Gekomon's Palace

Part 2

Mimi

Mimi woke up with a heavy weight on her chest, assuming it was Palmon she screwed her eyes shut and tried to go back to sleep.

"Princess Mimi?" a male voice which definitely did not belong to Palmon asked.

Mimi's eyes shot open and she bolted upright with a scream. The startled digimon scrambled off her and crashed into her dresser.

"Mimi?" Palmon came running into the room. "I heard voices … Gekomon?"

Mimi's heart was beating out of her chest. She looked at the digimon picking itself up off her floor and calmed when she sure that Palmon was right, it was a Gekomon.

"Gekomon, what are you doing here?"

The Gekomon crawled its way back onto Mimi's bed. "Princess Mimi," he said. "Princess we need your help."

Mimi and Palmon listened to Gekomon's story.

"We need to call meeting," Mimi said. She sighed. "And I was supposed to have a date today."

Everyone had gathered at Tai's house again. Mimi assumed it was a logical meeting place since Tai was their unofficial leader and it was the home of two DigiDestined. She noticed Tai had been avoiding her eye, she tried not to feel to disappointed, maybe he was just upset because they'd had to cancel their date.

Mimi grinned when saw Sora and Matt sitting together holding hands. She caught Sora's eyes and gave her a wink. Sora rolled her eyes but Mimi could see she was smiling.

"Is everyone here?" Tai asked. Mimi looked around.

"I think so," Izzy answered.

"OK," Tai said. "Mimi, you had something to tell everyone?"

Mimi felt everyone's eyes on her. She wasn't normally shy but she felt a bit nervous about addressing the whole group. She looked at Tai and he gave her a comforting smile, she smiled back. Right she could do this.

"Hey everyone," she said. "I had a visitor this morning."

The nervous Gekomon pocked his head out from her bag where he'd been hiding. "Hello friends of Princess Mimi."

Joe groaned and Tai looked uncomfortable, maybe he was regretting that nickname now.

"Hi Gekomon," Yolie said.

"What's wrong Gekomon?" Kari asked.

The Gekomon looked up at Mimi with wide eyes. "It's OK," she said. "Just tell them what you told me."

"The Digital World needs help," Gekomon said. "LadyDevimon and her minions have been capturing digimon and convincing them to join her side, those they can't convince they kill."

"That's awful," TK said.

"Us Gekomon have been safe in our palace but everyday LadyDevimon sends stronger digimon to attack us. We need help."

"Where's Gennai?" Matt asked. "Izzy, you still haven't heard from him?"

"No," Izzy said. "I keep emailing but he hasn't responded."

"Well then we'll have to help," Davis said. "We'll go to the Digital World and kick her but! Right Tai?"

"Right," Tai agreed. "Can you guys open a gate?"

Davis hesitated. "You mean right now?"

"No not right now Davis!" Tai said. "We'll need a bit of time to get ready!"

"We should be able to open a gate to travel through," Ken interjected. "We opened one to send the infected digimon back after all."

Cody and Yolie nodded in agreement.

"OK," Tai said. "So we'll meet here tomorrow to go to the Digital World."

"Tomorrow?" Joe asked. "I don't suppose it can wait until school holidays."

Everyone turned to stare at him. Joe held his arms up defensively. "I'm still going," he said. "It was just a question."

"Everyone make sure you pack enough supplies when you go home tonight," Sora told the group.

"Thanks mum," Tai said. Matt sniggered and Sora glared playfully at both of them.

"Joe, can you pack a first aid pack?" Sora asked.

Joe nodded.

"Great!" Tai said. "I guess we'll see you all tomorrow then, at about … 11 o'clock?"

"Sounds good."

One by one the other digidestined left. Mimi saw Kari head to her room and decided to hang back to talk to Tai.

"Hi," she gave Tai her brightest smile hoping it wasn't obvious how nervous she was.

"Hey Mimi," Tai looked like he wanted to run away, he probably was nervous too. "Everyone is leaving, maybe you should go home and get ready too. Big day tomorrow."

"I will," Mimi said. "I just wanted to talk to you first. I'm sorry we had to cancel our date today."

Tai looked uncomfortable. "Look Mimi, I'm sorry but I don't think anything can happen between us."

What? Mimi's heart felt like it had stopped.

Tai ran a hand through his hair. "You're really pretty and everything but I don't think we have enough in common and …"

"Pretty?" Mimi repeated. "You think I'm pretty? Is that the only reason you agreed to go out with me?" She's thought he'd been one of the few people who saw her for more than her looks. She'd thought he liked her for who she was.

Tai seemed conflicted before he nodded.

"Wow," Mimi felt her eyes filling up with tears and tried to hold them back. She would not cry in front of him! She saw Tai lift his arm as though he was going to comfort her before letting it fall back by his side

"Mimi I'm …"

"Forget it Taichi," Mimi didn't want to hear his apologies. She saw him wince at the use of his full name. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Mimi turned and fled. Somehow she managed to make it all the way home at into bed before she broke down in tears.

Matt

"Matt! I didn't expect you."

"Nanc … I mean Mum, umm hi, I came to pick up TK," Matt said wishing the ground would swallow him up.

"Hey Matt!" TK came down the hallway with his backpack and carrying Patamon on his head. Matt smiled at his brother and looked away awkwardly when Nancy hugged TK.

"Are you ready to go?" Matt asked.

"Be careful" Nancy said as she let go of TK. "Goodbye Matt."

"Bye Mum."

Everyone was at Tai's house ready to go. Matt wasn't sure how he felt about their return to the Digital world. He was excited and relieved that they were finally getting a chance to do something about LadyDevimon but he was nervous. He was also unsure about his place in the team. Tai was their undisputed leader so what did that make him, Tai's sidekick or something more?

He looked at the boy in question. Tai was currently shooting guilty looks at Mimi who seemed determined to ignore him. Stupid Tai. Matt noticed Mimi's Gekomon friend seemed even more jumpy and nervous than yesterday.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Izzy asked, opening his laptop.

This was it then, they were really going back.

TK, Kari, Davis, Ken, Yolie and Davis stepped forwards with their D3s. A bright light appeared indicating the gate was open.

TK turned around. "Who's first?" he asked.

Everyone turned to look at Tai. "OK then," Tai said. "Looks like we're first Agumon."

"You should appear near the Gekomon's Palace," Izzy said.

"See you on the other side." Tai lifted Agumon and they disappeared into the light together.

They waited a moment. "I guess it worked then?" Yolie said when nothing happened.

"You're next big brother," TK said.

"OK, come on Gabumon." Matt grabbed onto Gabumon's hand and they stepped into the gate together.

They were met with the familiar feeling of flying between the two worlds. Matt grinned, he'd forgotten what a rush this could be. Matt caught a glimpse of Tai standing outside the Gekomon's palace before something changed. It felt like he hit a wall. Matt was thrown violently to the side and started flying in a different direction. He clutched onto Guaumon's hand. They were flying too fast. He couldn't breathe. His vision started to fade. Matt felt himself slam into the ground before everything went black.

Matt woke up slowly, he realised he was lying on the hard ground. Did I fall asleep outside? he wondered before his memories came rushing back. Matt sat up quickly. Yes, he was definitely in the Digital world. He'd landed in a small clearing surrounded by brightly coloured digital trees. And he was alone.

Matt was climbing to his feet when he was startled by a loud roar. He spun to see trees snapping as they were crushed by a large dinosaur. Monochromon. So he wasn't alone after all.

Matt took a cautious step back. He didn't want to startle the Monochromon and give it something to chase. The Monochromon turned his head towards Matt and Matt froze. The Monochromon started charging. Crap.

"Howling Blaster!"

Garurumon leapt from nowhere landing in front of Matt and blasting the Monochromon. Joe, Cody and their partners came running after him.

The Monochromon paused. He considered their group for a moment and must have decided they weren't worth the trouble because he turned around and walked away.

"Thank you Garurumon," Matt patted the wolf's head.

Garurumon nuzzled into his hand before he changed back into Gabumon.

"You're awake!" Gabumon said. "You wouldn't wake up before! I was worried so I went looking for the others. I only found these four."

"Hey! What do you mean only!" Gomamon said.

"What happened?" Matt asked.

"No idea," Joe said. "One minute we were heading towards the Gekomon's Palace, then we were spinning out of control and landed here."

"There must have been something wrong with the gate," Cody said thoughtfully.

Matt looked around carefully, he couldn't see any familiar landmarks. "We need to try to figure out where we are," he said, "then we can work on finding Gekomon's palace." Assuming everyone else had made it safely that was. Where were TK and Sora? Matt desperately hoped they were both OK.

Mimi

"Mimi, are you OK?"

Mimi looked up to see TK looking down at her with concern. Tai and Davis were standing further back watching them.

Mimi stood up. "What happened? I thought I was the last one through, where is everyone?"

"We don't know," TK said. "Something went wrong, we were separated."

"We need to go," Tai said. He looked anxious. "Kari's out there somewhere."

"We need to think of a plan first," Mimi said. Tai turned and gave her a sharp look. Mimi glared right back, she was done caring what he thought of her. "We can't just wonder off and hope we're going in the right direction."

"So we stay here and do what exactly? Wait and hope they show up?" Tai said loudly.

"Umm guys?" that was TK's voice.

"They knew we were meeting here, they're probably on their way now!" Mimi said.

"Guys?"

"You don't know that! They could be in danger!" Tai yelled back.

"Would you two both shut up!" Davis yelled.

Mimi and Tai spun to look at Davis. He and TK were both looking at TK's D-Terminal.

"If you'd listened to TJ you would know that Izzy's calling us."

Mimi felt her cheeks heat up, she couldn't believe she'd allowed herself to act so foolishly. "Sorry TK," she said.

Her and Tai moved behind TK and Davis to see the screen. Izzy was on the screen with Sora and Yolie behind him.

"Hi guys," Izzy said. "Let me get the others back."

They could see Izzy typing before Matt, Joe, and Cody appeared in the corner of the screen.

"TK," Matt sighed in relief.

"What happened?" Tai asked. "Where's Kari?"

"And Ken?" Davis said.

"It appears something went wrong when we opened the gate," Izzy said. "I'm working on tracking their Digivices now." Izzy kept typing. "Strange."

"What's strange?" TK asked.

"Their signal appears to be coming from the Gekomon's Palace. But also it's not. It's like they're at the Gekomon's Palace but in a different dimension."

Mimi felt Tai tense beside her.

"Like the Dark Ocean?" Yolie said.

Tai turned around and walked off suddenly.

"Tai?" Mimi asked loudly. "Tai!"

He didn't stop. Mimi took a deep breath and followed him. He stopped on the palace's stairway.

"Tai?" Mimi approached him hesidently.

"I promised her," he spun around. "I promised I wouldn't let her go back there!"

Tai was pale and shaking, his face was terrified and broken. It broke Mimi's heart. Suddenly it didn't matter that she was mad at him. "Oh Tai." She grabbed his hands and pulled him to sit down on the palace steps.

Tai followed easily and lent his head on her shoulder. Mimi could feel him shaking as she ran her hands through his air.

They weren't sitting there long before TK and Davis appeared.

"What did the others say?" Mimi asked.

"They want us to wait here," TK said. "They're going to meet us and then we'll come up with a plan together."

"We're not going to wait though right?" Davis said. "Ken and Kari are out there."

Tai lifted his head. He looked determined. "No, we're not going to wait."

Mimi looked to TK. His expression matched Tai and Davis's, she wasn't going to get any support there. Well if you can't beat them… "So how do we find them?" She asked.

No one answered. The doors of the palace opened and a group of Gekomon emerged. Mimi could hear music coming from inside the palace. "If you come inside for a moment Princess we can help you find your friends," one of the Gekomon said.

Mimi looked at Tai. His face was strangely blank, he shrugged.

"OK," Mimi said. "Thank you Gekomon."

Mimi sat at a high table watching the Gekomon perform a song with their musical instruments. Palmon, Agumon, Patamon, and Veemon were on the floor dancing along happily. The Gekomon had insisted on treating Mimi like a true princess. It was lovely but Mimi couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Kari and Ken were missing, but they would be fine so that wasn't it. Maybe it was the fact that the Gekomon were treating her like a princess when she was trying to change her image. She fidgeted in her seat, that could be it.

Mimi looked at Tai who was sitting beside her. He was smiling but he looked conflicted and maybe a little dazed too. Mimi wondered if he was judging her before remembering she didn't care what he thought of her.

"Are you OK Tai?" Mimi asked.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm just worried about everyone and I feel like I've forgotten something, something important."

"Me too," Mimi said.

She looked away but could still feel Tai's eyes on her. I don't care, she told herself.

"Mimi, about yesterday … I'm sorry."

Mimi ignored him. She looked past Tai to where Davis was sitting. He had a similar expression to Tai. "Are you OK Davis?" she asked.

"Yeah, I was just thinking. Weren't we going to go after Ken and Kari?"

Mimi felt Tai tense.

"I think we were," Mimi agreed.

"Do you think that seems a bit desperate?" Davis asked.

"What?"

"They're going to be fine, what would Ken … I mean what will they think if we follow them."

Mimi frowned. She wasn't sure why but she knew something was wrong with Davis's response.

"Yeah, you're probably right," Tai agreed. "Besides we're safe here. I don't want anyone going off and getting hurt."

Mimi inhaled sharply. Something was definitely wrong. Tai would do anything to make sure Kari was safe.

Mimi turned to her other side. "Hey TK," she whispered, "do you think there's something wrong with Tai and Davis?"

TK leaned passed her to look at the other two boys. "They seem fine, why?"

"What they were saying about not going after Kari and Ken, that doesn't seem like them."

"Oh sorry I wasn't listening before," TK said. "But they're probably right, Kari and Ken will be fine. I really just want to go home. I'm worried about Matt and mum, I wish they'd get along more."

Mimi stared at TK for a moment before she jumped up.

"Mimi?" Tai questioned.

"There is something wrong with you all!" she said.

A Gekomon came rushing forward. "Princess, is everything OK?"

Mimi did her best to smile. "Of course, this is lovely, thank you Gekomon but I was wondering do you have rooms for us to rest? My friends are a bit tired."

The Gekomon's eyes darted around nervously. "Y… yes Princess follow me."