I'm going through some stuff in my personal life right now, so no promises on when the next update will come.
I missed writing but have been struggling to get back into it. Which is why the end of this chapter is pretty rushed.
This chapter immediately continues after last chapter before the events of Ep16.
This chapter was also getting pretty long, so I split again. It's pretty heavy on the emotional side of things so you should be aware of the chapter warnings.
WARNING: IMPLIED VERBAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE AND MANIPULATION. THIS CHAPTER ENDS ON A CLIFFHANGER! READ AT OWN RISK!
Can't believe this story is in the 70's when it comes to Fave&Follows, so thank you everyone!
It's not properly edited, so all mistakes are mine.
Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: ANY & ALL RECOGNISABLE CONTENT DOES NOT BELONG TO ME.
Chapter 12: Hear me Roar [Part1]
- They thought she was shy. They later learned she wasn't.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Joe focused on keeping his hands steady despite the rapid racing of his heart. He blinked pass the blur of his vision and scanned Sarai from head to toe. The first scan told him she had multiple second-degree burns, various bruises, and scratches. He carefully shifted her onto her front and checked her back and almost vomited at the smell of charred flesh. Sarai's t-shirt had a singed hole at the centre exposing the wound.
Damn it.
"Joe?" Tai prompted.
He jolted at the sound while the blood in his face rapidly drained, exposing his terror and rising panic attack.
"Joe, can you help her?" Tai repeated.
Mimi was on her knees, cleaning the drying blood trail from Sarai's ears. Matt stood stiffly only looking away from Sarai's wound to meet Joe's terror filled gaze. They both knew this was beyond Joe's meagre medical practice and knowledge.
Even if Sarai survived, she'd possibly be scarred for life.
Did the Gazimon's attack cripple her in some way? Would she be stuck with a limp, a stutter, or the shakes? What about her heart or inner organs?
The Gazimon basically electrocuted her!
Joe's hands trembled in tandem with his panicked thoughts. Sweat formed at his temples and dripped down his skin. He could feel his chest constrict tighter while his breathing matched his pounding heart.
This wasn't a theoretical test or even some test dummy.
This was real.
Damn it, Damn it, Damn it!
Joe wasn't prepared for any of this.
Joe blinked and raised a hand to the burning skin of his cheek. The loud clapping sound still echoing in his ears. He looked to Mimi in shock and met her teary-eyed glare full of determination and terror.
"WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO FREAK OUT. GET IT TOGETHER, JOE!" She screamed.
"Take a deep breath and think. What do we need to do?" Matt added with Tai nodding in support at his side.
The tightness in his chest remained but he felt a little more focused. Joe did as Matt suggested before giving out orders.
He could do this.
He needed to do this.
"First, I need Mimi to assess how bad the burns are and how far they go."
The four children moved with patience and determination. All three boys closed their eyes and turned around while Mimi stripped Sarai to thoroughly check her over. Although they were children, Joe still wasn't a real doctor. None of them wanted Sarai to feel violated when she woke up.
If she woke up.
Mimi struggled to describe some of the burns so they could puzzle out if they were second degree or third. Eventually, Joe deemed them to only be second degree.
"How much help would that herb mix she taught Izzy be?" Tai questioned.
"Helpful in numbing the pain but it's not exactly a healing concoction," Joe easily listed.
Matt gritted his teeth angrily while staring at the ground.
"Just what the hell was she thinking," the blond growled with anger.
Tai gripped Matt's shoulder both in comfort but also warning.
"Cool it. She's paid for it enough already. If we yell at her-"
Matt roughly shoved Tai's hand off and glared at him heatedly.
"And if we just ignore it and baby her, she'll just do something like this all over again. I agreed to let it go the first time but TWICE is enough. She can't keep trying to KILL herself!" Matt snapped.
Tai stepped forward with a warning glare, now nose to nose with the blond.
"Don't. Say. Things. Like. That." He gritted out lowly.
The tension between the two boys rapidly increased and added to Joe's rising stress and panic. If not for Mimi's screech of irritation a fist fight undoubtedly would have occurred.
"That is enough! You stupid boys can fight later. If nobody is going to be helpful then leave. Joe and I can handle this ourselves without you. What matters now is Sarai and we can yell and punish her later."
The honey blond huffed after her reprimand while the boys reluctantly backed away from each other. The tension still lingered but it was ignored by the children. Their priority for the moment was tending to the unconscious girl between them.
"Right. Joe, what do we do next?" Mimi prompted.
Joe took a deep breath. He wasn't a doctor, but he was the closest thing they had to one. He gave out instructions and the four children got to work. If Mimi's fingers trembled and Joe occasionally stuttered while looking close to hurling, Matt and Tai ignored it.
The four children did their best.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Palmon, Gabumon, Agumon and Gomamon crowded around Gaomon oddly mirroring their human partners. The blue dog Digimon had yet to wake but the slash in his snout continued to bleed. The Digimon had extraordinarily little idea of how to help their hatch mate which angered them greatly. They all hated feeling so helpless.
"I should have been stronger…" Agumon whispered
Gabumon stepped closer to the dino Digimon and softly reprimanded him.
"You found him and protected him till the rest of us could come. You and Gaomon protected the Koromon, Sarai and Tokomon."
Agumon flinched as Tai and Matt argued causing the cold in his chest to grow greater. It twisted within the dino Digimon uncomfortably and sunk heavily in his stomach like a bad meal. Agumon repeated his words absently, consumed by the uncomfortable sensation growing within him.
"I should have been stronger…."
Gabumon frowned, not liking the way Agumon seemed so glum and dark. He reached out a paw to comfort the dino Digimon before speaking up once more.
"Gaomon can be stubborn and he got hurt protecting his partner. You know any one of us would do the same."
Agumon remained silent but any other comfort Gabumon might've attempted was interrupted by Palmon's sudden shout.
"That's it!"
"What's it?" Gomamon questioned with confusion mixed with mild annoyance.
The seal Digimon kept peering worryingly over to where Joe was working.
"Before leaving File Island Mojyamon gifted Sarai with a pouch full of chewy sprouts! She shared a few with Izzy and Mimi while we were at sea!"
"Chewy sprouts?" Agumon repeated.
"I thought they were rare and hard to find?" Gabumon added.
"They are but that's not the point! If we plant one, the flowers that bloom can be used to make healing water for Gaomon and Sarai!" Palmon explained impatiently.
The other three Digimon brightened with realization before Gomamon bounced with excitement.
"Well what are we waiting for? We need to tell the others. Joe! Joe! JOE!"
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
After the Koromon were settled, Palmon's news prompted a meeting for the chosen children to decide what they should do.
"Well, obviously we need to plant these seeds and harvest the flowers," Mimi decisively huffed.
"But will it even work on a human?" Izzy cautioned while ignoring Mimi's glare.
"So what? You want us to just leave her to be scarred for the rest of her life," Matt snapped back.
"Flowers don't just bloom like magic! It could take weeks or even months before these seeds blossom," Sora argued as she stepped closer to Izzy.
"It could too! You don't know it won't," TK piped from his place near Matt and Mimi.
Sora hesitated to respond to that as Matt glowered at her threateningly. Izzy was lost in thought, trying to calculate the pros and cons of waiting for the flowers to bloom. To Sora's relief, Joe stepped in and voiced his own concerns, saving her from responding to TK's remark.
"Even if the flowers bloomed, the possible health risk is too great. We've already seen what happened to Sarai's scratch after it was infected by that black gear. What if her drinking the healing water weakens her immune system o-or it registers as poison because she's human?" Joe stressed.
Matt clenched his fists; Mimi folded her arms and TK looked at his feet with frustrated tears in his eyes. Joe took off his glasses and pressed his palms against his eyes, rubbing at them fiercely.
"I-I just don't want anyone to d-die…." He weakly mumbled.
Sora wrapped a comforting arm around the older boy as the others looked elsewhere to allow him a measure of privacy.
"Tai, what do you think?" Izzy prompted.
They looked to the goggle wearing leader expectantly. He'd been eerily quiet throughout the exchange. Tai rubbed at his chin and considered everyone's arguments. They were all reasonable points, and each had their own risks, but a choice still needed to be made.
What they needed was time but with that Etemon Digimon trying to kill them they needed to move as soon as possible. They couldn't put the Koromon in anymore danger and Sarai needed to heal. Tai needed to figure out his crest quickly. There was just too much risk and so much to lose.
Tai couldn't afford to lose.
But he'd made a promise to everyone; had sworn to never leave anyone behind and that he'd get them home no matter what.
He didn't plan on breaking that promise anytime soon.
"We've made it this far because we've trusted the Digimon. Palmon believes this will help Sarai and Gaomon. I trust her. We're going to plant the seeds and make the healing water."
At Tai's decision, Matt, and Mimi slouched with relief while TK beamed with hope. Sora tightened her hold on Joe's shoulder while the older boy trembled with anxiety. Both quietly accepted the decision despite the uncertainty they felt. Izzy's eyes narrowed sharply before he addressed Tai. The tone he spoke with sharp and biting.
"And what about Etemon? Can we even afford to waste so much time? Are we really going to risk the Koromon again?"
The children look to Tai expectantly for his answer.
Tai reaches for the crest around his neck and grins with blinding reassurance.
"Of course not. We've got a crest now. There's no way were going to lose to that Elvis Monkey!"
The children relaxed in the face of Tai's confidence. They talked a little more, dividing chores and responsibilities before setting to work. Tai never once let go of his crest, his chest filling with resolve that burned wildly. Agumon's face twisted with discomfort as the sensation in his chest grew colder by the passing hour.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
There is a girl, a three-year-old little girl, sitting alone on a bench. All around her are children laughing and playing, their parents smiling from where they watch. But the little girl is alone on the bench and she's not smiling.
Sarai watches the girl and she smiles once she hears it.
It starts slowly, growing louder and louder with every breath. A melodic ringing that gets carried by the wind. It builds up tempo and pace, the sweet swaying notes curl and croon with the wind.
Sarai watches the little girl stand up to chase after the musical spell.
There is a woman, an elderly old lady, with her back straight and eyes closed. She's the centre of a crowd and seated before a box with strange looking black and white keys. The little girl pushes her way to the front and her eyes widen with awe. The woman is smiling as her head sways and nods in tandem to the magic she plays.
Sarai smiles as her heart pounds to the enchanting tune; and together, the little girl and Sarai step forward. The woman never opens her eyes or stops her spell casting, not even when the little girl presses at the keys with curiosity.
Sarai laughs as her heart feels full of joy and her cheeks ache with pure thrill.
"Ichika?" someone calls.
Sarai's heart freezes and an icy shiver of dread crawls up her spine.
"Ichika? Where have you gone?"
Panic wells in her throat and the musical spell darkens while the little girl and old lady disappear. Sarai finds herself chained in place at the piano, her ankles shackled to her chair.
"Ichika. What are you doing?" the same voice demands.
Sarai struggles to pull away from her chains, her fingers are bleeding.
"Again. Play it again."
She whimpers but her fingers are no longer hers to control. It was a trap. A trap. The white keys are worn, they've turned thorny and sharp. Their pristine whiteness now stained red, but she can't stop her fingers from playing.
"Again. Again. Again. Play it again. ICHIKA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ICHIKA! WHERE HAVE YOU GONE? Again. Again. Again. PeRfeCT. Play it PErfECt. PerFeCt. PErFect. AgAin. aGAIn. AgAiN!"
The once melodic spell is now a curse.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Sarai wakes up with a scream stuck in her throat. She covers her mouth with her trembling fingers to silence herself. The pounding of her heart refuses to slow and the cold ache in her chest grows as she struggles to breathe. The suddenness of everything is too much and she turns on her side and vomits the little in her stomach. The passing bile leaves her throat burning as she heaves, and her vision is blurry.
A wave of exhaustion and a dizzy spell causes her to curl up in a ball and hug herself tightly.
It doesn't take long for Sarai to feel warmth seep into her bones. It's odd as a small figure is curled into her stomach and a larger one is curled round her back. She only realizes she's not alone when their soft whispering registers in her ears.
"It was only a dream…." someone softly repeats.
Sarai wants to pull away, but the warmth is too addictive, so she clings instead.
"It's okay…. You're safe now."
Sarai tangles her fingers in their shirt and tries to hide how her fingers tremble.
"… I've got you…"
The warmth is strange and unfamiliar, it terrifies her, but she clings to it tighter.
"I'm right here…"
Sarai clings… and she cries.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Sora felt helpless as her shirt soaked up the tears of the girl in her arms. She tightened her hold and found her own eyes filling with tears. Gaomon said nothing from where he clung to Sarai's torso. Sarai sobbed brokenly and Sora had no idea how to make her stop.
She suddenly thinks of her mother, remembering how her mother would comfort her after nightmares. Sora tightened her hold around Sarai and repeats what her mother would say. She does this over and over until eventually Sarai's trembling sobs slow to a stop.
"Is she okay now?" Biyomon whispers to Gaomon.
Gaomon curls around his partner protectively and ignores the question. Sora gets caught in his gaze and nervously swallowed at how menacingly his eyes seem to glow in the night. The dog Digimon nods stiffly before weakly whispering.
"Thank you…"
Sora can't help the shock she feels but manages to return the nod.
They don't talk any further after that.
Sora soon drifts under sleeps spell, exhausted from the emotional whirlwind of the night. Gaomon and Biyomon leave their humans to sleep and keep watch through out the night.
"Sora?" Joe gently prompts for the third time.
Sora wakes with a groggy groan.
"Joe? Is it morning already?"
"Mmhm, I thought you might like a bit to eat."
Sora jolts up once she realizes Sarai's no longer beside her. She looks about frantically but can't find either Sarai or Gaomon. She turns to Joe with fear, but the older boy is quick to calm her.
"It's okay. Biyomon woke me up and let me know what happened. I took over the rest of your watch until Sarai woke up."
"Is she-"
"She's with Izzy. As far as I can tell, everything checked out. She said she feels completely normal and shows no side effects to the healing water. I had Mimi check for scarring but that's gone too. I'm not a doctor but I'm reasonably sure she's healthy."
Sora let out a heavy sigh of relief and smiled with a laugh. Joe settled down beside her quietly watching as her laughter grew loud before shifting in pitch. Sora slumped sideways, resting her head on Joe's shoulder while shaking.
"She's okay… s-she's…. *hic*… okay…." Sora stuttered through her tears.
Joe could only hug the red-haired girl in return. Both children took a moment to ignore the world and silently cry. Joe's glasses fogged from his tears while Sora did her best to swallow her gasped breaths.
They were just children, but lately the two found themselves playing Doctor and Nurse too often for their liking.
It was getting harder for the children to pretend everything would be okay.
The digital world was getting scarier.
But Tai promised he would get them home.
They just needed to survive until then.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Sarai listened attentively as Izzy and Tentomon explained how the chewy sprouts saved her. Unusually so, Gaomon had distanced himself from his partner. He stood several spaces away, closer to the trees. The dog Digimon appeared not to notice Sarai's glances; or perhaps he was purposely ignoring her?
"… If it weren't for Palmon and Mimi's excellent gardening skills the flowers would have bloomed a lot slower!" Tentomon explained.
Sarai quickly plastered a smile on her lips.
"Wow, that's pretty amazing. Where is everyone? I should probably say thank you."
Tentomon was about to respond but Izzy interrupted with a deceptively casual tone.
"I'm sure that's all you intend to do."
Sarai blinked warily at the younger red head, and awkwardly attempted to laugh it off. However, Izzy's stare was unrelenting, and she slumped with defeat.
"Ah, guess it was pretty obvious, huh?"
Tentomon watched the humans curiously before voicing his confusion. Sarai smiled a little more sincerely at the Digimon before sheepishly explaining.
"I've caused everyone so much trouble and put us all at risk. If I had thought everything through and gotten help instead of going off on my own, none of this would have happened. I need to apologize to everyone and-"
"I disagree."
Sarai and Tentomon turned to Izzy with shock.
"I- W-what?"
Izzy closed his laptop with a pointed click and levelled Sarai with a rather serious stare.
"I disagree with what you've just said. Should you have been more rational with your response? Yes. Logically, you should have never ventured out alone and should have alerted at least one of us before leaving."
"So I-"
Izzy cut Sarai off with an arched brow and a raised hand before pointedly continuing.
"You may owe us an apology, but we too have cause to be sorry."
"Why? What about?" Sarai blurted despite her shock.
"Agumon said he smelled Koromon. We should have taken this under serious consideration. We should have questioned the overly friendly Pagumon's intentions. We should know better than to accept kindness so readily without question considering our history with other Digimon. We all failed to keep our guard up and for that, I believe, we are all equally to blame for the incidents events."
Sarai looked torn while Tentomon quietly watched his human partner.
"Izzy…" Sarai softly whispered.
She knew the younger boy was set in his opinion. He genuinely believed himself right and she couldn't find a fault in his logic. Izzy stood up and bowed towards her stiffly.
"I'm sorry you felt you could not come to us for help."
Sarai swallowed uncomfortably but stood and mirrored Izzy's bow.
"I'm sorry I've caused you so much worry," she croaked.
When they straightened upright, Izzy offered her a small smile before reaching out with a handful of berries.
"You should eat."
A giggly huff of laughter escaped Sarai as she accepted the offer. The berries were rich with sweetness and added to the warm feeling in her chest. Tentomon couldn't help but sniff emotionally and subtly wiped at his buggy eyes. Only he knew of the rapid thrum of resolve pulsing throughout Izzy's heart.
Only Tentomon understood just how important the short red head had come to regard the girl across from him.
Tentomon vowed to protect this bond for as long as he could.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Matt and Mimi observed Sarai from their place in the shadows. The two were restless with a mix of emotions; frustration, worry and resignation, to name a few. With the weight of Tai's trust spurring her forward, Palmon managed to get the chewy sprouts to bloom flowers within two days. It had taken a lot out of the Digimon, but she had little regret for how she spent her energy. Not when Mimi squeezed her in a warm embrace and Tai grinned at her proudly.
It was worth it.
Once the flowers had bloomed, the group hastily started their trek. They didn't want to risk the Koromon any further and left the chewy tree for the Koromon's new village. They plucked all the flowers they could manage and said their goodbyes. Matt and Tai took turns piggy backing Sarai while Mimi and Sora changed, bathed, and fed her. An exhausting arrangement but it allowed them to gain some distance and not risk the Koromon.
Anyhow, with Sarai awake; Matt and Mimi were ready to confront the girl about her careless actions.
"If that map Izzy's got us following is right, we're heading straight for the desert after this," Matt mumbled.
Mimi huffed and turned to the blond boy with a scowl and her hands on her hips.
"I still think you're a jerk to Sarai, but you aren't wrong about her being reckless."
Matt glared but wisely kept quiet.
"You might be a cutie, but I don't trust you with her at all."
Matt grit his teeth as the honey blond girl stepped closer and pointed menacingly at his face.
"The only reason I'm helping you is because I don't want Sarai to die or worse."
Matt scoffed but Mimi stomped her foot for emphasis and glared at him.
"You follow my lead and you watch yourself."
Matt glared but gave a stiff nod in agreement.
Behind them, Gabumon and Palmon shared uncomfortable glances. Wisely, they chose to keep quiet as they trailed behind their respective partners.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
It started slowly, with all the children gathering into a group.
Sarai had been enjoying the quiet beside Izzy as he typed away on his computer. The first to join them was Sora and Joe with puffy red eyes. The two wore brittle smiles and appeared sickly. While doubtful towards their explanations, Sarai decided not to pry and accepted their words.
The second pair was Matt and Mimi. Sarai thought Mimi to be oddly quiet but again decided not to pry. She didn't dare ask after Matt due to his obvious agitation. Sarai didn't want to accidently spark his temper.
Then finally came TK and Tai who settled nearby looking rather resigned.
The Digimon were also strangely absent, but Sarai figured they were just playing or something other.
If she had known what was about to happen perhaps things would have gone differently.
"Um… ahem…" Sarai started with uncertainty.
The quiet conversation between Izzy, Joe and Sora swiftly stopped. She could feel everyone's eyes on her skin, and it prickled with unease. For a moment, Sarai really wanted to forget about apologizing. But she'd told Izzy this was what she needed to do. She willed herself to find some courage to speak and stuttered out her words.
"I'm- I need to-… ahem. I owe you all an apology."
The silence around her was unsettling and the intensity of everyone's attention was discomforting. She kept her head bowed with her shoulders hunched. The anxiety she felt caused her to fiddle with her fingers. She twisted them uncomfortably while her breath continuously hitched.
"I shouldn't have been so reckless. I should have known better than to wander off without telling anyone. I worried you all and caused you all lot of stress. I-I… I'm really sorry."
She held her breath and hoped someone would say something- anything at all to break the tension. Sarai closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself for a response but nothing came. The silence remained and only grew tenser by the second. When it was finally broken the swooping of dread she felt made her regret saying anything at all.
"Are you though?" Matt lowly grunted.
The scoff in his tone prompted Sarai to look to him with caution.
Perhaps it was the stormy thunder brewing in his blue eyes, or the stricken expression Sora wore? Maybe it was Joe and Izzy's blank faces or the intense stare of Mimi's gaze? It was probably the carefully cool regard Tai wore, lacking his usual grin, and TK's teary eyes.
Whatever it was, Sarai knew she would not like what was about to happen.
"Are you really sorry? Do you actually mean it?" Matt repeated while shifting slightly.
Matt was obviously preparing to make a statement. Sarai could tell from his body language and tone that it was something he'd been readying for a while. A small part of her felt relieved as she'd known from the start Matt never really liked her. It was odd how justified she suddenly she felt for being cautious around him.
"O-Of course I mean it! I-"
But Matt cut her off with a shake of his head and slicing motion of his hand.
"No. I don't believe you. I don't believe you at all!" He scowled.
Sarai couldn't help the wince she gave. Nor could she refrain from curling inwards with eyes full of hurt. She looked to the others and saw their sympathetic but resigned expressions. It was clear they agreed with Matt and it stung Sarai deeply to see that her apology was obviously being rejected.
"I-"
This time, it wasn't Matt but Mimi who spoke.
"Sarai."
Mimi said her name firmly, nothing like her usual preppy squeal. Sarai's insides turned cold while nervous sweat gathered at her neck. The pink lover looked so stern; it was rather nauseating to face.
"You almost died. Again."
Mimi's bluntly delivered words echoed wildly in Sarai's ears. The children across from her shared the same look in their eyes. Those eyes…. Oh, how Sarai hated that look in their eyes. She hated that glint of earnest fear and- She didn't want them looking at her with those eyes.
"I'm fine. I-It's fine. I'm okay!" she argued while shaking her head.
She felt sick and she wanted them to stop looking at her.
Anything to get them to stop looking at her with those eyes.
"No. You're not fine. You're not okay, and that's fine," Izzy stated sternly.
Sarai's stomach clenched while her chest rose rapidly. She didn't like this. She didn't like this at all. But the children across from her pushed forward rather than give her space. What she desperately needed was space.
"Sarai. I- We-… You almost died. Do you understand how serious this is?" Sora softly croaked.
"But I didn't! And I won't be reckless again! I promise I won't!" Sarai frantically pleaded.
She would do anything- say anything- promise anything if they would just stop looking at her with those eyes.
"You dove off a cliff. You jumped in front of Devimon's attack. You had a BLACK GEAR in your arm! You nearly drowned. You took off on your own and got attacked by the Gazimon! If it weren't for those chewy sprouts, you'd have a huge burn scar and life haunting twitch for the rest of your life!" Joe blurted wildly.
Sarai could only gape, having never seen Joe look so wild before.
"I-I can't- I'm not a Doctor! I'm not. But you just keep- You keep getting hurt and almost dying and I'm the only one who- I CAN'T keep doing this!" Joe heaved while shaking in place.
They could all see that Joe was on the fringes of a panic attack. Sarai couldn't stop herself from crying. Sora gripped Joe's hand tightly with tears in her own eyes. Sarai wanted to apologize again but she choked on the words.
"Sarai."
Again, Mimi's call of her name prompted Sarai to face the pink lover. Mimi wasn't crying nor was she looking hysterical or angry. The pink lover looked calm and composed, stern. It was unnerving to witness. Sarai felt her insides twist uncomfortably as she trembled.
"We can't trust you to look after yourself."
It was the blunt honesty in Mimi's words that really destroyed the last of Sarai's defences.
Sarai crumbled and held herself tightly while releasing harsh sobs.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Tai had argued against it, had told them they might do more harm than good.
But Matt and Mimi were stubborn forces of nature, combined, the duo were even worse. Matt had used Sora and Joe's rising anxieties due to the pressure they felt when constantly tending to Sarai's injuries against him. Mimi described it as a 'necessary intervention that would benefit them later'. It only proved she'd been in cahoots with Izzy about the subject.
Tai had no choice but to agree when faced with their arguments.
Still, he felt sick with guilt as he watched Sarai crumble before them all. He felt even worse for saying nothing in her defense because Matt and Mimi were right.
If she kept trying do things on her own, she was going to get herself killed.
Tai had a promise to keep and he wasn't going to break it. He could only hope Sarai would understand and forgive them for cornering her.
TK tearily tugged at Tai's sleeve tilting his head. Tai gave a subtle nod which prompted the little blond to run towards the sobbing girl. TK was crying too as he clung to Sarai like a leech.
It was a dirty move, an almost cruel method to use against Sarai.
But while it was Mimi's idea, it was Matt who agreed to it. TK was Matt's little brother after all, and the boy knew the younger best.
"Are you sure this will work?" Sora whispered.
They all watched the sobbing duo feeling incredibly conflicted. What they were doing was so manipulative.
"She left us with no other choice," Matt resolutely muttered.
"Isn't this a bit…." Joe started while shifting uncomfortably.
"No. We're not doing anything wrong. We're just telling her the truth. Sarai needs to understand just how serious her actions are. If this is the only way to show her without invading her privacy then so be it," Mimi fiercely hissed.
No one argued against her, not when she looked at them so daringly. They'd never imagined the pink lover could be so severe. Not when she was usually so whiny and full of prissy outrage. When it came to Sarai, Mimi was so different. The other children were suddenly realizing they've been seriously underestimating the girl.
"Mimi's right," Izzy quietly added.
They'd all blinked with shock at hearing the red-haired boy say such a thing. Even Mimi couldn't believe what she heard, but they all knew better than to address it. Tai inhaled deeply and noticed that the sobbing duo were starting to calm down.
"Either way, what's done is done. From here on out I want everyone watching out for each other."
It was the first time Tai sounded so commanding as their leader. He stared each of them in the eye expectantly and dared them to disagree. None of them stepped up to challenge him, not even Matt.
"We find the crests and we get home. Understood?"
They all gave nods, but Tai wanted to hear them agree. He repeated himself and they echoed him readily.
Tai still felt guilty about confronting Sarai like this, but sometimes…. The needs of the team were greater than an individual player. Sarai was one of them now, they just needed to make sure she never forgot that.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
TK only had a vague idea of what was happening. Matt hadn't really explained, and Tai only told him to stay beside him until he said so. The younger blond understandably had a lot of questions, but the weird behaviour of the older kids told him to just listen.
But when nobody accepted Sarai's apology and started saying things, TK wasn't happy.
He wanted to defend Sarai, but Tai shook his head and kept him in place. It was clear Sarai was incredibly upset but they just kept talking. Yet, what they said didn't sound mean just worried. TK didn't understand exactly what was happening, but he did see how Sarai changed.
He watched the older girl sob and felt his own heart clench in response.
When Tai finally let him go, TK ran to Sarai and refused to let her go.
Sarai didn't hug him back, but that was okay. He didn't need her to hug him. She just needed to listen to him. He just wanted her stop crying and looking so hurt.
"I forgive you Sarai," he wept into her torso.
Sarai was still shaking but her crying did quiet down a bit.
"I forgive you. I believe you. You saved Tokomon again, you saved him for me. I hate that you got h-hurt and almost died twice doing it b-but- "
TK couldn't say anything else as his own crying clogged his throat.
But it was okay because Sarai's sobs had shifted into quiet sniffles. TK felt a hand on his head as another one wrapped around him. They clung to each other, stealing comfort from one another while the others around them let out breaths of relief.
Eventually they all set about to make camp for the night. The atmosphere among the group felt fragile due to all the crying. Though as the night continued, the tension among them eased until their usual dynamic returned.
Sarai might have been a little quieter compared to before; TK might have stuck to her side until he was forced to sleep by Matt. Mimi might have been a little more pushy than usual while Sora and Joe seemed to tiptoe awkwardly around everyone.
But it was only temporary as Matt and Tai eventually broke into another of their bickering arguments about something stupid. Which of course spurred everyone into responding as usual.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Gaomon had watched the entire confrontation from the shadows. At his side was Agumon who wore an uncomfortable frown. The two Digimon shared no words but the silence between them spoke plenty.
The unpleasant pit forming in Agumon's belly felt like forewarning.
If he'd turned to look at the dog Digimon beside him, he might have caught the unsettling glint of red that flashed briefly in his stare.
But neither Digimon noticed each other's odd and concerning appearance.
The two were too busy keeping close watch over their respective human partners.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Sarai couldn't sleep. She lay stiffly on the cold ground with Izzy on her left and Mimi tucked under her right arm. She could hear Tai's snores and Matt's breathing, could sense Sora's soft sighs and TK's light inhaling. The night was cool, not too cold, or too warm but a balance between the two.
Sarai couldn't sleep because her mind refused to become quiet.
She eased herself out of Mimi's cuddle, replacing her spot with her bundled hoodie. Quietly, she snuck away from the slumbering bunch. It was Joe's turn to stand on guard for the night. A relief, as Joe was rather predictable during his watch. Sarai made a mental note to bring it up to the others at some point, but right now she needed to deal with the loud thoughts in her head.
She didn't wander too far, just far enough to gain some privacy.
She just needed a moment to sort herself.
Only then did she let herself collapse and drown in her conflicted emotions.
Sarai knew why the others had done what they'd done. However, that didn't stop it from hurting. She felt betrayed, a little bit tormented but also incredibly irritated. They didn't trust her to look after herself?
The audacity!
It was Sarai who found them not the other way around. Did they think she just skipped through a flower field and stumbled across them? Sure, she was reckless. She could easily admit to that and acknowledge that she wasn't always smart with her reactions.
Still.
Did they really think she was so fragile she needed a babysitter?
She was older than TK, the same age as Tai, Matt and Sora even. She had a Digimon partner too! She's managed her own needs and helped where she could. Did that mean nothing to them? Just who did they think they were?
"You should be sleeping," a rough voice accused.
Sarai twisted to see Gaomon regarding her with a cool expression.
Oh.
She had forgotten he was mad at her too.
But Sarai was too exhausted to suffer through another round of accusations and tears.
"Gaomon…" she whispered but didn't continue.
The blue dog Digimon glowered at her and Sarai could sense his bitter temper with ease. The partnered duo stood across from each other in the night. The silence between them saying more than words could ever describe.
"They took you…." Sarai croaked and Gaomon growled.
Sarai wisely said nothing else.
She took a deep breath and bravely approached the very tense dog Digimon. She reached for him and caressed his head, but the act didn't help him relax at all. Sarai was tired of everything that had happened today. Just for the moment, all she wanted was to forget today ever existed.
"What else was I supposed to do, Gaomon?" She muttered.
"Trust me. You're supposed to trust me."
Sarai stares deep into Gaomon's frustrated glare and bows her head till their foreheads touch.
"Why won't you let me protect you?" Gaomon whimpered.
Sarai felt her stomach twist with guilt and her heart clenched with sorrow. Gaomon could see the depth of her eyes darken with haunting trauma. He could feel it pulsing through their partner bond.
"You know why…. I-I…." she doesn't know what she's trying to say but Gaomon saves her the struggle.
"We'll compromise then," he growls decisively.
Sarai waits to hear his terms and when he does, she knows better than to argue.
"I'll stop trying to protect you if you stop putting yourself in danger."
Sarai stares at the dog Digimon and marvels at how he's grown from the adorable fluffball she used to carry. She stares at him and wonders when he became so stubborn and fierce. She stares because they both know this compromise is one, she won't be able to keep.
Sarai closes her eyes and hugs Gaomon tightly.
She doesn't make it a promise, nor does she verbally agree.
It's unspoken, but they both know this is one compromise they will never manage to keep.
But it's as much of an apology as the two could manage.
Especially as they both know Sarai isn't sorry and Gaomon would've done the same thing.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
"How much farther do we have to walk?"
"Until we find a place where Etemon can't reach us."
"Does such a place exist?!"
"I hope so. We have nowhere to run if Etemon attacked us now."
Sarai quietly groaned from her place at the back of the group. She was incredibly uncomfortable and far too hot. The heat of the sun was undoubtedly going to give her a bad sun burn. Even her feet, nestled within her shoes, felt disgusting. She knew she wasn't the only one feeling the heat, but it sure felt like it.
Sarai decided to take a moment to catch her breath. She reached for her makeshift water bottle and savoured the few sips she took. Of all the ways to die, Sarai never imagined it'd be in a dessert.
"You okay?" Joe questioned with a worried look on his face.
Sarai tried not to cringe at the sight of him. Ever since the other children had ambushed her about her reckless behaviour, she's not had a minute alone. There was always at least one other child with her and, frankly, Sarai was doing her best to behave.
"I'm fine, Joe. Just needed a sip," she assured with a tight smile.
Joe shifted uneasily as an awkward silence started to build between them. One that was bluntly called to attention thanks to Gomamon.
"You're both being weird again. Is this a human thing?" the seal Digimon pestered.
"Gah! Gomamon what have I told you about-"
"Yeah, Yeah watch what you say blah blah. But how else am I going to learn more about humans if you won't even let me ask questions?" Gomamon drawled with a cute head tilt.
Sarai sighed while watching Joe flail about while trying to figure out a response. She heard the sand beside her shift as Sora joined her on her left with a giggle.
"Gomamon really knows how to rile Joe up, huh?" Sora whispered.
Sarai gave another tight smile and agreed with a hum. She pretended not to see the wince Sora gave or the awkward shuffle she made. She also ignored the subtle glances Matt and Mimi kept making towards the three of them. She did her best to ignore a lot of things lately. A hard thing to do when it was so blatantly obvious that they were monitoring her.
Sarai was barely ever left alone.
If she wasn't playing with TK or surrounded by the Digimon, one of the other children would be accompanying her. Mimi and Matt were the worst. Mimi would cling to her like a leech, never giving her an inch of space. Matt watched her like a hawk and scolded her like she was a TK clone. At least Joe and Sora were quiet and polite when it was their turn to monitor her. Izzy was by far the best and if she stuck close to him more than usual nobody dared to complain. He was the only one who didn't treat her like a burden or flight risk.
She would have said the same about Tai only she was fed up with him too for a whole other reason.
Tai had enough of the defeated and broody atmosphere among their group and stopped to address everyone. From their place in the back Joe, Sora and Sarai inwardly groaned.
"What's this? Get a hold of yourselves, guys! We have a crest with us now!" Tai exclaimed.
"Here we go again…." Joe muttered inspiring another sigh from Sarai.
This had to be the 15th or 16th time Tai's talked about his stupid crest. Frankly, it was starting to get annoying to hear his speech. Sarai also knew she wasn't the only one feeling this way. She looked over to where Matt stood and spotted his tense jaw and twitching brow. As expected, the older blonde just had to speak out.
"True, but can they really evolve with just the Crest?" Matt challenged.
"Sure! Right Agumon?" Tai easily answered before looking expectantly to his partner.
Agumon looked uneasy and couldn't bring himself to answer while Tai was staring down at him.
"Be more assertive, man!" Tai encouraged before shifting his stance into a fighting one.
"You're the only one right now who's able to evolve to the next level! You've got to stand upright for all of us on the battlefield!"
All of them watched as Agumon stayed silent through Tai's expectant speech. Sora started to frown at the sight while Sarai's fingers twitched, and her eyes narrowed slightly. Neither girl noticed their respective partner Digimon turn towards them with inquiring eyes.
When Tai prompted Izzy to repeat his theory on how to activate the crests, Matt and Mimi drifted closer to Joe, Sora, and Sarai.
"Ugh, he's worst than my least favourite song on repeat!" Mimi sneered with obvious disgruntlement.
"But he's not wrong. He is the only one with a crest. I imagine he might be feeling a bit of pressure," Joe defended with a neutral expression.
Mimi rolled her eyes but wisely kept hold of her tongue. Matt, unfortunately, did not feel the same need. Sarai was coming to realize when it came to Tai, Matt always had something to say.
"Yeah? Well I doubt constantly talking about the crest would magically get it to work. Maybe if he spent less time bragging and more time thinking he'd get somewhere."
"At least he's trying!" Sora countered while glaring at the older blonde.
As another tense argument began among them, Sarai walked over to where TK stood. The younger blond had grown used to the arguments and knew to just wait till it stopped so they could move on.
"Hey? You okay?" Sarai quietly asked with a nudge.
TK shook his head to clear his thoughts and beamed up at Sarai.
"It's really hot! Do you think we'll be out of the dessert by tonight?"
Sarai gave the younger boy a smile that felt more honest. While TK continued to bombard her with questions and random conversation, Sarai responded with hums and appropriately timed laughter. When the group finally continued their trek, Sarai quickly matched her pace with Izzy's and casually positioned the red head between herself and the others.
It was purely coincidental that Izzy always had a theory to ponder when one of the other children attempted to walk with them.
"What the- How come Izzy gets the last of the berries!" Mimi whined with mild outrage.
"Oh? I guess he had a stash of his own. Must've stocked up a bit for himself before we started," Sarai suggested to placate the girl.
Thankfully, Mimi let the subject drop and stomped ahead in a huff.
If Sarai lied, well… it was only a white one.
Izzy had an important role in their group and obviously needed the nutrition. Sarai was only ensuring he kept up his energy.
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
They were still walking through the desert when Gaomon's digicode spiked uncomfortably again. Perhaps he was overheating? Maybe he needed something cool to soothe the tingle of his teeth and growl in his throat.
He and his fellow Hatchmates watched as Matt and Tai insulted one another.
"Geez Gabumon, does your Human always have something to say?" Gomamon flippantly observed.
The poor seal Digimon was drying out again. Biyomon's attempt to cool him with a flap of her wings only blasted hot air towards his coat causing him to groan. Thankfully, Tentomon came to the rescue with the special bottle Sarai made specifically to hydrate Gomamon during their desert walk. Once again, Gaomon's human proved to be the better human compared to the others.
"Watch it fish breath," Gabumon lowly snarled.
The desert clearly didn't agree with the fur covered Digimon. Palmon stabbed at Gabumon with her vine like fingers earning a growl from the horned Digimon.
"Please, don't argue," Tentomon mildly pleaded which was warning enough.
The bug Digimon's patience was also being tested thanks to the heat. Collectively, his hatchmates gave cowed apologies and opted to stay quiet throughout the rest of their journey.
Gaomon matched pace with Tentomon as their human's walked ahead of them. The others trailed behind their own partners who continue to walk and bicker.
"You're incredibly quiet," Tentomon observed
Gaomon grunted but the tingle of his teeth and growl in his throat persisted.
"You shouldn't ignore your feelings Gaomon," Tentomon quietly whispered.
Gaomon tensed immediately and the growl in his throat slipped out without his say so. The two Digimon were falling behind but no one seemed to notice. Tentomon looked to Gaomon with his buggy eyes almost knowingly.
"I might not have known Izzy for long, but I've learnt so much already."
Tentomon looked pointedly to where Agumon silently trudged along behind Tai.
"You can't ignore it forever. Trying to do so only makes it worse."
Gaomon growled again as he watched Matt lecture TK and Sarai on wasting energy. He felt Sarai's growing agitation and irritation fester deeper through their bond. It caused his throat to itch with a growing growl.
Though Tentomon didn't outright say it, Gaomon got the message loud and clear.
It didn't sit well with any of them to see Agumon so quiet and tense. Not when he had always been their protector and leader
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
"MMPH! I can't eat anymore!" Agumon groaned around a mouthful of food with his cheeks bulging.
Tai glared impatiently at the dino Digimon with a piece of fruit in hand.
"When I say you eat, you eat! No complaining!" the goggle wearing boy scolded.
"But…!"
"Listen! Everyone gave you their share of food because they're looking forward to your evolution. Right Guys!"
The rest of the group, who were watching from a few bits away mumbled a response. But Tai had already continued with his scolding and lecturing towards Agumon. The other children shared uneasy glances with each other, feeling rather sorry for Agumon who looked ready to burst.
"It's not like Tai really gave us a choice. He all but took most of our rations from us." Mimi grumbled.
"But… we can't evolve to a higher level and Agumon can…." Gabumon hesitantly reasoned.
The horned Digimon looked to Matt for some form of reassurance, but Matt couldn't stop watching Tai and Agumon. The blond felt rather uncomfortable with the way Tai was treating the Digimon, but Tai wasn't a cruel person. Matt hoped if he just kept quiet Gabumon would drop the subject.
"I guess whoever doesn't work doesn't get to eat…. Huh?" Joe huffed with a dark glower.
Tai heard their mumbling and turned around with a questioning shout.
"What was that? I didn't hear you! Anyway Agumon, therefore you and I must work hard together. We have to protect everyone!" Tai passionately declared.
Agumon felt incredibly sick from all the food he'd been fed. He felt uncomfortable and cold on the inside as he stared up at Tai. Yet still, he forced himself to eat more because Tai was right, they needed to protect everyone. They had promises to keep and friends to protect. Agumon did his best to ignore the sick feeling that overwhelmed him with each bite he continued to take.
"So does that make us the ones who are pulling them down?" Palmon questioned with a tilt of her head.
Biyomon and Palmon winced as Agumon forced another fruit into his mouth while struggling to chew. The two Digimon jumped with surprise when Sarai sharply spoke out from behind them.
"Never!" Sarai hissed sharply attracting the attention of everyone.
The children shared another round of uneasy glances. They'd all noticed and felt Sarai's rather distant treatment since they'd ambushed her. But it was nothing to the outright hostility she was exuding whenever Tai so much as opened his mouth. They'd assumed it might have been the heat of the dessert, but now that they were in the Oasis, they realised they were wrong. Sarai was very clearly unhappy with Tai.
Matt and Sora were starting to think they knew why and were unsure of what to do about it.
"Nobody is pulling anyone down," Sarai strictly emphasised to the Plant digimon.
"Even so, I feel sorry for Agumon…" Biyomon whispered.
"Chew faster Agumon!" Tai's shouted at the Digimon.
Izzy saw Sarai's fists curl tightly until they trembled while her eyes turned cold and distant.
"Where's Gaomon, Sarai?" Mimi inquired having noticed the dog Digimon's absence.
As if timed, Gaomon turned the corner with his arms full while Gomamon followed from behind, dragging a leaf piled with food.
"Agumon might be the only one who can evolve to higher level but the rest of us still need to eat." Sarai tightly explained as Gaomon began distributing the fruit and edible roots they'd scavenged.
Sora felt someone nudge her arm and turned to find Matt's pointed head nod towards Sarai. She looked over to Sarai again and could see how stiffly the girl stood. She was purposely facing elsewhere from Tai and Agumon, but it did nothing to drown out the goggle wearing boy's voice.
"You should go talk to her," Matt whispered.
"Me? Why not Joe or Mimi?" Sora whispered back.
"They're most likely going to encourage her rather than talk sense to her."
Sora still wasn't convinced on why it had to be her, and Matt sighed with a heavy scowl.
"Look, Tai may be an idiot but he's not being cruel, he's just worried. He'll snap out of it soon enough, but Sarai doesn't know that. I know you suspect the same thing about her as I do. If someone doesn't correct her about him, she's never going to trust Tai with anything."
Sora knew Matt had a point. Tai would snap out of it soon, but Sarai didn't know that. Since Sora knew Tai better than everyone else, and was also a girl, she was the best choice to explain Tai's actions to Sarai. With a defeated nod, Sora walked over to Sarai and prepared to do her best.
"Agumon looks like he's being driven into a corner," Joe mumbled as he picked at a few berries.
"During club activities, Tai was always nice to us younger members," Izzy countered.
Sora wanted to hug the younger red head for his subtle attempts to help. Sarai had clearly already forgiven Izzy for helping them ambush her, and she seemed to trust him. Surely, she'd believe anything Izzy might have to say easier than what Sora might add. Sarai only shifted on her feet but made no signs to show she was listening.
"Now that Izzy's mentioned it…." Sora started
"Tai might look like the type to take off on his own, but he does take into consideration his surroundings. But Now…. Ever since Tai's gotten his crest, it's like he's a different person."
Sarai turned around and looked over to where Tai continued to yell at Agumon. The coldness in her eyes and hostility in her posture still present. Sora winced as she knew she'd probably just made things worse.
"He's scared…. Agumon's the only Digimon with a crest among us. Tai's not the type of guy who enjoys feeling scared especially when so many of us have trusted him to lead." Matt interrupted.
The blond joined them and spoke quietly so not to gain Tai's attention. Everyone was a little surprised to hear Matt defend Tai, especially when he was always the one to argue with the goggle wearing boy. Matt stared directly at Sarai as he spoke and while the girl didn't reply, she did look a little less hostile.
Sora let out a relieved sigh that Matt had managed to say something right. She did her best to ignore her own self disappointment at failing to defend Tai and reassure Sarai.
"Huh? Hey, look guys, my Tag!" Joe exclaimed as he showed the pulsing glow of the tag around his neck.
"Oh! It looks like it's reacting to something!" Mimi pointed out with curious marvel.
"Your crest must be nearby!" TK cheered excitedly.
"What? Really?" Tai yelled before jumping to his feet and looking about with his telescope. In the distance he saw the faint silhouette of buildings and clenched his fists with anticipation.
"There! I see something! They look like buildings," he shouted.
"That's where my crest must be!" Joe exclaimed before running ahead in the direction Tai had pointed.
"Joe! Wait for me!" Gomamon yelped as he tried to catch up.
Thankfully, Joe tripped and fell giving the seal Digimon enough time to reach him. As Joe groaned in pain from his fall, Gomamon curiously lifted the black cable cord buried in the sand.
"Huh? What's a cable cord doing in the middle of a dessert?"
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Izzy was very tempted to whip out his laptop and add to his notes on the Digital World. Nothing in this realm made any logical sense which was equally maddening and intriguing. A Greek like colosseum in the middle of a dessert, not to mention the soccer posts and fancy looking widescreen; Why? Where is the logic in any of this? How is anyone supposed to get electricity all the way out here? What about sandstorms?
"Grr…."
"Gaomon are you…"
"I'm fine."
Izzy jolted out of his thoughts and looked over to where Tentomon hovered by the dog Digimon. The two were looking rather suspicious and secretive. Izzy could tell Tentomon was doing his best not to fret over the obviously displeased Gaomon.
"Is something wrong?" Izzy quietly inquired as he joined them.
Tentomon was clearly conflicted on how to answer as he kept glancing between Gaomon and Sarai. Gaomon saved him the trouble by answering with a sharp bark in tone, giving Izzy a close view of his sharp fangs.
"I'm fine, nothing is…grrr…. wrong…" the dog Digimon growled.
Izzy took a step back while Tentomon hovered in between them.
"You're not fine, Gaomon," the bug Digimon argued before turning to Izzy with a determined buzz of his wings.
"Tentomon," Gaomon snarled, his eyes flashing a crimson red briefly before fading back to its usual hue. The bug Digimon ignored him and told his human partner the truth.
"It's Sarai… the connection between them….." Tentomon vaguely explained.
Izzy's eyes widened with understanding before he looked for Sarai's whereabouts. On the outside, one wouldn't be able to tell at all. But if Gaomon was showing signs of aggression that stemmed from his bond with Sarai, she was a better actor than he'd imagined.
Tentomon and Izzy had long concluded that the partner bond is what allows them to digivolve. They had yet to tell the others how the bond worked. After a bit of experimentation with their bond, during their guard shift at night, they discovered that the bond was one sided. The Digimon could feel what their human's felt but the human's couldn't do the same. Izzy thought the bond was rather dangerous for the Digimon, only because the emotions of their human partner had such a huge influence on them. While it might give the Digimon a lot of strength, it could just as easily weaken them.
"Leave it alone," Gaomon snarled dangerously.
Once again, Izzy took a careful step back while Tentomon remained firmly in front of him.
"I told you, you can't ignore your feelings forever," Tentomon coldly countered.
Izzy looked to his Digimon with surprise, having never heard the usually comedic and overly emotional bug sound such a way. It didn't scare him, only confirmed that he still had so much more to learn about his Digimon partner.
Gaomon sneered at Tentomon, once again flashing his sharp fangs while his eyes shifted between red and golden yellow.
"I have control," he argued.
"Perhaps… but for how much longer?" Izzy quietly pointed out.
The dog Digimon had no response, which only confirmed that Izzy was right.
"It's Tai isn't it?" Izzy asked, knowing he was right but wanting it confirmed anyway.
Gaomon let out another throaty growl before responding through gritted teeth.
"It's personal… she's … she's not okay," Gaomon admitted.
Izzy didn't need to say anything, Tentomon would already know his intentions. Instead, he quickly turned around and tried not to be too obvious with his rush towards Sarai. Something Tai was doing had triggered Sarai in a bad way, and Izzy already knew exactly what it was.
The girl was watching Tai as he yelled at the others for playing soccer. She was kneeling beside a bloated Agumon almost protectively. For the first time since he'd met her, Izzy felt anxious about Sarai.
Suddenly, the Colosseum echoed with the sound of laughter and the widescreen came to life showing large white hands clapping.
Izzy felt his heart sink to his stomach as his anxiety grew worse.
"I AM THE GREATEST!" the monkey on the screen.
The children began to run as Mimi screamed with fear.
"He found us!"
(~)-(~)-*DIGIMON ADVENTURE*-(~)-(~)
Sarai got to her feet, ready to run after the rest of the kids, but Agumon let out an uncomfortable groan.
"Wait!" Agumon cried as he struggled to get up from his place on the ground.
Etemon's laughter continued to echo throughout the place, extra loud because of the speakers on the screen. The other's had already reached the soccer goal leaving Agumon and Sarai out in the open.
"Wait for me!" Agumon cried as he tried to run.
Again, he was too bloated, and each step was a struggle. Sarai heard Tai cry out Agumon's name, while her own was yelled by Gaomon. She ignored them in favour of catching Agumon as he tripped and fell. The dinosaur Digimon felt heavier than usual and she grunted at the shock of his weight. She tipped backwards with Agumon groaning comfortably on top of her, looking seconds away from throwing up. She heard the others let out a shout of surprise and saw them being caged inside the soccer goal.
"Ugh…. No…" Agumon groaned weakly.
Sarai cradled him protectively to her chest as she glared up at the cheering monkey on the screen.
"GOAAAL! NOW I'VE GOT YOU!"
"It was a trap," Sarai gritted as she sat up.
Agumon moved to pull away, but Sarai kept a protective hold around him. He weakly tried to wiggle out of her hold, but she kept him still.
"You can't! You're still digesting!" she hissed.
Agumon looked up at her and paused at how strange she seemed. There was something dark in her eyes as she glared at the screen. A look that caused Agumon to shiver while the cold stone his chest sunk towards his stomach. Agumon felt incredibly sick, both from his earlier meal and the twisted emotions in his chest.
"You think you can keep us caged in here like this?" Tentomon defiantly mocked only to cry out in pain after he'd flown too close to the net.
Sarai's eyes widened with horror as the bug Digimon fell back on the other children. The soccer net had electrocuted the flying bug. The other children really were trapped with no way out. Agumon could feel Sarai's entire body tremble while her hold on him grew tighter. Caged within the Soccer net, Gaomon began to snarl aggressively louder and his eyes had settled into a bright red. Izzy made sure the dog Digimon had plenty of space from the rest of the children and was grateful Palmon had noticed as well.
Etemon continued to boast and mock them, his Elvis like showman ship taunting them.
"Special Guest? What is he talking about?" Tai demanded.
Music began to play while Etemon continued to cheer. They could feel the ground shake as something large approached the centre of the stadium. The children gasped as the 'special guest' was revealed to be a Greymon.
Agumon found himself shaking as well, it was clear to everyone what Etemon planned.
"That Greymon… he's got a black gear around his neck!" Sora pointed out.
"No, it's not a black gear. It's a collar!" Matt corrected.
"Etemon enslaved him," Gabumon confirmed.
The collared Greymon stomped its way forward and roared viciously towards the sky. Agumon swallowed as it's rage filled eyes landed on his small form. The Greymon stomped forward and destroyed the other soccer goal, stomping over the pieces with ease.
Agumon, in his current form, was undoubtedly no match for the larger dinosaur.
"It's show time!" Etemon crowed with a cheer.
The Greymon roared again, and Agumon subconsciously huddled closer to Sarai's trembling form. He'd happened to look up at Gaomon's human, only to freeze at the expression she wore. Sarai's head was tilted down, loose parts of her hair shielded her face from everyone else. As such, only Agumon witnessed the expression she wore. An expression he couldn't describe that caused him to shiver uneasily.
Gaomon's growling suddenly stopped, his head lifted abruptly, his eyes had settled into its usual golden yellow, showing nothing but dread. At the same time Tai had yelled out for Agumon to digivolve.
"Gaomon?" Palmon questioned, but the dog Digimon shoved his way to the front and stood beside Tai.
As soon as Agumon began to glow, Sarai had gotten to her feet and ran. The trail end of her hair whipped about behind her, as she sprinted directly for the enslaved Greymon.
"SARAI!" Gaomon screamed.
The enslaved Greymon roared and charged forward, Agumon had finished digivolving. The two large Digimon clashed as Sarai skid between the enslaved Greymon's legs and continued to run towards the demolished bits of the soccer goal.
She grabbed a broken bit of the metal pipe, one in each hand, and turned around to where the two Greymon were wrestling.
The other children were too far back. They couldn't see Sarai's eyes and how they changed. But the Digimon could and they sucked in sharp gasps out of shock. Sarai's eyes were a dark, almost obsidian, black with a pinprick of red in their depths. It was obvious that something was wrong with Gaomon's human.
"You want a show? I'll give you a show…." She whispered coldly while her lips curled upwards into a bloodthirsty grin.
Sarai then charged towards the fighting Greymon, the pipes in her hand poised to swing, and she joined the battle.
*Notes of Interest: Sorry about the Cliffhanger, but the chapter was getting too long. The next Chapter will focus on the aftermath of Tai and Sarai's dynamic. I wanted to get through it in one chapter but there was just too much. It would have been a heavy emotional overload for you readers. I repeat, the next chapter will heavily focus on Tai, Gaomon, Agumon and Sarai's partner dynamics and character interactions. It's hard trying to give everyone a bit of screen time because they're a pretty large group. I'm also slowly planting the seeds of how greatly Sarai's digimon bond with Gaomon differs from the others, so I'm curious as to what theories you might have. There's a reason she didn't get a tag like the other kids, sadly you won't find out until they meet Gennai.*
[Episodes Covered: S1ep16]