It was raining. That didn't bode well. It never rained in Digiworld… much less a sudden down pour. It was like an omen of bad things to come, and given what stood before him now…

"Why don't we begin by handing me that little Digimon?"

The proper, almost jovial voice only set his nerves further on edge and he gripped Demi Veemon tighter, turning slightly away in defense. "How about you tell me who you are?" Perfectly legitimate question. The man was familiar, and scarily so… right down to the suit and style of his hair. Granted, Tai was also interested in how the human had gotten to Digiworld, but he figured that could wait a moment.

The figure looming behind the stranger was intimidating. Wendimon… scarier to behold than the flash he'd caught earlier… the thing had scared off Kuwagumon, even! But it only served to make this meeting more intense. Almost like the human was a Mob Boss, and the Digimon was his hired hand.

"Well now. You were quite young when we were formally introduced, I suppose. Perhaps a touch too young to remember. Still, I must say, you are a spitting image of your deceased uncle. I bet that causes a few mishaps for your mother at the dinner table."

What? "Look, I don't know what you're talking about. How about I skip to saying, 'Thank you for kicking Kuwagumon's butt' and be on my way?" The sooner, the better.

Green eyes frosted over. "Kuwagumon. And what is the one you are carrying?"

Narrowing his eyes and deepening his defense posture, he growled to himself. "What's it to you?"

Behind the stranger, the large rabbit thing made a guttural sound and despite wanting to stand tall against the threat, he found himself flinching and stepping back. "Don't give me attitude, Kamiya. Tell me what I want to know."

"Too bad! You don't get to know. I'm not gonna explain anything to you." He glared, mostly still watching the larger Digimon. Why's he calling me Kamiya? he wondered, frowning on top of it all.

Electricity shot through him, and he couldn't even cry out. I was like a thousand knives digging in all at once. How long it lasted he had no idea, but as the pain ebbed and he could gather his thoughts, he found himself on hands and knees. And Demi Veemon was sprawled before him still out for the count. Only to be picked up by the stranger in a strangely gentle fashion. "Larger than Kokomon. I wonder what it'll turn in to?"

"Let- let him go!"

The stranger turned his eyes down on him. "Hmm. Taichi. Wendimon, would you please?" He turned away. "It is time we end this game, once and for all. Before another gets out of hand."

Wendimon… the rabbit scooped Tai up with hardly any effort. He beat his fists against its chest, fuming. "Put me down! You over grown fluff ball!" He was sick and tired of being carried against his will. Annoyed with being like this.

"You're a very interesting child, Kamiya. Of course, you always have been. It's very interesting, how this has developed. Very interesting indeed."

"I don't know who you think I am, but I don't know you. And I'm not 'Kamiya', either. So you've got the wrong guy. Just let me go." He glared at Wendimon, but his annoyance was aimed primarily at the man.

The man turned and just… stared. Tai paused, making eye contact with him. For a moment, it was as if he'd gotten through… that the man would realize he had the wrong person and would let him go. Wishful thinking, maybe, but it'd been worth a shot. "I know who you are, Taichi. Believe me, I know who you are."

Well, if that wasn't creepy…

"Boss." He looked to his right. There stood none other than the man from before… the man who'd slain his comrade. Tai barely kept his gaze steady. The man was soaking wet and had a few fresh abrasions on the visible surfaces of his skin. "This was an unexpected circumstance."

The man in the suit nodded. But he didn't appear to be overly set back. "It was. However, it was a good one. Damian, where is Howard? Was he somehow not pulled through?"

The man didn't bat an eye. "He's dead. Got a little too cocky, if you catch my drift. And kept causing unnecessary data delays. It was sensible to dispose of him rather than try training him."

"Hmm. Very well. Come. The Fortress will have the needed connections to continue the plan. Only a little further to go, and we'll have saved the world." Green eyes snapped to Wendimon, "Hand the boy to Damian. I have a feeling we were not the only ones pulled through. Sweep the area and engage hostiles."

The Digimon grunted and Tai was dropped into Damian's hold with a startled gasp. "You realize I can WALK, right? You don't need to tote me around like discarded luggage!" Damian smirked slightly and made to drop him. Startled again, he gripped tight.

"You're not strong enough, kid. Trust me on that. You'll get maybe two steps? Just enjoy it. We'll be there before you know it." It was where there was that bothered him. And fresh worry hit him. If the others were pulled through, what was in store for them with that crazy looking Digimon?

=/=/=

A/N: Look at this! Tai wasn't done talking… so he made me write another chapter.

The last chapter had quite a response! I'm glad everyone enjoyed it. I know this one isn't quite as mysterious, but… there we go. =)