I returned to the familiar blue room where the same two people waited for me.
"Welcome to the Velvet Room," Igor said.
"Because of the new bond that you forged, you have unlocked the Empress Arcana," Margaret said. "Right side up, it represents femininity, beauty, and nurturing. Upside down, it represents a lack of creativity and a dependence on others."
"As you travel along in your destiny, you may find several forks in your path. Choose wisely, or your future may be lost forever. However, defeat is not the only way to lose sight of your goals. Do not forget that. Well now, I think our time here is done. Until we meet again."
Episode 6
Several days had passed since the incident with Sora, who was still recovering after accepting her shadow. As soon as classes were done, I blankly stared at the ceiling. Between the excruciating exercises early in the morning from the soccer coach to the bombardment of scholastic information, I needed to relax my brain somehow.
I looked over at Sora's desk, which was still empty. I looked over to Matt, who was looking at the same direction. As soon as we made eye contact, he quickly packed up his belongings. Before I could say anything, he swiftly left without saying a word. I did not recall doing anything that angered him. This passive aggressiveness was not new to us, but it has gone on longer than expected, and I was a bit concerned.
Because there were no after school activities for the soccer club, I left to visit Odaiba Middle School. It's been a while since I came here, and every time I visit, I get nostalgic about different things. When I saw the person I was waiting for, I walked up to him.
"Hey, Tai, what brings you here," TK said. "If you're looking for Kari, she's doing club activities."
"No, that's not what I'm here for," I replied.
"Well, if you're picking up girls, I don't think any of them are your type."
"What kind of person do you think I am? I came here to see you."
"Me? Sorry, I appreciate the offer, but I don't swing that way."
"Is your mind usually in the gutter? I want to ask you about Matt."
"Are you two fighting already? Does Sora actually babysit you guys? She really can't catch a break."
"Hey, I'm the one totally in the dark here. I have no idea what's going on."
"If it bothers you so much, why not go up to him and ask?"
"I'm trying, but every time I do, he either glares at me or brushes me off, and I'm getting pretty sick of it. I'm dense, okay, so if no one tells me anything, I won't know what the problem is. It's why I'm reaching out to you. I was hoping you'd have some insight on this."
"Hmm, I'd like to help, but I'm afraid there's nothing I can do."
"So now, you're going to act all smug to keep me in the dark."
"No, Tai, I'm serious. I've been having trouble trying to talk to him, too."
"You have? Why? I thought you were brothers."
"Yeah, but lately, he hasn't been talking, like, at all. He's always comes home late, eats his meal in his room, and leaves everything out the door. I've never seen him act like that before."
"When did this all began?"
"Interestingly enough, it started when you guys called Kari about what happened that day. She told us you were at Izzy's office and you got Sora out of the TV World. I think that's when I saw a scary look on Matt's face."
"You sure it's not out of anger?"
"If it was a look of frustration, I can handle it. However, he gave me chills; it freaked me out."
"Speaking of that call, I was surprised that nothing happened at the shopping district. I mean, I was relieved that you guys were fine, but given what happened last time, I was afraid there would be another attack there."
"Actually, we did see something come up from the ground. Still, it never really manifested itself and seeped back down speedily."
"Wait, those Shadows almost appeared there? Why didn't you guys say anything?"
"You were on the phone with Kari. Of course, she wouldn't say anything that would worry you. You already had your hands full with Sora."
"Even so, she should have at least mentioned something."
"The news that day said another riot that happened in Ariake. That's probably the reason why we might have seen those Shadow things."
"I must not have been paying attention, but that's a lot closer than the other two attacks. It wouldn't surprise me that the fog may have somehow slipped into Odaiba before disappearing. Did Matt explain why he has been coming home late?"
"He claimed he was practicing with the band."
"Have you asked the band members if everything is alright with him?"
"I did. They didn't see anything strange about him. In fact, they stated that they've never seen him practice so hard before, which is great news for them."
"Is that so?"
"One of them told me he was practicing so hard, it's as though he's running away from something. But, if it improves their musical quality, he won't say anything about it."
"Running away from something? Is that why he's running away from me?"
"That's all I can say for now. I don't really have much information outside of that. Sorry."
"No, it's okay, you said more than enough. I guess the only way to know is to make him tell me about it."
"Well, he's a bit cranky this time around, so I don't expect a peaceful outcome out of this."
"You're supposed to support me and tell me that everything is going to be alright."
"There's a better chance of hell freezing over than you guys settling your problems peacefully."
"Way to hit it where it hurts the most."
"That's because I know you can take it. It's not like this has never happened before, so I'm sure everything will work itself out."
"You can be optimistic in the strangest of things."
"Let's just say I'm hopeful. Take care of yourself, and be nice to each other.
TK smiled as he waved goodbye at me.
The next day, when classes were over, the first thing I did was confront Matt. Almost instinctively, Matt left the room before I had a chance to prepare myself for our conversation.
"Matt, wait," I shouted as I ran out the classroom door.
"Keep your voice down. You're bothering everyone around you," Matt replied without turning.
"I will, after you tell me exactly what is going on here."
"There's nothing to talk about."
"Oh, so you're going to act dumb with me, too? You two really are brothers."
"What are you trying to get at?"
"That's what I want to know. You've obviously been avoiding me these last few days, and I want to know why. Was it something I did? Was it something I said? If you don't tell me, I'm not going to know. So, just talk to me about it, and we can work something out."
"There you go again."
"Huh?"
"You think everything revolves around you. You think you're the center of it all, the one who's responsible for everything."
"Why are you getting so hostile for?"
"Don't you get it, Tai? This isn't about you; this was never about you. So, stop sticking your head where it doesn't belong and think you can magically fix anything, because you can't."
"Hey, I was just trying help."
"Why is it always you? Why do you have to be the one have everything? You think you're better than me? Because you're not."
"Who said anything about that? I thought we were friends."
"Who said anything about that? I never saw you as one."
"Say that again."
"You heard what I said."
"I said, say that again."
"Don't you touch me!"
"I'm going to knock some sense into you!"
"Tai, Matt, stop!" a voice shouted.
Before things became physical, Izzy pulled me away from Matt while Mimi confronted Matt.
"Let me go, Izzy," I said.
"Tai, calm down, please," Izzy replied.
"Matt, you went too far," Mimi said. "You two are supposed to be partners. What happened? Matt, why won't you say anything?"
Matt started walking away from Mimi.
"Where do you think you're going," I asked Matt. "We're not done yet."
"Don't you have club activities right now," Matt asked. "As team captain, you shouldn't be late."
Matt continued to walk away as Mimi headed towards me.
"You okay, Tai," Mimi asked.
"I'm fine, I guess," I replied.
"Maybe it's best if you guys are apart for a bit," Izzy told me. "I'm sure Matt didn't mean any of that. He probably has a lot on his mind right now."
"That's what's bugging me," I replied. "I thought we were close enough to talk about these things, but maybe I'm the only one who thinks that way."
"Tai," Mimi said, concerned.
After club activities were over, I headed back home, mentally and physically exhausted. Because of what happened after school, I couldn't focus at all during our drills. The weeks of training started to show on my body, as I nursed my injuries. When I came across the riverbank. I decided to take the scenic route to take my mind off of things. As I stared blankly into space, I came across an underpass. I recalled the various moments when our group meet here when we wanted to discuss any major subjects. I laid down underneath the underpass to sort out my thoughts and feelings. As I was about to doze off, someone approached me.
"I thought I would find you here," Izzy said.
"Oh, hey, Izzy," I replied. "How's it going?"
"I'd like to say the same thing to you. Are you doing alright? You look pretty beaten up."
"With everything going on with Matt and the soccer coach, I feel like everything's turning upside down."
"Isn't that the norm for you?"
"Watch it. Hey, Izzy, what happened to the good old days when we were a team?"
"We're still a team. We just have a lot on our minds right now."
"I wish we can go back in time when we hung out and didn't worry about anything."
"We're going to be adults when we graduate from high school. Our responsibilities will increase exponentially from here on out.
"Growing up sucks."
"You say that because you're nostalgic of the past. You know, Tai, I still remember the days when we first went to the Digital World, all those feelings and emotions when we explored that world. I appreciate those memories; it's what made me who I am now."
"You got that right."
"All I'm saying is that the possibilities and dreams that we had while we were young should not only be cherished, but also something to learn upon. Come on, stop acting all crestfallen; it's not like you. Eventually, you two are going to make up, and this will just be another fight that you two had in your books."
"You make it sound like I'm used to it."
"Anyway, we really should get going. I checked the weather, and it said it will rain tonight."
"You think the Midnight Channel will appear again?"
"Well, there's only one way to find out. Let's go home."
Later that night, Matt returned home.
"Where have you been," TK asked, sitting on the couch.
"Nothing, just the usual," Matt replied.
"You don't look so good. Are you alright?"
"I'm a little tired, that's all."
"You're not running away from something, are you?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, it's just that you've been rather distant these past few days. Everyone's worried."
"I'm fine."
"Hey, Matt, you used to tell me everything, positive and negative. I kind of miss you ranting on endlessly about various topics."
"Stop pestering me! I'm sorry. I just have a lot on my mind."
"You think I didn't know that just by looking at you? I am your brother."
"You're right. It's complicated; that's all."
"You sure you're not the one overcomplicating things?"
"You know where to hit it where it hurts."
"I'll wait until you are ready to talk to me about it. Just know that, no matter what happens, I'll always have your back."
"Thanks, TK. I think I'll hit the sack for the night."
"You're not going to watch the Midnight Channel?"
"You're right. It was raining when I got back. I might as well. I got nothing else better to do."
Matt sat down with TK, waiting for something to happen. Soon, the clock struck midnight, and a familiar yellow screen appeared. It showed another set of Digimon walking around. Suddenly, a few distortions appeared in the sky, and odd beings started to appear. One Digimon, wearing a familiar fur pelt and had a noticeable horn, assisted the other Digimon to safety as they ran away from them.
"It looks like a battle. I guess those Shadow things really are invading the Digital World," TK said. "I hope Patamon is okay. What's wrong, Matt?"
Matt had a dark, depressed look on his face.
"Again. It's happening again," Matt muttered. "Why can't I protect anyone? Why?!"
"Matt," TK said, concerned.
The next morning, I was walking to school when I bumped into a familiar person.
"Sora, you're back," I said, walking up to her.
"Oh, hey, Tai, nice to see you again," Sora replied.
"Is everything okay? You're not pushing yourself, are you?"
"No, I'm totally fine. In fact, I never felt so energized. This must be what Izzy was talking about when he came back from the TV World."
"Okay, but if it gets to be too much, let me know so I can take you to the nurse's office or even back to your house."
"Look who's acting like a mom, now. Or, is it a dad, in this case?"
"I'm just worried about your health."
"Well, there's nothing for you to worry about."
"That's good to hear."
"Now that I have Biyomon and this newfound power, I feel like I can do anything."
"Yeah, but try not to exert yourself. You're still recovering."
"By the way, did you see the Midnight Channel last night?"
"I did."
"It was clearer than before. It looked like those distortions appeared in the Digital World world, and those Shadows were attacking the innocent Digimon."
"Yeah, I saw the same thing, but there's one thing that concerned me."
"You're talking about him, right?"
"Yeah, the one looked like…."
Before I finished my sentence, I saw Matt standing near the entrance of the school gate.
"Matt, good morning," Sora said.
Matt remained silent as he stared daggers at me.
"Did something happen between you two," Sora asked me.
"N-No, nothing happened, honest," I quickly replied.
"So, something did happen. Can't you guys be friendly for a few days without me?"
"Tai," Matt said.
"What is it," I asked.
I waited for Matt's next move. There were many things that I wanted to discuss with him, but I didn't know where to start.
"I need your help," Matt said, bowing down. "Please, help me. I beg of you."
"Matt, what's gotten into you," Sora asked.
"Yeah, lift your head up. You don't have to…," I started saying.
"Please, you're the only one I can rely on. Gabumon is… Gabumon is…," Matt said.
"So, that was him," Sora said.
I placed my hand on his shoulder, which prompted him to straighten up.
"Don't worry, Matt. We'll save him," I said.
"Thank you, Tai," Matt replied.
"So, you two are on good terms, after all," Sora said to us. "I guess I was worried over nothing."
"Well, we…," I said.
Matt quickly nudged my side, which stopped me mid-sentence.
"Let's meet up with Mimi and Izzy after school and talk about it at Izzy's office. I'll also call TK about our meeting. Tai, you contact Kari about it."
Matt quickly walked towards the school building.
"He suddenly started acting as a leader," I said.
"But, he does make a good point," Sora replied. "Let's do what he says and meet up after school."
"Got it."
After school, we gathered at Izzy's place to discuss what happened last night.
"So, you're saying that you guys saw Gabumon," Mimi asked.
"I guess it is true that we might see different things depending on who's watching the Midnight Channel," Kari said.
"First, Biyomon; then, Gabumon," Tk said. "This can't be a coincidence."
"It also means another potential fog attack can happen somewhere in Tokyo," Izzy said.
"You think someone has a grudge against us," Sora said.
"We did fight a lot of enemies back in the Digital World," I replied. "There's a chance one of them might be out to get us."
"Yeah, but, who would do such a thing," Mimi asked.
"That's not important," Matt said. "Right now, we should focus on getting Gabumon out of the TV World."
"That's true," Izzy said. "If Biyomon and Tentomon were found in the TV World, there's a good chance that other Digimon may also be there, not just Gabumon."
"We'll have to take a chance, then," I said.
"Let me come, too," Sora said.
"Sora, you just recovered. I don't think you should…," Kari said.
"I want to be useful to you guys. Now that I have this power, I can help."
"Once her mind's set, there's no changing it," Izzy said. "Let's bring her with us."
"I'm going as well," Matt said. "Gabumon is my partner; it makes sense that I join the investigation."
"Matt, you sure you want to do this," TK asked.
"I'm positive. I'm going to save him, no matter what."
"Alright, if everyone's ready, let's go," Izzy said.
Izzy, Sora, Matt, and I entered the TV World through Izzy's television.
"So, this is the TV World," Sora said. "I wasn't paying attention, since I was running around looking for Biyomon. It's pretty ominous."
"You guys came back again," Teddie said, walking up to us.
"Oh, hey, Teddie, how's it going," I asked.
"So, that's the infamous talking bear," Sora said.
"It's looks more like a monkey in a circus outfit," Matt commented.
"I'm very obviously a bear," Teddie commented. "If anything looks like a 'monkey,' it's you."
"Easy, everyone; let's all calm down," Izzy said. "Teddie, we're looking for someone. Did anything new or different fall into this world recently?"
"Well, a while ago, a beautiful girl with long, black hair fell in, but her friends saved her," Teddie explained.
"Wait, there are others who have the same powers as us," Sora asked. "That's incredible. I wonder how many of them there are ."
"Who knows, but I'm glad that girl was saved," I said.
"What about more recently," Izzy said. "Did something like one of our Digimon, the ones we summoned from those cards, come to this world?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure," Teddie replied. "I can tell which ones are Shadows and which are you guys, but, those 'Digimon' that you speak of are a little tricky. I can tell that it's not a Shadow nor you guys, but the line is beary blurry."
"So, using us and the Shadows as a guideline, a Digimon is somewhere in the middle. How interesting," Izzy said.
"If Teddie is unable to properly detect Gabumon, how will we know for sure if he is here or not," Sora asked.
"I'm not buying it," Matt said.
"Matt, calm down," I asked.
"There's a good chance he's lying to us. Besides, how can you trust something that hides in that ridiculous outfit? For all we know, there a Shadow hiding inside him. Now, take off that ridiculous costume, and show us who you really are!"
Matt quickly jumped Teddie and started to unzip his head. When he did, he dropped Teddie's head in fright. Sora screamed while Izzy remained intrigued.
"There's nothing inside," Izzy remarked.
"How are its arms still flailing," Sora asked.
"How does it even function," Matt questioned.
"Why are you guys acting so mean all of a sudden," I asked.
I grabbed his head and positioned it back on Teddie's body.
"Thank you so much," Teddie said to me. "You really are a beary nice guy."
"Don't mention it," I replied. "And Matt, that was rude of you to suspect him like you. I want to save Gabumon as much as you do, but we need to work together if we want to get through this. And, suspicious or not, Teddie is our only lifeline to understanding this world and getting us out of here. We need him as our ally."
"I'm sorry, that was out of line for me," Matt told Teddie.
"It's no biggie; it's not the first time that happened to me," Teddie replied.
"So, you're absolutely certain that there's no Digimon here," Sora asked.
"Of course not," Teddie replied. "My sensor is still beary strong."
"We have no choice. Let's head back to our world for now," I replied.
"Yeah, it's dangerous to walk around aimlessly without any clues," Izzy said.
"So, if Gabumon's not here, and he was on the Midnight Channel, where could he be," Sora asked.
"I'm not sure, but no matter where he is, I'll save him," Matt said.
"We all will," I told him.
"Yeah, we're all in this together," Izzy said.
"I'm sure everything will be okay," Sora said.
"Thanks, you guys," Matt told them.
The next night, rain poured heavily from outside our home window. Kari and I were sitting on the sofa, waiting for midnight to come. When it did, the television revealed a crystal clear image with no yellow filter. It showed a familiar figure performing by himself on stage. He was wildly playing his guitar while singing a heinous song about how atrocious friends are while targeting certain members of our group. When he was done, the "audience" cheered wildly.
"Hello, everyone, and thank you coming to the Lone Wolf Concert," he said. "My name is Yamato Ishida, but you can call me Matt. That last song was called 'Stupid Friends,' and what I sang described exactly how I feel about each member of my ridiculous circle. Since you all enjoyed it so much, I'll make sure that my next performance will be just as stellar. There's a lot I want to say about people in general, so stay tuned."
Soon, the feed from the TV cut off, and the sound of rain echoed the living room.
"Hey, wasn't that…," Kari said.
"I know what you're going to say, but, I assure you, it's not what you think," I told her.
"But, he just said his name. Is that really how he feels about us?"
"Don't worry. I'm sure everything's okay."
Suddenly, my phone rang. Seeing who it was, I quickly picked it up.
"Hey, TK, what's the matter," I asked.
"T-Tai, y-you have to help me," TK said, his words shaking.
"TK, calm down, and tell me what happened."
"W-Well, Matt… my brother… we saw the Midnight Channel. Then, he stuck his hand into our television screen, and he got sucked in. It happened so fast. I wanted him to wait, but he didn't listen. I couldn't stop him. He was right next to me, but I couldn't… stop… him."
"TK," Kari said, listening in on our conversation.
"Don't worry, TK, we'll get him out of there," I told him.
"You have to let me come with you," TK said.
"No, TK, you stay there and wait for him. Since it's a home television, there's a good chance he's safe. In case he's able to return on his own, I need you to update us about it."
"But, I thought phones don't work in the TV World."
"No, but Mimi and Kari will be able to read it. We'll receive it once we return to the Real World. But, one way or another, we'll get Matt out of there."
"Thanks, Tai, I didn't know who to call, so I called you first."
"You did the right thing. We'll bring your brother back. I promise."
"Tai, be careful, okay," Kari said.
"Don't worry, I'm not going there alone," I told her.
I quickly informed everyone about our situation via text. I informed Sora and Izzy to meet up at Izzy's office and told Mimi, TK, and Kari to remain at home in case something happens. Grabbing my umbrella, I ran through the rain, angry at myself for not predicting this would happened. Teddie's words about people dying when they were attacked by their Shadows tore me up inside. All I could think of was how foolish Matt was for taking care of the situation on his own without relying on us.
Once we arrived at Izzy's office, we jumped into the TV World.
"Wow, you guys came back beary fast," Teddie said, seeing us.
"Teddie, thank goodness you're here," I said. "Listen, we need you to find someone. It's the one who took your head off the other day. We think he might be somewhere in this world."
"Oh, so that was what that presence was. I thought it felt beary familiar."
"Wait, you know where he is," Sora asked.
"Of course," Teddie replied. "It's hard not to get rid of his scent after what he did to me."
"Scent," Izzy repeated. "In any case, can you lead the way, like you did before?"
"Sure," Teddie answered. "He may be mean, but he is your friend. Okay, follow the bear."
Teddie took us to a music hall for bands and live concerts. It looked dark and secretive, almost blending into its surroundings.
"It's not as flashy as I thought it would be," I said.
"Are you absolutely certain this is the place," Izzy asked Teddie.
"Never underestimate the sensor that lives in my nose," Teddie informed him.
"I can barely see anything," Sora said, squinting.
"Oh, right, Sora you don't have those special glasses," I said.
"Whoops, I totally forgot," Teddie said. "Here, for you."
Teddie gave her a pair of red, rectangular glasses with the SMPTE color bars on the side.
"Amazing, you can really see through the fog with these things," Sora said, putting them on.
"Alright, if everyone's ready, let's go save Matt," I said.
"Right," Izzy replied.
The four of us entered the music hall. Similar to the nightclub, the venue was more spacious that it appeared from the outside. The hall was completely empty, as though there was nothing inside. Suddenly, bright lights shone on a stage, and the sound of cheers echoed throughout the venue. Once again, the fake Matt was playing his guitar while singing about depressing life topics.
"Matt," Sora said, running up to him.
"Wait, Sora, that's not really Matt. It's his other self," I explained.
"Is that an audience? Are there other people here," Izzy said.
"No, those are definitely Shadows," Teddie said. "They only look like you guys. This is a good opportunity, though. We should sneak around and bear on while the Shadows are distracted."
"You're right. Let's go, Sora," I said.
"Okay," Sora replied.
Before we were able to find a way to the other side of the stage, Shadow Matt finished singing, and the Shadows applauded the performance. Afterwards, he directed the spotlight on us, exposing us to the Shadows.
"Oh no, they noticed us," Teddie said.
"What's this? Surprise guests," Shadow Matt asked. "Why are you guys in such a hurry to leave? The show isn't even over yet."
"Hey, you, where's Matt," I asked.
"What a silly question from my foolish friend. I'm standing right here."
"That line's not going to work anymore. Where is he?"
"Ladies and gentlemen, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we're going to take a short break before we continue with our next segment. Feel free to spend your time with my friends over there. They've got nothing else better to do than to prove their worth in a world full of lies and indecision. It's hysterical that they struggle to find meaning in their lives instead of accepting the fog around them. Speaking of which, I'll ask the boys to pump up the fog machine for thicker haze. After all, if it's not caught on camera, anything is fair game."
A title screen appeared in front of Matt, reading "Lone Wolf Concert feat. The Fall of Humanity."
"This is just like what happened with the other Sora," Izzy said.
"It wasn't like that… was it," Sora asked.
"Look, he's getting away," I said, pointing to Shadow Matt heading backstage.
"The Shadows are getting beary agitated. Be careful, everyone," Teddie said.
The Shadows that made up the audience revealed their true form. Some of them were Twins. Others became black birds carrying a lantern.
"Here they come," I said. "You guys ready?"
"Yeah," Sora said.
"Let's do this," Izzy replied.
"PERSONA," the three of us shouted.
The three of us shattered our cards, releasing Agumon, Tentomon, and Biyomon respectively. Izzy and I donned our new outfits. Sora was now wearing a traditional red and gold robe kimono, gold spaulders, a red cuirass, and gold sabatons. She wielded a nagitana with a loose red ribbon that was wrapped in between the staff and the blade. Her glasses transformed into a red feathered mask.
"Sora, you look awesome," Biyomon said.
"Yeah, I don't look that bad," Sora said, admiring her attire.
"Alright, let's push our way through," I said.
"You got it," Agumon said. "Pepper Breath!"
Agumon fired various fireballs at the Twins, burning them down.
"Spiral Twister," Biyomon shouted.
Biyomon fired spiral flames at the birds, but they were unfazed.
"Oh no, it didn't work," Biyomon replied.
"It looks like those things are called Ravens," Izzy explained. "Fire attacks won't work on it, but electric attacks will."
"That means it's my time to shine," Tentomon said. "Super Shocker!"
Tentomon fired electricity from its wings at the Ravens, causing them to dissipate. In the meantime, Biyomon tackled the Ravens to the ground, allowing Sora and I to finish the job with our weapons. We pushed forward as we defeated more Shadows.
Meanwhile, Matt was wandering around the backstage area, cautiously going down a corridor while surveying his surroundings. Every time he opened a door, he would see memories of his time in the Digital World when he acted out of character or made a bad decision. Each time he saw that, he quickly closed the door, not wanting to recall those terrible memories. Eventually, he entered the final room, a dressing room with enough space to hold a gathering with friends. Each side of the room recorded various happy memories he had with the group before they faded away.
"So much for having friends, right," a voice asked. "At the end of the day, you are always alone. But, that's exactly the kind of life you want. Isn't that right?"
"Who's there," Matt said, bracing himself.
Soon, the voice walked closer to him, revealing himself.
"Y-You're me," Matt said, surprised. "But that's…."
"Impossible," Shadow Matt asked. "Or, perhaps I know you more than you know yourself."
Finally, Sora, Izzy, and I made it to the end of the hallway. We opened the final door blocking our way and went inside.
"There they are," Teddie said, pointing at the two Matts.
"Matt," Sora said as we ran towards him.
"I… I…," Matt stuttered.
"Oh, come now, isn't it time you stop lying to yourself and express how you truly feel," Shadow Matt asked. "What's the problem with doing what I want?"
"That's not the issue here."
"All the things that I've sang about are true, right?"
"Of course not!"
"I hate people. Everyone has to have an opinion about everything. It's no wonder we all don't get along. At least strangers are tolerable to deal with. You don't know them, so why should you care about what they say? But, do you know what's worse than strangers? People who claim to be your friends. They're the scariest of all."
"Huh? Why would I be…?"
"Having friends means forcing yourself to smile, agreeing with everything they say, and rotting your brain to be at their level. Why should I settle for that? I should be my own man; instead, I let them talk me into whatever dumb thing they want to do and half-heartedly go along with whatever silly plan they have. Some man I am."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I should be a leader, a hero, a knight in shining armor. I should be the one making the decisions for everybody. I should be the one the collective mind should listen to. If everyone thought and acted like me, the world would be a tolerable place. I don't have to pretend to get along with them. They should be the ones getting along with me. I am better than all of them."
"That's enough! Stop it!"
"Everyone looks at you as the second-in-command anyway, so what's the problem with becoming the one in command? But, when the ball is passed over to you, you drop it. You want to be a leader, yet you don't know how to lead because you're used to acting as a follower for so long. You can't clean up everyone's mess, but Tai can do so naturally. He was meant to be a leader, not you, and you're jealous of it. So, you leech onto him like a parasite and pretend to be his friend until, one day, you can be a leader. I mean, if Tai never left the cavern, maybe your leadership position would be secured, don't you think?"
"Enough of this! Who do you think you are, saying stuff like that with my face!?"
"What are you talking about? I'm you, and you're me. You do know that, don't you?"
"Screw that! I don't know you! There's no freaking way you are a part of me!"
"Hehehe… You're me, and there's no denying it!"
Suddenly, a distortion appeared behind Shadow Matt. A wavy humanoid figure with abnormally large hands appeared before it. It fused itself with Shadow Matt, becoming an ominous bear-like creature with large claw gauntlets on its forelegs, spiked shoulder pads on the shoulders of its forelegs, and a cape draping over its back.
"I am DarkGrizzlymon, the darkness within your true inner self," it replied.
"No way," Matt said. "Is that really me?"
"Out of my way," DarkGrizzlymon said.
DarkGrizzlymon swatted Matt away using the back of the gauntlets. Matt crashed against the wall and fell down to the ground.
"Matt," Sora shouted, running over to him.
"Sora, don't run off on your own," Izzy said.
"Don't get in my way," DarkGrizzlymon shouted.
DarkGrizzlymon dug into the ground with its massive claw hands and threw a large chuck of the floor at Sora. Sora's life flashed before her eyes as the large chuck flew towards her in high speed.
"Agumon, Digivolve, now," I shouted.
"Agumon, Empress Arcana Digivolve to… Centarumon," Agumon said.
Centarumon quickly dashed towards Sora and caught her right before the large chuck hit her.
"That's amazing, nice guy," Teddie said.
"Agumon can digivolve into Centarumon, too," Izzy inquired. "How many digivolutions can he do?"
"Heavy Attack," DarkGrizzlymon shouted.
DarkGrizzlymon jumped into the air and tried to pound Centarumon with its massive claws, but Centarumon ran away just in time before the blow connected. DarkGrizzlymon shattered a majority of the floor upon impact.
"This guy is beary tough," Teddie said.
"That means we have to step it up," Izzy said. "Sora!"
"Okay, Izzy, let's do this," Sora replied.
"Tentomon, Hermit Arcana Digivolve to… Kabuterimon," Tentomon shouted.
"Biyomon, Empress Arcana Digivolve to… Birdramon," Biyomon shouted.
"Electro Shocker," Kabuterimon shouted.
"Meteor Wing," Birdramon shouted.
Kabuterimon and Birdramon fired an electric ball and meteors respectively at DarkGrizzlymon, who jumped out of the way. While DarkGrizzlymon was airborne, Kabuterimon and Birdramon charged at it, but it used its massive hands to knock them away.
"Energy Ray," Centarumon shouted.
Centarumon fired a ball of light at DarkGrizzlymon. It responded by shooting a crescent shaped ice from his head. When the two blasts collided, Centarumon kicked it with his hooves, but DarkGrizzlymon's sturdiness allowed him to take the impact while pushing him away. Eventually, Kabuterimon and Birdramon recovered, and the three of them surrounded DarkGrizzlymon. Meanwhile, Matt was trying get up, but collapsed from the pain.
"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me," DarkGrizzlymon said, charging at Matt.
DarkGrizzlymon ran towards Matt and tried to swipe at him with its large claws. At the same time, I ran up to Centarumon, who threw me towards Matt. I managed to shield him just in time as the two of us flew towards another wall from DarkGrizzlymon's gauntlets.
"Oh no," Teddie said.
"Matt! Tai!" Sora shouted.
"Tai… you…," Matt muttered.
"What do you think you're doing, defending the other me," DarkGrizzlymon asked. "I'll make you pay for that!"
DarkGrizzlymon charged up for another ice attack at Matt and me.
"That's not happening on my watch," Sora said.
"Fire Flap," Birdramon shouted.
Before DarkGrizzlymon could attack us, Birdramon engulfed itself in flames and charged at it, knocking it against the wall.
"Shocking Touch," Kabuterimon shouted.
Kabuterimon placed his hands on DarkGrizzlymon, sending electric shockwaves throughout its body.
"It's down. Now's our chance," Izzy said.
"Meteor Wing," Birdramon shouted.
"Electro Shocker," Kabuterimon shouted.
"Solar Ray," Centarumon shouted.
Getting hit with various meteors, an electric ball, and a large laser, DarkGrizzlymon disintegrated, and Shadow Matt fell to the ground in its place. At the same time, Matt regained his strength.
"W-What happened," Matt said, standing up. "Oh, right, he said all of that."
"Listen, Matt, there's something that I've been meaning to tell you."
"What's that?"
"You may be jealous of me, but the truth is, I've been jealous of you."
"Huh? How? Why?"
"You always had a cool head on your shoulders and think things through before taking action. You know exactly what you want. I either jump in without thinking or think too long, causing everyone to suffer. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without you by my side. I'm glad you're in the team, not just as a partner, but as a friend."
"Tai…"
"Indeed, you guys are total opposites, yet you balance each other pretty well," Izzy said.
"Although, your bickering stresses me out," Sora replied.
"Way to kill the mood, Sora," Matt said. "But, you're right. I needed to hear that. Thanks, guys."
Matt walked over to Shadow Matt, who was still on the ground.
"I know how stubborn you are, so I know you can get up on your feet," Matt told it.
Shadow Matt slowly stood on his feet.
"Listen, I knew there was something like you inside of me," Matt said. "It was never about friends or strangers; I just wanted to fit in and feel special. When I don't, I get jealous or push everyone away. But, those feelings of jealousy and resentment are all a part of me. You're me, and I'm you. "
Shadow Matt nodded. He slowly ascended as light blue aura surrounded him, disintegrating him and releasing the sealed Digimon and tarot card associated with it
"Gabumon," Matt said, as he caught him when he fell.
"Matt, it's you," Gabumon said, weakly.
"I'm glad you're safe, buddy," Matt continued, hugging him tighter.
The card with the number "4" on it floated down towards Matt.
"This must be…," Matt said.
He reached out for it, and the card disintegrated, embedding its power onto him. Afterwards, he collapsed on the ground.
"Matt," Sora said, running up to him.
"We better get him out of here," Izzy said. "With the beating he had and this fog, I don't think it's safe for him to stay here any longer."
"Yeah, let's head back home," I said.
Sora and I took each of Matt's shoulders as we walked away from the music hall.
*To be continued*
List of Shadows:
wiki/Trance_Twins
wiki/Black_Raven
Inspiration for Shadow Matt:
wiki/Magical_Magus
wiki/Grizzlymon