NOPE, I DO NOT OWN DIGIMON, JUST SCYTHEMON AND ALL VILIANS THAT I CREATE.
Well everyone. I know this answers literally, maybe two questions from all these previous chapters BUT it is a definite development for poor Tai.
I appreciate ALL reviews!
Kari-
Looks like everyone is here.
It had only taken her ten minutes to pack her things. She was frantic and hoping that everyone else would be early to meet as well. Thankfully, everyone seemed to have the same idea. Tai's life was in danger, more danger than ever this time.
"Okay, so I'm contacting Gennai to see if he can get a gate opened for us. In the meantime, has anyone figured out anything on Tai? He still has his digivice, so I've been trying to connect to him… but it seems as though his signal has been cut off." Asked Izzy. He was typing furiously on his laptop while anxiously tapping his foot on the ground.
Everyone shook their heads. There was nothing to go on. Tai literally vanished without a trace.
"Well, if he at least has it, does this mean that we will see his signal once we go to the digiworld?" asked Mimi.
"Yeah! I bet it's just because we are here, not there!" said Palomon.
"I hope so, but with the looks of this new bad guy, I would say he thought of that."
"Then how are even going to find Tai?" asked Davis, exasperated. He understood the severity of the situation. But, he also understood how bad this rescue mission really was. They were going off only one lead: hope.
"I don't know Davis. I just know we have to find him… or else." Said Izzy, tired.
They stayed silent for a moment, waiting from some sort of sign from their old friend. It took a few minutes, but finally, the computer beeped with a message. Izzy opened it, read through it quickly and nodded.
"Okay, it's good. He's going to open it right now. Everyone hold each other." Suddenly, the computer flashed and they all heard their friends voice.
"Portal, open!"
A flash of light and a burst of wind later, and the digidestined were falling towards the ground. As usual, everyone fell in a piled heap, most of the digimon landing perfectly on their feet.
"Hm, that's new." Mumbled Izzy. "He usually doesn't say that to open a gate."
"What does it matter? Let's go." Said Matt. "His house is just up ahead. He sure has good aim."
Everyone helped each other up, grumbling along the way. Thankfully, the walk really was short and within minutes they had arrived at his front door. Knocking heavily on the wood, Matt stepped back and waited. The door opened slowly by itself and a voice inside yelled at them to come in.
"Hey, that sounded like Piximon!" said Kari.
"Oh good, we haven't seen the little fluff ball in ages!" said Mimi.
"I wonder if he found out anything new." Said Joe.
Anything… please… Kari thought.
They walked further along the hall, only to be greeted by Piximon a second later.
"Well hello there kids! It's been awhile hasn't it?" Piximon smiled, trying to keep the situation upbeat. They wouldn't like the news he and Gennai had for them at all. He glanced quickly at Kari. She looked pale, fragile and on the brink of melting down.
"Hey, Piximon. How have you been?" she asked. Her smile did not come close to reaching her eyes, but he appreciated her gesture nonetheless.
"Oh, you know here and there, training and such. Come, come. Gennai has some news for you all." He walked them quickly down the hallway, coming into a big, sunny room. Gennai was sitting in the middle, looking closely into a screen that was propped against the floor.
"Well, hello children. Sit, sit. I have some things to discuss." Kari's heart dropped. He wasn't smiling and he didn't look up to address them. Suddenly, she couldn't hold back anymore. She started crying, lightly so she didn't cause a huge scene. TK noticed and put his arm around her shoulder.
"Let's sit down." She nodded, not wanting to look anyone in the face. But, everyone understood. Some wanted to cry themselves once the noticed the same attitude from Gennai. Obviously, they would not be receiving good news.
"Well, I'm not going to sugar coat it kids." He started. "Tai is in big, big trouble. It seems this 'death' character is worse than I thought. I did some research on him. It seems he is not a human… nor a digimon."
"Well, than what is he?" asked Sora, in panic.
"According to my sources, he might be some sort of humanoid- digimon… demon." Everyone started talking at once.
"A demon has Tai!"
"Holy shit, what are we going to do? We never fought a demon before."
"Are there more of him? What does he want with Tai?"
"Silence!" Gennai screamed. "Calm down for a moment and let me explain."
They quieted, waiting for their friend to continue.
"I don't know very much, just that detail. That is a guess however. I was in touch with other digidestined around the world. No one has seen him but many felt the rift themselves. I received a message that told me that last night."
"From who?" Izzy questioned.
"That I also don't know. It was not signed when I read it nor could I trace its origins. For now, I will trust it is someone trying to help us and is being truthful."
"Anything else? Anything that will actually help us help Tai?" asked Kari. She was still crying, but the tears were slowing. Now, they were being replaced by silent fear.
"Only one thing. I know that he is in the Digiworld… but on a continent that you have never explored. That will be the hard part. It's on a continent that we avoid here. It's full of the worst sort of digimon. Tai's digivice is very faint and I could only get a second of a signal, but it was enough to know that he was there."
"What's it called?" she asked.
"Thanatos."
"Gennai… that means 'death' in Greek" said Izzy. Kari stopped breathing.
"I know. Children, this will be very dangerous. This continent is what the digiworld was made to protect humans against. If any of these creatures escaped to the real world… everything would be destroyed."
"Can we even defeat any of these creatures?" asked Patamon.
"If you work together, yes. And when I upgrade a feature of your digivices."
"Upgrade? To what?"
"Well, when I found out where he was, I knew that you all would need more juice to defeat this enemy. So, I came up with a feature. It's a type of personal armor. Each of you emits a certain sort of data, which corresponds with your crest and digivolves your Digimon. However, you know that. But, what you don't know because I have not told you, is that you can manipulate your Digimons transformations."
"So… we can… add stuff to them?" asked Izzy.
"Sort of, Izzy. It's more like, whatever is within you, changes them. Of course, for now you need a certain button on your digivice to make that happen."
"Why did you not tell us this before?" asked Joe. "Don't you think we could have used this while we were running around defeating the Dark Masters?"
"I had no idea about this feature until much later after the battle. It showed up in my information after I did some research."
"So, let's say for example, I got the upgrade. Do you know what would happen to Tentomon when he digivolved? Like, what would be added?"
"No. This depends on you and him. I have no control over what is added, but I do know it's only one feature. But, that feature could be the difference between life and death right now."
"So, now we are back to day one when we had no idea how to digivolve our rookies." Grumbled Matt.
"Ah, but look on the bright side; these features will help you rescue Tai." Gennai replied, look sternly at Matt. "You have been forced to grow through these battles. This one will be like the same. Now, let me upgrade your digivices and you can be on your way." Handing over their digivices, Agumon hesitated to give him Tai's. He was shaking slightly, his claws protectively grasping the little square.
"Agumon, I promise, you will find him alive. I will not break the digivice. I am just upgrading it." Gennai said gently. Agumon took one last look at the little blinking lifeline and gave it up. It took only a few minutes of hooking up each individual digivice and downloading a simple code.
"Now, I know that this little button here triggers it until your digimon can digivolve with it on their own." Explained Gennai, pointing to a small round button on the right side of the digivice.
"God luck, children. I will send a friend to come pick you up to make the trip there a bit easier." They all nodded and thanked their friend. After a long morning, they were happy to finally be on their way. Once outside the house, they walked back down to the beach. Waiting for them was a familiar face.
"Oh my gosh, it's another Whamon!" shouted Mimi.
"No way!" smiled Sora. "Looks like this trip won't be so bad after all." They ran down to their friend. He was waiting right by the beach.
"Well, hello digidestined."
"Whamon, how did you… come back?" asked Kari. She did not know Whamon as well as the others, but knew about him from Tai.
"I am not the Whamon you children encountered during your previous time here. There are a few of use surrounding this area. But, the one who passed was one of my best friends. I am happy he did not die in vain."
"Ah, so there are more of you? I wonder if there are more of other digimon we have encountered… all the ones that sacrificed themselves for us back then." Izzy said, mostly to himself.
"Well, maybe. But that isn't what we should focus on right now." said Tentomon. "Whamon, we need a ride."
"Yes, Gennai called me over to help. It'll only take a couple of days, children. Hurry, hop on." After climbing onto the big whale, they set off, getting as comfortable as they could on his head. Agumon was leaning against Kari, his eyes glazed over. She felt so bad for him; his energy was drained from being so far from Tai for so long. And with his digivice still not reacting, he was worried. She sighed, putting her arm around him.
"I'm sure he is fine. Maybe a bit bruised up, but he must be putting up a good fight." She said quietly. He nodded, but stayed quiet.
Tai-
It had been maybe a day… maybe two… maybe a week. Tai had lost track of time completely while he was imprisoned. The creature came every few hours; sometimes, he would sit and just stare at Tai. Other times he came with food and water. But he never spoke. Just stared. Smiling.
Tai shivered in the damp space. He wanted to see the sun and run across a field playing soccer. He felt like he was in a grave yard.
Fitting, since apparently this guy is 'death' itself, he thought. He hasn't told me his name though or what he was. Maybe I'll learn today.
A clicking noise sounded across the room and the creature glided over. He came with food and water, placing it slowly down into the cell through the narrow hole. Tai did not touch it, remaining sitting against the wall. The creature sat down in his usual chair, staring at Tai.
"Eat."
"Don't want to."
"I said to."
"And? What do you think I am, your bitch?"
The creature stayed quiet. Slowly taking off his hood, he smiled.
"I really like you courage. No one has gotten away with talking to me like that. I think it is because I feel such a strong light from you. You will do well as my subordinate soon."
"What is your name? And why do you want me so badly?" Tai stood up, wiping off his shorts. "You haven't beat me up or tortured me. What do you want?"
"I do not want to hurt you, my boy. I want you in pristine shape before the hour."
"What hour?" he asked. The creature did not reply, just stared with his dark eyes. "Fine. Don't tell me. But, what is your name? You could at least tell me that." He grumbled.
"My name… is Scythemon."
"So…you are a digimon?"
"Partially." The creature stood up, making his move to leave. "My other minions will be in shortly."
"Wait, what do you mean!" shouted Tai, as Scythemon walked away. "What other part are you, human? Wait!" He heard the door click shut and slammed his back into the wall.
Dammit. I don't know anything about where I am or what is going on.
The door opened again and Tai sprang back up from the wall.
"Hey, why-" he stopped. Three figures walked in this time, each covered in a cloak. He watched as one of them opened the gate. As they walked in, he backed up against the wall, his heart starting to race.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
"Shut up kid. This won't hurt… that much." One figure said, as they laughed. Suddenly, Tai felt a horrible pain in his temple and he grasped his head as he fell down. He screamed in pain, unaware of the needle that carried a container of black liquid being pointed towards his neck. He felt it pinch through his skin and tried to swipe it away. The second creature grabbed his chest and threw him against the wall. The liquid container emptied and Tai's headache subsided.
"What- what did you do?" he asked, shakily. The creatures still had him pinned the wall and one was now rolling back his sleeves to reveal his forearm. After using a damp cloth to wipe the area, he applied a light gel.
"We gave you your first dose of black blood from the master." Tai's eyes widened. He didn't have time to respond, for Scythemon was back in the room. Once inside the cell, he grabbed Tai's forearm gently and flicked his hand at the creature previously grasping it.
"Move, swine." He gazed at Tai's arm, poking at the middle of his forearm, as if testing something. "Yes, plenty of muscle to handle this."
"What have you done to me?" he asked weakly. His head had a dull ache but nothing like the explosion from earlier. His whole body was hot and he felt feverish.
"Ah, your body seems to be handling the blood quite nicely. Now, you just need a grit your teeth and bare this quick pain." Tai saw only his hand before it slammed down on the meat of his arm. His skin felt branded and he cried out. In the blink of an eye, Tai's mouth was forced close, silencing his cries. The hand was not just branding his arm, it felt as though it was literally carving a pattern into his skin with hot metal. After a few more painful seconds, Scythemon released his arm, watching him lay back in defeat and exhaustion.
"You truly are the right choice, courage. Many could not handle such an intense branding."
"What- what-" Tai struggled for words. Between the fire flowing through his body and his now numb arm, he felt drained to the core. Just sitting there was taking his final breaths before black took over.
"I branded you. You are now connected to me through our data. Of course, it will be about a week before I can fully connect you to me." Scythemon glided towards the door, his goons following in his wake. He turned, looking at Tai one last time. He had become so fond of the boy that he could not bear to lose his best chance at domination. He needed Tai.
It took him a couple of minutes, but, after his captors left, Tai finally could move his body to lay down on his back. He stared up at the ceiling, his focus shifting in and out of darkness.
Please, guys… hurry up. I have a bad feeling… this is going… to get worse.