Dear Readers: I am sorry for being late! I hope it is worth it, thank you for your kind and helpful words. I am sorry for any grammatical errors, right now as I am typing this to you, it is 3am EST, the time I finished with the chapter. I wanted to put this up before you would think I abandoned this project. I made this chapter longer, on a word processer it is a total of 11 pages long. The average so far for the other chapters is about 7 or 8. There will be more to come! Thank you for your support, leave comments if you like!

The sound of a car rushing passed her, rattled the inside of her ear, as she waited for the crosswalk sign to signal the okay to cross. Kari was on her way for her follow up appointment with the doctor with Jun at her side. The slight drizzle of rain fell down, making good use of umbrellas. Jun glanced over with a concerned eye. Kari sighed, "I can't stop feeling this way." Jun said nothing as she waiting for Kari to continue. The signal changed, they stepped onto the wet asphalt, following the white striped ground, "That he is around the corner, in a window watching me, or hiding in a friggin bush. I feel pathetic…"

As they reached the other side, Jun took her arm smiling, "Hey come on now, it is perfectly okay." Kari looked up at her, "I'll be honest with you," she glanced back down at her, "why don't you think I would let you come alone?" Oddly enough this did make Kari feel better, she wasn't the only paranoid one.

Jun pushed the door open to the building complex and they made their way up to the doctor's office. After some time Kari found herself sitting in front of the doctor's desk, Jun sitting to her right.

"Well hello there Kari." The doctor was a woman, black hair and bright brown eyes, peering around behind rectangular glasses. Even though she was wearing the usual white coat, she brought a warm feel in with her. As she stepped in, she shut the door softly behind her. There was no rush; it was as though she had all the time in the world. "Is it okay that I talk about your medical with," she motioned to Jun, "I'm sorry, I don't believe we have met?" Jun smiled, "Jun." The doctor smiled in return, "Nice to meet you, I am Dr. Takahashi."

"I would like her here if it's okay?" Kari looked at the files the doctor put on her desk. Dr. Takahashi took a seat in her desk chair across from them, "How's your brother, I am a little surprised he's not here."

Kari smiled just that she was so kind to notice and ask, "He is a little ill himself, so Jun tagged along."

"Well that is nice. So how have you been feeling? The same I am guessing." She took a pen out from her front pocket and flipped through some papers.

"Yeah… Why what's wrong with me?"

Dr. Takahashi gave a little I-know-something-you-don't-know smirk, "Oh there is nothing wrong with you, Hikari. There is nothing wrong with having a baby." Her mouth fell open (so did Jun's), in a semi-dazed voice, "Wait what?"

"Your blood tests indicate that you are indeed going to have a baby. Now I know the past, though I don't want to upset you by bring it up. We can do tests to determine who, though I do strongly advise against it. Your young, we should just be patient and wait until the baby is born to find out. Complications and risks at your age should be avoided." While Kari was still dazed the doctor walked around to the front of her desk kneeling to Kari's level, "Hikari. Your name says it all. Light: you can light up any situation, everything is going to be okay. This can be seen as a good thing, not a bad one. There is nothing bad about a new life. There are many options and my phone is always, always on."

Kari took a deep quivering breath. This is not what she had expected. She didn't even think that this could be possible after being in the hospital and their efforts… She was a little panicked but the kind words of the doctor seeped in. She was right. There is nothing wrong, just a little more difficult. Jun watched Kari smile. "Okay. One step at a time. What's next?" Jun was floored at Kari's calm and mature disposition.

On their way home, Jun treated Kari to a milkshake. As they continued home, they kept talking. Jun pointed out, "You know, I can only imagine what Davis will come up with for Halloween costumes. A soccer ball, a noodle bowl, soy sauce… " This made Kari laugh whole heartedly. Then she looked up at Jun, "I guess your mom-" Jun shock her finger no.

"Our mom, Kari." This made Kari smile a bit, "And before you even put the thought into your head, you are not a burden. Shit happens." Jun suddenly took a step back to look at Kari, confusing her. Mockingly she said in an aristocratic tone, "Oh look, darling! You're glowing! Oh I should have known! How silly of me!"

They made their way up to the apartment to find Tai cooking. He turned around almost in a monotone voice, "Hey. I felt bad for not being able to go so I thought I would make lunch."

Kari walked over to him and hugged him, then felt his forehead which was still warm, "Tai I'm worried about you…"

He took a bowl and brought it to the table that was already set, "So what did the doctor say?"

Kari nervously glanced over at Jun who gave a reassuring nod. Tai grabbed another bowl off the counter. Kari took a deep breath, then muttered in a small voice. "I'm pregnant." The salad bowl that he was holding, fell crashing onto the floor, as he stood there looking at his younger sister. "Wait Tai don't worry!"

With that Davis opened his door and appeared in blue pajamas, with yellow rubber ducky's printed on them. He looked out and while rubbing his eyes, he asked, "What happened? Are you okay?" He blinked looking at the table and food. In a low voice, "Wait there is a party…with food? And I wasn't invited?" He paused letting his hand drop limply at his side, "Lame..."

Jun shoved Kari to Davis and muttered, "I will take care of Tai. You two need alone time. Go go!" Before they knew it, Kari and Davis found themselves alone in Davis room… somehow…. and the door closed behind them. Kari looked at him. He was obviously also under the weather, so she sat him down on his bed, and took a seat next to him.

"What's wrong?" He watched her every move. "Are you dying?" She laughed nervously, "No no, umm." She looked down, "I'm pregnant." For a moment there was deafening silence, but soon she felt warm arms wrap around her.

"Whatever you want to do, anything that you need, I'm here." That's when the stress relief sign flowed out of Kari. He continued, "I don't care who's it is. Fuck it." Even in his embrace, she felt this sorrow emitting from him. She kissed him on the cheek he was so adorable when mature.

As he went to open the door he looked at her, "Whatever happens, if adoption is in the cards, there is always the digital world. That kid is defiantly going to be Digidestained, no?" She giggled some, "Davis, I am not sure if that is an inherited trait."He opened the door, "Well that sucks. Come on free food, and you have to eat for two."

The news spread like wildfire among the digidistained, however at the same time something else was burning through the digital world…

The rain had stopped and the clouds were gone. The sky was a mix of pastel colors as the sun was disappearing to let the moon light the night. Ken "accidently" bumped into Yolei on the way to work, and "decided then" that he would walk with her. Thanks to Mimi's advice, Ken was able to execute this mission flawlessly. As Yolei was talking, Ken's cell phone went off, "How rude of my cell phone. Please excuse it." She giggled as he looked at it to find, "Its Izzy." He picked it up. Even Yolei could hear Izzy's frantic voice, "Ken, please come over to my place right away!" The little voice inside of Ken's head, 'Are you serious! I PLANNED FOR THIS AND IT WORKED!' His pleasant voice responded, "Sure Izzy I will be there right away." With the click of a button Ken looked at Yolei, "I'm sorry I-" Yolei put up her finger, "Shh Go. Send me a text to let me know what's going on and if you need me." He smiled gave her a quick hug, making her smile and blush, then he was off.

Yolei continued walking down the block to work. As she entered the phone was already ranging, she grabbed the phone before her father could. It was Kari's voice that greeted her, "Hey Yolei, do you happen to have Davis' favorite ice cream in stock-?"

"Chunky Monkey the American Ice Cream? Yep fresh shipment yesterday." Yolei heard Davis' 'HELL YEAH! WOOOOOO' In the background. "Is he still sick?"

"Yeah, so is Tai. I will be right down before he has an aneurism." With that he hung up, picking the keys up off the table. Tai turned putting an arm over the back of the couch to say, "I don't feel comfortable with you going alone-"

"I'll be fine, it's not too far away." With that she left before Tai could get a word in edge wise. He rose from the couch and walked over the window. Sitting on the arm rest of the chair, he gazed out the window, now the sky was a dark violet, random lights were on in the other buildings around, the cars head their lights on. He saw her leave down the block. He sighed; his thoughts were on his mom. Where could she be? Was she okay? He was shocked that she hadn't attempted to even contact them. That was the greatest disappointment; at that a spark of anger heated his core. As he looked down at the street level, something caught his eye, he spun around. Davis just came out of his room and opened his mouth to say something, but was pushed into the wall so Tai could get into the room, he grabbed something, he flung the front door open and ran like a bat out of hell.

Kari was already a block away from the store. Yolei was tying up the garbage under the counter, when her dad leaned over to ask her randomly, "So when is Ken sleeping over again?" She nearly hit her head. "Um I donno dad, I don't think he will." He sighed with a drawn out tone, "What did you do…?" She came up, "I didn't do anything!"

"Well maybe that's your problem." A smirk appeared on his face as she blushed and became frustrated, "DAD! Are-aren't you suppose to beat him up or something if that was ever a thought in his mind? What happened to that? Huh?" He started laughing.

Outside, Kari had crossed the street and was on the block of the convenience store. She heard a car pulling up behind her, parking. With the car still running, Kari then heard a car door open behind her, before she could turn around to check, a knife pieced through her shoulder, and landed on the floor a few feet from her. Instinctively she grabbed a hold of shoulder. She moved to get the knife, "STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" That was an all too familiar demanding tone, the blood drained from her face; she hard shuffling and a struggle behind her. Through the pain, and feeling the warm liquid between her fingers, she looked to see, Susumo was pulling her mother out of the back seat of the car.

With everything unbeknownst to anyone within the store, Yolei was pulling a load of trash to the back. "…and if you must know dad, he semi walked me to work today. I'll be right back I am going to put this in the dumpster." Her dad yelled back, "Don't forget to close the lid!"

As she opened the side door to the alleyway next to the store, she pulled the huge bag through the door and turned around to face a horrific scene one could only think was a nightmare. "KARI!" She was backing up into the ally way, her footsteps hitting the puddles along the way. Her father had her mother with rope around her throat. Yolei quickly spotted the injury on Kari.

Within seconds, Yolei saw Tai's silhouette run from the right to the center of the entrance of the alleyway. His voice rang out, "LEAVE HER ALONE!" There was a click; he raised his two arms, gun in hand. His father turned around reveling where his mother had been all along. His eyes widened as his chest was rising and falling rapidly. For a second, he didn't even recognize her. Her lip was bleeding, her hair was cut really short, and her eyes looked like she had not slept in days; as though they had been crying endlessly. Her face which use to glow, was now pale and waxy. She had men's slacks on, which were baggy on her pencil thin legs. The men's t-shirt she was wearing as covered in some blood and dirt, and seemed to be about ten times to big for her. "LET HER GO!" Susumo had immediately placed his mother in front of him like a shield; he quickly wrapped another piece of rope around her mouth, so that she couldn't talk.

Tai took notice of his father who looked like an old bum. He hadn't shaven in days and his hair all a rye. His shirt was fixed crookedly on his body. His half opened, bloodshot beady eyes, looked like he was having the time of his life. It was his chuckling made Yolei want to vomit. How could this man be their father? "Sorry, I can't do that," he said offhandedly. He shoved his wife forward and back again, as though to taunt Tai. This made his glass bottle of whiskey fall from his coat pocket and shatter across the pavement. "FUCK! You see what you made me do? YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING SON!" He yelled making the gun shake in Tai's hand, not in fear, but with rage. "What are you Tai? Huh? What arrrrrre you good for?" Tai didn't say a word. "I know what you arrrrrrre." He said in a childish way. He bounced on the balls of his feet when he continued, "Oh OH OH! I know, I know, I KNOW! Let me answer this one Taichi!" Kari lost her balance fell backwards. Yolei took a step forward, but Susumo heard it in a serious angry voice without turning his head to look at her, "DON'T YOU FUCKING MOVE!" She froze. He cocked his head to the side, "The answer is simple, a failure, you are a failure Tai. Look at you standing there all mocho, where were you when Kari yelled for you in my room Tai?" Tai's heart skipped a beat; a cool chill ran down his spine. "Where were you when I mad Daisuke my little sex toy?" Yolei even made fists out of her hands. This even made her blood boil.

Tai exploded, "SHUT UP! HE IS NOT YOUR ANYTHING! Do not EVER say Davis' name like that EVER AGAIN!" His hands grew awfully steady as he said coolly between his teeth, "You don't deserve to." He raised his voice a little, "Yolei, get Kari and get out of here." As she went to move again, the crazed man exclaimed, "OOOOHHHH NO YOU DON'T MISSY! You see." He paused, "As we are having this nice conversation… HIKARI there is bleeding. I give her-," he paused to look at his watch, then looked back up to Tai's cold eyes, "another 5 minutes until you will have a chance saving her." His speech quickened as he added, "WITH calling the ambulance and the police to get there asses here and help you." He smiled and took a breath slowing down his speech once more, "Oh but dear Taichi, have you forgotten that I promised that I would kill mother here if I found you told our little family secret?" He smirked and chuckled. "Let's play a little game!" He started bouncing again as he continued, "Oh I like games… You see I can also kill your sister." He looked back at Tai, "This is how it works… If you go to save Hikari then I will kill your mother here, BUT if you leave her on the floor to bleed out I will let your mother go and you can live a peaceful life without ever seeing me again. Ka peesh?" He smiled, "You have to make a choice Taichi, their lives in your hands starting-" He glanced at his watch again, "-now!"

Yolei was shaking not knowing what to do. She looked to Tai whose eyes looked like he wanted to bring hell on earth to this man. He watched as silent tears fell down is mother's face. She was trying to shake her head no, her eyes franticly going from him then to the side, vainly trying to get her point across. He in the mean time was trying to figure out his best move… his thoughts were interrupted by that fucking annoying voice, "Taiiii your killing Kari… look she is shaking!" His laugh echoed off the walls of the alley, then added a side note, "I love this game!"

That's when Tai heard footsteps running towards him from his left. Davis, still in his ducky pjs, and Matt had just arrived. Davis instinctively started to run to Kari. Susumo tightened the ropes around his captive's neck. She chocked some then stopped, trying to gasp for air. Tai took his chances; as Davis was crossing in front of him, he tripped him, just as he shot the gun. Davis heard the bullet wiz by his ear then the stumbling of Mr. Kamiya's feet. As he fell face first in a puddle, he heard another bullet, and then another. Tai watched as his father fell down, his mother falling a few feet over to the side.

Then there was silence- nothing but water dripping off of some pipes and into the little puddles of water below.

Tai looked at his father and went to his mother, as Davis scrambled to get up to be by Kari's side; Yolei ran to call the ambulance. Tai pulled the ropes off of his mother and pulled her into his arms, "Mom! MOM!" He shook her a little and she coughed some. He looked to see how much his father did to her at a glance but instead found that he missed a shot… His body went numb. His eyes darted to meet hers. In a whispering quivering voice, he bent over his mother, "I'm sorry, Mom… I'm sorry!" Now he was shaking not knowing what to do, he tried to put pressure on her wound, but he could only watch as the blood was mixing rabidly with the water on the floor around him, it must have gone right through her… Her hand reached up to his cheek, "Shhhh, everything going to be alright…Shhh, you're my brave little boy." She smiled dreamily, "I am so proud of you. My courageous young man… You look after your sister like you always have okay? I will be okay now, because… I will know you're alright. I don't have to worry anymore." She smiled again to herself; she had aged so much from worry alone. Tears were falling down his face. She continued to ask Tai, "Was I a good mother?" Tai simply nodded, words wouldn't escape his throat. He swallowed hard, "Yes, we- we loved you healthy cooking…" She laughed a little then coughed; some blood appeared at the corner of her mouth. His breathing became labored as he lost control of the tears flooding down his face, his heart was pounding in his chest, in a desperate voice, "I'm sorry mom, I didn't- I didn't- mean too." His mistake was killing his mother… He held her hand. "Please Kari and I need you… We need you to come home and smell that healthy food you cook." He tried to smile, "Don't leave… PLEASE!" His eyes reminded her of her little boy, crying because he couldn't do anything to help Kari get better. With the little energy she had, she pat him on the head like she had when he was younger, she put her hand on his check and with her thumb wiped the tears from his eye. In the same tone she used then, "Shh, you did the right thing… just like with Grandpa, I am just going to sleep for a while, okay?" He nodded. She relaxed and a tear rolled down her closed eyes as she lay still. Tai heard her stop breathing and felt her heart slowly stop beating. "Good night Mama…" He gently laid her down on the floor and looked at her. She had a happy, content smile on her face; Tai hadn't seen that smile in years. He smiled a little and held her hand. "I love you mom. Good bye…" Tears were still streaming down his face. He placed her still warm hand on her stomach and stood up, pulling the gun at his side back into his hand. He stood up and turned his attention to his father, who was still breathing the air his mother could have had. He pointed the gun point blank, "Fuck you." And shot him again. He slowly lowered the gun to his side and let it slip out of his hand and fall with a clatter onto the cold damp floor where too his mother lay.

Matt's frantic voice broke the silence, "Tai, we have to go before the cops come and arrest you!" Tai glanced at Kari who was still breathing fine but looking pale, Davis looked up at him, "I will take care of her!"Matt interjected, "Their going to arrest you! We have to get you out of here." In the confusing panic, Matt led the way to the school where they could hideout in the digital world. As they turned the corner they soon heard the sirens blaring down the block behind them. They ran as fast as they could. As they got to the school, oddly the portal opened to them without the new digidestained, unfortunately for them, they didn't know it was a one way ticket to the Dark World.

~.~.~.

Ken was at Izzy's place trying to figure out that was going on with the digital world, they had figured out that the source of the destruction was coming from outside the digital world, taking away the other theory, but who was doing it? Another kid? But why? While in deep concentration, Ken's cell phone went off again, making the two jump like sleeping cats, it was Yolei who relied all the information as to what happened in a frantic tone. Ken asked, "How did Matt get involved?"

"He was on his way to Davis' place, TK and him were going to visit Kari about the news. TK got there and it was empty with the door open. Matt got the call from TK and saw Davis running towards him down the block. He followed him."

"Where is everyone now?"

Yolei whispered, "Tai and Matt are in the Digital World," as she continued Ken glanced at the monitor and typed in to find their location, "Kari is back in the hospital, Davis is with her." Nothing came up Ken muttered, "No their not." Yolei asked, "What?"

"Tai and Matt are not in the digital world." That is when he heard the investigator on the other side. "Yolei can you get all your friends to go down to the precinct, we want to see where Tai and Matt could have gone too." Yolei said, "Did you hear that?"

"Yeah Izzy and I are on our way."

While waiting for the group of kids to show, Yolei was still in her work uniform, sitting in a questioning room, relaying her account of what happened in the Ally to another officer. She was being watched by Sasaki through the double pained glass. His assistant walked in, he muttered, "These kids are hiding something." She lifted an eyebrow as he looked at her and with an agitated voice, "They are like in a cult or something… I want them all in the room together when they come." And that was exactly what happened.

They were all sitting quietly around the rectangle table, Yolei, Cody, Willis, TK, Mimi, Joe, Izzy, Sora, and Ken; Davis was still at the Hospital with Kari, which didn't stop Sasaki from coming in and questioning them as a group. He throw the file onto the table standing at the head as he began his rant, "Okay, can we not forget I am on your side? For the love of god? Susumo might be mixed in with the wrong crowd, I am not trying to scare you, its fact, and Tai is now out there," pointing towards 'out there', "who just killed him." He leaned on his two hands on the table looking around at the group, "I need to know where the kid is. He is not going to be in prison for life, he will be held for a hearing about how this happened out of defense, yes excessively for defense, which he may need some anger management, however, it was still defense. It was accidental that he killed his mom-"

"Wait what?" Joe exclaimed. Cody, Sora, Willis, and Mimi also looked astonished. Sasaki retorted sarcastically, "Sorry, you didn't get the memo?"

Yolei muttered, "Who do you think you are?" Cody added, "Yeah, this is not how my father would have conducted this!"

He ignored their questions and statements, "I know you kids know where they are. Something also is not clear to me. How did Mr. Ken Ichijouji, end up with a group like you?" Ken's eyes shifted, looking at how the group reacted around him. Yolei immediately retorted, "What you are saying, that he is too good for us?"

Sasaki opens the file, "Let's see here, he disappears. Upon his return, he quits the best team in the league to join Taichi and Davis' team. Hmm coincidence, I think not. I can understand how Tai, Matt, Mimi, Izzy, Sora, TK, and Kari met. Seven of you went to the same camp, it was only time till Tai's sister would join in your childhood bond. TK must have befriended Yolei and Cody who live in the same apartment complex as he does, while Davis met Tai at soccer. What is even weirder is how you guys are so close."

"What is wrong with that?" Izzy spat.

Sasaki stared him down, "Tell me Izzy, how are nerds treated in your school? You flock together no? How is it that a girl like Mimi who is way out of your league, somehow hanging out with you? Usually kids drift apart when they grow and change." Before anyone else could object that rude comment, "To top it all off," He looked to Willis, "why is an American suddenly showing up in Japan to meet with you guys?" He then looked to TK, "You went to America once. First it you and Kari in New York, you two may have bumped into Willis, who happens to live there, but suddenly Davis, Cody, and Yolei are on connecting flights to Texas. From there I don't know where you guys went." He opened the file to shift papers around taking some photo copies of bank statements, "I do have a hint though; with banks and some the help from the American government, I was able to find out that Kari purchased tickets on a credit card- three tickets, to the Mid-west. What is there, but only farm land." He looks at TK, "What did you guys want to go look at? Sightsee fields of corn, maybe see some cows take a shit? Well here is an interesting thing, Willis use to live out there. Why would you all suddenly meet up at his old place? Another question one may ask is why would Willis suddenly be on the next flight to Japan after Tai, Kari, and Davis are in the hospital?" He looked at Joe, "Aren't you suppose to be in your intership? My final question is," he looked to Mimi, "I know that it is in likely that you are a Russian spy but pray tell, how the fuck did you suddenly wind up at the Kamiya's, the night everything went down, without a plane ticket?"

They were all stunned to silence. Ken looked at the others and then back to him. "Turn the camera off."

"What?" He looked at Ken, who repeated himself, "Turn that camera off. And we will explain." Sasaki stared at him, thinking for the moment, what was more valuable to the investigation, he motioned for the okay. Once Ken saw the camera's green light turn off, in an angry tone, one that the others haven't heard since his emperor days, "First, if we told you anything from the beginning, you would think we were lying or crazy, so don't pull that shit." He looked to the glass, "bring me Izzy's laptop." He looked back to Sasaki, "while I explain, to this man, that there is another world that can be accessed through your computer. Only the digidestined can be transported there through the use of digivices to get to the digital world." He slammed his on the table. The rest followed suit, "The original digidestined have different ones if you notice." Sasaki recognized the old ones, it was found on Tai the night he was found. "Long story short, the torch has been passed to us new kids, with some veterans, TK and Kari." The assistant came in, Ken slid Izzy his laptop who would get the portal ready. Sasaki thought they were all insane, definitely in a cult, as Ken continued, "There are different portals around the world, with different domain servers that can access the digital world. Willis couldn't get through, worried, he showed up here, to find the mess at hand. As for Mimi, that is how she got to Tai's place. There is a new digidestined Michael over there that helps her gain entrance to the digital world. Tai got to the digital world by his com-" that's when it hit him. Tai shouldn't have been able to access the digital world. "Tai shouldn't have been able to go through."

Cody concurred, "Ken's right, only we can with our digivices." Yolei added, "So that would explain why they wouldn't be in the digital world."

"Wait wait wait," Sasaki looked at them in disbelief, "Are you saying that Matt and Tai would be in this 'digital world?'" Willis smirked sarcastically answering, "Wait, you didn't get the memo?"

Izzy flipped the computer around, "We help keep the digital world in balance. However, we have a new threat that we are trying to figure out. This is a portal."

Ken looked at him, "You still don't believe us huh?" He held up his digivice to the computer and vanished." Sasaki looked to the portal screen with shock, to see Ken waving back, "Hi!" The portal opened again to let him back.

TK stood up, "Now if you don't mind, will you take us to the school so I can find my brother?"

Sasaki unclipped the keys from his belt and lead the way to the police van, speechless at what he saw. They all continued the conversation; Ken explained how he set up the break in. While in the van Yolei stated, "Kari's digivice could have been nearby, which triggered the portal opening…" Izzy shook his head, "Impossible, she has to be holding it, trust me I did those tests with Davis' digivice in the computer lab. It's like security clearance- the owner has to be holding it."

Willis asked, "Who controls the security clearance?" There was silence. "You mean you never thought of this before?"

"We have, it use to be Jenni but now we just believe it's an anomaly from the world itself." Izzy looked to Ken who conformed it with a nod. Willis sank in his seat and looked out the window sighing, "What is wrong with us? Why are we so behind in figuring this shit out?"

Sora spoke up, "What if Jenni is back?" Joe added, "What if it is someone else that found control of it?" There was silence in the car as it pulled up in front of the school building. They looked to see a window and door open. Sasaki noted how smart these kids were, Matt must have jumped through the window to open the door from the inside to let the blood drenched Tai in, so as to not get blood anywhere. As they ran up the stairs, the assistant as well as Sasaki and some of the digidestained notices a slight blood drip trail along their course to the computer lab. They weren't lying. As they got to the room they saw the door was already open and the computer was on with the portal open. They split up to look for the two, but Ken yelled, "WAIT, they must have gone through, the blood trail stops here…"

~.~.~

When they landed in the Dark World, Tai looked around; again they both found themselves bewildered. This time Tai was feeling cold because he was wet, that is when he looked down at his hands. He completely lost it. The blood of his mother was literally on his hands, soaked into his shirt and his pants…. He frantically pulled off his shirt and threw it onto the sand, he feel to his knees his arms held out, "WHAT HAVE I DONE!" His whole body was shaking. Matt grabbed a hold around him and held him close. Tai sobbed uncontrollably and weakly said into his shoulder, "What if Kari is dead? I waited too long… I shot mom…I got so angry, I wanted to see him die so bad… but I shot mom… what if I also killed Kari…" Matt also found himself crying, he wouldn't even know what to do if he were in Tai's shoes. "Tai you have to understand that you wouldn't be responsible for Kari, Susumo did that, not you. Your mom was an accident-"

"I FUCKING KILLED HER!" Tai took both his arms and hooked them over Matt's shoulders also holding on as if for dear life. He felt like he was drowning… that's when he remembered, the icing to the cake, he didn't just then kill two people, he killed three. That's when he started to giggle, "Tai?" Matt pulled him from his chest to look at him in the eye. He looked back, "I might have killed three birds with one stone."

They heard footsteps in the sand approaching them, Matt looked up past Tai to see Peidmon. He moved forward to shield Tai. "Aw how sweet, reminds me of the days when you were younger! You had such sweet little faces then. I think you guys would still look good as key chains." Matt yelled, "What do you want?"

"Besides my key chains?" He made that unmistakable giggle, "Had a rough day? Want to see a magic trick?"

"No."

Piedmon looked to Tai, "How are you feeling?" With that Tai vomited away from Matt. His whole body was shaking his chest felt heavy, his body felt cold, his spine felt like it was on fire, his head was throbbing. His anxiety was at an all time high. He laughed again, "Interesting how you humans work. I read on the internet somewhere that man is his worst enemy…since it's from the internet it must be true!" He laughed, "Well okay, so basically you are your own worst enemy; all those emotions and thoughts… why use torture, physically? Tai, you seem so upset… oh you killed your mother..."

Matt looked at him and back at Piedmon, "How did you-"

"Oh that's part of the trick! I can now see what's going on in his head. But as with any good magician, I will not revile how." He looked at Tai, "You killed your own mother and left your little sister to die. Matt would be a better brother! Tisk Tisk." Piedmon giggled, but Matt exclaimed, "Shut up! You know nothing about Tai!" Piedmon looked back at Matt, "Oh but if I recall right, Tai almost died because you were self-absorbed, in your wants and needs, too. Is this not the same thing? Maybe I need a human 101 class. How about I teach you some magic?" He lifted his hand toward Tai, "Oh relax and let it consume you," he bluntly used the word, "failure." He paused, "Look at him Matt, your leader on his knees." Soon Tai felt the pain in his back escalate causing him to emit a blood curtailing scream. His body became limp, his face hit the sand. Matt pulled him up, "TAI!" Tai could only see though his eyes, as though his body was not his own. He could feel Matt grasping his shoulder, but nothing inside his chest, all the emotion was gone and he couldn't move. "Now he will listen to me…" Peidmon smirked, as he twitched a finger and Tai rose. "A real life puppet! A good upgrade from the key chain trick don't you think?"

Matt jumped to his feet to tackle Piedmon, a light blazing in his chest. Within seconds, he was being held back by Tai who had an abnormal amount of strength. Piedmon laughed. "Oh you are wishing for your friends?" He threw a white cloth into the air it landed on the sand, and as he pulled it away, Agumon and Garurumon appeared, "TA DA! Thank you thank you! What a lovely audience!"

Agumon looked shocked, "TAI!" Garurumon looked upset, "MATT, What is going on?" Tai's digivice reacted in his pocket and a dark light, like the one coming from the Light house in the distance, shot over to Agumon, who became quiet. Garurumon shook his friend, "Agumon!"

Before Garurumon could even attack Matt, he too yelled at the top of his lungs, then fell limp, a light went right to Garurumon. Piedmon laughed as he made the two stand side by side with their digimon. "Ah, obedience. I will never underestimate you digidestined again… We wait for that Davis." He thought for a moment, "Well that will be interesting if I only have to worry about that TK kid. I love how all you humans are doing the work for us. Off we go. I know he will be happy with the progress." Piedmon sighed with frustration, "You four are going to be high maintenance, like pets. Feeding you, etc etc…That's why I liked you better as keychains!"

~.~.~

Davis was able to sit next to Kari in the hospital where he fell asleep, holding her hand. When she opened her eyes, half awake, she noticed a darkness sounding him… before she could do anything, her body forced her to pass out again, where should would dream about the Dark World.