I returned to that familiar blue room where two recognizable people awaited my presence.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room," Igor said.

"I see you have made several bonds since our last encounter: the Chariot and Justice Arcana," Margaret said. "Right side up, the Chariot represents success, willpower, and determination. Upside down, it represents resistance, strictness, and directionless. Right side up, Justice represents truth, law, and fairness. Upside down, it represents dishonesty, unfairness, and irresponsibility."

"Allow me to read your fortune. How fascinating. Quite an interesting turn of events."

"Listen, my guest, it appears you have become lax in your endeavors. As such, a dangerous bump in the road has occurred. If not taken care of, your journey will become burdensome."

"However, there is no need to rush. Use this opportunity to understand why these events unfold and the best way to solve them."

"I hope this detour does not stray you from your path."

"Well then, until we meet again."

Episode 20

It was another warm day in Japan. While I didn't have any plans, Kari was consistently occupied. Ever since the fireworks festival, it felt like there was a ridge between us. Every time I tried to talk to her, she would quickly end the conversation. When I asked if there was anything, she would dodge the question. I knew she was avoiding me, but, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out why.

Just like the last few days, Kari was window shopping around the shopping district. There wasn't anything that she needed to buy; she simply wanted to get out of the house. Every time she saw her brother, she recalled the summer festival, where her brother was having a good time hanging out with other girls. She didn't know why she felt this way. She felt frustrated for feeing this way, but she couldn't stop herself.

As the day progressed, the sky took an ominous turn, and it started to pour heavily. Kari rushed to a nearby convenient store to take shelter from the rain. She looked through her belongings and realized that she did not bring an umbrella with her. She could buy one at the store, but she already has one at home. As she debated on how to return home, someone else walked into the store.

"Oh, Kari, fancy meeting you here," Sora said. "How are you?"

"Sora, what brings you here," Kari asked.

"I was just doing some shopping for my family. And you?"

"Shopping, but for myself."

"This rain came down faster than I thought. I checked the weather, and I could have sworn it said it was going to rain later tonight. Had I know that it was going to be earlier, I would have… Kari? Kari, what's wrong? Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

"You don't look fine to me. Are you… crying?"

"Huh? No, that's not it. I must be pretty soaked from the rain."

"Hey, Kari, are you free later today?"

"I don't have any other plans. Why?"

"Why don't you come over to my place today?"

"What for?"

"I think you need a change of pace. Besides, I bet your bad mood has something to do with Tai."

"How did you know?"

"See, I knew it. He probably did something to you that he doesn't recognize yet. What you need is some distance away from your brother for a bit."

"But, wouldn't I be a bother to your family?"

"I'm sure they won't mind. They know who you are. I'm sure they'd be happy to see you."

"But, the rain hasn't let up yet."

"It's fine. I was going to buy an umbrella anyway, since my mom said she needed one. This would be perfect for her. We can share the umbrella if you want."

"It's okay. I'll buy one, too. You don't have to go through all that trouble."

"No, no, I insist. Come on, you need some good girl time, and I know just the people to call to lighten your mood."

After a couple of phone calls, Sora bought an umbrella from the convenient store, and the two of them walked back to Sora's house. As Kari acclimated herself with the house, the doorbell rang. Mimi and Yolei entered the room, and Mimi quickly embraced Kari. After dinner, the four of them headed up to Sora's room to continue with their festivities.

"Kari, is everything alright," Yolei said. "Sora told us you were feeling down, so we rushed here as fast as we could."

"I bet it's all Tai fault, isn't it," Mimi said.

"Just a bit," Kari said.

"I knew it," Mimi said. "I bet he did something mean to you and didn't even know he did it. Tai's a great leader, but he can be pretty dense sometimes. This is why boys can be so frustrating. But, I guess that's part of his charm, right, Sora?"

"Why are you asking me that," Sora asked.

"Oh, you know why," Mimi said. "Don't try to worm your way out of this. You're going to tell us everything."

"Sora, are you and Tai…," Yolei asked.

"No, no, we're nothing like that," Sora said. "We're just friends; that's all."

"Whatever you say," Mimi said. "I don't envy you, though. If I was in your shoes, I would have a difficult time choosing between Tai and Matt, too."

"Sora, you like Matt, too," Yolei asked.

"No, like I said, we're just friends," Sora said. "I want to stay friends for now. I don't want to ruin our current relationship and make things awkward for all of us."

"But, if you wait too long, someone might take them away from you, like Joe," Mimi said.

"Mimi," Sora said.

"I haven't known Joe for that long, but I do know he's a good person," Yolei said. "Can you tell me more about why you like Joe so much?"

"Oh, there's so much to say about him," Mimi said. "He's smart, kind, caring, and understanding. He may be tough on us, but he's very strict to himself. He's a little clumsy and overly cautious, but when the time comes, he's heroic and selfless. He's cute, reliable, dependable, and... and…"

Tears stared to well up in Mimi's eyes.

"Mimi," Sora said, concerned.

Sora grabbed a tissue and started wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have asked that question," Yolei said.

"No, it's okay," Mimi said, composing herself. "And even if he has a girlfriend, he will always hold a special place in my heart, no matter what. And that is why you need to make a move while you still have a chance, Sora."

"I'll think about it," Sora replied.

"I'm sorry, Kari," Mimi said. "It was supposed to be a party to make you happy, but I'm the one souring the mood."

"No, it's fine," Kari said. "Thank you for sharing. Thank you for hosting this party and thinking about me, Sora. Thank you for coming and supporting me, Yolei. I really needed this. It helped me get my mind off a lot of things. This is really fun. I'm enjoying myself so much!"

"Kari," Yolei said.

"Anytime you want to hang out with only us girls, we'll be there. Just let us know," Mimi said.

"We should definitely do this more often," Sora said. "It's not every day the four of us can kick back and relax without any boys around."

"I understand that feeling," Yolei said.

"Hey, does anyone want more juice or snacks," Sora asked. "I think we're running low, so I'm going to grab some from the kitchen. Does anyone have any preferences?"

"More cookies for me," Mimi said.

"I'm up for some tea instead," Yolei said.

"I'm good, thanks," Kari replied.

"Kari, you're the star of the party," Mimi said. "You got to be a little more selfish."

"If you say so," Kari said. "Then, I'll have…"

Suddenly, the television started to turn on with a familiar yellow hue. Sora quickly looked at the clock.

"It's midnight," Sora said.

"Does that mean…," Mimi questioned.

The four of them stared intently at the screen as the images slowly became clearer. Several Champion-level Digimon were gathered at an area. They were conversing with one another, discussing something important. One of them pointed towards the sky. Several distortions appeared as various Shadows emerged from the portals. The Digimon began their attack at the incoming Shadows. One of them was a small white cat with gloved paws and a holy ring on its tail. As it pounced on several Shadows, one of the Digimon had difficulty fending them off. The cat quickly jumped over to the Digimon to save it, only to be attacked from behind by one of the Shadows. The show ended with the cat Digimon preparing a stance against the Shadow that ambushed it.

"That was…," Mimi said.

"Kari," Sora said.

Kari looked sad rather than shaken, as though she anticipated this would happen. Yolei held her hand firmly.

"Don't worry," Yolei said to Kari. "I'm sure she'll be alright."

"Let's save her together," Sora said.

"Yeah, we totally got this," Mimi said.

"Thank you, everyone," Kari said. "Let's save Gatomon!"

The next day, Sora, Matt, Izzy, Mimi, Kari, and I met up at Izzy's office to discuss what happened last night.

"So, we all saw what happened on TV, right," Izzy asked.

"Are you alright, Kari," Matt asked.

"You were with Sora and the others, right," I asked Kari. "What were you girls talking about? Nothing too suspicious, I hope."

"It's not like you'd really understand," Sora said.

"That's true; it completely, absolutely doesn't concern you at all," Mimi replied.

"Right," Sora, Mimi, and Kari said to each other.

"What did you do this time," Matt asked me.

"Why am I to blame for this," I questioned.

"When was it never your fault," Matt replied.

"Moving along, we can all confirm that Gatomon was on the Midnight Channel, which means there's a good chance Kari will be the target this time around," Izzy said.

"And, unlike a certain someone, she won't jump into the TV without telling anyone about it," Sora said, looking at Matt.

"Weren't you the first one to do just that," Matt retorted.

"Easy everybody," I replied.

"It's going to rain later tonight," Mimi said. "Doesn't that mean the Midnight Channel will be on tonight?"

"We should definitely check it out to see if anything happens," Izzy replied.

"Don't worry," Sora said. "Kari's a strong girl. She won't be fazed by what the Midnight Channel will show us."

"That's right, Kari is the best girl ever," Mimi said, hugging Kari.

"Thanks, you two, I really appreciate it," Kari said.

"Since when did you three get so chummy," I asked.

"By the way, I didn't see TK here," Izzy said to Matt. "How is he?"

"A lot better now," Matt replied. "He still needs a bit more time to recover, but he should be up and about soon."

"That's good to hear," Sora said.

"Alright, let's see what the Midnight Channel has in store for us," I said.

"Got it," everyone replied.

Later that night, Kari and I were at home, staring at the blank television screen and waiting for the Midnight Channel to turn on.

"So, how are you feeling," I asked.

"I'm not sure," Kari replied. "A little nervous, I guess."

"I think anyone would be if their Shadow tried to mock and take advantage of their insecurities."

"Not like you would know."

"Hey, I doubt myself plenty of times. You should know that by now. Well, if anything, there's one positive thing that came out from this."

"What's that?"

"We're starting to talk to each other again."

"Oh…."

"Look, I know you're mad about something, and it's probably because of me. But, if I am the cause of your infuriation, I need you to tell me. I'm dense, so I won't know what the issue is unless you verbally inform me. So, please, Kari, can you tell your brother what he did wrong?"

"It's nothing."

"I'm not buying it."

"No, it's not you; it's me."

"What do you mean by that?"

Before I could get a straight answer, the TV turned on, revealing that familiar yellow hue. Soon, the TV cleared up, revealing what appeared to be an art exhibition. There were various paintings and marble statues lined up in pristine condition. However, something felt familiar about the theme for this gallery. Upon closer inspection, I realized that every piece of art is about me, from my face to my belongings. Soon, Shadow Kari walked onscreen, wearing a grey, frilled, buttoned blouse, a black blazer with a matching skirt, polished black heels, and glasses.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this exclusive edition of BC Studio's Museum of Brotherly Love," Shadow Kari said. "I am your host, Kari Kamiya, and today, I will be giving you a sneak peak of a special VIP tour with some of the finest pieces of work that I have collected over the years.

Here, we have this delicious 24" x 36" photograph of Tai Kamiya taking his shirt off during a blistering July afternoon to wipe his sweat off at a soccer game during halftime. As you can see, the ridges created by his upper abdominals are absolutely perfect, and the sweat dripping down from his upper left side looks like tears shed from a god. Next, we have this divine painting of Tai Kamiya in the style of the Birth of Venus. This painting not only adequately captures the delectable features of his perfect body, but also exudes an aura so compelling, one must bow down and worship it. Of course, the angels that swoop down to admire this juicy man are based on yours truly. Finally, we have this beautiful clay mold of Tai Kamiya's exact facial features. Everything from his sinful eyes and his devilish lips are enough to make any true art collector forgot that it is an inanimate object. Just thinking about it makes my heart flutter.

Of course, these are some of the many inspiring and tantalizing pieces of work that I would be happy to show you in this special VIP Tour. Be sure to tune in another time to see more exhilarating and enticing creations in my art exhibit. I hope we meet again very soon."

The TV abruptly cuts off after Shadow Kari bows to the camera. An awkward silence filled the room.

"Well, that was…," I tried to say.

"Please don't say anything," Kari replied. "I'm so embarrassed that you and everyone else had to watch that."

"Right, let's… um… pretend we didn't see any of that and… try to discuss our next course of action tomorrow with the gang without mentioning anything that appeared on the show," I said.

"I hope that's possible," Kari answered.

The next day, the same individuals from yesterday returned to Izzy's office to plan for the upcoming mission.

"So, Gatomon is definitely in the Midnight Channel now, isn't she," Sora asked.

"That looks to be the case, since we saw Kari's Shadow," Izzy said.

"I can't believe she would stoop so low to take advantage of you like that," Mimi said to Kari. "No offense, Tai, but on a scale of one to ten, you're an eight in the cool factor, but a three in the cute factor."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I said, sarcastically.

"I don't think the Midnight Channel showed us anything new," Matt said. "Isn't it pretty obvious that Kari has an unhealthy obsession over Tai?"

"That was when I was little," Kari retorted. "I grew out of it already."

"That whole incident with Ordinemon last year says otherwise," Matt responded.

"Matt, stop picking on Kari," Mimi said. "You're so rude."

"It's clear that Kari's Shadow is simply her inner emotions raised to an extreme level," Izzy stated. "We all know Kari cares a lot about Tai. They are brother and sister, after all."

"Let's do our part to make sure that Kari and Gatomon are safely reunited with each other," Sora said.

"Kari, are you prepared to go to the Midnight Channel," I asked.

"I am," Kari replied.

"Be careful, okay," Mimi said. "It can be a bit scary inside."

"To be honest, I don't know what to expect, but I need to do this," Kari explained. "The only way I can overcome this is by facing my other self. Besides, I know everyone is worried about me, so I know everyone has my back, regardless of what happens."

"Have we decided how we are going to split everyone," Matt asked.

"I'll go with Tai and Kari this time," Sora said.

"Aw, I wanted to go," Mimi said.

"Tai and Kari already have their hands full thinking about themselves and each other," Sora explained. "I think they could use someone level-headed to watch over them if things go awry."

"Which means Matt and Mimi will be on standby for any potential fog appearances in the city," Izzy replied.

"Works for me," Matt said. "I'd rather sit this one out anyway, since I want to make sure TK is fully recovered in case anything happens."

"I guess staying here with Matt is better than nothing," Mimi said.

"What's that supposed to mean," Matt asked.

"Well, on a scale of one to ten, you're definitely a two in the cute factor," Mimi replied.

"I don't know whether to be glad or frustrated by that number," Matt said.

"Simmer down, you two," I said.

"Don't worry; we'll be back before you know it," Sora said.

"If everyone's ready, let's head over to the TV World," Izzy said.

"Yes, let's save Gatomon, no matter what," Kari said.

Sora, Izzy, Kari, and I went through Izzy's television screen and entered the TV World. We landed at our usual location where a familiar, oddly-shaped creature roamed not too far away from us.

"Hey, it's you guys again. Perfect timing," Teddie said.

"Hey, Teddie," I replied. "Based on your reaction, I'm guessing that there's a commotion happening in the TV World right now."

"Hello, it's been a while," Kari said.

"Oh, it's the pretty young lady from before," Teddie replied. "Hello there, Miss Cutie Pie. It's so beary difficult to be the most popular bear here. But my heart is already taken by another cute, innocent girl. It's so painful; if only there was more of my beautiful bear fur to go around."

"What is he talking about," Sora asked.

"Who knows," I replied.

"Back to the topic at hand, Teddie, we need your help to find Kari's Digimon, who we believe is here," Izzy said.

"Of course, anything to help this cutie bear," Teddie said.

"Kari, can you show him your D3," I asked.

"I don't mind," Kari replied.

After providing him with her Digivice, Teddie quickly sniffed the device and started using his sensor to track Gatomon.

"He seems too eager today," Sora said.

"He reacts more like a dog than a bear," Kari replied.

"I think I caught a whiff of something," Teddie said. "No, I definitely sense something. It's coming from that direction."

"Good work, Teddie," I said. "Alright, everyone, let's get going."

"Right," Sora, Izzy, and Kari replied.

The four of us followed Teddie down a cleanly paved road, which led us to a sophisticated grey building with no designs or embellishments. Written in metallic letters, the name "BC Studios" stood on top of a glass awning.

"Are you sure this is the right place," I asked.

"It looks pretty normal compared to what we've seen thus far," Sora replied.

"My sensor has been locked on real tight," Teddie stated. "I've done this a couple of times now, so I'm beary positive its here."

"Teddie hasn't been wrong thus far, so I'm sure this is the place," Izzy said.

"Looks can be deceiving," Sora said. "I wonder if something bizarre hides behind those doors."

"Well, there's only one way to find out," I said. "Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Persona," Sora, Izzy, and I shouted.

The three of us shattered the cards in front of us, unlocking the Digimon within the cards and donning new gear.

"Hello, Tai, I'm ready for anything," Agumon said.

"It's good to see you again, Sora," Biyomon said.

"I see another dangerous task appears before us, on par for the course," Tentomon said.

"Hey, it's Kari. Hi, Kari," Agumon said.

"I think I heard Agumon's voice, but I can't see him." Kari said.

"Oh no, how could I forget such a crucial thing," Teddie said. "I'm such a dummy bear! Give me less than a second. And… done! Here you go!"

Teddie provided Kari pink rimless glasses with SMPTE bars on the side for her to wear.

"Wow, everything is much cleaner now," Kari said. "Agumon! Biyomon! Tentomon! It's been too long."

"I'm glad that you're here, but I wish we met in more pleasant circumstances," Biyomon said.

"So, I guess Gatomon is the one trapped inside, huh," Tentomon asked.

"That's right," I said. "Keep your guard up. We don't know what to expect once we are inside."

"I've been meaning to ask, but what's with the outfits," Kari asked. "You guys look like you're dressed for a costume party."

"We're not entirely sure," Sora replied. "It simply happens every time we try to call out for our Digimon."

"It does allow us to fight alongside them," I said. "That way, we have some way to attack and defend ourselves from those Shadows. Speaking of which, Izzy, did you get a read of the building yet?"

"Give me one second," Izzy said, looking through his crystal ball. "It's taking a little longer than usual."

"Is it that big of a facility," Tentomon asked.

"Or maybe the building has a more complicated structure than the previous ones," Biyomon said.

"Either way, the goal remains the same: find Kari's Shadow, and rescue Gatomon," Sora said.

"All done," Izzy said. "I have a complete reading of the building."

"Alright, let's go," I said.

We went inside the building and surveyed the area. There were assortments of artwork hung on the walls and sealed inside numerous display cases. Every piece of art was based on me in some way, from my baby pictures to what I could potentially look like in the future. There were also several accessories about me, from my goggles and soccer ball to necklaces and wallets that have my face on it. In the center of the floor was a tall marble statue of me in the style of Michalangelo's David statue. In fact, a majority of the statues about me were designed in a similar style, posing or doing muscular things without clothing. There were certain parts of my body that were more pronounced than others in most of the statues.

"Wow, there's a whole bunch of you here, Tai," Teddie said.

"There's so much that I want to say, but I don't even know where to start," Izzy replied.

"I don't even know where to look," Sora replied.

"Tai, why is there something large in front of your legs," Agumon asked.

"Sorry, buddy, but I'm too stunned to answer that question right now," I replied.

We heard something akin to kissing from a distance. Upon closer inspection, we saw Kari's Shadow hugging onto the head of the large statue, gently caressing its cheek and kissing it. As the five of us headed towards her, Shadow Kari noticed our presence and quickly descended from the statue.

"Oh dear, I didn't know we had guests arriving. I apologize for my crude behavior," Shadow Kari said, politely.

As she began composing herself, she saw me and was immediately enamored.

"Oh my gosh, it's the real, live version of Tai," Shadow Kari said, crazily. "Is this a dream? Am I dreaming? Well, if this is a dream, I guess I can do whatever I want."

Shadow Kari quickly walked up to me and hugged me tightly. She stroked my chest with her hand and my thighs with her legs.

"Hey there, big guy," Shadow Kari said, seductively. "Why don't you and I go somewhere else, someplace far away where no one will recognize us? You'll take me there, won't you?"

"Alright, that's enough from you," Sora said to Shadow Kari.

"Stop acting that way with my face," Kari said. "Aren't you ashamed?"

"Ashamed? Me?" Shadow Kari asked. "Why should I be? This is me. This is who I really am. This is what I really wanted to do."

Shadow Kari was about to touch a sensitive area, but Sora stopped her and glared at her. Shadow Kari sighed.

"Well then, I guess we'll have to do this the long way. Pitiful," Shadow Kari said, disappointingly.

Shadow Kari recomposed herself and stood in front of the large Tai statue.

"My dear guests, welcome to this exclusive edition of BC Studio's Museum of Brotherly Love," Shadow Kari said in a serious tone. "Here is where I guard the greatest of treasures: the memories of me and my dearest brother. Here, you will be able to relive all the cherished moments we have of each other, from our childhood to our future. I will do everything I can to make sure that your experience here is genuine and not a single work is tarnished by any outside interference. And so, my dear guests, allow me to take you on a journey where you can live out your brotherly dreams in tandem."

A sophisticated message, reading "Unlocking your inner brother complex! BC Stuido's My Only Tai" displayed in front of us.

"Gatomon," Kari said to Shadow Kari. "I know you're in there. You're stronger than this. Fight it out and break free!"

"Did it suddenly get steamy in here, or is it just me." Shadow Kari said, deliriously. "Maybe this steam will help cool you down as you discover why I love my brother so much. I'll see you at the end of the tour, if you can make it."

Shadow Kari ran down a corridor. We tried to follow her, but we were blocked by various Shadows. Butterflies, cupids, and dancers crowded the room, guarding the corridor where Shadow Kari ran towards.

"She's getting away," Agumon said.

"Let's catch up to her quickly," Sora replied.

"It's time to Digivolve," I said.

"Agumon, Strength Arcana Digivolve to… Greymon," Agumon shouted.

"Biyomon, Empress Arcana Digivolve to… Birdramon," Biyomon shouted.

"Tentomon, Hermit Arcana Digivolve to… Kabuterimon," Tentomon shouted.

"Nova Flame," Greymon shouted.

"Meteor Wing," Birdramon shouted.

"Electroshocker," Kabuterimon shouted.

The three Digimon fired their attacks on the Shadows, harming many of them in the process.

"Bearsona," Tedide shouted.

Teddie clawed his card apart, summoning Kintoki-Douji.

"Freeze these nasty bears," Teddie said.

Kintoki-Douji encapsulated the remaining Shadows in ice, shattering them in the process.

"Nice work, everyone," Sora said.

"Now, let's go over to where Shadow Kari is," I said.

We headed down the corridor where Shadow Kari went. From there, we went up the stairs to a room filled with toddler images of Kari and me. A projector displayed moments when Kari and I played with Koromon, who eventually turned into a larger Agumon before becoming a giant Greymon.

"I don't know when it started, but perhaps it was then that recognized how dashing my brother was," Shadow Kari's voice echoed in the room. "He was always by my side, so I only saw him as an older brother. But, when I saw him try desperately to blow that whistle to wake Greymon up, I knew there was something special about him. That was what made me want to be with him all the time, so I could flaunt my brother's greatness."

"I never knew you thought about me like that,' I said to Kari.

"Don't push it, Tai," Kari said.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Kari," Izzy said.

"It's only natural to feel that way when you are little," Sora said.

More Shadows started to appear in the room. This time, there was a large black and red snake Shadow carrying a black and white Mars and Venus symbol among the smaller Shadows.

"Looks like the time for reminiscing will have to wait," Kabuterimon said.

"Alright, I'm going to tear that thing apart," Greymon said.

After taking care of the Shadows around us and dealing with the large snake Shadow, we headed down another corridor and walked up another flight of steps. This time, we went into a room that presented our first time in the Digital World when Kari was selected as the eighth DigiDestined. Another projector displayed various key moments during Kari's time with us.

"I was pretty bummed out when Tai and the others were having these amazing adventures without me," Shadow Kari's voice continued. "When I was chosen as the eighth DigiDestined, I was so happy, because I get to stay by my brother's side, as I should be. Whenever I'm with him, I know I will always be the center of his attention. I need to make sure that Tai can't do anything without me. I want him to constantly worry about me, so I can manipulate him for my sake."

Kari began to shake angrily. Sora put her hands on her shoulder.

"Remember what you came here for," Sora told her. "Don't stray from the mission."

"I'll try," Kari said.

"Wow, I've never seen any of those places before," Teddie said, looking through the screens. "Your world is beary vast."

"Some of it is ours, and some of it isn't," Izzy said. "It's hard to explain."

Before Izzy could say anything further, the projection stopped, and more shadows appeared in the room. This time, a large white lion chained to a white metal ball emerged among the smaller Shadows.

"This again," Kabuterimon said.

"I guess we have no choice," I replied.

"I'm ready to take everyone down," Greymon shouted.

After defeating the Shadows on this floor, we headed up to the next location. The new room was gaudier and more glamorous that the previous floors. Because the plethora of large statues of me in heroic poses took up so much space, it was difficult to maneuver around the room. As we tried to find our way to the next floor, a projector turned on that lit the entire ceiling. The video presented the moment when I disappeared and returned for our recent battle against Ordinemon.

"When I thought my brother departed from this world, I believed that there was no need for this world to exist anymore," Shadow Kari's voice echoed. "A world without Tai is devoid of meaning; it is worse than death itself. So, when he miraculously returned, I realized just how important he means to me. Therefore, I will never let him out of my sights ever again. I will forever have him stay with me for the rest of our lives . I need my brother. I want Tai. No one can have him. He is mine to be cherished forever."

"Stop it," Kari said, covering her ears.

"Stay strong, Kari," I said.

"Your Shadow is trying to provoke you into saying things you shouldn't," Izzy said.

"You want to save Gatomon, remember," Sora said.

"You're right; I'm sorry," Kari said.

"You have no need to apologize," Izzy said.

"Don't worry; I'll protect you from all the nasty baddies," Teddie said.

"Thanks, Teddie," Kari said.

Once the video was over, more Shadows appeared in the room. This time, a large black metallic giant wearing wrestling attire appeared amongst the Shadows that guarded the nearby corridor.

"Be careful; that Shadow is much stronger than the others we have fought so far," Izzy said.

"Perhaps we should strengthen up, just to be safe," Birdramon said.

"Bring it on," Greymon said. "I'm ready to pummel it into pieces."

Greymon, Birdramon, and Kabuterimon Digivolved to MetalGreymon, Garudamon, and MegaKabuterimon respectively. With their combined power, they were able to take out most of the Shadows and the giant Shadow while Teddie took care of the remaining Shadows. Once the area was cleared, we headed to the corridor and up to the next floor. In contrast to the previous floors, this area was open with plenty of free space. The statues, paintings, and glass cases were lined up against the walls in a neat and orderly fashion. In the center of the room was a life-size bronze statue of me. Shadow Kari was passionately and shamelessly kissing it while seductively and rabidly caressing it.

"Pardon me, I'm almost done," Shadow Kari said, continuing to suck on the statue's lips. "If you can give me an extra two minutes…"

"You're not going to do anything extra," Kari said. "Gatomon, please, you have to wake up. Whatever is controlling you is making you do and say things that you shouldn't. You have to…"

"I hate boys."

"Huh?"

"They look at my with lustful eyes and treat me like I'm some kind of trophy. Davis, Willis, TK – they don't accept me for who I am; they're only after my appearance. Even if I wasn't their main focus, they'll just drool over the next cute girl they see, like ravenous wolves. Boys are horrendous."

"That's a little…"

"But Tai, he's different. Tai sees my strengths and weaknesses and accepts me for who I am. Tai treats me like a woman, which is why I respect him as a man. He knows me inside and out. Although, I wished he learned a little bit more about what was inside me."

"I would never…"

"But, Tai is too popular, too kindhearted for his own good. That's why there are so many girls who are interested in him, girls that I don't even know about. Tai can't be tainted by those disgusting harpies. That's why he has to be sealed, immortalized by those who can truly see his beauty. That's why I'm the only one who can truly give him the pleasure that he deserves!"

"No more. Please stop it."

"Only Tai can open the door to my heart. Only Tai can break through the gates I have sealed shut. Only Tai has can unlock my passionate desires. I don't need anyone else. He's the only one for me. I need Tai. I want Tai. I love him! I love him so much! He must be mine!"

"Stop it! It's lies! It's all lies!"

"Kari, calm down," Sora said.

"Don't listen to her," I said.

"No, Tai, don't touch me," Kari said. "It's not real. None of this is real!"

"So, you're going to pretend I don't exist," Shadow Kari said. "That's impossible, because you know deep down that these feelings are true. After all, I am you."

"You're a liar," Kari shouted. "You're not me at all!"

"Kari, no," Izzy said.

But it was too late. A distortion portal appeared behind Shadow Kari, revealing a regal woman clad in white, wearing a golden mask and lying down on a wide lavender chaise. The woman started merging itself with Shadow Kari.

"Yes, I can feel it," Shadow Kari said. "All this power is flowing through me. Finally, Tai will notice me, and we can be together forever! Hehehehehe! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Shadow Kari transformed into a tall woman wearing mixed black and white clothes, a golden crown, and a large white fur coat. A large black claw was attached on her left hand. The lavender chaise grew bat wings on its top and sides. An animated bronze and marble statue of me stood on either side of her.

"I am DarkLadyDevimon, the darkness within your true inner self," Shadow Kari said.

"Oh no, Kari rejected her other self," Teddie said. "Now, her Shadow is beary tough."

"We have to protect Kari no matter what," I said. "Let's go."

We headed over to the fallen Kari as DarkLadyDevimon looked at her with disgust.

*To be continued*