Yeah-yes. Could we get three rooms?"

Mimi shot Tai a look of horror. The man walked slowly behind the counter and opened the book. "Under what name?"

"Kamiya. Tai Kamiya." His eyes shot up to Tai and back down to the book.

"Very well, Mr. Kamiya. My name is Mr. Kitagu. May I...take your bags?"

"Uh, no. We're not staying right now. We'll be back later."

"Very well...return soon..." with a harsh cough, he slowly slunk down and disapeared into the shadow of the doorway. "What a creepy guy, or-digimon." he looked around. "Come on out guys. He's gone." they gathered their digimon and left. "We're coming back later tonight. Tell your parents, and get your stuff."

Tai and Kari ran home and explained to their parents what had happened and what they needed to do. "Take care of Kari, Tai." said his father.

"I don't know about this." said their mother. "It's dangerous."

"Mom, we've been through a lot of much more dangerous stuff. If you don't let us do this, it'll never get done. We're gonna go pack our things." Tai ended the conversation.

Sora told her mother the story and with Biyomon's help, convinced her to let them go. "Take care of each other. Goodbye Sora. Biyomon."

"Mom?" T.K. asked as he stepped through the door.

"In the kitchen, T.K.!" she called.

"Mom, um, me and Patamon are gonna go spend the night somewhere else."

"What? I don't know, T.K. Where?"

"Uhh...." he knew that if his mother found out, she wouldn't let him go. "Joe's house. Just to stay over for this...weekend."

"Joe?"

"Yeah, Joe. You met him, remember? I almost sliced his finger off in shop class?"

"Okay.....let me pack your things."

"Jim!" called Joe. "Mom? Dad? Is anyone here?"

"It's just me, Joe. Mom and Dad went shopping. What is it?" said Jim.

"Me and Gomamon have to go do something tonight. I don't have time to explain right now. Just....tell them I'm spending the weekend at Tai's or something."

"It's gonna cost ya."

"What?!"

"Kidding!"

Mimi spent quite some time packing her things neatly. "Um...I'm going to Sora's for the weekend!"

"Okay Mimi! Bring your toothbrush!"

Catrina hid Otamon in her case and headed out the door. "I'm going to Jenny's." she told her mother.

"Honey, she's out of town. Don't you remember?"

"Oh-uh, I mean Ennika's house."

"Oh, okay. Bye."

Matt came in to find his father drunk and half-asleep. "Dad? I'm going to go out tonight."

"Okay..." he mumbled. "Bring lots of protein and don't forget the cabbage is raw so don't drink it...."

"Right.....let's go Gabumon."

"Mom, Dad, I'm going to go stay somewhere this weekend." Izzy said.

"What? Where?" his father asked.

"Um, let's just say our battle isn't over."

"Be careful son."

Tai stood with Kari and the digimon at the front of the building, awaiting the arrival of the others. He was soon met by Catrina followed by Sora. Eventually they were joined by Mimi, Izzy, Matt, and T.K. Late as always, Joe finally joined the group. "All right guys, this is how it's gonna go. We're staying here the next few nights. Sora, you and Matt'll join me in a room, T.K., Kari, and Joe, and Mimi, Izzy, and Catrina. Got it? Okay. Tonight we're just gonna sleep here, see what happens. Tomorrow night it'll be time to explore this place."

"Exploring for what?" asked Mimi.

"Well he's probably hiding his reprogrammed digimon somewhere close. This guy is definitely Meokomon, and he's up to something with us." he looked at the old building.

"What makes you think he knows about us?" Sora asked.

"Well think about it. We were all over TV. and like Kuwimon said, he's been here a while. And did you see the way he looked at me when I said my name? Don't any of you find a little strange that we had to break into this hotel if he was just going to welcome us to rooms? Now, for the digimon, you guys go around the back and we'll let you in when he's not looking."

The digimon did as they were told and the children entered the old hotel. "Mr. Kitagu?" Tai called. No answer came. On the desk he saw a service bell, so he slammed his hand down on it.

"Ah...Mr. Kamiya....." said an eerie familiar voice. "You have arrived. Please," he stopped to cough hoarsely. "follow me to your rooms."

Tai led the way for the others up the cracking staircase, following Mr. Kitagu. On the way, Tai secretly tried doors to see what he could find. But to his dismay, they were all locked. "Right this way, Sir." he pointed to the rooms. "24, 25, and 26. Have a......wonderful night."

"Thank you." Tai took the room keys and opened the door. "Matt, Sora, come on. Joe, go let the digimon in."

Joe walked nervously down the steps, looking constantly over his shoulder. He made his way down to the back door and let all eight digimon in, not realizing that Otamon was still stuffed in Catrina's pack. "You guys better hurry. We don't want to be caught by that creepy digi-man." he took the digimon back upstairs and into the rooms where their children were staying.

Joe slipped into his room with T.K. and Kari. There were two beds which were dusty and breaking. Roaches climbed into cracks in the wall as the light turned on, and spiders rushed under the beds. Gatomon dropped to all fours and stalked after a large rat. "Mmmm...dinner."

"Ick." said T.K.

Mimi followed Catrina and Izzy into the rotting room and gasped in terror. "Ahh! I can't stay in here!" one bed looked as if it were about to break in half and a few snakes scrabbled under the sheets. "Yuck! This is absolutely the WORST idea Tai has ever come up with!"

Izzy scooped the snakes from the bed and dropped them out the window. "It really isn't so bad." he lay down on the bed and it immediately snapped in half, collapsing to the floor. "Then again......" he pulled the mattress off and set it somewhere on the floor.

Sora was busy checking her bed for snakes and rats while Tai explored the room. He opened the closet door and a large roach ran out. "Hmm..." he looked through the old clothes and then up at the vent. "This place doesn't look like it's been used in decades."

"More like centuries." coughed Matt as he shook dust off of the bed sheets.

Biyomon squawked as a large rat slithered past her. "Mm!" Agumon jumped on it and scarffed it down. "They sure know how to eat here!"

"Ew..well let's get some sleep you guys. I'll have a plan, if nothing attacks us tonight, then it'll give us some time. He must be waiting for us to make the first move."

"And if he does attack us tonight?" Sora asked.

"Then that'll be bad. If he is waiting for us, then that will give us some time to figure out how to defeat him, or if there's any way to tell what his is when he shape shifts. But for now, let's hit the hay."

Ch 3: The Meokomon Investigation

They all awoke the next morning and went downstairs, seeing that Mr. Kitagu was nowhere to be seen. "Well, we survived the night. Now I know a great place that serves breakfast, let's go!"

They all went to breakfast and sat down while Tai began to explain his idea. "All right guys, I've got a plan. I don't know if any of you guys noticed, but almost all of the rooms are locked but ours. The only one I found that wasn't was the bathroom. Seem like we were expected if you ask me."

"So what are you going to do?" asked Kari.

"That's where I need Patamon."

"At your service, Tai!" shouted Patamon.

"Good. Listen Patamon, You're the smallest person of all of us, so what I need you to do is crawl through the vents in this hotel and find out what's going on. I heard strange sounds in that place last night."

"Me too." said T.K. "But I wasn't scared at all."

"Tell that to my little smashed body." said Patamon.

"You think you can do it without being noticed, Patamon?"

"You bet, Tai!" he said as the waiter set down a plate of pancakes in front of T.K.

"Would y-you like something f-for your..m-mons-sters?" he asked fearfully.

"We ordered for them already, thanks."

"Rah!" roared Agumon.

"Ah!" he turned and ran off.

"Tentomon, Biyomon, you guys go tell my parents that we're staying longer." Tai said.

"Tell my mom, too!" said Sora.

"And my parents, Tento." said Izzy.

"On it!" said Biyomon.

"Roger!" said Tentomon. They flew off.

Otamon chucked an ice cube at Gomamon who ducked and it hit Izzy. "Ouch!" he yelled, spitting orange juice all over the table.

Catrina and Otamon chuckled. "Sorry." Otamon laughed.

"What purpose did that serve?" said Izzy as he rubbed his head.

"It was funny!" Otamon hollered.

"Funny? I was pelted with and ice cube!"

"Don't you have a sense of humor?" Catrina asked.

"Hardly."

"Well, maybe you should."

"I just don't see the concept of pain as something to be laughed at."

"Oooh, I'm sorry Izzy." Otamon jumped onto his head. "Will you still be my friend?"

"As short as we've known each other, I assure you, what ever bond we may have had together still lasts."

"Oh thanks!!" Otamon cheered.

Tai elbowed Izzy. "You're not gettin' on her good side."

"I'm not trying too."

"Hey, you agreed to watch her, man."

"Fine, fine, fine." he threw an ice cube at Catrina. "Ha."

"Ouch! Hey!"

"Don't make me digivolve!" threatened Otamon.

"Ooh, a black head. Real scared."

"You will be!" Catrina held his laptop over her head.

"Noo!!!! I'm sorry! Please, please! Don't hurt her!!" Izzy turned serious.

She gave Otamon a confused glance. "Her? Ha ha ha!"

"Come on!!" he swiped at his computer. Izzy turned around to see Sora and Mimi laughing at them. "What is so funny?" he grunted.

"You two are so cute!" said Sora.

"This is not cute!! This is evil!! Catrina give it to me! She's all I ever had! Please!!!"

Catrina's smile faded. "Okay, this is just getting weird. Okay Izzy, here she is." she handed him back the computer.

"You came back to me!" he hugged his laptop.

"Creepy..." Catrina backed away.

"Nope, just Izzy." said Tai.

"I'm not weird, Tai!" he huffed.

"Awww...poor little Izzy." he patted him on the head.

"Don't pet me!!"

"You're kinda cute when you're ticked." said Catrina.

Izzy immediately flashed from angry to surprised. "Really?"

Everyone laughed, causing Izzy to blush and sink down into his seat. x_x

"My gratitude for that brief moment of humiliation, Catrina." Izzy swallowed.

"Anytime."

He grinned sheepishly and looked at Tai. "This is getting to be more trouble than it's worth."

"Are you kidding? It's goin' great! She likes you."

"I don't need to be liked."

"Haven't you ever had a girlfriend?" Tai looked at Izzy's expression. "Okay, I'm asking the wrong guy."

"I understand what you're trying to do. Just don't do it."

"You like her, I can tell!"

"What?"

"You should have seen your face a minute ago. You're blushing now."

"No I am not, Tai! That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I don't have time to go searching for a mate while we have other obligations such as insuring that the world refrains from being annihilated!"

"Sure Izzy."

"Grr...."

"Boy are my wings tired!" Tentomon said as he landed on a park bench.

"I didn't realize how long a way it was from there to Sora's house. I thought her house was close to everywhere." Biyomon flopped next to him.

"Say, would you happen to know which way we go next?" Tentomon looked all around.

"Sure, um...this way."

It was that night when the nine digidestined returned to the old hotel. Again Mr. Kitagu was there to greet them. "Ah, Mr. Kamiya. I see you've returned to my hotel."

"Not to be rude, uh, Sir, but we're all pretty tired. If you'll excuse us?" Tai said.

"Of course." he slunk back into the shadows and coughed.

"He really could use a cough drop." whispered Palmon as they made their way upstairs.

"Where are Biyomon and Tentomon? They really should've been back by now." the others looked around as they all entered Tai, Matt, and Sora's room. "Ready, Patamon?"

"Ready Tai!" Patamon huffed out his chest.

"Okay Patamon, you gotta be really quiet, no matter what you see. Come back and tell us as soon as you can."

"Got it!" he flew up to the old vent and sunk into the darkness. "It sure is dark in here." Patamon said to himself. He tried his best not to make the metal rusty vent creak, and tried not to sneeze as the dust fell into his eyes and face. He tottered along until he saw cracks of light coming from ahead, left, and right. He figured that this must be where the rooms connected through the vent. He silently came up to the vent exit and looked down.

He saw a dusty room with covered furniture crammed about, but nothing else of significance. Sighing, he almost turned around, but he heard a sharp sound come from the room. He whipped around and looked to see a rat flash across the floor. "Pfft." Patamon scoffed. Something suddenly caught his eye, and a spider dropped onto his face. Patamon slowly drew his eyes inward and looked straight at it. "Eee!" He sprang backward and tripped, stumbling into a roll. "Ahh!" He rolled down a slope in the vent (you know, where it goes like this ___ and then immediately down \ into the next vent exit \_: like that.) and crashed into the grate of the vent below.

"What was that?" Patamon heard a voice.

"Nothing, now hurry up! It's your turn!"

"Rrrhh....." Patamon slowly opened his eyes and stood, shaking away dirt and spider webs. He turned his head slowly and looked out the vent. To his horror, he saw ten to twelve Gazimon playing poker below. They must have been Meokomon's guards, but there was something wrong about them. They weren't gray like most Gazimon, but black with strange gray spiky hair like a mohawk. Their eyes never moved, and they had a very glazed look on them.

He scrabbled up and flew up through the vent, passed the slope, and back out the exit, forgetting it was up so high and plopped harshly on the ground. "Tai!" he panted. "You were right! In one of the rooms, there's a bunch of Gazimon! But they were.....different! All black and dead looking!"

"Gazimon! Etemon's rabbit henchmen?"

"Mm hm!"

"You must've seen Meokomon's reprogrammed Gazimon. Just like I thought."

"So what are we gonna do?" asked T.K. as he pulled spider webs off of Patamon.

"My my my little boy." came an amused, dark voice. "It appears you were here for all the wrong reasons."

They all turned to see Mr. Kitagu standing in the doorway with his Gazimon behind him. "Wha...how did you-" Tai started angrily.

"You don't think I know what goes on in here?" he hissed. "I can smell that little rat a mile away..." he glared at Patamon. "How dare you....CHILDREN think you can just wipe me out like some little heroic adventure! I know what happened to Myotismon, Devimon. But you cannot kill what you cannot see." he gave a toothy grin. "And even IF you ever find me, it will be far too late!" his body suddenly hunched over and he began to make a sickening crackle. He seemed to almost melt into the ground, and to the children's amazement, formed into a Gazimon. With another grim smile, he sunk into the crowd and was lost.

"Here kiddies!" chuckled a Gazimon as he advanced.

"Oooh!! No you don't!" Otamon lunged for him and slashed him across the face.

"Ah!" he yelled in pain.

"Bubble blow!" Otamon shot painfilled pink bubbles at him.

"Ow!! Attack!!!" the Gazimon came forward.

"Otamon digivolve to.......Kutramon!" in another large flash of light, Otamon became Kutramon. He looked like a little completely black verticle figure with a red robe and hood that covered his whole body. Scrappy wings sprouted out from his back, and he had gold claws on top of each foot. He had long arms, and a large tail that sprung from his robe. The only things visible on his face were his huge eyes, and he was about as tall as Agumon. "Flame dart!" he growled in a raspy little voice. A small explosion of red and gold fire shot from him, gold in right hand, red in left, and it merged into an orange stream that smashed into the Gazimon's chest, flinging him into three others.

"Pepper breath!"

"Poison ivy!"

"Lightning claw!"

"Marching fishes!"

"Blue blaster!"

"Rrgh!"

"Ak!"

"Mrff!"

"Erk!"

"G-get 'em!" groaned a pained Gazimon.

"Do you want a piece of me?" said Gabumon, trying to be 'cool' in Matt's eyes. "Uh, well, you can't handle the truth!"

"Go home before you find out what it's like to REALLY be reconfigured!" Gatomon grunted.

The lead Gazimon looked around and screamed furiously. "Grr!! Retreat!!" they scattered away.

"Wow! Kutramon!" Catrina knelt down and examined the newly digivolved digimon. "Will he stay like this?" she looked at Izzy.

"Mm hm." he nodded. "Most of the time."

Mimi walked over and crouched by an unconscious Gazimon. She scooped him up and sighed. "It's not fair! Isn't there some way to change them back?" she looked at Kutramon.

"I'm sorry Mimi." he said. "Once they're this way......I don't know how he programmed them. That means...we don't know how to undo it."

"How horrible!" Mimi cried. She started to cry over the ruined digimon. "We have to do something, Tai!"

"Let's go get him! Come on!" Tai yelled. He ran out the door and downstairs, but the door hung open and Meokomon was nowhere to be seen. "Dang it!!!" yelled Tai as he kicked the desk. It collapsed and five or six rats shot from it. The others ran down and found Tai. "What are we supposed to do now!?" he kicked the broken pile of wood. "Well?! You're supposed to know so much about him, Kutramon! How do I find him?!"

"Cool it, Tai!" ordered Matt. "We'll find him, don't take it out on us!"

"Well then YOU find him!" Tai shouted as he sat down. "It's just fight, fight, fight! We never get a break! I'm tired of it!"

"Quit it!" said Matt, getting equally angry. "You're supposed to be some great leader, so act like it!"

"What would you ever know about being a leader?! You-"

"Stop it, Tai!" said Agumon. "All you do is fight with Matt! Stop being so stubborn!"

Tai just stared at Agumon. "You...you're on his side! I don't believe this! Forget you! All of you!" Tai stormed out the door and out onto the street.

"Tai!" Agumon called. "Wait!" he ran up to the door and stopped, looking out.

"Mmm.." Patamon started to cry.

"What's the matter, Patamon?" asked T.K. as he picked him up.

"I hate it when...(sniff)...they fight!! (sniff) Ahhh......"

"Sorry Patamon....but he's just a big jerk!" Matt explained as calmly as possible.

"But he's your friend! It's mean to fight him!" Patamon insisted.

Matt clenched his fist. "Fine! Come on, Gabumon!" he stormed out the door.

As the two walked home in silence, Gabumon cleared his throat. "Um, look Matt-"

"Just," he started. "Just forget about it."

As Matt walked through the door, he found his father on the couch, half asleep and drunk with the television blaring. "Mmmatt?" he slurred.

"Yeah?"

"Mmake meee dinner..." he grumbled.

"But it's twelve at night."

"Ssssaid do it!" he said, throwing a pillow. Matt dodged the pillow and walked into his room. Gabumon stayed behind and stared at his father. He then stormed angrily after Matt. "That's it! That's what it is! It's him! It's him, isn't it!"

"What?" he turned around and dropped his bag.

"Rrrh..darn you, Matt!" Gabumon slammed his fist on a table. "Darn you for not telling me!! It's him! Your dad! He's mean to you! He hurts you, doesn't he? I see it now!"

"You don't know what you're talking about, Gabumon." he said as he began to unpack.

He grabbed Matt's arm and turned him around. "NO! I do know! And so do you! You have to get out of here!"

"It's not how you think!" he insisted irritantly. "What do you know? You're not human, you don't know our nature! About our families!"

"No, but I DO know about abusive people! And you don't need to be around one! All this time and I finally see where your attitude comes from!"

He sighed and sat on his bed. "Gabumon look, he doesn't...know what he's doing most of the time. It doesn't happen that often."

"And it's not going to happen again!" Gabumon ordered. "If he touches you, I-"

"No!" Matt said in an almost pleading voice. "Just....just leave it alone. It isn't as bad as it might look."

He stared into Matt's eyes. "Yamato Ishida, this will stop! I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you! Not digimon, not human, not even your father!"

"Okay, Gabumon! Okay." he stood, looking at Gabumon cautiously. "I'm going to go make dinner."

Gabumon pushed him back onto the bed. "No. He can make his own dinner. You're going to bed."

"Gabu-" Gabumon gave him a commanding stare. "Fine." he fell onto the bed.

Gabumon walked out of Matt's room and to the couch, glaring at Matt's father. He was asleep, obviously not missing his dinner, the TV. still blaring. Gabumon sat on the couch next to him. "If you ever lay a hand on him...rrr.." he whispered. "He's mine now."

Tai came through the door of his house and slammed it behind him. "Stupid Matt!" he folded his arms and sat on the couch. "Blah blah blah! What does he know? I can't believe it...Agumon too!"

There was a knock at the door a moment later. He opened the door to find Sora with Agumon hiding guiltily behind her. "Yeah?" Tai tried to keep his greeting as kind as possible.

"H-hi Tai. Can I come in?" she put her hand on Agumon's head.

"Yeah, fine." he punched the door so that it flung open.

"Uh...look Tai, it's not that we don't love you as a leader and all, it's just-" she started.

"I know, I know. You don't have to explain." he managed to say without sounding angry.

"Matt too, Tai. He really does like you...even looks up to you sometimes. But you don't exactly make situations between you two easy."

"Well he doesn't always have to pick a fight with me!" he growled.

"Than maybe you and Matt need to talk, because it's not just about you and him. You're tearing all of us apart, mostly Gabumon and Agumon." she watched Agumon slowly peeked his head out from behind her waist.

"Agumon didn't have to side with him. He's my digimon!" Tai refused to look at him.

Agumon tried to say something, but Sora cut him off. "He's tired of the fighting. We all are, and it doesn't help to fight around T.K. and Kari."

"Hey, I look out for Kari all the time! If I'm around her so much, how am I supposed to keep on this act?!"

"Matt's your friend, Tai. It took him a long time to realize that, so how long is it going to take you?" her last words came out harsh. "Matt's had a hard time, he's really tried, and I think you need to respect that."

"I have some tough stuff to deal with too!" Tai defended.

"I'm not saying you don't. Being a leader brings a lot of pressure, but compare your life to his and tell me what you see." she gave Tai a hard stare.

"I..." his eyes drifted away. "I guess I see where you're coming from." he said reluctantly.

"So...you forgive us?"

"Course!" Tai punched her in the shoulder. "You're my best pal!"

She punched him back playfully, but much too hard. "And?"

He stared at Agumon furiously, but it suddenly snapped into a grin. "Sorry, buddy." he knelt down and hugged Agumon.

"Tai! I thought you'd never talk to me again!" he cried.

"Nah, it's okay Augzilla." he replied.

"Augzilla?" they looked up to see a confused Sora.

Izzy looked up into the sky as he saw an insect and a bird flying towards him. "Izzy! Am I glad to see you!" Tentomon's voice rang.

"Well, great job, Tento." he said. "You guys didn't even get here!"

"Sorry!" said Tentomon. "We got lost."

"Were here now." Biyomon landed followed by Tentomon.

"Can you find your way back to Sora's house?" Izzy looked down at Biyomon.

"I think so! Bye!" she took off again.

"So! What do you think of your new follower?" asked Tentomon, referring to Catrina.

"She's fine." he said as he turned on his laptop.

"Just fine?" he taunted.

He stopped what he was doing and stared at Tentomon. "Yes, JUST FINE."

"Okay! Okay! No need to get all moody!" he looked into the screen.

"You've got mail." the computer blared.

"Ah! What? It's from....Gomamon?"

"Oh, it's for me." Tentomon snatched away the computer.

"Since when did I give you permission to communicate through my computer?" Izzy protested.

"Since I became your digimon! What's yours is mine, what's mine is yours! Besides, it's not like you don't owe me." he began to read off of the screen. "Hm! I never heard that one!"

Izzy shook his head. "Some people are just hopeless."

"Who are you calling helpless? Can YOU digivolve?" he folded his arms.

"Yes."

"Wha?!?!"

"It was a joke, Tento."

"I knew that!"

Ch 4: The Search

Meanwhile, Meokomon sat in his hiding place, which was an old abandoned warehouse. He was surrounded by his Gazimon who tended to his every need. He was in his true form, yet it was hidden in the shadows. "You....." he snarled at a Gazimon. "I must feed......" he gave a dagger-like grin.

"No...no, wait please!" the Gazimon backed away fearfully.

Meokomon shot out along arm, maybe nine feet long, at the Gazimon and pulled him into the shadows.

"AAHHHHH!!!!" came the garbled scream of the Gazimon.

To the other Gazimon's horror, a bloody head hurled from the shadows. "Stop gawking and get back to work!" sneered Meokomon as he licked the blood from his jaws. He looked over at two digimon. One was Temtoalamon, a frog like digimon with large blue spikes and short wolf legs. The other was Zurburakmon, a red bird digimon with an orange beak and orange stripes.

"Temtoalamon, Zurburakmon, it is time to do my bidding. Go intercept those children! And bring me that little girl with black hair....without her digivice, they'll never find me."

"As you wish, Lord Meokomon." hissed Temtoalamon as he followed his companion.

It was the next morning when all of the digidestined met in the park to discuss how to go about the plan of approaching Meokomon. "Okay," started Tai. "now we know how to find him, just by using Catrina's digivice, but the problem is, what do we do when we get there?"

"We blast in and take him down!" T.K. said.

"We don't know how powerful he is." explained Sora.

"We found him once, what makes you think he isn't expecting us?" Matt said.

"There isn't much to plan, Tai." said Izzy. "All we can really do is get ready to fight. And you know there's going to be a fight."

"Let's get started." Tai sighed. "Which way do we go first, Catrina?"

She looked down at her digivice and hesitantly pointed left. "How far away is he, Catrina?" asked Kutramon.

"Far." she replied simply.

Tai walked over and peered at it. "Hm, it looks like we'll have to take the subway."

"Let's go!" shouted T.K. They all hurried to catch him.

The team boarded and sat, waiting to get as far as the subway could take them. After ten minutes of silence, they each struck up their own conversations. "Hey Kari," said T.K. "watch this." he picked up Patamon and stood him on his head. He wobbled on his stubby little arms, struggling to stay up.

"Hm.." she poked Patamon in the stomach, causing him to topple. "How about this?" she nodded at Gatomon who jumped into the air, landing on one paw while her two back legs waved above her head.

"Oh yeah? Well....Patamon can fly." T.K. folded his arms.

"Gatomon?" Patamon looked over at her.

"Yeah?"

"You used to be able to fly, how come you can't anymore?"

"I...uhh....hey look! A fly!" Gatomon pointed to the insect.

"Watch me! I'll catch it!" Patamon flew after it.

"Izzy?" asked Catrina.

"Yes?"

"Will Kutramon digivolve again?"

"Most likely." he went back to typing something on his laptop.

"Izzy?"

"Yes?"

"What's that plant girl called?"

"Palmon." he shook his head for a moment, trying to regain concentration.

She looked out the window. "Izzy?"

"Yeah?" he said, getting a bit annoyed.

"What time is it?"

He looked at his watch. "Ten thirty. It's ten thirty, okay?"

"Sorry."

Izzy brought his hand down back to his computer but stopped with a quick glance to Catrina to make sure all questions were answered. Seeing that she remained silent, he started to type again.

"Izzy?"

"What?! What is it? What do you want?"

"Jeez, sorry!"

Izzy sighed. "Sorry, what is it?"

"Uhh...I just wanted to know......do you think the others like me?"

"Sure...yeah. I mean, you're one of us." he took his eyes from the computer.

"I don't know...it just doesn't seem like I fit in." she fiddled with Kutramon's tail.

"Well, we all have our different traits, and our differences bring us together so that we have a bit of everything and it makes us stronger."

"Really? I never thought about it that way."

"You'll get used to it. You have to believe in us, like we believe in you. You have to have f..faith..." he stopped to ponder for a moment. Funny how she has the crest of faith. She seems to believe in so little. But I suppose if Matt has the crest of friendship...

"Izzy?"

"Yes?"

"Why don't any of you have your crests?"

"Now there's a sensible question. Well..."

T.K. yawned and looked up at Matt. "Are we there yet?"

"No."

"I'm bored!"

"So play with Patamon."

He leaned in and whispered to Matt. "Shh, he's asleep."

Tai turned his eyes from T.K. and looked at Sora who was asleep. "Hm..." he looked over at Joe who was asleep as well and an evil grin swept over his face. He carefully lifted Joe's hand and set if on Sora's leg. He put his hand up to his mouth to muffle a laugh and smiled nervously as Kari gave him a confused look.

"Uh, this is our stop. Let's get off." Tai informed everyone.

Tai stood up and looked out the door with the others behind him. He didn't know what they would face next. He knew that as the battles pressed on, they didn't get any easier. There was always a new challenge for their digimon, and always something that managed to save them in the nick of time. But if only something was there to ease his nerves and lighten the dreary mood. "I can't believe you, Joe!"

"Sora, I didn't-"

"Shut up! What are you laughing at, Tai!?"

"We have to cut through these woods. Here." Catrina looked up from her digivice and pointed to the far away forest. She then hurried up to Tai's side. "Tai?"

"Yeah?"

"My parents don't know about this stuff. They're probably real worried and stuff."

"Sorry Catrina." he said as he glanced down at her. "We've gotta hurry before Meokomon takes over the worlds!"

Catrina nodded and stayed behind as the others went ahead, all but Izzy who stayed with his forced companion. "What's the matter, Catrina?" Kutramon asked.

"Hm? Uh, nothing. This thing is just weird. This changes my whole life. My friends are always gonna look at me funny, my parents are gonna freak out, and no one here will ever accept me...." she sighed and kicked a rock.

"Nothing huh?" Kutramon replied.

Izzy listened in. He knew what it was like to be apart from the crowd and ignored. After all, he wasn't the best-liked person. There was never too much attention brought to him. "Hey, Cat." he walked up to her.

"Cat?" she looked at him with a laugh.

"Sure. Heh heh..." he cleared his throat. "Look...I know how you feel about the new friends thing. I wasn't sure about it either. But with Tentomon and other people I could get to know, it wasn't so bad adjusting."

"Oh..okay. Thanks, Izzy." she patted Tentomon on the head.

"Oooh! I feel that with my feelers!" he felt her hand with his wavy digimon feelers. Eeeeeedo!!! *Ahem* sorry.

Catrina looked down at her digivice for a minute. "Hm."

"What is it?" Kutramon pulled on her shirt and tried to see.

"Oh, it's just that.....when we were tracking Meokomon before, the light showing him was red. Now, that light is white." she just ignored it. "I don't know. It isn't just about Tai and the others, it's some other stuff."

"Like what?" he dodged a low branch.

"I...they're bigger problems. I don't think I wanna bore you and Kutramon."

"Come on. I know what it's like. I..I was adopted." Izzy managed to say.

"Oh." she immediately looked down as if those were the worst of all problems and it was wrong to bring up others. "So what did you do?"

"Well...my parents never really told me until I already knew. I heard them talking when I was really little."

"That's awful." she said.

"Yeah...at first I just pretended that I didn't know what the word was, but I knew. Then I tried to tell myself I never heard it, like it was a dream or something."

Tentomon head-butted Izzy's leg. "But you got over it!"

He looked down. "No Tentomon, I didn't." he heaved a sigh. "So tell me about your problems."

"Gee, Izzy, you make my problems seem like hardly anything."

"Well what is it?"

"You'd just think I was crazy. Just like my mom and my sister." she watched Kutramon and Tentomon play tag.

"So?"

She left the moment in silence for a second, then answered. "Ever since I was born, my family hasn't been the richest people. My sister, Kim, was born, and with her and my parents the family was great. But then I was born during a really hard time for my family. My dad....begged my mom to have an abortion....but..."

"That's too bad."

"Yep...so when I was born, they all had to give up a lot of stuff for money. I don't know, maybe I just don't see things straight, but it just seems like my dad resents me. I wonder if he still doesn't want me here." she looked away.

Izzy put his hand on her shoulder. "You've got friends and I'm sure it is just how it seems."

She offered a smile then suddenly noticed how dense the forest was getting. "Was...this forest always like this?"

"Probably not. It's probably a block from Meokomon. I just have this weird feeling that we're all seeing this whole thing much easier than it's really going to be. I don't think Tai is thinking the whole situation through clearly." Izzy looked ahead as the others stopped in amazement.

"What is that?!" Tai questioned. The nine children stopped and looked up at what appeared to be the next fifty trees tied into one giant knot in front of them, making it impassable.

Izzy walked to the head of the group and examined the tangled trees. "Prodigious!" he concluded. "It's as though the entire forest has welded together just to keep us away."

"Gee, kinda makes you feel unwelcome." Mimi said.

"No kidding." agreed Tai. "So what do we do?"

"There's only one answer!" Agumon began to glow, followed by the others. "Agumon digivolve to.....Greymon!" Greymon looked down at Tai. "Ready when you are!"

Tai looked at the others, seeing that all but Kutramon had digivolved. "Let's do it!"

"Nova Blast!"

"Howling Blaster!"

"Needle Spray!"

"Meteor Wing!"

"Hand of Fate!"

"Celestial Arrow!"

"Electro Shocker!"

"Harpoon Torpedo!"

The eight blasts of energy managed to burst through the tangled mass of wood and clear a path.

"Cool." said Catrina. "How come you didn't digivolve, Kutramon?"

"I tried." he shrugged.

Tai motioned for the others to follow as he led the way through the still smoking wreckage of tree trunks. Catrina began to pry information from Kutramon. "So, how did you find out about Meokomon anyhow?"

"Well," he began. "All I can remember is being Kuwimon....and I was staring straight up at Meokomon. He grabbed me, laughing, but I just can't remember why. I got away....I don't remember how I did that either. It was like a light from me burned his hand. Then it was like something drew me to the other digimon, and I followed them into this world."

"How did you follow them?"

"I........flew...."

"But you couldn't fly when you were Kuwimon."

"That's what I don't understand...." he suddenly turned angry. "He reprogrammed my best friend, and he made it so I couldn't even remember who that was!"

"Sorry." she patted his head. "Can you fly now?" she felt his scrappy little wings.

"Can I ever!" he shot up into the air and hovered in front of her.

"Earth to Izzy!" Kabuterimon waved a hand in front of his friend's face that was staring blindly ahead.

"Hm?"

"What is it?"

"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking about something Catrina said."

"Ooooh.." he said.

"Not like that! It was about her digivice. Different light coloring or something."

"Tai!" Catrina ran up to his side. "We can take this exit out of the forest. We have to cut to the other side through there." she motioned towards a large restaurant building.

"Okay." they walked out of the forest, (much to Mimi's relief) and entered the restaurant. "There's a back door over there." Tai pointed and walked towards it. Before he got to it however, he was thrown back by an explosion from the door.

"Tai!" Greymon yelled. Sora, Greymon, and Matt ran to his side.

"What was that?!" Joe moved away in fear.

The smoke cleared to reveal two large digimon, sending many people running and screaming. "Oh no!" Izzy exclaimed. "That's Temtoalamon!" he said, referring to the large spiked frog with very short stubby wolf legs. "He's a large digimon with a short temper! You don't want to get in his way when he uses his Spine Blaze! And that," he looked at the big red and orange bird, "is Zurburakmon! That's one bird who can really pack a punch with his Ghoul's Ray!"

"That's right little boy!" chuckled Temtoalamon.

"You may not pass." sneered Zurburakmon, staring with his one dead eye.

"Like heck we can't! Get him, Greymon!"

"Nova Blast!" Greymon made his first attack on Temtoalamon who dodged.

"Spine Blaze!" he hollered. The blue spikes that covered his body glowed and shot a large blue flame that smashed into Greymon and sent him across the room.

Zurburakmon turned to Catrina with a wicked smile. "Come little one." he beckoned.

"Stand back!" yelled Kutramon as he pounced in front of her. "Flame Dart!"

The attack bounced harmlessly off of Zurburakmon's chest. "Fool."

"Run, Catrina!" Kutramon suddenly began to shine. "Kutramon digivolve to.....Obrakmon!" he was now Obrakmon, a large vertical figure with a red cloak that covered his entire body all but his tail, arms, giant wings, and a large dragon muzzle that stuck out from his hood. "Fire of Thunder!" he boomed. A huge orange flame burst from his hands and slammed into Zurburakmon, pinning him against the wall.

He cried out in pain and spread his wings. "Worthless beast! You aren't worth wasting my time! Ghoul's ray!" a green ray of light blasted from his beak, joined by a hideous shriek. It hit Obrakmon and threw him into Greymon. "Now cease your games, child!" the bird growled at Catrina.

He was suddenly thrown to the ground by Birdramon who attacked from above. "This town's only big enough for one bird!" she yelled.

"Gotcha covered, Zurbur!" Temtoalamon turned from fighting off Garurumon and Angemon to blast Birdramon and pounce at Catrina. "Spine Blaze!" he shot at her.

"Idiot!" Bellowed Zurburakmon a little too late. "Meokomon wants her alive!"

"Catrina!" Izzy dove, knocking her out of the way and pinning them both to the ground. He could feel the wind of the attack whip over him and the heat of the blue fire. He pushed both of them against the ground as hard as he could and yelled at the top of his lungs, "Kabuterimon!!"

The blue insect turned. "Izzy! Kabuterimon digivolve to.....Megakabuterimon!" he yelled angrily. "Horn Buster!" the energy beam smashed into Temtoalamon's head, slicing right through a part unprotected by spikes.

"AHHH!!!" he screamed. With that, he fell to his side and dissolved.

"Temtoalamon..." mouthed Zurburakmon in a barely audible tone. "Ghoul's-" he was cut off by Obrakmon's Fire of Thunder which threw him down. He growled as he was cornered against the wall by the digimon he was clearly outnumbered by. "You will regret that!!" he turned and zoomed out the door as fast as possible.

"And don't come back!" yelled Tai. He walked back over to the others and watched the digimon sink back to their regular rookie state.

"Thanks Izzy." said Catrina as she got to her feet. "I really owe you one."

Izzy waved his hand as if to dismiss her gratitude. "Thank Megakabuterimon."

"He didn't dive to save me." she hugged him and ran off to see if Kutramon was okay. "That was so cool! You're the best, Kutramon!"

"Rrrrh....." he sat up. "Did I get him?"

"You bet!"

"Good." he fell back down. Slowly, he melted back into Otamon.

She picked him up and walked over to Izzy and Motimon. "Is this Tentomon's in-training form? He's cute." she touched his squishy pink body. "Thanks...uh..." she looked at Izzy.

"Motimon."

"Thanks, Motimon. You saved Izzy and me."

"Awww, it was nothing! I wouldn't be Motimon if I hadn't stayed Kabuterimon so long." Motimon said.

"Everyone okay?" Tai asked.

"Yeah." came their answer in unison.

"Good." he looked around at the damage. "Hm...Catrina, go home for tonight. We'll all stay here, we'll be waiting in the morning in case anything happens."

"But.....I wanna help you guys." she said, holding tightly onto Otamon.

"I know, but we don't have time to explain this all to your parents right now, and they're gonna want to know."

"Okay...bye." she stood and used her digivice to guide her back through the forest.

"I'm beat!" Tai said as the group walked out of the building and into a forest clearing.

"You're beat? Hey, who was the one doing all the fighting?" Agumon flopped onto the ground.

"No kidding!" said Motimon.

"And I have a feeling we haven't seen the last of Zurburakmon." Sora picked up a large red feather.

"We'll beat him." Tai yawned. "I didn't realize how long we were on that train. It's almost night." he leaned his head back onto Agumon's stomach.

"I'm tired too." said Patamon as he curled up in T.K.'s lap.

Before they knew it, the digidestined were all fast asleep.

"Mama?" Catrina came through the door and looked around. Her Mother was asleep on the couch. She led her digimon, who had digivolved back into Kutramon, into her room. "You gotta stay in here tonight, Kutramon. My mom or sister might see you."

"Oooh! What's this?" he picked up a pencil.

"A pencil. You use it to right words."

"Catrina?" she heard a voice.

"Uh oh." she looked around as the door opened, taking her sweatshirt and throwing it on Kutramon in desperation. It knocked him to the ground with a muffled cry.

The door opened and her blond sister came in. "Catrina? Was someone else here?"

"N-no, Kim. Uh, is Dad back?"

"Nope. Where have you been?" she looked at her sister's dismayed face. "Oh I see. I won't tell Mom this time, but tell me the next time you're going to sneak out. Hey, I found this on the ground. What is it?" she held out Catrina's digivice.

"Th-that? Heh...it's..a thing." she grabbed it and shoved it in her pocket.

"So what's that around your neck?" she eyed her tag and crest.

"Umm...a necklace. Yeah, Jenny gave it to me." she stuffed down her shirt.

"Okay...oh," she looked down at her shirt on the floor. "I could do your laundry."

"Uh-no! I mean, I was just about to do it." she picked up the shirt with Kutramon wrapped in it.

"Okay. Uh, goodnight than, kid." she left.

"Phew. That was close." she dropped Kutramon onto the bed.

"Yeesh, Catrina. You could warn me next time."

"Sorry."

Aidomon was a large brown cat digimon with black horns that encircled his neck like a mane. He had large dragon like feet and a tail that looked like a horse's. He was with Zurburakmon who had taken him as a new companion to defeat the digidestined. "They are stronger than they appear." Zurburakmon insisted.

"A buncha kids? You're crazy!" Aidomon snuffed.

"I did not lose my friend to NO ONE!"

"Maybe he was a fool!"

"How DARE you! Ghoul's Ray!" he shot the horrible green light at Aidomon.

"Sting Spear!" the black spikes shot a red light and the two attacks met, canceling out the other's.

"You insult the spirit of all who died in honor!" Zurburakmon growled.

"Stop this at once...." Meokomon's slurred voice droned. "Temtoalamon died by my order. He served his purpose."

"He could have-" started the angry bird.

Meokomon waved his hand. "Quiet." with an angry glance, he looked at Aidomon. "If you insult my loyal warrior again.....let's just say I grow tired of Gazimon....."

"Tai? Tai, wake up."

Tai awoke to Catrina pushing and shoving at his side. "Huh? Wha...what is it?"

"I came back. Did anything happen while I was gone?"

"No." he yawned. "Guys, wake up."

The other seven kids slowly awoke out of their deep sleep. "I got some stuff for you guys to eat." said Catrina as she dumped out the contents of her backpack. She started to pass out sandwiches. "Thanks, Catrina!" said T.K. as he gratefully took one. "I was starving."

"Yum!" said Tentomon as he shoved one in his.....eat...place.

Catrina sat down by Izzy, the only person she knew well. "I've been thinking about what you said about your digivice. It really doesn't make sense why the light would change colors. Maybe...we aren't tracking Meokomon anymore." Izzy said.

"Hm." she pulled out her digivice. "So what would we be tracking?"

"That's what I don't know. I really can't think of anything. Hmmm..." he thought as he took a bite off his sandwich.

"Hey, maybe we're tracking Zurburakmon." Catrina suggested.

"Maybe."

"How's your sandwich, Patamon?" asked T.K.

"It's okay. I prefer peanut butter and tuna fish though."

"Bleck!"

Tai stood up. "Well guys, we better get goin'."

"Here we go, off to fight an evil scary monster that'll probably kill us." said Joe.

"Come on, Joe!" said Gomamon as he jumped onto his head. "We'll win!"

"Yeah, I know." he stood up to follow Tai.

"Okay, Catrina. Where does the digivice say to go now?" Tai asked.

"This way." she pointed to a much clearer path in the woods.

"Let's go!" said Tai, relieved to take the easy way for once.

Kutramon jumped up onto Izzy's head. "Hey, Iz!" he shouted.

"Uh..hello."

"We're pals now!" he flapped his wings.

"Why?"

"Cause you're in love with MY digidestined!"

"What?! I am not! How can one make such an observation after only a few days?"

"You just seem like it."

"Why does everyone keep saying that? Just because she's my age and Tai stuck me with her?" he sighed in extreme irritance. "We're all being coupled off by what the rest of the group wants to see. Tai and Sora, Joe and Mimi, T.K. and Kari, soon some new girl will come with Matt. But not me and Catrina! What do we have in common?"

"Sorry! If you hate her I'll lay off!"

"I..." he rolled his eyes. "I don't hate her, jeez. She's just....not my type, okay?"

"Okay." he flapped down to Tentomon. "How long do you give him, Tento?"

"Hmm...a week!" Izzy looked at Tentomon and Kutramon chuckling.

"What?"

"Whoa!" shouted Catrina. The other eight turned to see her holding her digivice glowing in shock.

"What?" Tai looked down as his and the others were doing the same. What's happening?"

The nine lights shot together in one direction. "Let's follow it!" said T.K.

"Come on!" Tai yelled as he ran after it. He ran all the way to a clearing, from where he could see a tall white tower where the nine lights drilled into.

"What is that?" Sora asked as she and the others caught up with Tai.

"I don't know. It must be where Meokomon is! That was fast. Tentomon!"

"Got it! Tentomon digivolve to........Kabuterimon!" he crouched down. "All aboard!" he let all of the children climb upon his back.

"Hit it!" said Tai. With that, Kabuterimon flashed up to the window. When they got up to the window, Kabuterimon landed inside.

Tai looked around the room and gasped. "Way cool...." he said after a long while. Tai looked around at the old room, and across from him was a glass case with nine lights glimmering in it. "They must be for us..." said Tai.

"Why do you say that?" asked Matt.

"Well duh. There's nine, Catrina's digivice reacted to them."

"Oh yeah."

"I wonder what they are." Tai walked over to the glass and tapped on it. "Hmm.."

"AHHHH!!!!!" screamed the digimon as they fell to the ground.

"What is it?!" Tai dropped next to Agumon.

"IT'S SO LOUD, TAI!!!!! AHHHH!!!"

"What? What's loud? Agumon!" he shook him. "Ah!" Tai suddenly ducked as a light blew over his head and shot into Agumon, throwing him a few feet away. "Agumon!" he rushed back over to him. "What happened? Are you okay?"

Agumon slowly stood up and shook his head. "Ohhh...I'm okay...I guess." he sat down. "Ooohhhh...I don't feel very well...EHH!! Tai!!"

"What's happening?!"

"Agumon super warp digivolve to........Metalwargreymon!" Tai looked up in horror to see Wargreymon with large golden rockets on his arms and a blade like tail. Rather than a half helmet that only covered his top jaw, an entire metal helmet enclosed his huge head and a large portion of his neck.

"M-M-Metalwargreymon!?!? You gotta be kiddin'!!" Tai gasped.

"Uhhh ohhh...." Gabumon backed up as a light flashed towards him and tore through his stomach. "Ahh!!!! Gabumon super warp digivolve to.......Warugarurumon!" Matt saw his digimon, Metalgarurumon, almost the same with metal paws and a golden helmet. He had what appeared to be armor on that contained many weapons.

"G-Gabumon? Okay....."

"AH! Biyomon warp digivolve to.......Naramon!" Naramon was a giant four-legged bird with metal wings and a shining beak.

"Woah!" exclaimed Sora.

"OW! Palmon warp digivolve to.......Vemomon!" Palmon was suddenly transformed into a huge woman with leaves covering her arms and vine-like hair. Her 'skin' was white and had leaves sprouting from her legs.

"Wow!" Mimi said as she plucked a leaf.

"Ouch, Mimi!" came Vemomon's deep voice.

"EK! Gomamon warp digivolve to.......Suramon!" the white seal-tiger was turned into Zudamon with a longer snout and large arms and legs. His hammer was now an ax and a sword, and his shell was metal.

"OOF! Tentomon warp digivolve to.......Herculeskabuterimon!" Tentomon was now Kabuterimon only gold with various spike/horns. (Authors note: Herculeskabuterimon is the most ridiculous name ever, but he is an actual character I pulled from the digimon game. Play it! It's funnnnnn!!)

"AH! T.K.! Patamon warp digivolve to.......Arkangemon!" Patamon was now Magna Angemon with a gold crown and twelve feathered wings. His staff was silver with long spikes, he wore metal gloves, and shoulder plates of steel.

"You're huge!" grinned T.K. at his new digimon.

"Gatomon warp digivolve to.......Magna Angewomon!" She looked like Magna Angemon only a womon.

Catrina knelt by Kutramon who had not digivolved, reasons unknown. "What's up?''

"I don't know." he looked ahead at the light left. "Maybe it's just not m-HLK!!" he was thrown against the wall suddenly by the remaining light. "Ulllhh....."

"Kutramon! Are you okay?" Catrina ran over to him.

"I guess so.." he stood up and brushed himself off. The other kids circled around him, waiting for the digivolution, but nothing happened. He sighed miserably and fell back to the ground. "Sorry, Catrina."

"It's okay, Kutramon." she patted him on the head and walked over to the others who were conversing about what happened.

"I feel like I just keep letting her down." huffed Kutramon.

"I know how you feel." said Arkangemon. "I was the very last to digivolve when T.K. needed me."

"And when you do," said Herculeskabuterimon. "you'll be the most powerful one of all!"

"Thanks you guys." he said.

"Metalwargreymon! This is so cool! They just keep digivolving. We're gonna kick Meokomon's tail!" said Tai.

"Yeah right." said Joe. "What do you wanna bet he's ten times more powerful and kills us all before we can say Herculeskabuterimon?"

"I don't get it." said Catrina to Izzy. "Why can't Kutramon digivolve when he's supposed to? Is there something wrong with him?"

"Of course not." said Izzy. "When we first got our digimon, it was a while before they could digivolve. I remember when I first found Motimon. From then on, things just got weirder and weirder. Kutramon will digivolve when you're in danger."

"But all of you guys weren't in danger just now, they all digivolved anyways."

"Yes, well, perhaps he would have if he had even digivolved passed his champion form."

"Hm. Hey!" she said, looking at her digivice. "It's tracking Meokomon again!"

"Pity you'll never find him." came Zurburakmon's voice.

"Zurburakmon!" yelled Tai.

"Don't forget about me!" said Aidomon as he jumped through the window.

"Hmm...." said Izzy, looking at his computer. "That's Aidomon. He's got a bad attitude and his Sting Spear can kill a digimon in ultimate form!"

"Heads up, kid!" yelled Aidomon. "Sting Spear!" he directed his attack toward Izzy that was blocked by Herculeskabuterimon.

"Back off!" yelled Metalwargreymon. "Orb of Destruction!" he growled. A huge blue orb of light exploded from his hands and hurled Aidomon across the room.

"What's this?" said Zurburakmon in shock.

"Give it up, bird!" yelled Tai.

"Me?" he chuckled. "I think not. Zurburakmon digivolve to.......Aykerimon!" Zurburakmon was suddenly transformed into a giant golden feathered bird with six wings and a steel helmet covered his face. Red feathers adorned his massive chest, each shining with the confidence to destroy all who oppose. "Ghost Wind!" two blue streaks of lightning blasted from his helmet and crashed into Suramon.

"RR! Holy Judgement!" screamed Arkangemon. A golden light sliced through the air from the palms of his hands and barely skimmed Aykerimon.

"Close but no banana! Bloody Surge!" A red stream of energy made contact with Arkangemon's stomach.

"Arkangemon!" yelled T.K.

"My turn!" roared Aidomon as he recovered from his attack. "Aidomon digivolve to.....Retralikmon!" Aidomon flashed into a large tan cat with brown spikes along his back and eight feet. His long fangs nearly touched the ground they came out of his mouth so far. He had huge ears that resembled a wolf's, and five dragon like tails. "Star Fang!" two rays of gray light zapped Magna Angewomon from his dagger like fangs.

"Serpent Venom!" shouted Vemomon as golden streams hit Retralikmon, flinging him several feet away.

"Ghost Wind!" growled Aykerimon, quickly behind her.

"Ah!" she fell over and was at his mercy.

"Ha ha ha! Bloody Surge!"

"Ah!!"

"Vemomon!!" screamed Mimi in horror.

"Gotcha!" howled Warugarurumon. "Blaring Wolf Cry!" he said as a red light exploded from his heavy jaws and hit Aykerimon in the back.

"Ak!! Very low, you flea ridden wolf!" snarled Aykerimon as he turned.

"Oh really?" rumbled Herculeskabuterimon.

"Ah..." he turned in rage to see Suramon, Arkangemon, and Naramon surrounding his companion Retralikmon. "Blast you all!" he bellowed. "I am out numbered! This will not happen a third TIME!! You have won twice, yet the war hardly begins!! As powerful as I am, there are more, and what will you do then?!"

"That's what Devimon said, and look where he is!" mocked Tai.

With a steady smile, he bent close to Tai. "I have no means to fight your digimon. My fight is with you! You can't protect the world, Taichi! Oh how you can not! Ha ha ha haha ha!!!" with a quick swoop, he snatched Retralikmon and thrust himself out the window.

"Oof!"

"Erk!"

"Ouch!"

"Hey!"

"Mrf!"

"Uf!"

"Hrk!"

"Drr!" cried the eight digimon as they fell to the ground in thier in-training forms.

"Tanemon, are you okay?" cried Mimi as she scooped her digimon up.

"I'm okay, Mimi..." she said, dazed.

Tai only stood in shock at being directly addressed by Aykerimon. "Tai?" said Koromon. "Tai, are you okay?"

"Huh? Y-yeah, Koromon. I'm all right." he shook it away and walked over to Izzy.

"A message from Gennai!" he shouted.

"Hello Tai! Others, how's Catrina fitting in? Great? Good. You're very close to Meokomon, and I hear you've found your next digivolution stage. Yes, news travels fast here. Hurry and defeat him! He's up to something bad, and it's up to you to stop him. Good luck!"

"Where have we heard that before?" sighed Sora.

"Let's go home, guys." said Tai. "We'll pick up in the morning."

"No." came Kutramon's voice. He pointed out the window to red smoke smoldering out of the forests. "It will be too late."

"I almost had those kids!" screeched Aidomon, back in his champion form and being carried by Zurburakmon.

"Fool! I ought to drop you!"

"You shoulda known they could digivolve more!"

With a quick release, Aidomon was on the ground. Zurburakmon landed. "Find your own way back! I have enough on my mind without you whining so constantly!" he took off.

"Hmph! Darn bird!"

"How long are we going to have to stay in this icky forest?" complained Mimi.

"Until we get to where we're going." said Tai.

"Where's that?"

"How should I know?"

"AHH!!!" screamed Joe.

Tai whipped around. "What is it?"

"A snake!"

"Oh brother."

"Ah! A big bug!"

"I resent that!" yelled Tentomon.

"No, it really is big!!" Joe hid behind Sora.

"It's a spider, Joe." she said.

"Ah!! A spider?!"

"Shut up, Joe."

T.K. pulled on Matt's shirt. "Hm? What is it little guy?"

"Matt, I have to go to the bathroom."

"Oh. So go."

"Will you come with me? It's scary in the forest." he looked around.

"Just take Patamon."

"Oh, okay. Come on Patamon." with that, Patamon flew up onto T.K.'s shoulder.

"We better hurry, T.K. We don't want to get caught out here alone." he said.

"Mm hm." he said, nearly tripping over various bushes. They were out in the forest a ways, when they heard a large snap. T.K. turned nervously. "M-Matt? Tai?"

"We should get out of here." whispered Patamon.

"Yeah, I'll hurry."

"I have to go too. I'll be right back." Patamon flapped off.

T.K. watched him leave and turned back around, only to hear the loud snap again. "Hello? Tai? Is that you? That isn't funny, Tai!" he then saw the large brown cat slither out of the trees and come near. "Aidomon!"

"Hm hm hm! Dang straight, kid!" he grinned.

"Get away from me!" T.K. picked up a rock.

"Real scared. Where's yer flyin' rat?" he stalked towards him.

"Get back!" he yelled as he hurled the rock. It bounced hard off of Aidomon's nose.

"Ah!" he roared. "Stupid kid! I hate kids!!" he pounced at him and missed by an inch.

"Well I hate evil digimon! Err!" he kicked Aidomon in the head.

He let out a tremendous cry of rage and swung his huge claws into T.K. They gouged into his stomach, pulling him to the ground. "Rrr!"

"AHH!!!! Matt!!" he shrieked in horror and pain. Blood gushed wildly from his gaping wound, Aidomon's claws digging deeper and deeper. "PATAMON!!!!" he cried.

"T.K. I'm coming!!" yelled Patamon. He hovered in shock for a moment as he watched the horrible vision. T.K. had struggled onto his stomach to get away from Aidomon who kept hold of him by his shoe in his mouth. T.K. continued screaming and crying, trying to drag himself away from Aidomon's grip. "NOOO!!!!!!!!!" screeched Patamon as he flashed towards the cat. "Boom Bubble, pa! Boom Bubble, pa! Boom Bubble, pa!" It seemed to catch his attention for a moment and he ripped his claws from the child's stomach, causing another eruption of blood.

"Sting Spear!" he growled as light shot from him to Patamon.

"Ah!!" yelped Patamon as he fell to the ground.

"T.K., I'm coming!!" screamed Matt. He came crashing through the forest to find his little brother in an ocean of blood, staring up at the sky with a glazed over, emotionless look on his face. "T.K.!!" he ran over to him.

"Ha ha ha.." snarled Aidomon.

Matt gazed up at Aidomon in hate. "Rrr...GABUMON!!!!!" he bellowed in an unnatural tone of voice.

"Oh dear! Gabumon super warp digivolve to.......Warugarurumon! Blaring Wolf Cry!" with a quick blast, Aidomon was sent flying into a few trees.

"T.K....." sniffed Patamon as he leaned over his friend. He didn't know what was wrong, but all he could tell was that T.K. had a seemingly endless supply of blood and some sort of brown organ was trying to find its way outside of his body.

"T.K.?" croaked Matt as he lifted him up.

"I guess now wouldn't be a good time to bring up the subject, but I really have to go to the bathroom!" said Tentomon.

T.K. half closed his eyes and looked at one of his bloody hands. "Matt?" he choked. "Patamon?"

"I'm right here, T.K." said Patamon.

"Oh....okay......." he fell limp as blood drained from his mouth.

"T.K.? T.K.?!" Matt shook him harshly. "T.K.!! T.K. snap out of it!"

Tai immediately scooped up T.K. and turned. "We better get to the hospital, quick!"

Kari looked up at Tai in tears. "Is T.K. gonna be okay?"

Tai looked down at her. "Y-yeah Kari." they all followed Tai through the woods, listening to Matt's endless whining.

"Why did we have to go so far? T.K.'s gonna die and we're stuck out in this stupid forest!" Matt complained.

At this Kari exploded into tears. Unable to keep from feeling their age, Izzy and Catrina started to cry as well. "Matt!" yelled Tai. "You're not helping!" he looked down at T.K. He didn't want to tell Matt how bad the situation looked, so he kept his back to him. "Tentomon, help us out."

"Righto! Tentomon digivolve to.........Kabuterimon!" they all got onto Kabuterimon who proceeded to fly low in order to avoid attention.

Tai deliberately sat away from Kari and Matt, stuffing his shirt into T.K.'s wound. "Come on, T.K." he whispered desperately. "Wake up." he put his fingers on T.K.'s throat and waited. He couldn't feel a pulse. "T....K.?" he was about to panic when he felt a single beat. He sighed in relief and tapped on Kabuterimon's helmet. "Kabuterimon, you can land right over here." he pointed. Kabuterimon silently landed on the ground, catching many frightened stares from people.

Kabuterimon shrunk back into Tentomon and followed Izzy who was trying hard to stop crying over T.K. "Don't worry Izzy. T.K. will be okay."

"Don't be silly Tentomon..." he sniffed. "T.K.'s current condition...hardly has any change on my..emotional state." he said as he brushed away his tears.

Tai rushed into the hospital with T.K. in his arms. "Someone help!"

"Sir, if you'll allow me to explain-" Zurburakmon began.

"There is no more to be said...." Meokomon's voice hissed. "The fact is simply that you have failed."

"Lord Meokomon..." panted Aidomon as he limped in. "Sir, I've succeeded in killing the smallest child." he fell to the ground.

"Most wonderful." he said, wiping his face from a meal of Gazimon. "But if that is all that could be done, you obviously need a....larger crew...."

"Indeed." agreed Zurburakmon. "And perhaps a more intelligent one at that." he motioned to Aidomon.

"But of course...."

The other eight children stood outside as they anxiously awaited an update on T.K. It had been hours. "It's all my fault!" sobbed Matt. "If I would of just gone with him! He'd be fine now!"

"Quit beatin' yourself up about it, man." said Tai as he leaned against the wall.

"But it's my fault! You wouldn't be saying that if it were Kari instead!"

"Poor T.K." cried Kari.

Matt immediately stood as the doctor emerged. "Is he okay? What's happening?!"

"Relax, son. We performed surgery to put some things back where they belong, and he'll need blood."

"Take mine." said Matt instantly. "We have the same blood type, I'm healthy, check!"

"Calm down." said the doctor. "We already prepared some that we had for him."

"Is he gonna be okay?"

"I'm....sorry. Right now we can't tell."

Patamon started to cry. "If I just would've digivolved when I had the chance!"

The doctor stared at Patamon in horror and shook his head as if to pretend he hadn't heard what he just did. "What happened to him?"

"Uh..." Tai searched for and excuse. "He...was petting this dog, and it got all mad and stuff, then it just attacked him."

"Really? Hmm...we'll do the best we can." he put his hand on Matt's shoulder then walked away.

Matt turned to see his mother at the desk, yelling frantically. "Mom, over here." he said.

She rushed over to Matt. "Matt! Where is he, what happened!?"

"He was attacked by a digimon, Mom. Keep your voice down."

"You didn't stop it?! What is wrong with you?! Don't you have any concern for your little brother?!"

"Mom I-"

"And you!" she looked at Patamon. "A-aren't you supposed to be his...I don't know, guardian or something?!"

"Baahhh!!!!" Patamon burst into tears again.

"Leave him alone!" said Matt as he picked up Patamon. "It wasn't his fault!" he stroked Patamon's head.

"Then whose fault was it?!" she looked among the crowd.

"Mine..." said Matt as he collapsed into a chair. "It was my fault...mine..." he put his hands over his face.

Tai put his hand on Matt's shoulder and gave his mother a look as if to say, 'Proud of yourself now, aren't you?'.

She looked away. "T.K.'s not going to fight like this anymore."

"But we need him." insisted Sora.

"I don't care!"

"Not even if it saves the world? Jeez lady!" said Tai.

"You don't und-"

"Uh, kids." said the doctor as he came back out. "He's in a stable condition. You can see him now." They all followed the doctor into the room where T.K. lay in a bed. "He's breathing on his own now, which is a good sign. Earlier we were afraid he had lung damage."

She went over to the side of the bed and took his hand. Matt went to the other. T.K. slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Matt. "Matt?"

"Hey T.K." said his mother.

"Hi Mom." she frowned as his attention turned back to Matt. "Hi Patamon..." he saw Patamon perched on his bed rail.

"Are you okay?"

"I guess so. My stomach hurts. Matt...Gabumon...you guys saved me..you too Patamon."

"Yeah, of course." said Patamon, regaining his cheeriness.

"Matt?"

"Yeah little bro?"

"Can you get me some ice cream?"

He laughed and patted him on the head. "Sure."

He pulled up his shirt and looked at his ripped up then sown up stomach. "Is it gonna leave a scar?"

"Yeah, but no one will see."

"Oh. Where's...Dad?"

"He's on his way." said his mother, anxious to join the conversation at any time.

"Ya pulled through, man!" said Tai as he came over. "Knew ya would."

T.K. looked down at Tai's blood soaked shirt. "You carried me here, huh?"

"Yeah, Matt was freakin' out." he punched Matt in the shoulder.

"Thanks you guys..." he yawned, falling back into sleep. "You saved me...."

They all came around to see T.K. as his jealous mother left the room.

That night, the hospital provided the kids with beds for they failed to pull Matt from his brother. Business had been slow in the old hospital, so they figured the beds would not be needed. All were asleep but Patamon and Catrina who sat and talked out of boredom and curiosity. Little did they know, Izzy was listening in. `.`

"Gee, it must be real scary to see your best friend all attacked and stuff." Catrina said.

"Yeah. I coulda stopped it....I coulda digivolved...I didn't think." he flattened his ears.

"It's okay. You tried, and by the time you digivolved, it probably would've been too late. T.K. doesn't think it's your fault. He knows it isn't. So do I." she patted his head.

"But I'm supposed to protect him."

"You did a great job, little guy. You distracted him long enough until Matt and all of us got there."

"I guess...."

"And I heard the story from the others about where you guys came from. If you didn't decide to go after T.K., he would have died without you."

"Hey yeah, I guess there's that. Thanks Catrina."

"Mm hm!"

Patamon remained silent for a moment. "So how do you and Kutramon get along?"

"Good. I really like him."

"What about Izzy?"

"What about him?" she said, folding her arms.

"Do you like him?" he leaned over to try and observe her expression.

"Well there's nothing wrong with him. No...I take that back."

Izzy cringed.

"He is pretty weird. There's something about him and his laptop. Maybe he needs time away from it. It's freaky." she looked over at Izzy who pretended to be asleep. "He is kinda cute though. In a weird sorta way."

"I knew it!"

"What?"

"Nothing." he peered over at her watch. "I think I'm gonna go sleep with T.K. Goodnight." he flew out the door.

"Goodnight, Patamon." she yawned and lay back looking at her watch as well. With in a matter of minutes, she was asleep.

Izzy lay awake, staring at the wall. He couldn't believe what he had heard. No one had ever talked about him like that, or at least not that he had heard. Never once had he known anyone really felt that way about him. "Does she really..." he whispered to himself. "Does she really think.........I'm computer obsessed?! No...that's just crazy. Hey, did she say I was cute? Hm, maybe she was talking to Patamon."

The next morning, they all awoke and went in to visit T.K. His mother was already there. "How ya doin'?" asked Matt as he went to his bedside.

"I'm okay! Guess what, the doctor said I only have to stay here a few more days, then we can get back to-"

"No T.K." said his mother sternly. "You are not going out fighting these monsters again. Not after this."

T.K. gasped. "No Mom! I have to!"

"No! You could be killed!"

Matt huffed, thinking, 'So could I.'

"Mom, I have to! I have to! Patamon..and-and Matt and Tai and Sora and Joe and Mimi and Izzy and Kari and Catrina need me!"

"I don't care, T.K. You're coming home once you get out of here, and that's it."

"Hey, that's not your choice!" insisted Tai. "He was chosen! We need him to save the world! The worlds!"

"No! He's my son, and if you think for a moment I'm going to let him go out there and fight to his death, you're insane! How could you understand? You're a bunch of kids!"

"We do know about it!" said Sora, putting her hand on Biyomon's head.

"Our knowledge reaches far beyond the border of the normal level in children our age!" retorted Izzy.

"Don't you kids get it!?" she backed up against the wall. "T.K.'s all I have! He's all I've got! I don't have..anything left."

"Yeah that's right Mom!" boomed Matt from across the room. "He's all you've got!" he kicked a trash can over and stormed out.

"Matt! Wait! Matt.." she watched Gabumon growl at her and hurry after him.

"Matt!" T.K. called. "Now look what you did, Mom!" yelled T.K. "You made Matt mad!"

"I didn't mean-"

"You did so! I hate you Mom!" he folded his arms and looked away.

"But I..." she looked all around at the other children's agreeing faces. "T.K..."

"Go away." he said angrily.

She slowly backed out of the room and ran off down the hall.

"None of my parents like me!" heaved Matt. Gabumon continued to pat him on the shoulder. They had gone to a small park where no one could find them, and there they sat on a bench.

"Ooh, I'm sure they do Matt. Besides, you have T.K., and me, and the rest of your friends."

"B-but I need a parent! Right now I don't have any!" he attempted to be angry, but he gave in to depression instead.

"Um...Joe's older..and...well....what about Joe?"

"Joe!" he groaned. "Are you even listening to what you're saying?"

"But....me, Matt. I'm kind of a parent...thing." he said.

"You're a digimon!"

"So."

"You just don't get it.."

Ch 5: ('bout freakin' time) The Plot Thickens

"What's with your mom, T.K.?" Tai huffed.

"I don't know. It's like she doesn't even like Matt or something!"

Kari stepped up. "We're glad you're gonna be okay, T.K. Me, Gatomon, and Patamon made you something." she handed him a poorly made card.

"Thanks guys." the writing was nearly unreadable, and the drawing looked as if a newborn had drawn it.

"How can you tell what that is?" asked Tai as he looked at it.

"It's easy. That's Kari." he pointed to a drawing on the card. "That's Gatomon." he showed him the barely recognizable figure. "And that's Patamon!" a simple scribble. "See? Love, Kari, Gatomon, and Patamon."

"Sure..."

"T.K.?" asked Patamon as he leaned over.

"Yeah Patamon?"

"Umm...so you're okay now and stuff..."

"Yeah."

"Well...I just was gonna ask..."

"What is it, Patamon?"

"Do.." tears began to bubble in his eyes. "Do you think it was my fault you got hurted?"

"Course not, Patamon. You saved me from Aidomon. He woulda teared me ta pieces if ya didn't boom bubble 'm." he squished him in his arms.

"Good." he sniffed, chewing on his shirt.

Everyone gathered around them to apply affection but Kutramon and Catrina who stood alone. "Say Catrina, what happened to the kid with the dirt blond hair? Where did he go?" Kutramon asked.

"I don't know.." she looked down the hall.

"We should go after him." he hopped off.

"Wha-hey! Wait!"

"Maaaaaaaaaatt." Gabumon tried to push him. "Come on, I bet everyone is wondering where you are."

"So what?"

"So we don't want to worry them."

"Let 'em look! I don't care!" he scoffed angrily.

"Yes you do. They're your friends."

"Well...well it's none of their business!"

"Hmm..hey look! There's Kutramon, oh, and Catrina too."

"Hey Matt." said Catrina as she caught up with Kutramon.

"Hello." Gabumon answered for him.

"I'm sorry about your mom." said Kutramon as he plopped beside him. "But...uh..hey, you still got your dad."

Matt let out a miserable groan. "Yeah! My dad! He isn't any better!"

Catrina looked at Kutramon and sat on Matt's other side. "Your parents are bad too, huh?"

"The worst..."

"Mm hm. My dad's like that too. And my mom....well..it's like most of the time she doesn't care."

"Ha. My dad's just a stupid drunk, and my mom could care less if I'm dead." he took a moment to look at her. "Guess we're kinda alike."

"Yeah..." she looked out at the wind blowing through the trees, and after a while asked, "Matt, do you ever think....you're gonna die...die when you're still so young?"

"Sometimes." he said after thinking. "Why?"

"If your dad gets drunk, it must be the same situation. I think my dad will kill me someday." she said simply.

"Really? Where do you pick that up? Does he get drunk too?"

"No..." she shrugged. "He just doesn't like me. He tells me he'll kill me if I don't behave. When I was little, I thought that was just an exaggeration, but now..I don't know. I really thought that deep down somewhere he did actually love me, but all I see when he looks at me is disgust and hate."

"That's tough, kid. Has he ever..ya know, like, hit you or something?"

"Yeah, sometimes. Only when I do something bad. I guess I deserve it then."

"No way!" said Gabumon. "Children should never ever be hit!"

Matt gave him a look. "It doesn't matter, Gabumon."

"But-"

"Gabumon." He looked back to Catrina. "My dad just gets....angry. He does stuff like that."

"So what do you do?"

"Just...do what he says. It's easier, I mean."

Kutramon and Gabumon gave each other confused glances. "But...but that isn't how it should be, Catrina." Said Kutramon.

"Why not?"

"Because parents should love their children!" insisted Gabumon.

"It wouldn't matter anyway." Matt said. "Look, I appreciate the talk and all kid, but...I thinks it's just best if I figure out all this stuff on my own."

"Well, okay." She looked down at Kutramon. "I guess we'll go, then."

"Goodbye." Said Gabumon. "You see Matt? People do care."

"Yeah, but it doesn't change anything." He sighed.

"Why sure it does!" he encouraged. "You do have friends."

"I know, Gabumon."

"I just think you know how to say that better than you really know it."

"Hmmm..." Matt looked away.

Gabumon shook his head. "You'll understand someday, Matt. I know you will."

"Matt! Matt!" he turned to see his mother run towards him.

"Go away." He grunted.

"Matt, please-"

"No way, Mom!" he said, standing up. "You've beaten me to the ground enough!"

"Matt...you're my son..."

"Yeah? So maybe you should act like a mother! I don't have Dad, and I know sure as heck I don't have you!"

"But that's not true Matt!" she insisted. "You do have me...I've always been here."

"Really? Well where were you when Dad got drunk and crazy? Where were you when I was alone in my room, figuring out that no company is better? You took T.K. and not me too!"

"Matt...you don't understand! T.K. was so young...I wouldn't have ever forgiven myself if your father did something to him!"

"But it's okay if it's me." He gave an angry scoff. "People are always doing this to me! Trying to calmly break it to me how I'm just not as important!"

"Matt, I didn't take you because your father insisted he had one of you! I couldn't take both because I was scared!"

"If you loved me it wouldn't have mattered!"

He watched her stumble over words. "Matt, I-we...I just-T.K. was so..."

"That's what I thought. Now go away. Get out of here!"

"Matt, wait-"

"Just LEAVE ME ALONE!" he marched over furiously with Gabumon quickly following.

"I thought Matt said he would get me some ice cream." Said T.K. "I guess Mom scared him off."

"I'll go get you some." Said Sora as she patted him on the head.

"Oooh, pick me up some of that!" said Tentomon.

"Okay Tentomon."

Izzy laughed at his digimon and looked around the room. "Where did Catrina and Kutramon go?"

"Right here." Panted Catrina as she appeared in the doorway. "Kutramon wanted to chase after Matt."

"Did you find him?" asked Tai.

"Yeah, but I don't think he took what we said to him as being helpful."

"Hm. Maybe I should go find him." Suggested Tai.

"I just think he'll come back when he's ready." Said Catrina.

"Tai? Kari? Oh, thank goodness you're okay!" they turned around to see Mrs. Kamiya. "I got worried when you were out so late. T.K.'s mother said you were all here."

"Hi Mom," Tai greeted.

"Hi Mommy!" Kari answered.

"Oh, poor T.K." she went over to his bed. "What happened to him?"

"He got attacked by a digimon, Mom." Said Kari.

"Oh my...Kari...maybe you-"

"Don't do that, Mom!" pleaded Tai. "T.K.'s mom already threatened to pull him away from us! Don't take Kari!"

"Tai, I don't want either of you hurt."

"Mom, it means saving the world." He gave her a hard stare.

She sighed. "Watch after your sister Tai."

"Hey, it's what I've been doin'!"

"Here T.K." said Mrs. Kamiya as she handed him a box.

"Oooh! Thanks Mrs. Kamiya!" he opened it and pulled out a very small green sweatshirt. "Gee, thanks, but I think it's a little too small."

"Oh, it's for Patamon! It's going to be getting colder soon."

"Great!" said T.K. as he pulled it over Patamon's head.

"Just the right size!" Patamon said as he looked down at it. "And green's one of my favorite colors! Thanks Kari and Tai's Mom!"

"You're quite welcome, Patamon."

"Boy, I'm tired of sitting in bed." Said T.K. as he sat up.

"Hey guys." Said Sora as she came in. "It's been a while, so I thought I'd just get us all lunch too." She handed everyone a tray.

"Thanks Sora." Said Tai, opening and sharing it with Agumon.

"Tai, this food tastes funny." Said Agumon.

"Really? Lemme see." He took a big bite of jello. "Nope. It's supposed to taste like this, it's hospital food."

"Oh." He shoved some rubbery french fries in his mouth.

"Ick!" said Joe as he pushed it away. "I'd rather eat Biyomon!"

"Sora!"

"Joe!"

"Sorry!" Joe sighed. "Maybe Izzy's laptop would taste better."

"Don't even joke about that!" raged Izzy. "It's- (cough)-n-n- (choke)-not-e-even- (garble)-Ffff- (sputter) ff!"

Catrina reached over and belted Izzy on the back. "There ya go."

"HACK!" he choked up a chunk of the nasty green jello. "Th-thank you." He said in a high pitched gasp.

"Yeesh, sorry Izzy." Said Joe.

"Tai!!" yelled a familiar voice. "Tai! Someone!!"

"It's Gabumon!" said Tai as he got up and ran out into the hall. He collided into Matt's digimon.

"Tai! Tai!" Gabumon panted.

"What is it?"

"It's Matt! Oh Tai, something awful happened to Matt, I just know it!"

"Why? What happened?"

"He's gone!"

"What? Where is he?"

"I don't know! I don't know! He was right there, just right there, and the next second he was gone!"

"Slow down, Gabumon!" he shook him by the shoulders. "What do you mean? Just start from the beginning, man!"

"Tai, it was horrible! I was sitting by the lake with Matt, when-"

"Matt, when are we going to go back to the others?" asked Gabumon as he peered down at the water.

"I don't know." He sighed as he kicked a rock. "I've been thinking...maybe I should go home."

"Home? But what about Tai and the others?" he asked in a very frightened tone. "You're not going to give up on them, are you?"

"I...I don't know."

"Hey, come on Matt. We already went through this, remember?"

"I know, I know. I guess I'm just being ridiculous. Let me just use the trees and we'll go back." He got up and walked off.

"Hmm." Gabumon rippled the water with his claw, when he heard a horrible cry.

"AH!! Gabumon!!!!"

"Matt! Matt! Matt? Where are you?! MATT!"

"He was gone, Tai! He just disappeared! I looked everywhere! What if it was Zurburakmon, or Aidomon, or Meokomon!? We have to-"

"Chill!" said Tai. "I'll get the others and we'll go look for him." He ran back into the room and saw the doctor talking to T.K. "Uh, doctor, when can T.K. get out of here?"

"A week or so, son." He said.

"He can't get out sooner?!"

"Sorry." He flipped a page on his clipboard. "It's funny, kid. You said T.K. was attacked by a dog, right?"

"Uhh...y-yep."

"Well, we ran some tests, and we found a great deal of feline DNA in his wound."

"Heh heh...ya don't say? Well, maybe it was a cat, I don't know."

"A cat did this to him?"

"Uh...s-sure...well listen, doctor, thanks for droppin' by and stuff but uh...T.K.'s real tired- (yawn)-yeah, and he'd appreciate it if he could get some sleep and all, so bye!" Tai said, shoving him out the door.

"I'm not tired, Tai." Insisted T.K.

"I know." He said, turning from the door. "Matt's gone."

"What?!" T.K. switched into a panicking state. "What do you mean he's gone?! Where's Gabumon?!"

"Slow down, T.K.! We're gonna go find him. Sorry Mom, we gotta go."

"Well...all right Tai. CALL ME if something happens." She said in a reasonably understanding tone.

"We will, Mom." He watched her leave. "Okay, T.K., you stay here and pretend to be asleep, while we go find Matt."

"What?! But Tai-"

"No buts, T.K.! You heard the doctor, now STAY HERE!"

T.K. looked down with a mixture of anger and understanding.

Tai suddenly heard a knock at the door. "Tai? Tai, where are you guys?"

He opened the door. "We're leaving now, Gabumon."

"Zurburakmon..." said Meokomon with a hoarse cough. "Aidomon, your troops have been prepared. If you fail me again, it will be your lives."

"Yes, Sir." Nodded Zurburakmon.

"You have five new crew members. Ventardramon," He pointed to a large, brown, dinosaur with a metal helmet that covered his entire head. "Yokoitramon," They saw a devilish digimon who somewhat resembled a red Devimon with ten claw-like fingers to each hand and six horns on his head. "Jutonomon," a small yellow snake with short little legs and shimmering gills. "Burokromon," he was a black and orange bear with a silver visor and a large rocket replacing his right arm. However, he remained on all fours. "And Sabertamon." She was a green wolf with blue stripes and spikes around her head. She had two tails, each like a lion's.

"Very nice..." said Zurburakmon as he looked over the crowd.

"Here it is..." said Meokomon. "Five more champion stages, each with the power to digivolve. Fail me now, and you shall perish..."

"Matt! Matt! Where'd ya go, man?" Tai called for his friend. The seven digidestined had been in the park for hours looking for Matt. "Are you sure this is where you left him, Gabumon?"

"Yes, very, very sure!"

"Hm...okay. MMAAATTTT!!!!!!!!!!!" no answer came.

"Oh no! Something terrible happened! Oh no!"

"Yeah, but maybe not though." He thought for a second. "Okay, Sora, Kari, Mimi, and Catrina, you stay here at the park in case Matt comes back. Joe and Izzy, you guys come and look for him with me. Gabumon, you go back to Matt's house and make sure he isn't there."

"You got it!" said Gabumon as he rushed off.

"Come on guys." Tai said to Joe and Izzy.

"Why do I always have to join the scariest team?" Joe whined.

"It's not so bad." Said Tai.

"Yes it is."

"Come on, Joe." Said Gomamon as he punched him in the shoulder.

Joe's glasses fell off. "Hey!"

"Sorry."

"Matt! Matt, where are you?" Tai kept his eyes alert.

"Well it figures! Leave it to Tai to give us the fun part!" Sora said angrily.

"Don't be angry, Sora." Said Biyomon.

"Yeah, Sora." Said Kari. "Tai's just trying to protect us."

"Besides, he did give us a chance to rest for a while." Mimi sighed as she sat under a shaded patch of grass.

"Hmph." Sora sat by her and set Gatomon on her lap, petting her.

"Sora..." sniffed Biyomon. "How come you to that with Gatomon and not me?"

"Huh? Oh...sorry, Biyomon." She laughed. "I didn't really notice. It's just that Gatomon's a cute little...cat I guess. I'm use to petting cats."

"Aww..." she whined.

"Hm hm hm!" she grabbed Biyomon and tickled her.

"Ah! Ha ha ha ha! O-okay! Okay, Sora! You can do it to Gatomon now! P-please!!"

"Hee hee." Kutramon started to tickle Catrina.

"Ahh! H-hey! Stop! Hah ha!"

"Tai, please...can we get something to drink?" Joe panted.

"Joe, we've been walking for ten minutes." Said Tai.

"Only ten minutes? Ohh!" he sat down on the closest bench.

"Jeez, Joe." Tai turned to Izzy who continued to look nervously behind him and glance constantly at his watch. "What are you doing?"

"What?" he snapped.

"What's with you, man?"

"Huh? Oh...I'm just kind of worried about leaving the others behind like that."

"Oh." Tai said with a grin.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked resentfully.

"You're just worried about your kitty-cat."

"Gatomon?" he said in confusion.

"No! I mean Catrina, genius!"

"Oh. What?! It is not just her, Tai! I just...sometimes get nervous when the group splits up. There's a high probability that something will happen to one of our teams and when it does, the others won't be around to help us fight! Suppose Meokomon shows up himself?!"

"All right! Jeez! Cool it! They're probably fine."

"AHHH!!" they heard Catrina's scream come from behind, and rushed back to where they left the rest of their group.

"Catrina! Are you all right?" panted Tai as he emerged through the trees.

"What?" she laughed. "Oh, yeah...sorry. I was being attacked by Kutramon."

"See?" Tai scolded Izzy. "You worry too much."

Catrina ran up. "I'm sorry if I caused trouble."

"It's okay." Said Tai as he motioned for Izzy to follow him.

"It was nice of you guys to come back just for me." She said to Izzy.

"Well, it's what we do for each other." He replied.

"You guys are good friends." She said. "But I think you're my best friend."

"Uh...thanks. You're...good too, I guess."

She laughed. "You couldn't think of a more technical way to say that?"

"Um, I guess not."

"I have formulated an opinion which informs me that you have managed a sufficient social bond between the beings that you have previously encountered. Friends?" she held out her hand.

Izzy nodded. "Affirmative, Cat."

"Cat..." she chuckled. "Sorry, that nickname gets me every time."

"Bye." He turned to follow Tai who batted his eyes girlishly. "Shut up, Tai!"

"What'd I say?"

"Matt?" called Gabumon as he knocked on the door and opened it. "Matt? Are you in here?" he walked along the hall of the house, stepping over clutter and objects scattered about. Eventually he found his way to Matt's room. His room was a mess, clothes and other things thrown around to create a mass of crap in the middle of his floor. In his bed, there was a still form. "Oooh..." he went over and poked it. "Matt?"

"Go away..." he heard Matt's low voice come from beneath the covers.

"Matt, what happened? Are you okay?" Gabumon pulled back the dark blue sheets.

Matt sat up and looked away from his digimon. "See, I'm fine. I just want to be alone."

"But what happened to you? You were in trouble."

"So what?" Gabumon kicked Matt in the leg. "OW! What was that for?!" Matt turned and grabbed his leg. He took the opportunity to look at Matt's face.

Gabumon growled as he observed Matt. The right side of his face was bruised, his eye twitching and dripping blood. "Your dad did this to you, didn't he?!"

"He just thinks I've been out too much, and I didn't bother to tell him where I was."

"So he beat you?! I'll kill him myself, just see if I don't!"

"Just forget about it."

"Forget about it?! NO!" he raged furiously. After a while, he said. "Come on Matt, we're going back to the others. I'll handle him later." Gabumon dragged him off without another word.

"No luck." Said Tai as he walked back to Sora and the others. "I didn't pick up Matt's signal and we were practically on the other side of town by the time we stopped. I just hope Gabumon had it better."

"I'm sure he did." Said Agumon.

"Lookin' for Matt?" asked a black-haired teenaged stranger.

Tai turned. "What? Uh-yeah. How'd you know?"

"Well that's easy, I was listening to you."

"Oh."

"Matt's fine, anyway." He said, turning away.

"Hey!" called Tai, catching his attention. "Who are you?"

"Me?" he gave the group a forlorn look, stopping for a moment at Sora. "You don't wanna know, Ta-er, kid."

"Tai! You know my name! Who are you?!" Tai insisted.

"I didn't want for us to meet..." he sighed in a whisper. "It hurts less if I can see you guys sometimes. I...just wanted you to know that Matt's okay."

"So how do you know? And how do I know you're not Meokomon or-"

The boy let out a cry of rage and grabbed Tai by the shirt, lifting him off the ground. "You don't have the right to accuse me! Meokomon is a MONSTER! He..." he stopped for a minute in a pause to try and think, then dropped Tai.

"I-I'm sorry, man!" he said in shock.

"Check Catrina's digivice."

"What?" he said, still wanting to know how he came to know them. "Oh, uh..." he looked at Catrina who shook her head, signaling that he was not Meokomon.

"See ya." He turned and was gone.

Tai lifted his hand as if to magically bring him back, and turned to Catrina. "Who was that guy?"

"I don't know, but...my digivice said he was a digidestined."

"What?" gasped Tai. "You mean like, the tenth?"

"I don't know." She shrugged.

"Izzy, try and contact Gennai, fast." Said Tai

Izzy pulled out his laptop hastily and opened it. After what seemed like hours, he found an opening to talk with Gennai. "Gennai, we reached you!" said Izzy.

"Yes, I've been trying to reach you as well."

"Gennai," said Tai, shoving Izzy out of the way. "something strange just happened. Is there a tenth digidestined?"

"Hm, not to my knowledge. Why?"

"It was an older kid, just now. He had a digivice and he knew all our names."

Gennai sighed and looked down. "It was a story I had hoped never to tell."

A period of silence passed. "What story?" said Tai.

"It...was the last digidestined group." He stopped again as if hoping he wouldn't have to go further.

"Go on." Said Tai.

"The last digidestined were Collin, the crest of courage. Terry, the crest of love. Lina, the crest of friendship. Dorion, the crest of hope. Nila the crest of reliability. Kira, the crest of light. Cala, the crest of sincerity. Drake, the crest...of knowledge."

"And?" asked Tai impatiently.

"Years ago, the eight banded together to fight Meokomon."

"Meokomon!" said Tai. "Wait a second, eight? Wouldn't there be nine?"

"No. Catrina, the crest of faith, was only recently added to help with the fight on Meokomon. She was accompanied by Kutramon, the warrior who was originally fighting Meokomon." At this, Kutramon let out a chirping sound of horror.

"Why was the crest of faith added?" asked Tai.

"Because...the last time the digidestined fought Meokomon...they failed."

"Who was that kid with the black hair?" asked Sora, concerned.

"That was Terry. There's something between you two, isn't there? Something you can't understand?"

"Yes." She said.

"You both have the same crest. Long ago, something drew four of you to your other digidestined. You may not remember, you were all very young. You were with Koromon, Tai. You were drawn to Collin, Tai, and there was an instant bond. The same with Matt and Lina, Mimi and Cala, and Terry and Sora."

"So where are they?" Tai asked.

"I don't know, but you must find them. They will fill you in on the story once you do. I-BZZZZZZZ"

"Stupid!" Izzy smacked his laptop. "Come on! It fizzed out."

"Catrina..." said Kutramon. She looked down to see tears spilling out of Kutramon's large eyes. "I remember now...Meokomon was my friend! It was him I didn't remember! He was good once...he was good. I fought him, for years in the digital world, I fought him! He dedigivolved me...I thought he won...I remember Collin...poor Collin...but, I thought he was killed. How could he be alive?"

"What is it, Kutramon?" Catrina asked as she knelt down.

"We can't hurt Meokomon...we can't..."

Meokomon scowled and coughed as he observed Aidomon lying on the floor, healing from being attacked by Warugarurumon. "Pathetic..." he growled. "You have not killed the young crest of hope at all."

"But..." insisted Aidomon as he tried to stand. "I tore him chest ta gut! He was dead before I left!"

"Well apparently he was not!" the sentence echoed off of the walls. "No matter...I have destroyed digidestined before, and I will do it again. Starting with the crest of faith." He scoffed as he thought. "What do they think will happen? Her added alone still stands no chance. Kutramon is a fool to side with them!" he let out a few more hacking chokes.

"Maybe you should get more digimon." Aidomon suggested.

Meokomon stepped from his shadow cover for the first time. He had a flat-topped diamond shaped head with spikes that sprouted from the sides. His mouth resembled a jacko-lantern's, carved up in a horrible grin. He was without a nose, simply sprouts of fur on each side of his face that may have been some sort of mustache. His arms were nearly nine feet long, and barely thicker than a pencil. The same was for the rest of his body, legs likes sticks as well, and so was his body. He had a short, scraggly tail, and was around ten feet tall. His eyes were red and blank with no pupils, and his fur was a light pink like Koromon's. A row of spikes rolled down from his neck to his shoulders, and he had two claw-like feet, which he stood on, hunched over most of the time. "Enough of them have been dispatched. It is unlikely that Zurburakmon will fail me again, and if he does, their final battle will be with me..."

"And I'll be right there by ya!" said Aidomon.

Meokomon cocked his head and gave a toothy grin. "I think not..."

"W-what?"

"I've eaten my last Gazimon, and I do so hate to go hungry...you have also disobeyed Zurburakmon, and I am a mon who sticks to his word..."

"Lord Meokomon..." he laughed pleadingly as he backed up against the wall. "I was-that was-I-I'm"

"Doomed." Meokomon grinned.

"Ah-ha!" exclaimed Tai as he dug through the phone book. "Dorion Tiomi. He was one of the old digidestined, the crest of hope." He pulled a quarter from his pocket and shoved it into the pay phone, dialing the number. After a long while, he hung up. "No one's home."

"So what do we do?" asked Matt, who had come back and been told the story.

"Hm...go to his house, here's the adress."

"His house?" asked Joe. "What are we supposed to say, 'Hi, we're the new digidestined and we need your help to fight some monsters'? What if they don't like to think about it, or what if they won't help us?"

"Oh, come on, Joe!" moaned Tai. "I'm not just gonna sit around. We have to find Collin and Cala and...and...everyone else!"

"All right, all right." Joe scooped up Gomamon and shrugged. "So let's go."

"Yeah! Come on." he took off in another direction.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at a quaint little house, the Tiomi house. Tai looked at Kari and knocked on the door. It slowly opened to reveal a very tired woman with red hair and a careless expression. "Can I help you?" she asked, looking down.

"Um, is Dorion here?" Tai asked.

The woman made a small choking sound. "He's...no longer here..."

"Where is he?"

She shook her head. "He died...years ago. He ran off with his friends, I never saw him again. They told me what happened to him."

"Mrs. Tiomi...I'm sorry..." said Tai, realizing the horror. "A...digidestined died...that means we..." he shook his head harshly. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Tiomi, but we have to know where his friends are."

"His friends? Oh...Collin, he lives a few blocks from here." she sighed, closing the door.

"Thank you." he said to the closed door. "Let's go."

A few moments later, they found Collin Minoki's house. Tai swallowed and rung the doorbell. A Teenaged boy with short blond hair opened the door. He looked down at Tai and his mouth hung open. They stared at eachother for a long while, until the boy let out a laugh and grabbed Tai, pulling him into a suffocating hug. "Tai! I knew ya could do it, buddy!"

"W-what?" Tai said, very confused.

"Ha ha! It's me! Collin!"

"Collin?" he asked. He did vaguely remember him from somewhere.

He snatched Tai's arm and pulled him into the house, picking up the phone and dialing a number. "Lina! Get Terry and Cala, fast! Why? It's Tai, Matt, Mimi, Sora, they're all here! Here! At my house! Hurry!"

"Hi." said Agumon as he sniffed Collin.

"Hey Koromon." he said, bending down.

"Actually, I'm Agumon now." he said, not sure exactly why he knew him.

"Agumon." he shook his claw.

"Collin!" yelled a brown-haired girl with glasses who stumbled into the door and fell to her knees at his feet. "Collin, I came as soon as I heard!"

"Yeesh, cool it, Cala." he said as he pulled her to her feet. "That's Mimi." he whispered with a smile as he pointed to her.

Cala turned around and looked at Mimi. "It is her. And and a Palmon..."

"Um...hi." said Mimi.

"And Sora." said Terry as he came in through the doorway.

"Where's Lina?" asked Collin.

"She was right behind us." shrugged Terry.

"I'm...right...here!" she panted. She looked over at Matt. "Matt....." she sniffed.

"Uhh..."

She looked around. "They're all here...Matt, Sora, Tai, Mimi, Izzy..." she stopped at Izzy and looked down.

"Was it something I said?" Izzy asked.

"N-no, no." she said, patting him on the head. "It's not you." she looked down and smiled at Kari.

"So Collin," started Tai. "Gennai said you could help us fill in the story about what happened with you guys and Meokomon."

At this, Lina almost broke into tears. "Gennai..." said Collin. "How is he? We haven't spoken in a while. A few days, anyhow."

"What? Oh, fine, great, good. So what about Meokomon?" Tai asked.

"Meokomon..." he growled. "It was a long time ago. Hey, where's little T.K.?"

"T.K...was attacked by Meokomon's slave. He's all right, now WHAT about Meokomon?"

"Tai...it's a story I don't wanna tell." he said, sitting in a chair.

"But we have to know what we're up against. We're fighting this guy, and last time you guys lost."

"You don't have to remind us!" shot Terry as he clenched his fist.

"Back off." said Collin, putting a hand in front of Tai. "He means well, Terr. He wants to protect these guys, they're his family...like the others...like it used to be..."

"I..." he stepped back and looked down. "I know, Collin...I'm sorry." he looked over to see Biyomon nuzzling his leg.

"All right." sighed Collin. "I'll tell the story, but you're not gonna like it." he looked out the window. "It was years ago when we went to the digital world. We met with the others, Dorion, Kira, and Drake. Me and Terry were already friends, and we knew Cala and Kira pretty well. And Nila, she was Terry's cousin. We met Lina, Kira's older sister, and Dorion who was a real nice little kid. Then there was Drake. Drake..." he exhaled miserably in thought and continued. "Drake had always been kinda...depressed and untrusting. He...was a good guy, though."

"Collin!" yelled Terry.

"No Terry, he...was. He didn't like to talk to us about anything, and part of why we lost was because...he...he couldn't be our friend. Unity didn't mean anything to him. When we were going to fight Vaymon, who was Meokomon's evil slave, Drake just..."

"Come on!" yelled Collin. "You don't scare us!"

Vaymon grinned with his green teeth. "Venom Blast!"

"Fire Strike!" cried Giroramon, Collin's ultimate form digimon.

"Drake!" growled Collin at the black-haired boy who stood alone with his rookie digimon. "Help us!"

"What have you ever done for me?" he asked coldly.

"We saved you more times than we can remember!" Drake remained uncaring. "Trayomon!" he said looking down at the little bird-cat digimon. "Help us fight, we need you!"

"I'm sorry Collin." he said tearfully. "Drake doesn't beleive in his crest...and he doesn't believe...in me."

He turned to see his digimon smash against the ground and sink back into Craymon, his rookie form. "Craymon!" yelled Collin as he ran over to the little snake-dragon. "Craymon..."

"Collin...I tried...I'm sorry." he sunk into a sleep to regain energy.

Collin whipped around. "DRAKE!! Help us!! If we don't work together, we can't digivolve!"

"So." he shrugged.

Fury raged on in Collin's mind. "You HAVE to care!"

"Care?" he grinned. "I'll show you care! Trayomon!"

"I can't digivolve, Drake!" cried Trayomon.

"But you have to fight! Do it for me!" Drake said.

"I'll try, Drake! If you believe in me!"

Collin looked to see Predamon, Kira's digimon, fall to the ground in faliure. "No!" he ran over to them.

"Collin, it isn't working!" cried Lina as her digimon, Danakamon, was losing miserably.

"Danakamon! Lina! Hang in there!" he was about to beg Craymon to awaken, when a flash of black rushed by him. "Yirodomon!" he yelled triupmantly, recognizing it as Drake's digimon.

"Collin, no!" shouted a voice from behind.

He spun around to see Kitotomon, the red robed black dragon rush towards him. "Kutramon-er-Kitotomon now, I guess. You've gotta help us!"

"You don't understand! Meoko-"

"Let's see how tough you are now!" shouted Yirodomon as he prepared to attack.

"Go!" Collin yelled.

"Soul Devider!" he screamed as white light streamed from his mouth and struck its enemy, who, much to Collin's horror, was Danakamon.

"NO!! Drake, what are you DOING?!" Collin shrieked.

"Ha ha ha! Trust no one, Collin!" Drake said.

"KITOTOMON!!!" yelled Collin in desparation.

"Lightning Crusher!" Kitotomon began to glow and shot Yirodomon in the side with a streak of orange lightning.

"Glak!" croaked Yirodomon as he fell into Drake's arms as Trayomon.

"You haven't won, Collin!" called Drake as he mounted Vaymon. "Meokomon will kill the rest of you!" with that, Vaymon flew off.

"So go!" screamed Collin as he ran a ways after, tears of rage streaming down his face. "Just...g-go!" he fell to his knees by Craymon.

"And Drake was gone..." he ended angrilly.

Tai instinctively looked at Matt and back at Collin. "I don't...think that kind of stuff could happen to us." But in reality, he did. He still thought about how Matt was just like that. Could he turn?

"I don't know...when we went to fight Meokomon, or what was left of us, we killed him...we murdered him, and he was gone...he was...just a kid..."

"That's awful..." said Tai.

"It didn't end there." he scoffed. "Actually, it started before that...when they all started to go. Dorion died first. He got some kind of sickness that we couldn't cure. Poor kid." he took a pause to remember his friend. "Then Nila. Well, I guess none of us actually know what happened to her. Then...Terry."

"But he's alive." Matt pointed out.

"Yeah...lemme finish, kid. I found Terry's body, gutted and eaten...my best friend..." he looked over at Terry who continued for him.

"I didn't know what happened. Hey, I still don't. But it must have just been my spirit that left the digital world."

"Then Drake. Kira was next." said Collin. "She...fell...off of the mountain. Infinity Mountain."

"My sister..." cried Lina.

"Then...well...I kinda died. It was Zurburakmon......that bird...I wasn't gonna let him win."

"Zurburakmon?" Tai asked. "He was there before?"

"You better believe it." scowled Collin. "Next was Cala...and Lina was all alone...with no one."

"But how did you four get back to the real world?" Tai asked. "I thought you died."

"Yeah, it was like falling asleep, really. I woke up and there I was, back in the real world, with Terry, Cala, and Lina."

"Problem was we still had our injuries." said Terry

"Terry was pretty bad. His guts were hangin' out everywhere."

"Tai, I don't like this story." said Kari.

"Cala was best off, I suppose. She had a broken arm, and she was burnt pretty good. Lina was a wreck, mentally, but she only had a couple of broken ribs. Me, I had a hole straight through me and I thought I was paralyzed." said Collin.

"Wow...But if you four survived, what about the others?" Tai asked.

"We...we s-saw the others. They were with us, but not...well, Drake broke his neck. He couldn't have lived. Dorion's lungs collapsed, and there wasn't anything we could do for him. Kira..." he looked away and swallowed down his disgust. "You could only imagine. And Nila, she wasn't there. I...I think she might still be alive."

"That's just terrible!" said Mimi as she burst into tears.

"But then we heard from Gennai about the new digidestined kids. And something drew us to you. It was that night in the park, four years ago..."

"Tai?" asked Kari as she looked at her brother. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know, I can't sleep." he said as he climbed out of bed and grabbed his goggles.

"Can I come?" she asked.

"Okay, but take Koro-man."

She blew on her whistle harshly. "It's Koromon."

"Whatever! Let's go to the park."

"Why?"

"Are you gonna keep askin' me questions or are you gonna come with me?"

Collin sat on the park bench by Cala. "So when are they gonna come?" he asked immpatiently as he looked at his watch.

"Gennai said they'd be here." said Terry.

"Look, there they are." said Lina as she pointed to six young children who made there way to the other side of the park.

"Let's go!" yelled Collin.

"Hi." said Tai as he looked at the other young children. "I'm Tai. This is my sister Kari."

"I'm T.K." said a little four year old boy. "This is Matt, my brother."

"Hi Tai." said Sora and Mimi as they waved and stared at Koromon.

"Hi guys."

"Hey look." said Tai as he pointed to the older kids. "Who are they?"

"Hey pal!" shouted Collin as he picked up Tai, who clutched his goggles protectively.

"Hello." he said.

"You're Tai, aren't you?"

"Yeah, how did you know my name?"

"We've got a lot to explain to you guys." he grinned.

"Hi, I'm Terry." said Terry as he walked over to Sora.

"Hi. My name is Sora. That's Tai over there, he's my friend."

"Hey Sora."

"Matt?" asked Lina as she bent down.

"Huh? Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Lina...Collin, he's so cute!"

Cala looked over. "Look at Mimi." she said. "She looks just like me!"

"Look..." said Lina as she picked up Kari. "She looks just like...just like Nila..." she frowned and put her down.

"Hey, a Koromon." said Collin as he looked at it.

"A Koromon?" asked Cala. "You mean like that village of pink heads?"

"Yeah..."

"We were up for hours just talking." said Collin as he looked at Tai. "It was hard to go home, but I always beleived you guys could do it...And now, just like us, your last challenge is Meokomon. But this time, you're gonna win, just like you did before."

Tentomon made some sounds for no reason.

"You've gotta help us." said Tai.

"Us? What good could we do? We failed last time, and it cost us our friends lives." said Cala.

"If Matt needs my help, I'll do it." said Lina.

Collin looked over at her. "After all this? After all this you tell me you don't want it to be over with?"

"I lost my sister and my best friends to Meokomon, and I'm going to make sure that he doesn't hurt Matt! I'm not going to let any more people die over this, Collin!"

It remained quiet for a moment until Terry spoke. "My cousin died because of this. She would've died for nothing if we don't win."

Cala sighed. "Sincerely....I'd like to help too."

They all looked at Collin who shook his head. "Too many people died under my leadership. I can't go through it again."

"Come on, Collin!" said Tai "We can't do it without you!"

"Didn't you care enough about the others?" asked Matt.

"I cared Matt...I really did. That's why I can't do it. It's because I care about you and Tai and Sora and Mimi and T.K. and Kari and Izzy and Joe and Carol."

"It's Catrina." corrected Tai.

"Oh, sorry."

"Please do it Collin." begged Agumon.

"End it for us." said Kutramon.

Collin looked down. "Kutramon, you were there. You saw what happened to the others, you knew we tried our hardest."

"I did see, Collin. I saw a lot of good people die because of my best friend."

"It wasn't your fault." he said.

"Well it wasn't yours either. You said it yourself, you tried your hardest, and so did I. I failed too, but I'm willing to try again, for Catrina and Tentomon and Izzy and the rest of my friends. How could you give up on us?"

He scoffed and turned away. "Don't you understand? We tried and it didn't matter!"

"It did matter!" said Tai. "It matters because we can't do it without you!"

"Forget it! I was young, I have faith and I believed in stuff, but now it doesn't mean anything! They died anyway! So what am I supposed to believe in now?"

"Try your crest, you coward!" Tai snapped.

The room was silent for a long time, Tai and Collin's angry words quietly boucing off of the walls in a slight echo. None of them spoke to break the tension until Lina summoned the courage. "If you refuse to help us, you're no better than Drake."

He looked across the room at her and stared. "I..." he started, seeing that Terry and Cala made no movement to disagree with her. "Guess I'm out-numbered, eh kid?" he looked back at Tai.

"So help us."

"I...guess...I don't have a choice." he shrugged.

"Yeah."

Zurburakmon stopped to look around as the sun began to set and let his followers rest a moment. Sabertamon walked up to him and sat. "How much longer is it to the wretched children?" she hissed angrilly as she groomed down her back fur.

"I don't know." he sighed. "Ventardramon, another patch of trees blocks our path."

He shrugged. "And?"

"Do something about it!"

"Sir!" the large dinosaur stood in front of the trees. "Ice Storm!" he cried, sending sharp ice daggers to pelt the trees until they were frozen. With a large swipe of his tail, he crushed the brittle trees and held out a claw towards them. "Here you are!"

"So get on with it!" Zurburakmon growled.

The rest of them followed Ventardramon except for Burokromon who stayed behind. "What is it?" questioned Sabertamon as she turned.

"I don't know." he said as he scratched his chest. "I'm not so sure of our mission."

"Lord Meokomon demmands that we destroy the digidestined." she said simply.

"Digidestined? But...I always thought they were here to save the digital world."

"It is Meokomon's order!" she snarled. "Burokromon, your weakness will get you killed."

"If it is Meokomon's way, it shall be done." he sighed as he rose to all fours and followed her out of the clearing. END SCENE. Oh wait, this story isn't in script format. Sorry.

So the normal gang of eight (because T.K. isn't there) left Collin's house heavy hearted after hearing the miserable story. As usual, Gomamon attempted to cheer them up. "Hey, you guys wanna hear a joke?"

"No." their stern answer came in unison.

"Gee, that was a depressing story." said Catrina.

"It was an even more depressing thing to see...poor Collin." Kutramon sighed.

Catrina picked him up and continued on. "Don't feel bad, Kutramon. I betcha we'll beat him before you know it. Right Izzy? Tentomon?"

"Most likely." said Izzy.

"Right!" yelled Tentomon.

"You don't get tired of being so cheery?" asked Kutramon.

"No, I can't. Me and T.K. keep hope and faith in the group. And you're my digimon, so you have to too! Be a mon!"

"Okay..."

"Come on! Even Izzy's in a better mood than you, and he's.....uh...Izzy."

"I'm sorry Catrina. It's just...the awful things I saw happen to my friends...I never saw anyone die before..."

"Well you're gonna try again, and you're gonna win. Do it for them."

"If you say so."

"Well," said Tai, "I guess we'll keep going. Let's go back to the forest."

"What about T.K.?" asked Kari.

"He and Patamon should just stay at the hostpital."

"Oh, okay..." she sighed, bored without another kid her age.

"I don't want to go back to that awful forest!" cried Mimi.

"Come on, shut up!" said Tai. "We're doing this for the two worlds."

"But we need T.K. to beat Meokomon." insisted Kari.

Tai looked down at Kari. "Okay, I give. Why don't you stay with T.K. for now?"

"But...don't you guys need me too?"

"Well I know he's your best friend, and he'll be back on his feet in no time. Besides, I'm sure he'd appriciate the company."

"Well, if you put it that way. Come on Gatomon."

"Right. Gatomon digivolve to............Angewomon!" Angewomon lifted Kari and flew off.

"Bye!" yelled Tai. "Finally." he sighed once they were out of sight.

"What do you mean finally?" asked Matt. "You're glad to see her go because you're sick of her?"

"No, I just don't want to take T.K. or Kari along." he said defensively.

"Why not?! They're just as import-"

"Geez, cool it Matt! All I was saying was that I didn't want Kari to get hurt like T.K.! I'd rather have them somewhere else!"

"Well Catrina and Izzy are young, too! Why not just ship them off too? And Sora and Mimi because they're girls! And us because we fight too much! And then only Joe'll be left!"

"What is wrong with you?!" Tai screamed. "All I was trying to do was protect my little sister and YOUR little brother! Why do you always-"

"STOP IT NOW!!!" screeched Joe. They all stopped and stared at him. "This isn't the time for fighting each other when we're supposed to be fighting Meokomon! Why do the both of you always fight?! Just kill each other and GET OVER IT so the rest of us who are more mature can move on to important things! You're making yourselves look like frauds the way you spit on your crests!"

Gomamon nodded in agreement. "Yeah! And Agumon and Gabumon, why do you two just stand around while your friends are attacking each other?"

Tai and Matt looked down and turned away from one another. "I can't help it. He started it." grunted Tai.

"What does it matter?" said Sora. "If you wanna fight...then...then just get out of our team!"

"It's hardly logical to argue about such an inferior subject. Sora's conclusion may prove to be the most reasonable one if you two refuse to agree." Izzy stated.

"I don't mean to be rude, Tai, but right now Joe has more guts than you!" said Agumon.

"So that's what you guys think of me? That I'm a jerk?"

"Not a big a jerk as Davis." said Tentomon.

"Huh? Who's Davis?"

"Oh wait...pretend I didn't say that."

"Put your fight away for another time." said Kutramon. "We don't have time for it here. So yes, if that's all you're going to do than leave. I never want to see what I saw happen to Drake again. Kari and T.K. aren't the issue right now. I'm going to fight for my friends, with or without you two. With or without anyone! I'm fighting for all of you guys, because you're my friends too, because some force somewhere sometime beleived in you. I'll die fighting if I have to, if I can't digivolve, I'll Flame Dart him to death. But I was given a second chance, and I'll be a Numemon before I'll give it up!"

Catrina nodded. "You bet! I'll be right there with you." she looked at the rest of them. "Izzy?"

"It was always my intent to help you and Kutramon destroy an evil digimon."

"We'll probably die, but I'm in." said Joe.

Sora and Mimi looked at each other and nodded. "We'll do it!"

"Well...if you guys'll forgive us...me...me and Matt wanna help." Tai said as he drilled the tip of his shoe into the dirt.

Matt nodded. "Yeah, we're sorry. I guess I was just kinda edgy from some...stuff."

"So let's go!" yelled Gomamon. The rest of the children and digimon followed.

"You know Joe, you really are brave sometimes." said Mimi.

"Really? Well, you know." he said proudly. "When duty calls, Joe Kido is there! AH! A spider! Tai, help!"

"Knock knock!" said Kari as she and Gatomon came into T.K.'s hostpital room.

"Kari! Gatomon! What are you guys doing here?" he said as he sat up.

"Tai told us to stay here with you and Patamon."

"Oh, now we won't be so lonely." said Patamon cheerfully.

"Tai really said that?" T.K. said, disapointed

"Yeah, but I guess you can't really fight with them." said Gatomon.

"I can so!" T.K. said as he pulled off his blanket and stood. "I can-(cough)-h-help!" he started to cough and choke.

"Maybe you should stay in bed." suggested Kari.

"My stomach hurts..." T.K. sniffed and broke into tears.

"Don't cry, T.K." said Patamon as he jumped down beside him.

"I already am!" he cried as he sunk to the ground. "St-stupid Aido..mon!" he coughed furiously. "I hope stupid Meokomon eats him! He made it so I can barely walk, and I have to use this stupid wheelchair when I have to go to the bathroom when it's just down the stupid hall!"

Kari went over and sat down by him. "Don't worry, T.K. Remember when Warugarurumon beat him? It was easy. But just in case, on the next battle, me and Magna Angewomon'll go for him first."

"And me too!" said Patamon.

"Gee," he said as he wiped the tears out of his eyes with the back of his hand. "Thanks you guys. I'm glad that you're my friends."

"I hope you get better soon."

"Hey Kari, you wanna go scare the old people with our digimon?"

"Okay!"

"And Tai made him digivolve into skeleton Greymon?" asked Catrina.

"Skullgreymon, to be percise." corrected Izzy.

"Aw Izzy! Do you have to tell her that story?" Tai whined.

"I was merely entertaining."

"That's cool. What happened?" said Catrina, ignoring Tai.

"Well, Skullgreymon beat Greymon allright. He kicked him into Etemon's screen and it exploded. The problem was he also tried to smash the rest of us, and he went off into the desert and plopped on the ground as Koromon."

"Wow. So the next time he didn't digivolve into Skullgreymon?"

"No, he was only a result of forced digivolution. When he got to his ultimate form correctly, he was Metalgreymon, a much friendlier guy."

"I'll bet. Yikes, after hearing that story, I'll let Kutramon take his time."

Izzy laughed. "That's a good idea. There was this one time when Tentomon and I ran into a digimon who stole my curiousity. That was the first time I had ever met Megakabuterimon."

"What a mouthful."

"It's better than Herculeskabuterimon."

"It sure is."

"Well, anyways, I'm sure I was very boring without my curiousity."

"Yeah, kinda like he is now." said Tai.

"I don't think Izzy's boring." said Catrina. "Do you have any more stories?"

"More than I could count without my laptop. I suppose it's nice to have some appreciation once in a while." he said, looking at Tai.

"Oh brother."

"By the way, Izzy, what's with you and your laptop?"

"Oh...I...um......" he looked down and kicked a rock as he walked along.

"Was it something I said?"

"Oh, uh, n-no...no, it's just...well, it was a long time ago. It doesn't matter."

"All I meant was that you're smart and stuff."

"I..know. Well, it has to do with my family past. Like I said before, I heard my parents say I was adopted when I was really little. I guess...I just went to my laptop to...to get away from the world that I found. It was just somewhere where I could forget. My computer never lied to me. By the time I was old enough to understand, I liked computers too much to do anything else, so I guess I'm just stuck with it. Hm hm."

"I suppose I would've too if I had a computer." she sighed.

"I'm sorry about your family." said Izzy.

"It's...it's nothing, really."

"But it's a problem. You...can talk about it, if you want." he suggested.

"It doesn't matter. I was just a kid who maybe shouldn't have been born."

"Don't say that. We all like you, right Tento?"

"Of course!"

"You're a nice person and all, but...you're not my family. It's just different." she said as her eyes drifted down to Tentomon.

"I know. But...I'm your friend, and friends help each other. And you'll always have Kutramon."

"Thanks Izzy. You're a weird guy, but you're cool."

"Yep, weird, but kinda cute? At least that's what you said, hm?"

"Kinda." she punched him in the shoulder.

"Isn't that cute?" growled a low voice. "Actually not." Zurburakmon landed in front of the group.

"You just don't get tired of losing, do you?" said Tai.

"Ha." he snorted.

"Do I get to join the party?" asked the huge dinosaur.

"Oh no!" yelled Tentomon. "That's Ventardramon! He's one cranky dinosaur! Watch out, or his Ice Storm attack will freeze you solid! Yikes!"

"Don't forget me!" snarled Sabertamon.

"It's Sabertamon!" Gabumon observed. "You don't want to get on her bad side, although her good side is so thin it's hard not to!"

Burokromon simply came out and sat. "I've heard of him, it's Burokromon." said Palmon. "Normally he's a nice guy, but I don't know about what Meokomon did to him."

"Who's gonna introduce me?" hissed Jutonomon.

"Jutonomon!" said Agumon. "I saw him once in the digital world before Tai and the others came. He's one bad snake in the grass!"

"Aren't you forgetting someone?"

"That devil is Yokoitramon!" cried Biyomon. "I wouldn't doubt he'll stab anyone in the back, even his own mother, with his Fire Missle!"

"What do you say now, boy?" Zurburakmon snapped.

"Oh yeah? Agumon!"

"Right! Agumon super warp digivolve to.............Metalwargreymon!"

"Gabumon super warp digivolve to.............Warugarurumon!"

"Biyomon warp digivolve to.............Naramon!"

"Tentomon warp digivolve to.............Herculeskabuterimon!"

"Gomamon warp digivolve to.............Suramon!"

"Palmon warp digivolve to.............Vemomon!"

"Kutramon digivolve to............Obrakmon!"

"Oh really?" Zurburakmon scoffed. "Let's go! Zurburakmon digivolve to...........Aykerimon!"

WARNING: THE NEXT SECTION OF THE STORY IS EXTREMLY BORING. IT CONSISTS OF THE EVIL DIGIMON'S DIGIVOLUTION DESCRIPTION.

"Sabertamon digivolve to............Retegomon!" from the large green wolf, Sabertamon was now a larger green wolf with a black helmet and a long silver tail. Her paws were huge, long silver claws sprouting from them.

"Ventardramon digivolve to............Carnermon!" he was a redish brown dragon with six arms and a massive jaw full of teeth.

"Jutonomon digivolve to...........Beyonokatamon!" in a flash, he grew into a man with the head of a cobra and a long tail. He was all black.

"Burokomon digivolve to...........Texoyenmon!" he was now a huge brown bear with five spears on each paw and spikes all over his body.

"Yokoitramon digivolve to...........Minerimon!" a crimson red devil with eight wings which all overlaped in layers to make it seem as though he only had two large wings. Short spines shot out from his arms and head, barely noticable like a rose's thorns, but were deadly.

IT IS NOW SAFE TO RESUME ENJOYING THE STORY.

"Get 'em Metalwargreymon!!" hollared Tai.

"Orb of Destruction!" once again, the giant blue orb came crashing into the air and blasted into Retegomon.

"Grrr......Thunder Slam!" she opened her mouth and a gold light smashed from her muzzle, hitting Metalwargreymon vengefully.

"AHH!!"

"Metalwargreymon, you should be able to defeat them!" cried Tai. "You're past your mega form!"

"Blaring Wolf Cry!" shouted Warugarurumon as he pounced onto Retegomon.

"Under Taker!" bellowed Minerimon. A black light and a sickening roar blasted from his mouth and tore into Warugarurumon.

"AHHHH!!" screamed Warugarurumon. He was thrown off of his enemy and fell back into Tsunamon.

"Tsunamon!" yelled Matt as he ran over to his spiked head. "Tsunamon, are you okay?"

"I'm fine! I can digivolve!"

"No, Tsunamon. You've used up too much energy."

"I don't beleive this! We're losing!" yelled Tai.

"Agumon was right, this hostpital food doesn't taste very good." Said Kari.

"Yeah." said T.K. "If I were you, I wouldn't try the jello." he leaned closer to her to whisper. "I thinks it's kiwi flavored."

"Yuck."

"Hey Patamon, want my jello?"

"Okay! Mm, Kiwi!"

T.K. sighed. "This is boring."

"I wish Tai would hurry up and beat Meokomon so we can go home."

Gatomon sighed. "I miss the digital world." she said.

"T.K., I think something is wrong." Kari said.

"What? Is it Zurburakmon?"

"I don't think so, but my digivice is going crazy. I better go!" she got up and rushed out the door."

"Kari, wait! I.....aww....now what do we do?" Patamon sighed.

"We're....going!" said T.K.

"But T.K.-"

"I have to, Patamon!"

"Obrakmon!" yelled Catrina as she ran over to his fallen form. "Obrakmon, are you okay?"

"Oh....I...think...I'll...just...." he coughed and sunk into Kutramon.

She scooped him up. "Oh Kutramon...you did your best..."

"I'm sorry...." he said as he fell asleep.

"Catrina, look out!" yelled Herculeskabuterimon. He thrust himself in front of her and was blown into the trees by the digimon he was fighting, Texoyenmon.

"Herculeskabuterimon!" she yelled as she ran over. "Are you okay?"

"I'm grrrreat....." he dedigivolved into Megakabuterimon.

"Why are they so strong?" asked Matt, dumbfounded.

"Meokomon must've given them some sort of dedigivolving power!" said Izzy.

"Tornado Feather!" yelled Naramon. The blow hit Carnermon in the head and bounced off of his helmet, knocking him out and sending the beam into Aykerimon.

"Great shot!" said Sora.

"Tai!" yelled Kari as she was put down by Magna Angewomon. "Tai, I came to help!"

"Me too!" yelled T.K. who had caught up and traveled with her.

"T.K.!" scolded Matt. "You're supposed to be at the hostpital!"

"I couldn't just sit there while you guys were fighting!"

"Look out!" yelled Joe from behind. Matt turned to see Beyonokatamon. "Saw Blade Shower!"

"Gotcha!" yelled Magna Angewomon as she lifted Matt out of harm's way.

"GRR! Acid Rain Dance!" yelled Beyonokatamon. He threw his hands upward and shot green liquid at Magna Angewomon.

"Ah!" she was hit in the side and fell spiraling to the ground, sheilding Matt with her body so he would not be crushed on impact. She landed head first into the hard ground, unwillingly dropping Matt aside and shrinking into Salamon.

Matt regained his feet as quick as possible and snatched Salamon off of the ground. Beyonokatamon moved to chase him, but was blocked by Metalwargreymon. "Here." said Matt as he dropped Salamon into Kari's arms. "Thanks Salamon."

"Yyyour welllcome Mimi..."

"T.K., get out of here!" he yelled.

"No, Matt! You guys need me, and I don't care what you say!"

"Everyone attack Aykerimon! If we destroy their leader we can beat 'em!" said Tai.

"Horn Buster!"

"Tornado Feather!"

"Flame Dart!"

"Orb of Destruction!"

"Bubble Blow!"

"Serpant Venom!"

"Holy Judgement!"

"Blade Crush!"

The eight attacks slammed towards Aykerimon, but in a flash, Texoyenmon threw himself in front of him. "AHHH!!!" he cried as he fell to the ground in his champion form.

"Burokomon!" cried Retegomon. She ran to his side and looked down at him. "Get up, Burokomon." she insisted as she pushed his side with her muzzle. "Get up."

"I......can't....don't...avenge m-me...my friend...I've lived...lived a fine life..." he coughed in a whisper.

"Get up!" she snarled angrilly as tears ran down her face. "This is not how it ends! Not here!"

"I'm..affraid...you are..wrong...."

"NO!" she insisted. "Not if you want to live! Please! GET UP! Are you going to die like some rotten worthless Sukamon out here?!"

"If.....it...is Meokomon's way....."

"NO!" yelled Aykerimon. They all watched as his particles floated away into nowhere. "AH!!! Minerimon!! Kill them! Kill them all! Starting with their most powerful, that stupid dinosaur!"

"My pleasure! Under Taker!"

"Orb of Destruction!" the two violent attacks collided into each other, throwing both of the digimon back.

"Arr!" Minerimon lunged for Metalwargreymon, knocking him to the ground. "Stupid fool!"

Metalwargreymon punched him in the face with his rocket covered arm and grabbed his throat, lifting him up. "Who's the fool now?"

"Thorn Growth!" his spikes grew out instantly, slicing the hand around his throat and forcing him to be dropped.

"Come on!" encouraged Tai.

"Blaze Rockets!" yelled Metalwargreymon, but to his dismay, he missed the target.

"Darkened Wing!" Minerimon took the oppertunity to attack him while he was missing.

"Err!" he crashed against the trees, crushing many. He stood up and growled, hunched over from injuries. "Come and get me!"

"Under Taker!"

"Blaze Rockets!"

They were both hit, Metalwargreymon suffering more from being hurt before. He rose to his knees with a snarl. "Rrrr..."

"Looks like your time is up!" chuckled Minerimon. "Under-"

"Orb of Destruction!" he screeched in the middle of Minerimon's sentence.

The blow hit him in the chest, hitting him with a sickening thud and left him twitching on the ground. "All right, Metalwargreymon!" Tai yelled.

He turned around panting, looking down at Tai. "I did it..."

"Yeah! Let's fry the rest of-"

"Metalwargreymon!" yelled Kari.

He turned just in time to see Minerimon's Under Taker hit him in the back with a crack. "Ahhh!!" he fell to his knees, then crashed to the ground, face first.

"NOOO!! Metalwargreymon!" Tai yelled. He picked up a rock and hurled it as hard as he could at Minerimon, hitting him the back.

"Rrrr! Stupid Child!" he spat. "Darkened Wing!"

"Look out!" yelled Sora.

"Tai!" he looked to see Metalwargreymon throw his body on top of Tai and recieve the attack. Everything went to a grey haze.

It was a few seconds before Tai regained his vision. Everything was quiet and Metalwargreymon was nowhere to be seen, yet by his feet lay Koromon. "Koromon..." said Tai as he picked him up.

"Tai..." he choked.

"It's okay, pal...you almost got him...we'll try again.."

He coughed and fell limp. "Guuuh...."

"Koromon? Koromon? Koromon! Wake up!" he managed to shake Koromon awake again, barely.

"Huh?" he half opened his eyes. "Goodbye...Tai..."

"What!? No! Snap out of it!!"

He continued to cough and choke. "But I feel...so bad..."

"So you'll get over it..." Tai said, unable to understand.

Koromon started to shiver, stopping every few seconds and starting again. "Uhh..."

"Koromon....stop!"

"I'm sorry...Tai.."

"No! No, stop it! You just need some food!"

"No Tai....n-no...."

"Koromon..."

"I love you, Tai..." he said, putting and ears on his stomach. With a gasp of pain, he lay still.

"Koromon? KOROMON! No! Get up! Get up!! PLEASE! Koromon......" tears spilled out of his eyes and onto Koromon, choking and sobbing. He hugged Koromon's body as hard as he could, and soon was holding nothing as his body fizzled away. "NO!! Koromon!" he cried.

"Koromon!" Kari yelled.

Tai stared up at the sky, watching the pink dust float away. "NNOOO!" shrieked Tai as he stood. "You murderer!! You killed him! You killed my best friend...Koromon...AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

With Tai's painful scream, his crest began to glow and a light blasted furiously out of his chest (well, his crest anyhow). It sliced through the air, faster than any force they'd ever seen, and hit Minerimon in the head, causing an explosion of spalttering blood and gore. For some reason, most of it landed on Joe, but no one was hurt.

Minerimon's headless body crashed to the ground and only splattered further. "Run..." Zurburakmon whispered to his remaining crew. "Just go away....go away and never speak of this again..." with that, the rest of them left, seeing a power they would not defeat.

Tai fell to the ground, weeping over Koromon, and everyone stood exactly the same as they were, all but Joe who was throwing up in the bushes. "Koromon..." the others stood in silence and mourning when a large object plopped in front of Tai. He looked up to see it was a digi-egg.

He went to touch it, but it started to move. Slowly the chunks of shell began to pop off, landing in Tai's lap. For what seemed like hours they watched it hatch, and then finally, it cracked open. Inside was a little black furry blob who sat laughing and being extremly happy, only to be known as Botamon.

"Blast it all!" Meokomon's words echoed off of the walls like a roar. "Time and time again! Hmmm....."

"Lord Meokomon?" a Gazimon wandered up.

He growled and spit a shard of Aidomon bone that hit the Gazimon in the head. "No matter." he sighed. "I've had more important things to do up until now than to deal with those children. But now it appears as though they are one of the important things. The fools! I suppose I'll have to take care of this situation myself."

"How, Sir?" asked the curious Gazimon.

"How? I am a ruler! I am more intelligant than all of them together!" he swung a long arm down and carelessly swiped the digimon away from his view. "You're only lucky I've eaten."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" he asked as he struggled to his feet.

"Hm...no. No, I think not. I'll strike at night....when they don't expect it. But tell me, what else have you observed about Kutramon's pathetic digidestined?"

"Well Sir, she's a wimp! And Kutramon still hasn't gotten past his champion stage to protect her!"

"Good."

"And she seems to like that red headed kid."

"Really? Hm...I'd bet I could twist that to my advantage..."

"Of course you could!"

"Oh, do shut up."

"Botamon..." said Tai. "YOU SCARED THE HECK OUTTA ME!!"

"Bo?"

"Yeesh."

"Botamon! You're okay!" Kari ran over to him and picked him up. "I thought you were finished for sure!"

"Bota!" he jumped into Tai's hands and jumped up and down.

Tai stood up and Botamon pounced onto his shoulder. "That was close."

"Any closer and I would have been smashed to death by guts!!" screamed Joe between vomet sequences.

"Yeah yeah."

Ch 6: Digimon are Family too

Catrina sighed as she realized it was over. "Hey, we won." she said.

"Not yet." said Matt. "Meokomon's still out there."

"Let's go home, guys." yawned Tai.

"Home?" Kutramon asked. "Home? But Meoko-"

"But we're too tired to go find him." said T.K.

"I don't think we can go home." said Izzy.

"Why not?" Tai sighed.

"Well, I wouldn't imagine it would be safe." he reasoned. "Zurburakmon and the others could still be waiting for us to make a move, and for all we know, he's telling Meokomon now."

"Izzy's right." said Kutramon. "When I knew Meokomon a long time ago, in his in-training form, he was Keyomon. He always had this bad temper thing, I don't know why. The slightest little things-"

"GRRAAAAAHHH!!!!!" screeched Meokomon. "Over and over! Why must my brittle claws break!! If Zurburakmon is smart, he will not return to collect his punishment!" his red eyes flashed with an angry light, and an incredible ray shot from them, filling the room. When the light fizzled away, all of the Gazimon were only little piles of bones.

"Kutramon will pay...." he growled. "What loyal friend abandons you? They'll see! I'd bet he'll turn as well on them as he did me!" he swooped down an arm and picked up a handfull of bones and crushed them with a squeeze. "No matter, it isn't as though I didn't know this would happen. Still...that failed atempt upsets me...hmmm.....I suppose it's time. THIS BLASTED CLAW!!"

"My dad's like that." said Catrina.

"Yep." Kutramon nodded.

"Well, let's get some sleep than." said Tai as he fell to the ground and rolled over. "Night!"

"Bota!"

The others shrugged and sat down, talking and eventually falling to sleep one by one, until only Izzy, Catrina, and their digimon remained. "Yeah! Two points!" cried Kutramon as he jumped up and down. He and Tentomon were playing rock tossing, seeing how far they could chuck rocks, ya know?

"I don't think this is fair!" snorted Tentomon. "I don't have hands!"

"Oh yeah? You're just a poor loser."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

Tentomon jumped on Kutramon and tackled him to the ground. "Say it! Say it!"

"You say it!"

"No, you say it! Or else!"

"Or else what?" Kutramon started to tickle him.

"Ha! Joke's on you! I have an exoskeleton! Now say it!" Tentomon started to tickle him.

"AH! No! Okay!! H-Her-Herculeska-kabu-kabuteri-teri-mon!!"

"Ha!" Tentomon stuck his hand in his hood, only to be bitten. "Youch! I thought you didn't have a mouth!"

"I do, somewhere."

"Where?"

"How should I know? I don't take my clothes off."

"I always thought you were like Digitamamon, you know, he has like, space or something inside of his shell."

"Nope. Hey, I bet I could throw that rock farther than you!"

"No way!"

Izzy rolled his eyes. "This has been going on for hours."

"We're going down to the river to throw rocks!" said Tentomon.

"Okay." Izzy said as he watched them fly off. "Those two are very odd."

"Well, so are you."

"Hey."

"Okay, okay. So are we. So what'll happen when we defeat Meokomon?" she asked as she looked down.

"I...never thought about that. I gues they'll go back to the digital world."

"But how?"

"I don't know." he thought for a second. "So, you...wanna talk about...stuff?"

"Stuff? You mean like my parents?"

"Sure."

"You don't want to hear my endless whining, do you?"

"If you'll listen to mine." they both did that weird thing in Japanese where they close their eyes like this ^_^ and laugh for no reason. "So, when did you first think your father didn't like you?"

"Hm? Oh, well...I guess as far as I can remember when I was three."

"Dad?" asked a little Catrina as she stared up at her father on the couch.

"What? What is it?" he grumbled.

"Dad, I want to watch cartoons." she said, pointed to the television.

"I'm watchin' football."

"But you've been watching football for hours..."

"Yeah, and it's not over! Cripes, will ya stop bothering me, kid?"

"Oh.." she turned around and went to her sister. "Is Mom here?" she asked.

"Yep, but she's leaving to go to a dentist." she said.

Just then, their mother came out in a rush, picking up her coat and purse. "Well, I'll be back in a few hours, guys." she said, finding her keys in her coat pocket. "I'm sorry I can't stay to make you lunch, but I'm already late. You kids go tell your father what you want."

"Mommy, don't go." Catrina pleaded as she pulled on her skirt.

"Don't worry Catrina, I'll be back. Kim, play with your sister and be nice. Bye!" she shut the door behind her and the two children could hear her car drive off.

"Dad? Aren't you gonna make us lunch?" asked Kim.

"Yeah, okay." he got up and went into the kitchen.

A while later, he gave them each a plate of eggs. "Dad, Mom says I'm allergic to eggs." Catrina said, pushing it away.

"Pft. No you're not. Just eat."

"But I'll get sick."

"Fine, don't eat it!" he sat down on the couch again.

Kim sat by him and changed the channel, barely noticed by her father. Apparently, Kim found something better than football. "Dad, I'm hungry." Catrina said.

He waved his hand in anger. "Go play with the cat."

"Mmm..." Catrina looked over, and having no other choice, she choked down the eggs painfully.

"Half an hour later...I got sick. My dad thought I had a cold and made me drink half a bottle of cough syrup, which made it ten times worse. When my mom got home, she took me to the hostpital. I had to have my stomach pumped." Catrina continued.

"What is wrong with you, Kirk!" Mrs. Kayoto raged. "You know she's allergic to eggs! She even told you!"

"Well she ate 'em? She could've said no."

"But, she did, Daddy." said Kim.

"Sometimes I wonder about you!" she yelled. "Catrina could have died if I hadn't come home early!"

"It's okay, Mom." said Catrina from the hostpital bed. "But please don't make me eat eggs again..." she started to cry and cough.

"Oh Catrina, I won't!" she picked her up. "How about ice cream?"

"Oooh....ice cream..."

"But I guess it could've been an accident..." Catrina shrugged.

Izzy held a disgusted expression. "Only if your father has the mind of a turkey!"

"But he's my dad, he can't want to hurt me."

"I don't know, it just sounds bad."

"Well, My sister and Mom seem to have forgotten it. Home just doesn't seem like home anymore. But I just got a whole bunch of friends, so I'll be okay."

"Like you said, Catrina, we're not family."

"That's not true, Kutramon is like family to me."

"Oh, so I'M not?"

"Uh, well, I guess-"

"I was just kidding!" he chuckled. "Well, I guess Tentomon's like my family too." a thought suddenly occured to Izzy. "Catrina, do you remember back four years ago? That's when we saw Greymon fighting for the first time. You must have been in that building."

"Actually I wasn't, but I remember something.....I lived in a house close to there, and I think I saw something. I was playing in my room when I heard this big boom like thunder or something. So I looked up and out my window and saw this big orange dinosaur fighting a big green bird. I thought it was a dream for a while, but I always had this weird feeling."

"Hm."

"So anyway, what about your family?"

"What, about being adopted?"

"Yeah. It doesn't seem like you're exactly 'okay' with it all."

"I don't know. Well, see, my real parent's only family were my parents now, and they just lost their son too. It just seems like, 'well, he wasn't our first choice, and we don't really want him, but I suppose he's better than nothing'."

"That's not good. So that's why you act so smart and junk?"

"I...guess so."

"Well, you don't act so smart around me, Iz." she hit him in the shoulder in a friendly manner. She HIT him in a FRIENDLY manner. Sorry, I couldn't leave that one alone.

"Yeah." he glanced at his watch. "We should go to sleep. It's past one."

"Okay." she yawned. "Goodnight, Izzy."

"Goodnight, Cat." he laid down and heard her muffled chuckling.

"HEY!!" Kutramon whined. "You got my robe wet!"

"Sorry!" Tentomon said as he flew up to a tree.

Kutramon flapped up and sat by him in the tree top. "Hey, so what happens if Izzy and Catrina have kids?"

"Hm, why?"

"Well we can't both be its digimon."

After a long time, Tentomon shrugged. "I guess they'll just have to have two!"

"Maybe it'll get a new digimon."

"What?! NEVER!"

"Ha ha ha!" Kutramon laughed and fell out of the tree. "Ow!"

"Ha!" Tentomon leaned over and broke the branch, landing on him. "Ow!"

"Well, we should probably get back now." yawned Kutramon as he stretched.

"Yeah, but first...I bet I could throw that rock further than you!"

"No way!"

"Catrina...."

"Mrr..."

"Catrina?"

"W-what?" she woke up tiredly and shook her head. Looking down, she saw Kutramon at her side. "What is it, Kutramon?"

"Sorry I had to wake you up, but I found something really weird in the woods. I think it might be from Meokomon."

"Oh, I better wake Tai." she stood up.

"I don't wanna wake them up." he said as he looked over at Tai, hand draped over Koromon protectivly. "It was a hard day."

"But we really should tell the others."

"If it turns out to be something big, we can always still wake them."

"Oh...okay, I guess."

"Come on." he motioned for her to follow as he walked off.

"So what was it that you found?" she asked as she stepped over and dodged various plants and branches.

"It's...well...I can't really explain it. I guess you have to see it for yourself."

"So try."

"Um...it's like a weird...thing."

"Okay..." she looked back. "You know, we're getting pretty far away from our friends."

"I saw it out here."

"Why'd you go all the way out here anyway?"

"I was flying around when it caught my eye. It should be just around here." he squinted through the trees.

"Well, where's Tentomon?"

"Tentomon? I left him, I didn't want to wake him up, so I just decided to go on a nightly fly."

"But it was okay to wake me up?"

"Mm hm!" After a long while, Kutramon stopped in a clearing. "This is where it was."

"So what does it look like?"

"It doesn't look like anything, really." he looked around with a slight laugh.

"What's so funny?" Catrina asked in confusion.

"Oh, it's nothing." he snapped.

Catrina walked over and watched him for a moment. Something was very wrong, he must've been sick or something. "Kutramon, where's your tail?" she asked, baffled.

"Tail?" he blinked. "Catrina, I've never had a tail." he said, staring at her strangely. "Why?"

"You..you never...."

"Uhh...I just wanted to know......do you think the others like me?"

"Sure...yeah. I mean, you're one of us." he took his eyes from the computer.

"I don't know...it just doesn't seem like I fit in." she fiddled with Kutramon's tail.

"But...you did." she said sternly as she put her hand down on his shoulder. "Are you okay, you seem-"

"Don't touch me, child!" he growled in a lower voice.

Catrina jumped back. "What is with you?"

He turned, revealing his jagged mouth, carved like a jack-o'-lantern, and eyes red and pupiless. "With me?" he snarled.

The voice made Catrina's heart pound. That voice, she'd heard it once before. "You shape shifting demon!" she yelled.

"Oh, do pipe down." he huffed. "Someone will, hear you, dear." his fur turned from black to gray to white to pink, his form grew taller and taller, arms longer and longer. His robe split and fell off as he reached his final hight, his short tail sprouting out and his spikes growing outward. "Out of all the horrid shapes I've been forced to portray, none disgusts me so far as that wretched little beast!"

"What do you want from me?" she backed up.

"Why don't you just come and see?" he grinned.

"Kutramon! Iz-"

Meokomon clamped his hand over Catrina's mouth. "We can't have that now." he spat.

"Mm mmf!" she kicked and struggled.

He grabbed her arm and stared into her eyes. "Catrina...come with me..."

"Mmmk!!" her crest started to glow.

"Fool." he snorted as he grabbed it and threw it to the ground. He stared at her once more. "I am Meokomon...Lord and ruler......I am Meokomon...Lord and ruler......I am Meokomon...Lord and ruler......"

Catrina slowly stopped her futile struggle and her eyes began to glow. "Meokomon....Lord...and.......ru...ler......."

Izzy slowly opened his eyes as the brightness of the morning seeped in. He sat up and looked around to see that everyone else was still asleep, but Catrina, Kutramon, and Tentomon were nowhere to be seen.

Just then, he saw Kari awaken and yawn. "Oh, hi Izzy."

"Greetings." he said nonchalantly as he looked around.

"Where's Catrina?" she asked. "And Tentomon?"

"I don't know. Perhaps they went to the river." he stood up and brushed away the leaves from his clothes. "I'll go retreive them."

"Okay." Kari elbowed Gatomon and shook T.K. "Wake up!"

"Huh?" Gatomon stretched her paw, half asleep. As we all know, cat claws extend when they stretch, and being so close, they drilled into Patamon.

Patamon's eyes shot open. "Yaaaah!!!" he wiggled his short legs as hard as he could, her claws digging deeper and deeper.

Gatomon's ears perked up and she yanked her paw from his side. "Ooh, sorry."

"Ow ow ow! That really stings!" he twisted his plump body around and grabbed his side with a hand.

"I didn't mean to."

"Next time, sleep farer away from me!"

"Sorry! How many times do I have to say sorry, you little flying pig?"

"I'm not a pig!! Besides, you're supposed to be able to fl-" Gatomon shoved her paw into Patamon's mouth.

"I don't know what you're talking about." she insisted.

"Thm gmt yym pmm owrt of mry mmourth!"

"Okay." she pulled it out and shook away his digital spit.

"Patewy!" Patamon choked. As Gatomon turned, he rubbed the side of his face. "She could so fly."

Izzy walked slowly down to the river, deliberately kicking every rock in his path. He wasn't exactly sure where he was going, but he had a good enough idea, so he went on. "Stupid Tai..." he mumbled pointlessly, kicking a rock extra hard. "Tentomon! Catrina! Kutramon!" he called. When no answer came, he started to walk faster. Ever since a while ago, he didn't like to be alone with his thoughts. Maybe it was knowing the truth about his past, maybe beacuse of Meokomon, maybe because there just wasn't any more to think about, he didn't know.

A large spider crawled next to his feet, making him jump. He was so used to the digital world, a normal creature just seemed so different. It would make him want to yell out for Tai and the others and tell them that he saw something regular in the digital world. But then he'd remember they were back home, and in a way he missed the digital world. There was a lot of action, never a dull moment. All everyone wanted to do since they got there was go home, and now he could be here without thinking he wanted to go back. It may have just been the bordem, he did love being home.

He passed the forest and came to the river. "Grrbl..." he looked up to see Kutramon's tail dangling from a tree top.

"Hey! Kutramon! Tentomon!" he called.

"Mmm..." the long black tail flipped back onto the tree.

"Hi, Izzy!" said Tentomon as his head popped out from above.

"Hello, Tentomon. Where's Catrina?"

"Wasn't she with you?" asked Kutramon tiredly as he looked down.

"She was. I woke up this morning...well, I just assumed she was with you two." he stepped back as Tentomon and Kutramon floated down.

"We don't know." said Kutramon. "Did you two have a fight?"

"No." he said. "Why would we?"

"Hm, maybe she just doesn't like you so she left!" said Tentomon.

"She likes me just fine!" he yelled.

"I was just-"

"You don't have to make fun of us all the time! Just because she's a male-I mean I'm a-" he started, getting himself confused.

"Catrina is a boy?" Tentomon scratched his head.

"No!" he stomped is foot. "Just leave me alone!"

Tentomon flattened his feely things. "Izzy, don't be mad at me!" he pleaded.

"Come on Kutramon. Let's go find her." said Izzy as he turned.

"Izzy, wait!"

"Go away, Tentomon!"

Tentomon watched them both walk away. "You know, for a genius, you're sure acting like a baby!" he yelled. "Hmph! I'll find her myself! I'll show him I'm not just a joker!" he huffed as he flew away.

"Catrina!!!" screamed Kutramon. "I don't think she's here."

"No kidding." he thought for a second. "Where would she go?"

"Maybe...uh, I don't know. We should just-Ah!" Kutramon tripped.

"Are you okay?" Izzy pulled him up.

"Yeah, I tripped over that." he pointed to a deep groove in the ground.

"What is that?" Izzy knelt down and felt it. "It almost looks...like a foot track. Hm.." he pulled out his laptop and started to observe it.

"Who's foot made it?" asked Kutramon as he looked over Izzy's shoulder.

"That's odd, there seems to be two creatures, on with smaller flat feet, and one with larger clawed feet. But there's only one set of tracks."

"Weird. But who made them?"

Izzy's eyes widened. "Y-you did.." he said in confusion.

"Me?" he looked down and set his foot in the track, finding that it fit. "What?! I wasn't anywhere near here!"

"And if I may make a well educated assumption, your feet generally do not expand."

"Mm hm."

"Let's analyze the larger set of prints." he took a long moment to watch and type when he became still.

"Izzy?" Kutramon tugged on his shirt.

He suddenly slammed his laptop shut and stumbled to his feet, scrambling off as fast as he could. "Come on!"

"What? Izzy! Wait! What is it?" he darted after him.

He came to a skidding stop and turned, panting. "Tru-true f-he must be in-hurry, Kutramon! The computer, it-"

"What?"

"MEOKOMON!" he snapped, jumping up and down. "He must have tricked Catrina! Those were HIS tracks! He must've been in his true form, because that's what the computer idenified him as! We have to tell Tai!"

"Caaaatriiinnaaaa!!" called Tentomon as he landed on the ground. "Hmmm....where on earth did she go?" he sighed and went back into the air. "Catrina! Come back! Hm...I'll give you ice cream! Aww.." after a long while, he landed once again and stopped. "Great, now where am I? I hope there's a hotdog stand around here." Looking down, he saw a dent in the ground, followed by foot prints. "Ah ha! She went this way! I wish I could digivolve right now, this really is a pain!"

"RREEEOW!!!" screeched Gatomon.

"Ruff!"

"Garurumon! Stop chasing Gatomon!" scolded Matt.

"Oh, sorry."

"I should digivolve and get my newspaper you bad dog! Oh wait, I'm in champion form. Lightning Claw!"

"ARFF!"

"Hee hee hee."

"Cool it, you guys." said Tai. "Where'd Catrina and Izzy go?"

"Maybe they went shopping." said Palmon.

"I think they went to go eat, I'm starving!" said Gomamon as he felt his rumbling stomach.

"We better find them." said Sora. "I don't like them being out there while Zurburakmon is around."

"Tai!" yelled Izzy as he came into the clearing, tripping all over himself.

"Izzy? Where's Catrina and Tento-" Tai started.

"Catrina was captured by Meokomon!" he blurted.

"She was what?!"

"We have to find her, Tai! I'll show you where I found the tracks!"

"Hey! How do you know she was-"

"Because the computer said so!" he shoved his laptop back into his backpack and whipped around.

Tai easilly stopped him, clutching his arm. "Hold up, Iz. Not everyone's awake yet."

"So GET them awake! Now!"

"Okay! Stop panicking! Don't make you knock you out, man!"

"Finally!" Meokomon hissed. "I'll be rid of these pests." he grinned down at Catrina with all the love of a scorpion towards a termite. "And you'll help me. A wonderful piece of bait, aren't we?" he tapped a long finger under her chin.

She stared into nowhere with a grey, glazed over look. "Meokomon...Lord...Meokomon..."

"Indeed." he snorted. "And when they come it will be high time for them to get what they earned for trying my patience as far as they dared!" he chuckled from nowhere and licked a fang. "Oh, how I wish I hadn't slaughtered all those Gazimon. I'm rather hungry." he snarled down at Catrina. "I'd eat you, but you're needed. For the time being, that is..." he cackled. "Once your little...cat dragon rat fool gets here, I think I'll have a decent meal. And that annoying little red head."

"Iz...Izzy?" she cocked her head.

"Yes." he patted her on the head. "The little idiot. Oooh, and that goggle wearing big haired-boy...him and that horrid little dinosaur...he reminds me of that little brat a few years ago...Collie or something...the impudent little monster...But no matter. I've done away with him, and I'll do away with the rest of you."

"Do....away.."

"Such a smart little parasite. Now, I suppose I should feed you or something. You might...die or...become unuseful to me. Now...Kitty want a cracker?" he shoved a cracker into her mouth. Where did he buy the crackers, you ask? THAT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!!! Maybe they're...digital crackers...yes...digital crackers. Mmm...yummy.

"These taste like crap."

"Oh, shut up."

"Catrina! Catrina, come on! Where'd ya go?" Tai scratched his head.

"Don't you think I tried that?" said Izzy as he grabbed Tai's arm. "She was caught by an evil digimon, why is yelling going to help?!" he pulled Tai off in a direction.

"I was just trying to help!" he said as he was taken off.

"Look, right there!" he said as he pointed to the tracks. "I came here and looked at these tracks. I took out the computer to see what digimon made them, I knew it was a digimon because no animal makes that mark, and these smaller tracks appeared to be that of a Kutramon! But you know Meokomon is a shape shifter, so he must've taken Kutramon's shape to trick Catrina into going with him. We need to follow these tracks and find her!"

"Whoa." Tai said.

"Whoa?! Is that your great plan?! That's it?! The great leader Tai has done it again! None of us have died, Tai, and I want to keep it that way!"

"Izzy-"

"So we'll just stand here while you think of a plan, and hours later, when it's to late, we'll think about actually going through with it!!"

"That's not-"

"Or maybe you should just pick a fight with Matt, that'll get things moving! None of you can think of a logical plan! I can, and I intend to do so!"

"Look-"

"What are you trying to say?!"

"Didn't want to pal, but..." Tai clenched his fist a punched him in the face. Izzy fell to the ground, Kutramon watching in a shocked manner. "Get a grip! She's not gonna die for cryin' out loud."

"You don't know that." he said as he pulled himself up. "You just want to win, you don't care about us."

"You know that's not true!"

"It happened to the last digidestined! Four of them died!"

"Do I need to hit you again?"

"Some leader you are." Izzy scoffed.

"Oh yeah?"

"Izzy, Tai, stop!" pleaded Kutramon.

"Just cool it, Izzy!" said Tai, ignoring Kutramon. "I wanna find her just as much as you do!"

"Then you'd be out there looking for her!"

"Please don't fight Izzy, Tai." said Kari as she pulled on his arm.

Tai pushed her out of the way and shoved Izzy. "You can't stand here and say that I don't care about my friends!"

"I can, and I am!"

"What's up with you? Why are you acting so edgy?" he sighed and stepped away. "We're going to find her. Stop being so irritable."

"I'm just..." he started. "I don't know."

"Now," Tai cleared his throat and looked at the rest of the kids. "I think we should wait to see what happens."

"What?" Izzy stared at Tai in disbelief.

"If he's got Catrina, he's probably using her to get to us."

"So why her?" asked Patamon.

"I don't know."

"Because she has the digivice that's tracking him. Without it, we can't find him." Izzy concluded.

"Then why would he be taking her? If he's leading us to him, how does he expect us to get to him?" asked Sora.

"You think he didn't leave those tracks on purpose? He could have easily gotten rid of them." Izzy said.

"Then he's using her as bait." said Tai. Isn't it cool how they can guess these things so accurately? "Well it's kinda obvious!" Tai defended. Shut up, I'll take you outta this story so fast. "Sorry. Tell us what to do next." Um...no. Stop talking to the author, goggle head. "Fine! Well, anyways, if we just immediately rush in to get her, he'd be expecting us."

Izzy turned away as the others talked about what to do. "They wouldn't listen to me if I were fifty feet tall." he huffed.

"Don't feel bad, Izzy." said Kutramon. "I bet we'll find Catrina."

"Dead or alive?"

Kutramon scrunched away. "You really think she's dead?"

Izzy sighed. "I'm sorry, Kutramon. I didn't mean to put you in poor spirits."

"It's okay."

"I don't like this." he said. "Catrina is in serious trouble, and it could be too late."

"So what do we do?"

"I don't know." he suddenly sqiunted as a bright light hit him in the eye. "Ouch." he looked down and saw a golden glimmer in the leaves. "Kutramon...look at that."

"What?"

Izzy scooped up the object. "Catrina's crest!"

"Oooh! Yay!"

He handed it to Kutramon who put it around his neck. If her crest was here...what would he do? He couldn't save her without the others, but they refused to take action. So what if Meokomon was expecting them? So was Devimon, and Piedmon who was stupidly walking towards them. Now the digimon were at a higher level, they had to be able to beat him. What was that twisted digimon doing to her? I know, but I'm not gonna tell you. Heh heh heh. But Catrina was all alone, her digimon was apart from her. "I don't care what any of you think!" yelled Izzy. Tai and the others turned. "If none of you will help me, I'll find Catrina myself!"

"You can't just go out there alone." said Joe. "There's bugs and wild animals!"

"I don't care! I have Kutramon!"

"What about Tentomon?"

"I...I don't think he wants to hang around me right now."

"Kutramon can't digivolve without Catrina." said Tai.

"So what? I don't care!"

"Izzy-" Sora started.

"So go." Tai said as he folded his arms. "If you want to go out and die, be my guest, you stupid red-head! You wanna go out there with a rookie who can't digivolve and fight a digimon who's level you don't know, go ahead! Why should I care?"

Izzy narrowed his eyes. "Maybe you wouldn't do the same for your friend, but I would. Sometimes you just put everything aside and do what you feel. I guess you wouldn't understand."

"You of all people, Izzy! I thought you were smart!"

"That doesn't mean I don't care about people!" he looked down at Kutramon in silence who nodded.

"I wanna find her too."

Izzy turned without looking back and left, Kutramon bounding after.

"Ah ha!" Tentomon exclaimed. "That building is where she is!" he floated up to a large building and landed by it. "Hm...I hope I find her quick, it's creepy out here. Now...a way in..." Tentomon circled the area and found a broken window, popping through it into the darkness.

Ch 7: The Final Battle

"Tai! How could you let Izzy go out there?" Sora said.

"Hey, he wanted to go." he shrugged.

"Look Tai! I digivolved back into Agumon!"

"Great, great."

"But he's out there all alone with Kutramon! Who knows what could happen?" Sora continued.

"I can't tell him what to do."

"Look, we all have to stick together, or else we're doomed! Don't you remember when you and Agumon went back to the real world? The whole team fell to peices! We all separated and we would've been able to do it better if we all were together."

"This is different, Sora. We are in the real world now, what could happen to him?"

"Zurburakmon, Sabertamon, Meokomon, take your pick!"

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Go after him."

"What are the chances that Meokomon would even find him?"

"Well it's kind of easy considering that Izzy is looking for him!"

"Stop being so stubborn, Tai!" yelled Matt. "Izzy and Catrina could die and you're just standing here too full of your stupid pride to do anything!"

"Who asked you?"

"Forget it. I'm tired of fighting with you. The rest of us are going to find them before someone else does, and you can just stay here and start rotting!" he pushed Tai rudely with his shoulder as he walked by, followed by Joe, Mimi, Sora, T.K., and Kari.

"Hey!" he looked down at Agumon.

"Don't look at me, Tai." he shrugged.

"Well I'm not going after them! Ah, nevermind, I guess I will."

"Where are we going, Izzy?" asked Kutramon. "We're getting too far from the tracks."

"We're not following the tracks. We're following her crest, and it says to go this way. It must be easier."

"Oh, okay." he looked down at the crest. "Izzy?"

"Yes?"

"Do you...really think we'll find her?"

He stopped and looked down at him. "Of course we'll find her. If I didn't think we would, I wouldn't be out here."

"Yeah!" he said excitedly.

They walked around a dense part of the forest and came to a rocky hill. It looked as though it may have been a path at one time, but now was blocked off. "I guess we'll have to climb over it." Izzy said.

"Sorry, Izzy. I could take us over in five minutes, but I'm just a rookie..."

"It's okay, Kutramon. It looks sturdy enough, it shouldn't be too hard." he swallowed and started up. Kutramon flew up ahead, pushing smaller rocks away that he could trip on.

"Come on, Izzy!" he encouraged.

"These rocks sure are jagged. It's a good thing all of us wear gloves for some reason." he said, looking at his hand.

"Yeah, what's up with that?"

"I have no idea."

"Catrina?" Tentomon whispered. "Oh, where is she?"

"Hey you! Bug! What are you doin' here?"

"Oh no!" he turned to see three black Numemon. "Me? I was just uh...inspecting this room for Lord Meokomon!"

"Oh, okay." they turned away. "Hey wait! I don't remember Meokomon recruiting Tentomons!"

"Oh mercy!"

"Party Time!"

"Party Time!"

"Party Time!"

"Ack! Ick! Ouch! Oh dear!" Tentomon tumbled over in a heap of pink crap, steaming with the disgusting substance. "Oh yeah? Well two can play at that game! Super Shocker! Yyyyeeeoow!!" Tentomon's Super Shocker only electrocuted the wet mush on his body. Dazed, he rolled over and crashed through the weak floor and landed on a pile of broken wood. "Oh my aching shell!"

"There he is!" he heard a Numemon cry as the dust cleared and they peered down the hole. "Get him! Down the stairs, this way!"

"Uh oh!" he struggled to his feet and hid in a dusty chest. "Oh, I wish Izzy was here!"

Meokomon looked over at the vent. "Hm. What are those stupid Numemon doing now?" he snorted angrilly. He sat on the ground and sighed. "When will those pathetic children get here? Hm...perhaps I overesimated them."

"Oh, come on Izzy!" said Kutramon as he pulled on his arm. "We're almost at the top.

"You...said that...an...hour...ago..." he panted. "I wish Tentomon was here."

"But we're so close, really!" he pointed upward.

Izzy looked up. "Okay, fly up and see what the top of this hill looks like. If it's flat, or rocky."

"Gotcha!" he vanished as he flew over his head.

Izzy stopped to take a break for a second, looking up at the sky. It was dark and clouded over, telling him it was either Meokomon was close by, or that it was going to rain. He found himself wishing it was Meokomon. He pushed his body further up and placed his hand on a ledge, feeling it crack. Nervously, he jammed his foot into a space below and found a different place to climb, squinting upward to see where Kutramon had gone. In a split second, the rock he held on to slipped and fell. "Ah!" he cried out as he lost his hold and fell skidding on the jagged slope. Not exactly seeing where he was going or what he was doing, he managed to grab a branch that held his weight.

"Izzy!" he heard Kutramon yell.

He looked up hazilly, wiping away the blood that trickled down his nose. "Kutramon?"

"Whoa!" he flew down beside him. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Fine." he said. "I guess I fell."

"Urgh!" Kutramon heaved Izzy up as hard as he could and got him up to the ledge. "Your face is bleeding."

"I noticed. What's it like at the top?"

"Good news, it's flat. But it spreads a really long way. Longer than it looked from the base, it's practically a mountain!"

"Great." he sighed. Suddenly it began to rain. "This just plain sucks."

"Looks like rain." said Joe as he held his hand out.

"Rain?" Matt looked up at the sky from his spot on Garurumon's back. "But it could wash away the tracks. Too bad Kabuterimon isn't here."

"I'm here, Matt." insisted Biyomon.

"You can't carry this many people when you're Birdramon."

"Oh..."

"We better hurry!" said T.K. who sat behind Matt.

"Don't worry!" said Garurumon. "Gatomon and I can sniff the way out!"

Gatomon jumped up and sat on his muzzle. "Yep!"

"Hey, get off."

"Um...no."

"Ah, Tai!" yelled Agumon as he ran behind him.

"What is it?"

"It's Sabertamon! She's in the woods ahead!"

"What? Well...what should we do, Matt?" asked Kari.

"My own sister." mumbled Tai, hurt that the others had looked to Matt for leadership.

"Hm...proceed with caution." Matt ordered.

Garurumon slowly advanced forward, followed by the others. "Agumon was right, Matt. It is Sabertamon." he whispered.

"Joe, go over and see what she wants." said Matt.

"Me?!"

"Yeah, go."

He swallowed and clutched Gomamon tightly in front of him. "Rrr! Joe!"

Joe slowly walked into the clearing, trying as hard as he could not to be noticed for the longest possible time. There he saw the blue and green wolf, sitting. "What is it, boy?" she snapped.

Joe jumped, unaware she knew he was there. "Uh...I just-Matt, help!" he ran behind Garurumon.

"Oh brother." Matt sighed as Garurumon came into the clearing. "What are you doing here?"

She rose to her feet and looked around. "You children killed my best friend." she snarled.

"We weren't trying to." insisted Sora. "We were just protecting ourselves, you guys were attacking us."

"We were ordered to." Sabertamon said simply. "You won't stop Meokomon. He's far too strong for you."

"Do you think that's gonna stop us?" Garurumon growled.

"Don't blame me." she hissed. "I've only given you fair warning."

"I'll handle this, Tai!" yelled Agumon. "Agumon warp digivolve to...........Wargreymon!"

Sabertamon made no move to attack. "Fools." she snorted. "I haven't come to fight you."

The children all looked at each other. "Then why come?" asked Tai.

She got up and walked to the end of the clearing, glancing back. "Aren't you children coming?"

"Come where?" asked Kari.

"You'll never be able to follow tracks in such rain. Meokomon's lair is this way."

Tai looked at Wargreymon who shrugged. "Why are you-"

"I don't need to explain myself!" she spat furiously.

The seven gave a confused look, and hesitantly followed Sabertamon.

"Uff!" panted Kutramon as he pulled Izzy the last few inches over the top. "Okay, we made it up alive!"

"More or less." he sighed as he fell on the ground.

"Hm..." Kutramon looked at the ground. Izzy and I wouldn't be so tired if I could just digivolve. "I guess it could be worse."

"Worse? We're separated from the others, we're in no shape to fight, and we're up on this stupid mountian where we're completely exposed to rain and lightning."

"At least it's not snow." he shrugged.

Izzy looked ahead, seeing no end to the rock plain ahead. "Great, now we're stuck in this rock desert."

"It's easier than going through the forest."

"Why? We're an easy target from up here." he glanced upward.

"So why not just go back?" Kutramon folded his arms.

Izzy looked down. "That's...not what I meant. Let's just go."

"What does the crest say?"

"Same as it has been. If I didn't know better, I'd say we're no closer to her than before."

"We're not, really. We just went up, not forward."

"Oh, that's right. Well, fly up and see just how far this plain goes."

After a long while, he plopped to the ground. "I guess two miles or so."

"Two miles. I wish I hadn't gotten so angry with Tentomon. Then he'd be here to help us."

"I'm sure Tentomon forgives you."

"All the same..."

"Super Shocker!"

"Oof!"

"Eek!"

"Blek!"

"Ha ha!" Tentomon crept out of the chest and looked at the puddles of sludge which had at once been three black Numemon. "Whoo, that was a close one!" Tentomon flung the last bit of pink goo from his shoulder with a talon. "Yyyyyuck! Now where is that girl?" he flew up to a vent and looked down. "Uh oh..." Tentomon was right to say so, for there below stood Meokomon over Catrina with a scowl.

"What is taking those children so long?" he growled. "I would have expected better. I would think they'd be closer." he gazed down at Catrina. So young and innocent. So harmless. Such perfect bait. "Perhaps a bit more motivation is in need." he cackled. Reaching down, he grabbed her arm forcefully. "Maybe a nice chunk of you will make them speed things up."

"Oh no you don't!" yelled Tentomon as he exploded from the vent. "Lay one deformed twisted claw on her and you'll get a Super Shocker you'll never forget!"

"Oh please." Meokomon sighed in irritance.

"Super Shocker!" the electrical charge blew into Meokomon which was blocked by his hand. "Stupid little insect." he laughed.

"Oh! Catrina, run! Catrina, don't just stand there! CATRINA!! Hello!!" Tentomon looked at Meokomon in confusion. "Oooh, you monster! What did you do?"

"She pays no mind to your foolish attempt." he snorted. "Now she is under my control, isn't that right, darling?"

"Lord Meokomon..." she droned.

"Yes. Now get out of my sight, you wretched pest!" Catrina turned to walk away. "Not you!"

"I'm not leaving!" Tentomon said.

"Maybe not by your own will. Black Fire of the Abyss!" a liquidy black fire burned from the palm of his hand and blasted at Tentomon.

"Whaa!!" Tentomon darted upward, barely missing being singed.

"You may be faster, but I'm smarter!" Meokomon barked. "Raven's Cry!" his mouth opened much wider than it should have been able to, a terrible blue ice pouring out.

"Yikes!" Tentomon flashed around, making many close calls, but dodging the streaks of blue knifes.

"Little idiot! Just die!" yeah, like he's going to listen. Why the heck do people say stuff like that? When police are chasing criminals they yell, 'Stop!' Hee hee...peoples is dumm. I meen dumb. I mean, I mean dumb.

"FINALLY!!!" yelled Kutramon as he pointed down. "Look Izzy! It ends!"

Izzy walked over and peered down the hill. "Um..."

"Now all we have to do is...climb...down. Shoot." Kutramon sighed. "That's it! Kutramon digivolve to...........Obrakmon! I said Obrakmon!" nothing happened. "Grr!" Kutramon started stomping on the ground.

"It's okay Kutramon. I-ah!" a rock fell and Izzy tripped, falling like a rock to the bottom.

"I guess your way is quicker. Huh? Ah! Izzy!" he flew down as fast as he could to Izzy who sat up.

"Is it just me, or do you fall off stuff a lot?"

Izzy grabbed his arm. "No, I fall off stuff. I've fallen off a bridge, and fallen down an endless pit. But...both times, Tentomon was there to save me..." he looked at the blood on his glove. "I think the muscle in my arm is torn."

"Than why are you bleeding from the outside?"

"Because I was cut, as in it cut through my muscle to the bone."

"What muscle?" Kutramon joked as he punched him in the arm.

"AH!!"

"Oops."

"Kutramon, when someone gets hurt, do you usually put salt in their wounds?!"

"Heh heh. Sorry."

He stood up. "At least we're down. Where's the crest?"

"You must have dropped it. AHH!! Ah! It's horrible! Nooo!!"

"What?"

Kutramon pointed to Izzy's arm where the crest was jammed into the wound. "Ew!"

"At least we didn't lose it." he ripped it out of his arm, followed by a spurt of blood and a shriek from Kutramon.

"And you're talking about ME putting salt in your wounds?!"

"Allright, allright." he looked out to see that the forest continued. "I guess that's the way to go."

"More forest? I'm really getting tired of all those trees and junk." Kutramon grunted.

"There isn't a better way." Izzy said. "Let's go." he took the first step into the forest and almost slipped. "Whoa."

"What is it?"

"The ground, it appears to have far too much liquid in it, like swamp ground."

"Ew. I don't like swamps."

Upon entering, they noticed the air was heavy and dense, the humidity making it difficult to move faster than a walking pace..Whoops, I put two periods.

Meanwhile, the other children followed Sabertamon nervously, an uncomfortable silence which refused to break sticking with them. Tai kept watching her cautiously, having his own evil Tai thoughts. I wonder why Sabertamon is helping us, is she leading us to Meokomon? But Meokomon already knows we're coming for him...I wish it all added up.

"Sabertamon?" they all turned to see Kari walking by her side, undazed by her strength and temper.

"What is it?" she sighed angrilly.

"Why are you helping us?"

"I've already said I needn't explain." she snorted as she attempted to walk ahead of Kari.

"But then how do we know it isn't a trap?"

Sabertamon stopped, bringing her head low between her shoulders and turning back to her with an expression of annoyance. "Must you care?" she cocked an ear.

"You don't have to be so moody all the time."

"K-Kari." Tai fearfully warned.

"Little brat, do not try my patience." Sabertamon snarled.

"Leave Kari alone!" said T.K. as he limped over.

Sabertamon raised her fur into a ridge, glowering down at T.K. "I'd kill you, but it looks as though you aren't even out of your in-training form."

"It's because of your friend, isn't it?" asked Kari.

Sabertamon raged a roar of a growl and glared down at her, ready to spill vicious offenses at her, yet there Kari simply stood, expressionless and blinking innocently. "You shouldn't ask such petty questions."

"But...I want to know."

With a snort of disgust, she shrugged. "That relationship tore farther than you could ever know. If Meokomon is stopped, the pain...all stops." for a split second, Kari glimpsed something she hadn't expected to see. Sabertamon was angry, and it was only her exterior. She'd grown cold, like Gatomon. Inside of her was a very small digimon who feared the outcome, covered by a vicious beast who thrived on revenge.

"Was Burokomon your only friend?"

Sabertamon's expression softened. "I have no desire to answer further questions." her voice came through her muzzle for once as if she thought Kari tolerable. She swayed her tail and the angry scowl reappeared on her cruel face. "Hurry up, then!" she barked. "I won't stop for the slow or stupid!" Kari looked down at Gatomon and shrugged.

"Kari, don't talk to her." whispered Tai.

"But she's just...she's helping us."

"She could be a traitor." said Sora.

"But..."

"If Kari says it, than it's good enough for me." said T.K.

"Mm hm!" Patamon agreed.

"Thanks, T.K."

"Don't encourage her, T.K." said Tai.

"At least they get along." Sora said without looking at Tai.

Matt smiled inwardly, glad that he didn't yell out for Tai trying to order T.K. around. It was worth hearing Sora yell at him instead. Hey Matt, that's mean. "What?" You're, like, wishing bad stuff on Tai. "Sorry. You think about killing-" And suddenly Matt disapeared and was never mentioned again!

"Author!" wailed T.K. "Don't take Matt away!" Fine. Matt magically came back, happy? Say...I've been meaning to ask you something, Patamon.

"What is it?" he asked. In a fight between you and Gatomon, who would win? "Uhh...me?" Wrong! Gatomon is in champion form, rookie head! But that's okay. At least YOU can still fly. Patamon's mouth gaped open. "SEE?! You could fl-"

"Hey, Author! We have a contract!" Gatomon spat frantically. Oh, yes. Ahem, Patamon, do your Boom Bubble.

"Why?" You might as well just do it, if you don't I'll write you doing it anyhow. "Okay. Boom Bubble, pa!" the attack hit a tree and made a leaf fall.

"What are you all doing?" snapped Sabertamon. Hey, carry Patamon. "What?" Carry him, he's one of my favorite digimon. "Who said that?" Who? Who?! Who has created you and given you the abillity to digivolve?! Who has made you large and powerful?! Who has...for cryin' out loud, I'm the frikin' author! "Oh...okay." she walked over and picked up Patamon.

"Oooh! Yay!"

"I'm not one of the author's favorite digimon?" cried Biyomon. "What a shut down, I feel so worthless. What am I doing in this story?" Oh Biyomon. Dear, sweet, Biyomon. Shut up. You're here for moral support. "Oh."

As he walked along drearilly, Izzy turned to see Kutramon a few feet behind, asleep on the ground. He sighed and picked him up, continuing in an equally tired manner as the sounds of the forest started to fade. Looking above the trees a distance away, he could see the sun begining to set, and then he caught something else. A black smoke was coming from the woods, making a horrible hiss as it dodged around Izzy and Kutramon and kept slithering along. "Kutramon." Izzy put him on his feet and shook him.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. The heat makes me tired..."

"That's okay, but what is this smoke?" he placed a hand through it, the black fog immediately opening to avoid it. "It's as though it doesn't want to touch us."

Kutramon swatted Izzy's hand. "Don't touch it." he ordered. "I've seen that smoke before. Let it go around you, if you breathe it, your muscles disintegrate."

"Hm..." he pulled his hand away and continued to walk, Kutramon grabbing his leg to try and get away from it. They trudged along slower and slower, the heat and darkness making them more and more exhausted.

"Lost?" said a voice.

Izzy half opened his eyes and looked ahead to see a small yellow dragon digimon. "Jutonomon?" he said.

"Who's he?" asked Kutramon.

"Don't you remember? He fought us with Zurburakmon's crew."

"Oh yeah! Go away!" he snorted at Jutonomon.

"Ha. You'll never make it out of these woods alive, child." he chuckled.

"You don't know that!" yelled Izzy.

"Look kid, if I can't beat Meokomon, what makes ya think you can?" he curled his tail.

"Than help us fight, Jutonomon." said Kutramon.

"What, and waste this pretty gold coat? I ain't riskin' m'skin for nothin'." he waddled by them with his short little legs.

"You've been in a fight with Meokomon before?" Izzy asked as he turned.

"Kid, that ain't nonna ya' business." he quipped.

"Self-centured snake!" growled Kutramon. "Flame Dart!"

Jutonomon dodged. "Hm. Dragon Spit!" his mouth opened wide and a sort of green stream shot out. Kutramon pushed Izzy aside, knocking them both to the ground as they spit up dirt. "Like I said, you best just turn back, son." he slithered away into the forest.

Izzy stood up and shook the dirt from his clothes and sat on a log. "He's right!" he cried in frusturation. "What's the point? I give up." he sighed, the black smoke edging closer.

"But...Izzy, don't give up." he jumped up beside him.

"I let Catrina go out there. It's my fault." the black gas circled Izzy happily.

"No, Izzy." he insisted, pushing his shoulder. "I was the one supposed to be watching her...she's gone 'cause of me!" Kutramon burst into tears.

"What's the point. She's gone. We won't find her. We'll just die out here!"

"No!" said Kutramon in desparation. "Use your computer to find her!" he pleaded as he pulled it out and shoved it at Izzy.

Izzy smacked the laptop out of Kutramon's hands, sending it a few feet away. "All of the technology in the world couldn't find her! How are we supposed to think we can when no one else does!?"

"If you cared about her you wouldn't say that!" Kutramon raged. "Don't you know that love and-and friendship beat all?"

"Don't be so childish!"

"Don't be so skeptical!"

"I do care about Catrina, Kutramon!"

"Than prove it! You say you care, and you're giving up here? Now?"

"What am I supposed to do? I don't have Tentomon, my friends here, and that beast has Catrina! How am I supposed to get there? What am I supposed to do if I ever DO get there?"

"Come on! You're the crest of knowledge, you should be able to think of something!"

"Well I can't!! All my intelligence and all my effort, it doesn't count for anything! All the times we've all pulled through and this time I can't do it!"

"Than you don't care about her! You'll let her rot in Meokomon's lair! She could die and you give up when you could've saved her! She wanted to be your friend and you just forget about it! I can't save her alone, but you don't care! Just sit here and feel sorry for yourself! Catrina needs you!"

"I need her too!" he snapped at Kutramon. "The one thing I don't care about is that stupid ugly scronny rabid slimey horrible nasty creature that has her!!" a sudden bright light surrounded them and the black smoke crumbled with a scream of agony. Kutramon's eyes widened.

"Kutramon digivolve to..........Obrakmon!" the light sucked back into Obrakmon, the huge robed dragon. Izzy stared up at him in shock. "Ha ha!!" he roared, picking up Izzy and throwing him into the air, catching him as he fell. "I did it! I digivolved from your digivice!"

"Prodigious, Obrakmon!" said Izzy.

"I knew you cared enough!"

"Now let's go destroy that monster!" Izzy cheered, picking up his laptop. Obrakmon grabbed Izzy and shot into the air, over the trees and towards Meokomon.

With all of the dodging and bouncing around, Tentomon fell to the ground in a heap of gasps and choking. "Super...Shocker!" a little splat of electricity spurted from him and fizzled away. He crawled over to Catrina, evading Meokomon for a moment for he was afraid of hitting his bait. "Oh Catrina! Snap out of it!" he whined, shaking her by the waist. "Please!"

"Me...oko...mon..."

"NO!" he sunk to the ground tiredly. "No...Izzy..."

"Raven's Cry!" Meokomon sneered and the attack hit Tentomon, throwing him across the room, into the wall and burning.

"BLAAAAAAAAAHK!!!" Tentomon fell to the ground, steaming and moaning.

Catrina turned her head, watching Tentomon. "Tento...Tentomon...Tentomon! Get up!" she shook her head furiously and ran towards him, burning her hand on his singed body. "Ah! Tentomon..." she took off her sweat shirt and wrapped him in it.

"Catrina..." he coughed, a yellow feeler burning through and falling off to the ground.

"Tentomon, I'm sorry...I was under a spell." she picked it up and tried to place it back onto his head.

"Guuhh...." he poked her face with a claw, some of the black burnt dust wiping onto her. "Just a...scratch..." he twitched.

"Tentomon, you have to get up..." she said as she wiped a bit of his crumbled claw off of her face.

He whimpered and flattened his one feeler. "I...can still....win.." he wheezed in a raspy voice.

She stood up and looked at Meokomon who towered over them with a cackle. "Looks like someone needs an update on her mind control." he said.

"You did it to Tentomon...you...why would you do that?!" she cried in anger. "He's a rookie and you just blew him away! Just a rookie!"

"Oh little fool...I always fight fair. Of course he's a rookie...but then again...so am I..." his jagged teeth flashed.

Catrina stared up at him in confusion. "Y-your stage is..."

She was suddenly cut off by a loud explosion and a portion of the roof came crashing down on Meokomon. "Don't mind if we drop in!" snarled Obrakmon as he dropped Izzy to the ground and stood in fighting stance in front of Meokomon.

"Rrr!" he looked at his hand, brushing the rest of the rock off of his head. "Actually I do! Crystal Dagger!"

"Ah!" cried Obrakmon as he was pinned to the wall with a flock of kinves.

"Tentomon!" yelled Izzy as he rushed over. "Tentomon...you found her..."

"You bet...Izzy." he said as he played around with his burnt away feeler.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you Tentomon." said Izzy as he looked down to his charred friend.

"That's...okay Izzy..." he coughed.

"Don't worry, Tento...you'll be okay..." he looked down in shock as his digivice drove a light into Tentomon, causing him to glow.

"Whoo hoo!" came Tentomon's excited yell. The light vanished and there stood Tentomon, good as the day he first digivolved.

"Are you okay?" asked Catrina.

"Never better!" he answered, feeling the top of his head and finding it whole.

"Grrrah!" growled Obrakmon as he broke free from his prison. "Fire of Thunder!" he shouted as he blasted it off of Meokomon.

"Hmp." he snuffed as it bounced off of his arm with a twinge of pain. "Black Fire of the Abyss!"

Obrakmon dodged in time, letting the attack crach into the wall and sizzle into nothing. "You can't hurt me, Keyomon!" he snarled as he prepared for his next attack.

"My name is Meokomon!" he roared, snatching Obrakmon by the tail and throwing him into the ground.

"Oof!" he growled. "You aren't going to win!"

"Ha ha ha. I-"

"Electro Shocker!" Kabuterimon's voice boomed.

The attack hit Meokomon in the back, causing him to arch it in an akward position. "Don't toy with me." he spat as he grabbed for Kabuterimon.

"Go guys!" yelled Izzy.

"Bite him in half!" Catrina chided.

Kabuterimon snatched Obrakmon by the hand and pulled him up. "Rrrready?"

"You got it!"

"Shock Flamer!" they yelled in unison. A bright blue fire exploded from both of them and bashed Meokomon in the face.

"Ow." he said, rubbing his head. "You call me your friend and you attack me? Oh my...I feel so...hurt...Reason three thousand eight hundred and forty-six why I HATE you children and your digimon! Raven's Cry!"

It knocked Kabuterimon and Obrakmon from the the sky and each into a painful landing. "Ouch." mumbled Kabuterimon as he picked a rock from his teeth.

"That's enough!" yelled Obrakmon. "Obrakmon digivolve to..........Kitotomon!" Kitotomon was a four legged dragon with huge gold plates that covered his eyes and a big black furry dragon head from which the hood was pulled back. The robe ended at his waist where his back legs were hooves and two titanic wings that sprouted from his back. "Lightning Crusher!" the golden lightning blasted out of his mouth and hit Meokomon's arm.

"Kabuterimon digivolve to.............Megakabuterimon! Horn Buster!" this attack hit Meokomon in the leg.

"You two simply don't learn." Meokomon hissed as he smacked Kitotomon away. "Stupid little pests." he grabbed Megakabuterimon by the horn and tossed him aside. "But if you insist on a fight I'll give you one to remember! Crystal Dagger!" the spikes of pain pelted the two digimon.

"I sure hope the others get here soon." said Kitotomon as he rose. "Come on, Megakabuterimon, let's take him!"

"Jutonomon." said Sabertamon as she found the little snake. "You said you've seen a child?"

"Yeah, some kid'n his Kutramon. Whatcha want from me, Sabs?" he snapped angrilly.

"Where were they?" she asked.

"A few miles from the boss house." he shrugged. "Close ta where we are now."

"Then be on your way!" she snarled at the children. "Meokomon's lair is just a few miles ahead."

Garurumon walked by them with a glance. "Aren't you two coming?" asked Matt.

"Ya kiddn'?" Jutonomon snorted.

"We won't fight anymore. Besides, something thought you kids could do it, so go." Sabertamon said. "We will meet again. Now go, go away. Do not return until your mission is finished."

Matt nodded. "Thanks, Sabertamon." Garurumon nodded and walked away, followed by the others. Seeing that they weren't far, he changed back into Gabumon.

"Hey, um, Matt." said Tai as he walked over to his side.

"Yeah?" he asked, not bothering to look over at him.

"Look man, I guess...ya know...I'm sorry for fighting with you and all."

"That's what you always say, Tai." he stated coldly. "I really thought we had all of this resolved. Apparently all you wanna do is fight."

"But I don't." he insisted, searching for his forgiveness as fast as possible. "Come on, use your crest."

"Why?"

Tai twitched angrilly, resisting the temptation to lash out at him. "Right, fine. Well, we're like, friends and stuff, and we probably shouldn't fight."

"Oh, yeah. You think that up now?" he laughed rudely.

"We just...keep going like this. Just shut up and forgive me, pal? We're always gonna fight."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." he punched Tai.

"Hey!" he coughed.

Matt smirked and came to a fighting stance. "Might as well get it out of our system now."

Tai grinned, lunging at Matt and pinning him to the ground and beating him stupid. "Tai! Matt!" yelled Sora. She realized that they were both laughing crazilly. "Never...mind..."

"Ow! Hey! Ha ha! Hey, wait! Matt, Ouch! Matt! Quit it!"

T.K. and Kari looked at each other. "Sometimes they scare me." said T.K.

"Me too." agreed Kari.

"Me three." Patamon said. "Boom Bubble."

"Why'd ya say that, Patamon?" asked T.K. "You aren't attacking anything."

"I know, I didn't do anything. I was just written doing that." Yep. Heh heh.

"Ahhhuff!" cried Obrakmon as he smashed into the ground, freshly knocked out of his ultimate form.

"Obrakmon!" yelled Catrina as she came to him. "Obrakmon, get up!" she put her hands on the sides of his face, lifting his head. "Come on, buddy."

"I don't think we can beat him..." he panted.

"Whaaa!" heaved Megakabuterimon as he hit the ground and became Kabuterimon, and then bounced off and landed as Tentomon. "We'll have to hold off until the others get here!" Tentomon said as he got to is feet.

Obrakmon plopped into Kutramon. "Oh, now what?"

"Super Shocker!"

"Flame Dart!"

"Come on." Meokomon sighed as he brushed the attacks out of the air. "You two are only wasting my time." he ignored them and turned to the two children. "Wretched things. Now, summon your little friends so I may destroy all of you."

"They'll come allright!" Catrina yelled. "And you'll be sorry when they do!"

"Ha!" he exlaimed in an extremely sarcastic manner, swiping Catrina to the ground with his hand.

"Hey!" shouted Izzy. "Stop attacking us! We're just kids, you coward!"

Meokomon growled furiously, wrapping his horrible claws around Izzy and holding him close to his face. "You'll be the first to go!" he touched Izzy lightly with his tounge. "Hm. A taste I'll have to get used to!"

"Izzy!" said Catrina as she pulled on Meokomon's leg. "Let him go!"

He stared down at her and picked her up as well, ignoring her angry struggle. "I wonder which gender tastes better..."

"Izzy! Catrina!" cried their digimon. Two lights exploded from Izzy and Catrina's digivices, forcing Meokomon to drop them.

Kutramon and Tentomon looked at each other and growled in unison. "Tentomon and Kutramon digivolve to....................Dobokoyuramon!!" with a tornado of power, Tentomon and Kutramon connected together to form the huge digimon. He was robed with two large snappers much like Kuwagamon's, and had the long insect mouth like Kabuterimon. His long arms came from his drooping sleeves, resembling Tentomon's stages of arms. His tail was short but stuck out of his robe, splitting at the end into a heart shape. The final thing was his wings, ripped and torn like Airdramon's.

Izzy and Catrina stared in amazment. "Our digimon digivolved together." Izzy obviously stated.

"Sonic Flare!" Dobokoyuramon yelled. A tremendous green and yellow jet stream hit Meokomon, throwing him to the wall with a blood curdling shriek.

He rose to his feet in such anger that his claws suddenly grew outward. Can't you just hear that hey digimon song? "You awful disgusting maggots!!" he screeched. "Claw Pound!" red duplicates of his claws escaped out of his hands and hit Dobokoyuramon in the upper chest, sending him to the roof and then back to the floor.

He quickly shook it away. "Electro Fire!" he let loose a deadly electrical flame that continuously beat Meokomon to the ground.

He stood up in imense pain and looked ahead to his enemy. "Raven's cry!" the icy fire blasted the insect-dragon across the room.

"Oh no!" Catrina stepped forward. "Come on, guys..." she pleaded, feeling Izzy take her hand. They glanced at each other for a brief moment before locking their eyes back to the battle.

"You're toast, Keyomon." snarled Dobokoyuramon in a low purring sound.

"RrrrrraaaaAAHHHH!!!!" Meokomon exploded in a furious roar, shaking the ground. "Black Fire of the Abyss!!"

Dobokoyuramon was hit in the side, screaming in pain as he was pounded into the hard floor. With one last struggle upwards, he collapsed to the ground, drained. Meokomon laughed with a crazed grin and gave his downed opponent a final kick of triumph. "Grr..." Dobokoyuramon grumbled.

"You see!!!?" Meokomon panted in a laughing tone. "Not even at your strongest can you beat me!! I am invincible!!!"

"Izzy..." Catrina looked at him nervously.

"No, he'll win." Izzy stated. "Come on, Dobokoyuramon! Snap out of it!"

The digimon lifted his head and hissed. "Cinder Whip!" he snarled. A red stream of energy snapped from his jaws and hit Meokomon in the back.

"Ahhh!!" he cried and tumbled to the ground, shaking and trembling with fury as he tried to rise.

"Sonic Flare!" he continued to attack.

Meokomon clenched his eyes shut while he watched his hand begin to crumble. "It...cannot be..." he whispered. "Claw...Pound!" he yelled, attempting one last attack.

"Electro Fire!" Dobokoyuramon warded the attack away with his own.

"Rrr..." Meokomon fell to the ground once more. "I..." he sputtered. "I cannot be...de...feated..."

Dobokoyuramon looked down at his friend with sympathy. "Meokomon, we were the best of friends. Why did you turn away from me?" he sighed as his eyes passed over the children. "They are children, Meokomon. They're young and innocent, just like you used to be...Don't you remember who you are anymore?"

He looked up at him for a long while, finally breaking the silence. "I...am...Lord...MEOKOMON!!!" he cried, echoing off of the walls as his form slowly vanished into the sky.

"Ouch!"

"Oof!" cried Motimon and Otamon as they fell to the ground in their in-training forms.

The children ran over and took them. "Motimon? Are you okay?" asked Izzy.

"Yep! WEEEEEEE WON!!!" he shouted excitedly.

"Otamon?" Catrina saw his down expression. "What's wrong?"

"Meokomon...he was so stuborn...He wouldn't listen........"

"It's okay, Otamon." she said as she patted his head. "If he was your friend once...then somewhere, he still is..." had he been given a mouth, Otamon would have smiled.

"Oh no." said Matt as he pointed ahead to a smoking area. "They could be in real trouble! It looks like the battle's already here!"

"We're okay! The battle's already over!" shouted a voice from across the hills.

"Izzy?" Tai tried to see over them. "Hey Iz!" the others followed Tai to the four beings.

"You found Catrina!" said Patamon as he flew over.

"Of course." said Izzy as he crossed his arms, not feeling as though he needed to look at Tai.

Tai took a hint. "All right, pal. I get it. You were right, so you found her."

"Hm." Izzy nodded with his eyes closed as if waiting for him to go further.

"Look, I know you just think I'm a big jerk sometimes...but I just didn't wantcha to go out there because I didn't want something to happen. I know you care about Catrina and stuff."

"And me!" said Motimon.

"Apology accepted, Tai." Izzy said as he held out his hand.

Tai shook it. "Prodigous, buddy."

"So now what?" asked Catrina as she looked down at her digimon.

Tai's heart dropped as he looked down at Agumon. "I...guess we'll have to return them..."

"Tai..." Agumon looked away, closing his eyes painfully, then nodded harshly.

"But how?" asked Mimi. "I thought the gate to the digital world was closed."

"Meokomon's lair." said Izzy. "He jumped from one world to the next, remember? He must have a portal somewhere."

After a long while, Matt spoke. "Let's go then." he said.

"Wait." Tai said, holding out his hand. "We...we don't have to send them back now. Why don't we spend some more time with them...just one more day, and we'll meet back here tomorrow night."

"Sounds good to me." agreed Sora.

"Yeah...I wanna say goodbye to Patamon some more." sai T.K. as he hugged his friend.

"Okay." nodded Matt. "Let's go home, guys."

It was that night as Joe sat outside in the front yard with Gomamon, looking up at the stars. None of them said anything, just simply stared. "Hey...Joe..."

"Yeah?" he looked over at him.

"Remember when I digivolved and saved us from Unimon?"

"Mm hm. I sure do."

"Aren't I the best?"

Joe smiled as he put his hand on his friend's head. "You sure are, Gomamon. Ya sure are..."

"Mimi?"

"Yes Palmon?"

"Can you paint my roots one more time?" she asked.

"Sure!" she dug through her drawer, pulling out pink nail polish.

Palmon happily held out her arms.

"Tai?" Agumon put his hand on Tai's shoulder. "I'm really gonna miss you..."

"There's gonna be time for goodbyes later, Augzilla." he smiled as he patted him on the back. "Tonight we're just old friends."

"Hm. Wanna play a video game?"

"Yeah, okay. Hey Agumon...just wondering...are you gonna be okay...ya know, in the digital world?"

Agumon thought. "I'll...I'll be okay, Tai. The rest of the digimon will be there with me...and you'll always be there." he put a claw up to his chest. "Right here."

"Thanks, mon." he put his arm around his neck. "I'm gonna miss you, too."

"T.K.?" asked Patamon as he flew up to his head.

"Yeah Patamon?"

"You know how we said we'd see each other again?"

"Yep."

Patamon sighed. "Do you think since we saw each other now...that we won't see each other again?"

"I know I'll see you again." he said as he took Patamon and held him in front of himself. "I couldn't not see ya again."

"Gmm...T.K.!" Patamon's tears fell onto T.K.'s shoulder as he flew into him.

"I love you Patamon!" said T.K. as he started to cry too.

"T.K.!" snuffled Patamon. "I (sniff) thought we said that we shouldn't...shouldn't be crying!" he wailed.

"I can't help it!" T.K. whined. "I guess it's (sniff) okay since we're happy!" they both continued to cry pointlessly for hours.

Biyomon jumped up onto the bed as she watched Sora sleep. "Hi Sora." she said as she brushed her face with a wing, aware that Sora couldn't hear her. "You're my best friend, Sora. I wish you could come with us..."

"Mmmbiyo...mon..." Sora reached out an arm in her sleep and pulled Biyomon close to her.

"Aww...oww, ow, Sora, you're hurting me!"

"Hey Catrina, can I see the blue one?"

"Okay." she handed the blue crayon to Kutramon. "Whatcha making?"

"A fish." he said as he scribbled harshly.

"Hm hm. I drew you!" she held up her picture.

"Hey, it's me! Where's my tail?"

"Oh...oops..." she suddenly started to laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." she continued to color.

"So, I guess you won't be lonely anymore. You have all your friends."

"So do you." she said. "I'm glad you came to find me, Kutramon."

"Me too, Cat." he said.

"Hmm...I think it's only funny when Izzy says it."

Kari and Gatomon laughed as they watched Kari's cat. "Mrr-row!" he cried as he stumbled around, tripping over Gatomon's gloves which had been placed upon him.

"Your cat needs to learn how to walk." said Gatomon.

"Mm hm!"

"Go fish!" yelled Gabumon.

"Hmm...this is your favorite game?" Matt asked as he pulled a card from the deck.

"You bet! Any fours?"

"Ah! Fine, you win!"

"Izzy?" asked Tentomon as he poked him. "Izzy, do we really have to go back to the digital world?"

He nodded gravely. "Yes, Tento. It's where you belong, all of you."

"But...couldn't I just hang around and wear your old clothes, pretending I'm your younger brother?"

"No, Tentomon." he laughed. "Besides, who is going to take care of the digital world without you?"

"Can't the others do it? I want to stay here with you and Catrina and Kutramon."

"You'll miss your home. I know you would. I want you to stay her too. We'll always see each other again, and best friends can't forget one another. I'll always remember you."

"Me too, Izzy." he put on his hat and sweat-shirt.

"What are you doing?"

"Let's go get some pizza, I'm starved!"

"Okay."

"Izzy!" he heard his mother call. "Tai is on the phone!"

"Thanks, Mom!" he picked up the phone. "Hello? Uh huh, yeah, okay. See ya then. Bye."

"What did he say?" asked Tentomon.

"Tomorrow morning we're all going over to Collin's to tell them the good news."

"Yyyay!"

The next morning, all of the digidestined found each other at Collin's house, and they were let in. "Hey guys." Collin greeted. "So...you defeated Meokomon?"

"We sure did!" cheered Tentomon.

He half smiled and looked away. "That's...that's great, guys."

"What's the matter, Collin?" asked Kari. "Aren't you glad?"

"It just seems...I don't know, too good to be true." he looked at Terry, Cala, and Lina who nodded.

"Meokomon wasn't someone who went down easilly." said Cala.

Catrina opened her mouth as if to say something, but then thought better. Izzy noticed. "What is it?"

"Huh? Oh...well, before you and Obrakmon came to save me, Meokomon mentioned something about his stage. He...said he was a rookie..."

"A digimon with that kind of power in his third form? That's impossible!" said Izzy.

"No, she's right!" Kutramon gasped. "Don't you remember? I told you that I knew him as Keyomon, his in-training form? He never digivolved from that form, I remember now! But every time I'd ask him about it, he'd dismiss it like he didn't care. If he was a rookie with that kind of power..."

Collin's mouth dropped open. "All our attempts were futile against a rookie?!"

"Relax, guys." said Tai. "We got him before he had the chance to digivolve further."

"I guess you're right." said Kutramon. "It just seems so...weird. But I guess we did win. I saw him...saw him die..."

"Well, I knew you guys could do it." said Collin. Tai and Matt suddenly started punching each other, but no one noticed for some reason.

They spent hours talking about their previous adventures and hearing others from the older digidestined before they looked at the clock. "It's eleven o' clock." said Joe as he looked at his watch. "We've been talking here for at least ten hours."

"Well...I guess we should probably take our digimon...back." said Tai.

"Do we have to?" groaned T.K., knowing the answer, but insisting that his opinion stuck by constantly reminding them.

"Yes, now come on. Our parents will wonder where we are." said Matt as he glanced down at Gabumon.

T.K. sighed and picked up Patamon. "Come on, pal."

"Well, thanks a bunch, Collin." said Tai as he turned to leave. "We'll see ya again sometime."

"You do that, Tai. We'll be waitin'." he waved.

With the help of everyone's favorite digimon, Kabuterimon, the children reached Meokomon's lair within a matter of minutes. When they landed, it was still smoldering and charred from the battle the day before. "So how do you suppose Meokomon got from here to the digital world?" asked Catrina.

"The answer's in here somewhere." said Matt.

Tai nodded. "Matt, take Sora, Mimi, Joe, and T.K. to look in some of these rooms, and I'll take everyone else this way." he pointed.

"Okay, sounds good." said Matt as he took his team in a direction.

"Come on, let's go." said Tai as he motioned for his group to follow. The large, square building apparently had much more to it than meets the eye, for as they walked down a hallway they came to a seemingly endless set of stairs spiraling downward. Tai carefully placed a foot down on the unstable stone, slowly transfering his weight onto it. "I think it's safe." he said, Izzy following as he lightly shook the railing to make sure it was indeed as trustworthy as Tai made it out to be. He nodded, putting Kari and Catrina in between him and Tai to shield them from danger.

Tai swallowed and took a few rigid steps down the stairs, feeling them crack and crumble slightly. "Tai, maybe we should find a different way down." suggested Agumon.

"Don't be such a baby, Agu-whoops!" he slipped on a stair and broke the rail, shaking them all and sending them crashing to the ground.

"Don't be such a what, Tai?" snorted Agumon as he rubbed his head.

"Hmph. Kari, Catrina, Izzy, you guys survive?" Tai looked around.

"You should've listened to Agumon, Tai." said Kari.

"Tai, Izzy, look!" said Catrina as she pointed to a pile of rocks.

"What is it?" asked Izzy.

"I found something." Kutramon flew over and tossed a rock out of the way. "Hey, help you guys." he said as he heaved one away.

Kari came over with Gatomon. "Lightning Claw!" Gatomon yelled as she crushed a rock.

"Super Shocker!" Tentomon zapped a nearby stone.

"Come on, Tai!" Agumon motioned him to come over as he punched a rock.

Tai helped Kari pull a large rock away, and just behind a blue light shone. "Whoa, what's this?" asked Tai as he moved a few more.

"It's a portal back to the digital world." said Tentomon, pretending to be excited.

"I guess we should tell the others..." said Tai.

"Tai!" he heard Matt yell as he came running to the top of the stairs, slipping and almost falling like the rest. "We heard a loud crash, is everything okay?" he yelled from above.

"Yeah, fine! Get down here! We found the way back!" he called.

"Okay!" Matt looked behind and said something to the others. Birdramon suddenly appeared and took them down to the base of the staircase which had crumbled.

"So you found it." Sora sighed.

"Yeah...I guess then...this is goodbye. Again." Tai knelt down by Agumon and hugged him. "Gonna miss ya pal."

"I know. It's gonna be hard to find a friend like you, even though you're kinda bossy sometimes, and you always wear those goggles for some reason, and you're not very-"

"Okay! I get it!" Tai shook Agumon's hand. "I'll see you again, I know."

"I suppose this time I get to really say goodbye to you, Palmon." said Mimi.

"Yeah, but I still don't want to go."

"You have to." she said.

"Bye Mimi." she waved her hand.

"Goodbye, Palmon."

"Time for me to hit the road, Joe!" said Gomamon as he turned away.

"You know," Joe started, "Even though you aren't like me, and you're not very serious, can you try? Just...just for today?"

Gomamon grinned. "More like you? Hee hee!" he waddled over and suddenly burst into tears. "Joe!!!! I don't wanna leave!! Whaaaaaaaa!!" he fell on his stomach and started beating the ground with his fists.

Joe picked him up. "Gee, don't get so emotional, lighten up."

"I know how you feel, Matt." nodded Gabumon. "I guess I'll just be on my way."

"Gabumon, wait." he said as he searched for something to say. "I...I want you to have this." he reached into his pocket and pulled out his harmonica, handing to to him.

"Oh Matt, I couldn't take your harmonica." he said, waving it away.

"I want you to. I don't really need it anymore. Besides...this way you won't forget about me."

"Matt, I could never forget about you." he insisted. "You'll always be my very best friend!"

"Here, take it anyway. I only used to play it when I was depressed, but since I met you, I don't have a use for it." Gabumon took it.

"Oooh, thanks Matt!"

"Bye bye, T.K." said Patamon as he waved.

"Hey Patamon?"

"Yeah?"

"When will I see you again?"

"I don't know." said Patamon as he stared at T.K. in misery. "Maybe in a week?"

"I hope so..." he said. "I'll miss you, Patamon. You're my best friend."

"You're mine too, T.K. I'll have to see you again, or it wouldn't be fair."

"Oh. Well...I'd shake your hand, but I might break it..." he patted him on the head.

"Hee hee."

"Well, I'm sorry Tentomon. I know you don't want to leave." Izzy said as he knelt down.

"It's okay...there's always next time." Tentomon said as he put a claw on his shoulder. "Thank you, Izzy. I suppose it's time for goodbye, now."

"I'll miss you, Kari." said Gatomon.

"Well...think of it this way; whenever you're lonely, you can just blow your whistle. I'll hear it wherever you are." she said as she shook her paw.

"Really?"

"Really. Take care of Patamon."

"Okay."

"Gee, Sora. It's gonna be weird being in the digital world without you." said Biyomon as she hugged Sora's leg.

"Yeah...something tells me it's gonna be weird just not being in the digital world."

"Say goodbye to your mom for me."

"I will. If you ever need anything...um...just remember that you have a true friend here."

"Thanks Sora."

Catrina looked down at her digimon. "Do you really have to leave now, Kutramon?"

He sighed. "Don't worry Catrina, I won't forget you."

"I've only known you for a few days...but you're the best friend I ever had. I'm really really gonna miss you." she hugged him.

"Ooooh! Goodbye, Catrina!" cried Tentomon as he latched onto her other side.

"Bye, Tentomon. Thanks for saving me all those times..."

"Goodbye, pal!" said Kutramon as he hugged Tentomon.

"I'll miss ya, Kutramon!" Tentomon said.

"Guys, you're going back to the digital world together." Catrina reminded.

"Oh yeah." Kutramon flew over to Izzy. "Thanks for everything, Izzy. Take care of Catrina for me."

He nodded. "You were a good friend to all of us, Kutramon. I look forward to seeing you again."

"Hm hm!" he walked over to the portal with the others and waved.

"Looks like it's time to go." said Agumon as he waved to the children.

"Wait!" said T.K. as he ran up. "Patamon...I just wanna ask you a question...how did you know to come back?"

Patamon flattened his ears. "That's an easy question, T.K. Because...I missed you."

Matt put his hand on his brother's head. "See ya, guys."

Agumon cleared his throat and stuck and arm through the portal, pulling it back out. "Goodbye..." he sunk into it and vanished.

"Bye." said all of the other digimon in unison as they slowly were eaten by the gate.

"See ya, T.K." Patamon uttered his final words as he disapeared.

"Bye!" yelled T.K. as he struggled not to cry. He looked up at Matt. "We will see them again, won't we?"

"Of course, T.K." he insisted.

"When?"

"Not too long, T.K. Not too long."

"Oof!"

"Oh!"

"Ouch!"

"Rmpf!"

"Ek!"

"Erk!"

"Yow!"

"Rf!"

"Ow!"

The nine digimon plopped from the sky back onto the digital ground. "What a ride!" said Gomamon.

"What a headache!" said Gabumon as he rubbed his head.

"I'm sure going to miss them..." said Biyomon as she stared up at the sky.

"But you know what?" said Patamon. "I really don't feel so bad about leaving T.K. this time."

"Yeah, I feel better too." said Palmon.

Gatomon inhaled the nice digital air. "Tag!" she yelled, swiping Kutramon's tail.

"Oh yeah!" he flew after her, chased by the other laughing digimon.

"We should go home I guess." said Tai. "Come on, Kari. We'll take Matt and Sora home."

"Me and Joe live pretty close." said Mimi.

"Okay. Catrina, you need help getting home?" Tai looked at her.

"I'll take her." said Izzy.

"Right..." Tai turned to leave. "Hey guys, you wanna try that new fast food place down the street tomorrow for lunch?"

"Okay." said T.K.

"Sounds good to me." Mimi and Joe waved as they left.

"I'll see ya later." said Catrina.

Tai motioned for his friends to follow as he exited, followed by Catrina and Izzy. In all of the comotion, none noticed the dark smoke which delightedly circled a black digi-egg.

After walking in the dark in silence, Izzy and Catrina arrived at her house. "Well, thanks Izzy." she said.

"Your house isn't too far away." he responded, still thinking of Tentomon.

"Well, I meant for all the stuff you did for me. If you and Obrakmon wouldn't have come to save me, Meokomon would have probably eaten me. Or when Temtoalamon attacked me, if you weren't there I'd be toast."

"I...couldn't just let you perish, could I?" he shrugged.

"Yeah...well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Izzy cleared his throat. "Wait...I wanted to give you this." he handed her a slip of paper.

"Hm. It's a number."

"It's my number. You know...if you ever wanted to talk or something."

"Oh. Thanks, Izzy. Do you want mine?"

"Sure."

She pulled out a pen and wrote it on a corner of the paper, ripping it off and handing it to him. "Just don't call after seven. That's when my dad is home."

"Okay. My e-mail address is on there too, after all, I'm not usually off-line."

"Hm hm. I'll bet. I'd better get inside, my mom will be worried." she sighed and looked at the lighted window. "Goodnight, Izzy." she kissed him on the cheek and went inside.

Izzy stood in a confused manner, then laughed to himself. As he walked home, he almost thought that he could hear Tentomon and Kutramon laughing.

And that would be the story! In a couple of months, look for the sequel: Playing the Game of Reality.