Tai was the last to lay down. The group was in a circle around the fire, their Digimon laying close to them. Tai felt Agumon curl up against his side and he looked up at the sky. The stars were twinkling and the night air was warm. It felt peaceful and Tai breathed in the fresh air. As hungry as they were and scared, Tai was enjoying himself. It was an adventure and Tai felt he had more of a purpose here then back at home. He heard his sister twitch next to him and he looked over at her. She was facing him laying on her side. Her forehead creased and Tai sat up a little bit now worried. She looked like she was in pain. A tear rolled down her cheek and Tai sat up just as Kari gasped and opened her eyes. She was shaking. Tai put a hand on her shoulder.
"Shh, it was just a nightmare." Tai soothed and Kari shook her head.
"I'm sorry." She whispered and she wiped her cheeks with the palm of her hand.
"Go back to sleep Tai." She mumbled and she turned over. Tai watched his sister a moment
"Come here." He said and Kari turned back to look at him.
"I'll be okay." Kari said quietly. Tai growled a little he could hear Sora's words in his head, You should focus on looking after your sister. He could see something was bothering her. He couldn't do nothing. Tai reached out to put a hand out to his sister.
"Kari. Come here." He spoke a little louder and Kari reluctantly turned around and scooted closer to her brother. Tai kept his arm out and started to lay back down. He pulled his sister close and Kari laid her head on his chest.
"Thanks Tai." Kari said and Tai wrapped his arm around her. He rubbed her forearm and then pulled his hand away.
"You're freezing." He said a little surprised. Kari nuzzled her nose against her brothers torso. He felt her shake and could tell she was crying.
"Kari?" Tai asked and Kari shook her head.
"G'night Tai." She said in a soft and torn voice. Tai tightened his hold on his sister and looked up at the stars again. As much as he was enjoying his time away, he feared this world was making his sister suffer. He thought about Devimon, the monster had sucked the light from his sister. Light that Tai feared she harnessed. He was afraid she was the one Leomon had talked about. She had been so pale ever since their fight against Devimon. Tai was trying to avoid her trying to avoid the possible truth that she could be in the biggest danger of all of them. He needed to get her home. He made a silent promise he'd keep his sister safe and find a way to take her home.
When Tai awoke he sat up noticing his sister was no longer with him. He looked around the camp a little panicked. He then saw her with her arm looped through Mimi's as the two walked towards the now dead fire. Tai relaxed his shoulders.
"Come on Tai we've been waiting on you." Matt said and Tai stood and looked around. Everyone was up and looked awake. He stopped at Sora noticing she was looking a little dazed.
"Sora?" Tai asked and Sora looked at him and forced a smile.
"Glad to see you awake." She smirked and Tai rolled his eyes.
"Okay has everyone eaten?" Tai asked trying to get organised. The group nodded.
"Yeah we've got some for you." Gomamon said and he gestured to some bananas on the ground near the fire. Tai nodded and felt his bladder seize.
"Right bathroom first and then I'll eat." Tai excused himself from the group and went into the trees. He got some distance from the camp and took a moment to himself to wake up. The weather was nice and the forrest swayed as a light breeze made its way through the trees. Tai felt his lips curl into a smile. In this moment he was feeling peace.
"TK please." Tai's trance was broken as he heard a voice that sounded like Kari's. Tai did up his shorts and took a step towards the voice.
"I won't stop. I won't stop caring and trying to do whatever I can to help you." Tai could hear TK speaking in a low voice. Tai looked through the trees and saw both TK and Kari standing together. TK was glaring at Kari and Kari looked to the ground.
"I can't have you get hurt." Tai could hear in her voice, Kari was crying. He was about to step towards them when TK grabbed her and pulled her into a hug.
"Please let me help. I can feel it on you right now. You're freezing." Tai watched his sister collapse into TK's embrace.
"It hurts." Kari whimpered and TK looked like he was holding her up. Tai had seen enough.
"What is going on?" Tai called out to the two young teens. Kari jumped out of TK's arms and quickly wiped her cheeks.
"Hey Tai." She said trying to sound chipper. Tai marched over to her.
"Don't, hey Tai, me. What is going on? Why are you crying?" Tai stood in front of her. She had grown since he last saw her but she was still rather small. She was the shortest in the group and Tai felt himself tower over her. Kari swallowed and wiped her cheeks again.
"It was nothing Tai. I was just feeling homesick and TK was being a good friend and trying to help me." Tai looked to TK who looked angry. Tai stared at TK and TK looked over at him and then softened his face.
"Yeah. She's just homesick." Tai could tell TK's voice was hollow. Almost like he didn't want to be saying those words. Tai looked between the two.
"But you said you were hurt?" Tai said repeating the words his sister had said. Kari quickly shook her head,
"No, no. I just meant like it hurts to miss home. You know?" She said and she pulled a face.
"You're lying." Tai said and Kari shook her head again.
"Tai, I'm not." Kari said and Tai looked to TK.
"TK can I talk to my sister alone please?" TK again frowned and his anger reappeared.
"You need to look after Patamons egg TK." Kari said softly. Tai could see TK's eyes were screaming for something. TK huffed,
"Fine." He spat and he turned and marched away. Tai looked down at Kari.
"What the hell is going on with you? I've known you you're whole life and never seen you like this." Kari looked up at him and shook her head.
"Tai please. I don't mean to be so emotional. I just miss home-" Tai then yelled at her,
"Stop Lying!" Kari then yelled back,
"I'm not!" Tai glared at her. Kari's face scrunched up and she looked angry.
"You don't know what it's been like for me! You don't know how hard it's been not to have you around! You left me Tai! So I'm sorry if I'm sad and scared and I want to go home! I keep looking at you and you're here but I can't let myself get too close cause I know you're going to leave! So I just want to go home where I don't have this anxiety anymore. I know you're not there and being here with you is too hard." Kari's shoulders shook and Tai was shocked. Kari had never yelled at him before. Not once in her whole life had she raised her voice at him. Kari looked to the ground.
"I'll be fine. Just don't bother worrying about me. I just needed to have a moment. We have a job to do." Her words were laced with vinegar. Tai was rooted in place. He didn't know what to do or say. Kari then moved past him. Tai watched her and wondered for a moment if she was limping. She disappeared into the trees on her way back to camp. Tai couldn't think. Have I hurt her that badly? He wondered and then guilt filled his entire body. He was then torn. He wanted to make things right. Protect her and tell her he'd never leave her side. He then thought about home and dread spilled over him. He couldn't go back home. He just couldn't, which meant she was right. He was going to leave. He felt like he might cry. He couldn't believe how awful this decision had been for his sister. He clenched his hands and wanted to punch something.
"Tai?" He turned seeing Agumon.
"Oh, hey bud." Tai said trying to mask his feelings.
"The others are waiting Izzy knows how we can get to server." Tai nodded.
"Okay. I'm coming." Agumon stared up at Tai. Tai smirked.
"I'm right behind you." Tai told him and he could see his Digimon was apprehensive. Agumon slowly turned and started making his way back to the group. We have a job to do. His sisters words echoed through his mind. They did have a job to do and for now that's what Tai was going to focus on. Tai then began to follow Agumon back to camp.
The group worked together as the digimon knocked down trees and the teens pulled the logs together to create a raft. They had gone down to the beach and Izzy had pointed the direction they needed to go. Izzy figured their distance across was too great to have any of the digimon transport them. It was then decided a boat would be the best way across. And then after some debate as to how to exactly build a boat, Mimi of all people suggested a raft.
"Like Huck Finn." Mimi said pleased with herself. Tai was impressed.
"You read it?" He asked and Mimi smiled,
"It's one of my favourites." Tai stared at her a moment and then shook his head,
"Alright raft it is." He announced. He was going to tell her it was one of his favourites as well but decided not too. Tai helped Matt transport the logs to the beach once they were cut and shaped by the digimon. Tai was breaking a sweat but liked the hard labour. It some how made him feel more manly as he walked with the log over his shoulder. He laid it down and Sora and Izzy worked on positioning the logs together. Tai stopped to watch while Mimi and Joe wrapped twine around the logs to fit them together. Tai looked to the right and saw TK and Kari putting food together. Tai had kept his distance from his sister since she yelled at him earlier. He wasn't sure what was going on but wasn't sure he could handle it. He decided to just focus on the digimon and the digital world selfishly hoping his sister would come to him when she was ready.
"Matt, Tai, tell the digimon to stop I think we have enough." Sora announced and Tai looked at her and nodded. He then turned and put two fingers to his lips and whistled to the digimon. Agumon was the first to stop and look at Tai and the others quickly followed.
"Come here. That's enough." Tai told them and the six digimon made their way to the teens. Tai watched Sora secure the mass to the raft and then she stepped back.
"I think that's it." She said with her hands on her hips. Tai was impressed. The raft looked like it would float and hold them. He looked to Matt.
"Ready to test it?" He asked and Matt nodded. The two boys then with their digimon pushed the raft towards the water.
"Stay back guys. We'll see if it will hold us." Matt said and Tai and him pushed it into the water. Agumon and Gabumon jumped onto the raft while Tai and Matt continued pushing it. They then hopped onto the raft and Tai smirked.
"It's sturdy!" He announced and he saw the others high five. Tai and Matt both jumped off the raft back into the water. They then slowly pulled it back to shore so the others could climb on.
"Come on everyone." Matt said and the others made their way to the raft. Sora and Joe loaded the food Kari and TK had collected and then allowed their digimon to climb on. They followed and Tai held out a hand to Izzy.
"Is your computer water proof?" He asked helping him and Tentomon onto the raft.
"The bag it's in is. I probably won't be pulling it out while we're on the water." Izzy got onto the raft and Tai smirked,
"You think you'll survive?" Izzy frowned and Matt helped Mimi aboard.
"Yeah Izzy how is that going to be?" She quipped and Izzy looked between Mimi and Tai,
"Oh knock it off." He said and Tai chuckled. He shook his head and put out a hand to help the next person. He quickly looked up feeling a very cold hand.
"Kar?" He asked. He was holding her hand and it felt almost arctic. Tai was a little stunned and Kari easily removed her hand from his.
"I'll get up on my own." She mumbled and she hoisted herself onto the raft. Tai watched her unable to say or do anything.
"Matt stop!" TK's cry tore Tai's eyes away from his sister to look at the brothers. Matt was helping TK up and TK was clutching the egg to his body. TK then let go of Matt and stepped back into the water nearly falling.
"Whoa!" Matt caught his brother and TK kept his eyes on the egg.
"I think it's hatching." TK announced and Tai moved towards them to take a look. He could hear the others shuffle on the raft. Their was a crack in the egg and then another one appeared. Suddenly the cracks grew and then out popped a little white blob.
"Whoa!" The group said in wonder.
"That's Poyomon." Tentomon said. TK pulled the Digimon from the egg and allowed the rest of the egg to drop into the water. TK held it up and Tai thought Poyomon was pretty cute.
"Poyomon." TK said and Tai saw his sister crouch down.
"He's so cute. Here TK. I'll hold him so you can get up here." TK smiled and handed the Digimon to Kari. Tai watched the Digimon shake a little in Kari's arms.
"It looks cold." Mimi said and Kari stood. Tai watched Matt help TK up and Kari quickly handed Poyomon to TK. She then went to the other side of the raft away from everyone.
"He's so little!." Sora cooed and Tai watched the group but also kept an eye on his sister who was now by herself at the front of the raft.
"Tai?" Tai turned seeing Matt was on the raft and had a hand out towards him.
"Want a hand?" Matt asked and Tai nodded.
"Thanks." He said and Matt pulled Tai onto the raft. The waves started rolling in and soon the tide pushed the raft out towards the sea. The group quickly positioned themselves around the raft. The waves made the ride a little rocky and Sora knelt next to Joe who was a little green.
"I hate the sea." He said and Sora pointed out towards the water.
"Try to focus on the horizon. You need to try and make your mind believe you're on solid ground." Joe shook his head.
"It's too rocky." He said and Sora squeezed his shoulder.
"You're on flat ground." She said and then she smiled.
"You're on flat ground." She said again and Joe looked at her.
"That's not how that works." He said and Sora smirked.
"You're on flat ground." Joe groaned and looked at the horizon.
"I'm on flat ground." He repeated and Tai saw Sora laugh. Tai didn't understand what was so funny but was pleased Joe seemed to be taken care of. Tai moved himself to the front of the raft and stood with Agumon looking out over the sea.
"How far Tai?" Agumon asked and Tai put a finger to his chin.
"Couple hours at least." Tai then cringed,
"Maybe longer." He said and he looked behind him.
"How much food do we have?" He asked and he saw TK sitting with Kari.
"Well I think we portioned it out to last three days. Each person and Digimon having 3 bananas a day." TK answered and Tai nodded,
"How far Izzy?" Tai asked and there was no answer. Tai looked and saw Izzy was sitting at the back of the raft. Tai walked over to him and put a hand on his back.
"Iz." Izzy then threw up in the water. Tai removed his hand quickly.
"Whoa! You okay?" Tai asked and Tentomon answered.
"I don't think the sea agrees with him." The Digimon said. Tai nodded.
"Sea sickness, lets get you with Joe." Tai said with a small smirk. Izzy refused to move.
"I'm gonna puke if I move." He said and Tai rolled his eyes.
"Well that's a risk I'm willing to take." Tai then hauled Izzy to his feet.
"Matt come help me." Tai held Izzy up right and Matt walked over to the two.
"Take Izzy's backpack and put it with the food. We need his computer and don't want to lose it overboard." Matt took the bag off of Izzy's back and did as Tai said. Tai then helped Izzy move and sit next to Joe and Sora.
"Izzy just sit here and look at the horizon." Sora said. The raft was big but not big enough that anyone had any privacy. Everyone could hear and see what everyone else was doing. Sora rubbed Izzy's back while repeating her words.
"You're on flat ground." Tai stood and moved away. He didn't want too much weight on one side. The raft had been sturdy when everyone crowded to see Poyomon hatch but it still made Tai uneasy. The raft could tip and if that happened they could be in danger. He walked to the front and surveyed the group. TK, Poyomon and Kari were sitting on one side while Matt was standing near them with Gabumon. Mimi was sitting with her back against the mass with Palmon next to her facing Tai. Tentomon, Gomamon and Biyomon were with Sora Izzy and Joe who were sitting close to the edge on the other side opposite Kari and TK. Tai looked down at Agumon and sighed.
"Alright bud?" He asked and Agumon looked up and smiled.
"Mhm!" He said and Tai rubbed his head.
"I must be really seasick. I'm seeing things now." Joe piped up and Tai saw Sora stand and point into the water,
"Uhh, anyone know what that is?" She asked and she gripped Joe and Izzy's shoulders.
"It looks big." Gomamon said and Tai could see something in the water below them. The creature moved and suddenly more waves surrounded the raft. Tai felt Agumon hold onto his leg as the raft swayed in the water. Suddenly a whale breached beside them and the group let out a collective cry as the whale slapped its tail making bigger waves.
"Its Whamon!" Tentomon cried and Tai quickly moved towards the mast.
"Is he friend or foe?!" Mimi asked and Tai saw his sister try to stand and get knocked towards the water edge.
"Matt! Grab her!" Tai yelled and Tai watched Matt quickly grab Kari's hand and pull her to the mast. Tai covered his eyes as water splashed. Whamon dived into the water and Tai took a minute to see if everyone was okay. Sora had found her way to the mast but couldn't quite reach it. She instead wrapped her arms around Tai's waist and held onto him while he held onto the mast. Both Biyomon and Agumon were crouched down at his legs. Joe and Izzy we're holing onto the mast with their digimon to Tai's right. Tai looked to his left seeing Mimi and Palmon holding on tight to the pole. Tai then looked up at locked eyes with Matt. He was shielding TK who Tai could see had one hand on the mast while hugging Kari close with the other. Tai presumed Poyomon and Gabumon we're with them but couldn't locate them with his eyes. Another wave hit the raft and Tai reached out to pull Sora close as she gripped him harder.
"We need to do something!" Tai yelled to the group. Another wave toppled over them and Tai growled. Suddenly the raft started moving and Tai opened his eyes to see they were being sucked into the whales mouth.
"Shit Hang on!" Tai yelled to the group. The raft picked up speed and Tai couldn't believe they're about to be eaten by a whale. He clenched his teeth together and held on tight to both the mast and Sora as the speed was pulling him away from the raft. He heard the others scream and just hoped everyone held on tight. There was darkness and then Tai opened his eyes and could see. The raft was still and they were in a room that was lit. He stood taller and looked around them.
"Where are we?" Tai asked and he felt Sora stand up taller but still kept her arms around his waist.
"I think we must be in the stomach." Izzy said. Tai looked around. If they were in a stomach it was strange. It looked more like a room then a stomach. Tai then saw something oozing from the ceiling and dripping down the walls.
"I think thats acid!" Izzy said and Tai looked over at him,
"What makes you say that?" He asked and Izzy pointed.
"If we are in the stomach thats the acid that breaks down food. Look at it!" Tai could see almost a steam coming from the liquid. Izzy may be right, it did look acidic.
"Don't let it touch you!" Izzy called to the group.
"Look a black gear!" Sora yelled and Tai looked towards her outstretched finger and saw a black gear wedged in the wall.
"I thought those would be gone!" Tai said.
"We'll its clearly not. Come on someone climb up there. Poison Ivy." Palmon threw out her attack and vines sprouted from her fingers and latched onto the black gear. Tai let go of the mast and felt Sora release her hold on him.
"I'll get it." He said and he jumped up and started moving across the vines like he was doing the monkey bars. As he got close to the black gear and his pocket warmed. Suddenly, a flash of light from his digivice hit the black gear and it disintegrated. The vines broke contact with the black gear and Tai held on and somehow managed to swing down to the raft. He landed on his feet and gave Matt a smirk feeling quite impressed with himself.
"Show off." Matt muttered and Tai continued to smirk. There was a small rumble and Tai felt Sora grab his arm.
"What now?!" She asked as the rumble grew. Tai held onto her and groped around until his hand gripped the mast. The raft was then launched into the air and Tai felt his stomach drop. Sunlight hit them and then Tai couldn't hang onto Sora or the mast any longer and he crashed down into the water. Tai emerged from under the water and took a deep inhale once his head broke to the surface.
"Tai here!" Tai looked around and saw Agumon hanging onto a broken log from the raft. Tai swam towards his digimon and grabbed on. He looked around and saw the raft was ruined with the bananas floating around them. He then did a quick count. Joe swam over to him and Agumon and held on while Gomamon happily floated next to them.
"Isn't the water wonderful?" Gomamon asked and Joe rolled his eyes,
"Easy for you to say." Joe commented.
"Sora you okay?" Biyomon asked and Tai saw Sora grab onto a log and catch her breath.
"Just great Biyomon." She said sarcastically.
"Kid, grab my hand." Tai looked behind him and saw Matt hold his hand out for someone Tai could not see due to the floating logs. He then saw his sister hug the log Matt was holding onto and she coughed. Tai winced and suddenly he watched her concerned. A familiar pang entered his chest and he felt anxiety rise inside of him. Matt patted her back.
"You're okay." He said and Kari nodded. She stopped coughing.
"Kari?" TK asked and Tai looked to see TK and Izzy sharing a log with Tentomon while TK held onto Poyomon. Kari gave him a thumbs up while she coughed once more.
"Just swallowed too much water." She gasped and Tai frowned his anxiety dissipated and he shook the feelings away.
"I am so sorry I attacked you!" Whamon spoke and Tai looked up seeing the whale was floating next to them.
"We're glad we got the black gear out of you!" Palmon said from her position with Mimi. Tai rolled his eyes seeing Mimi had gotten herself onto the log and was straddling it. Of course she'd get herself out of the water Tai thought with a hint of humour.
"Well I am sorry your raft is destroyed. allow me to help you. It's the least I can do after you saved me." Whamon said. The group nodded and Whamon then instructed them,
"Get together and I'll swim below you." Tai started moving his log with Joe and Agumon on it. He kicked his feet and pushed and felt gammon help him. They moved towards Izzy and TK. The boys got together and slowly the rest of the group joined them. Mimi was last and Tai called to her.
"Mimi you're going to have to get back in the water, Palmon can't push it." He told her and Mimi huffed. She then rolled off the log and into the water and her and Palmon let go of their log and swam to the group. Mimi then stopped,
"Hey Izzy. Isn't this yours?" She held up a black backpack and Tai could see Izzy gasp.
"My computer!" Mimi put it onto her log as she and Palmon pushed it to join the others.
"Well it floats." She said with a smile. Once Mimi was with the group she handed the backpack to Izzy. Whamon dove under the water and Tai could see him right below the group Whamon then gently surfaced and as Tai's feet touched Whamons back he was forced onto all fours as Whamon came up onto the surface. The group held on and allowed the logs to fall off Whamon and into water. Once Whamon was fully breached Tai smirked.
"Not a bad way to travel." He said and he stood and held out a hand to Izzy who was closest to him. Izzy took it and stood and Tai watched the others either stand or sit more comfortably with their digimon.
"I can't believe how long I've had that black gear. Thank you again." Whamon said.
"How did you get it?" Sora asked.
"Devimon came out here once. He was hiding something and when I tried to investigate he impaled me with the black gear." Tai perked up,
"Hiding something?! Do you know what it was?!" Tai asked and Whamon was quiet a moment,
"It had something to do with preventing others from being able to defeat him and the black gears." Tai quickly looked at the group,
"I bet its the tags." Matt said and Tai agreed.
"Whamon do you remember where abouts Devimon hid this thing?" Tai asked.
"It's deep under the ocean. But I can take you there. You'll have to get inside me so I can dive under the water." Tai looked to the group,
"Come on." He said and the group slipped through the spout and into the inside of Whamon.
The group gathered inside Whamon and Tai felt a little strange being inside the digimon,
"Are you feeling as weirded out as I am?" Mimi asked as she nudged Tai with her shoulder and smirked. Tai nodded and looked around. They were in a room that looked similar to the stomach they had been in earlier. Izzy had informed the group it was not the stomach but a different space. There was cables hanging from the roof and dangled to the floor. Tai watched Izzy study them a moment and then he looked to Mimi. She blew out a breath and Tai watched a piece of hair in front of her face sway. He smirked at her and then looked around. Sora sat with Matt and the two were talking in a quiet voice. Tai raised his eyebrow watching Matt and Sora. They were close, Tai knew this. It still bothered him and he tore his eyes away from the two to look at Joe who was giving out rescued bananas to the digimon. He could see Kari sitting amongst the digimon. He didnt stare at her long, he didnt want to. He then saw TK standing behind her looking at her like he wanted to say something to her. Tai then felt his body shift and Mimi slid into him.
"Jesus what was that?" Tai asked and he looked upward. He felt Mimi hold onto his arm and then Whamon spoke,
"We're here." He said. Tai shook Mimi off of him as he stood. He needed to be on his own and having Sora and now Mimi dangle off of him was making him feel trapped.
"Agumon let's go." He called out and him and Agumon lead the group out of Whamon.