Trying to Even the Odds

by S. C. Hardy

When Davis tries to make TK less desireable to Kari, something goes horribly wrong. Hopefully this will get posted...the last three chapters weren't....

4. All My Hope

Chapter 4

(A/N It's about four in the morning)

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

Kari's eyes fluttered open and she held back a yawn. It was late in the night, or early in the morning, who would be sending her a letter? She sat up slowly, not wanting to wake the others. Kari pulled the bag she had used for a pillow out from under her and opened it quickly. She saw the green glow of her D-3 and she pulled it out of the bag. She clicked her Internet server and it logged her on under her name, The8thChld.

Welcome! You've Got Mail!

She clicked her mailbox and up popped the box that contained new, old, and sent mail. In the new mail section a lone letter from Y_T_K resided. Kari's heart pounded as she quickly opened the letter. Gatomon had heard the computer's voice and had crawled into Kari's lap, purred softly and looked at the screen.

The letter opened and a dark green weird font (that TK had programmed for his D-3, he wouldn't show anyone else but Kari how to do it A/N If the font doesn't come up, it's supposed to be Papyrus) provided Kari with a nice note,

To. The8thChld

From: Y_T_K

Hi Kari. Sorry if this letter is short, I don't think I'm up to writing an essay. Matt offered to write it, but I wouldn't let him. I couldn't tell him all the things I want to say, it's kinda embarrassing. J I hope you're safe, and that Davis is treating you all right. I send you all my hope because you have given me so much light that my world will never be dark. I'm sorry for having to put you in such a position, but I don't know what's wrong. I don't remember any of those berries. I love you and I hope you're okay.

Love,

TK

Gatomon whistled as Kari blushed a deep red.

"Are you going to answer?" Gatomon whispered, stretching out her arms. Kari nodded and set up a new letter. She typed in quickly and showed Gatomon the finished product.

(A/N This font is supposed to be Kirsten)

To: Y_T_K

From: The8thChld

What are you doing up? You should be getting all the rest you can so your T-Cells can help fight the illness! Sorry, I know you don't like Biology that much. TK, I'm fine, Davis is fine, and everyone is fine. At the moment we are at the foot of the mountain and we'll probably find the flower at the end of the day. Go to sleep! I'll leave you with something to set your mind at ease,

I LOVE YOU! With all my heart and soul, and if your soul ever does become dark, I will be right there to provide the light, even though you already have a lot of it.

Love,

Kari

Kari sent the letter and realized that TK was online.

"Duh," She realized. "If he just sent me the letter he would be online!" She set up an instant message and wrote.

The8thChld: Hey you sick boy

Kari waited for a response, knowing that he would be a slower then usual. Gatomon sighed and closed her eyes, almost asleep on Kari's lap.

The8thChld: You should go to bed, I mean, it's late and you're online, you're sick!

Y_T_K: Kari? It's Sora

The8thChld: Oh, what's up? Why are you under TK's name?

There was a long pause and Kari's gut got a terrible feeling

Y_T_K: Kari…TK just went unconscious…we don't know what happened, Joe is working with him as we speak. He just fainted in Matt's arms and wasn't breathing…I heard his D-3 beeping so I came over and answered your IM. Kari, I don't know what's happening. Tai and I are standing by, we just e-mailed Gennai and he's on his way here. Kari, you have to hurry.

Kari dropped her D-3 on Gatomon's head. ("Ouch! Kari! What the—Kari?") Her breaths became short and her hands started to shake uncontrollably. She did the only thing she could think of. She screamed. She screamed as if she was being stabbed with a thousand knives all over her body, because that's exactly what she felt like.

Davis and Veemon both woke up at the sound of Kari's scream as it pierced their ears. Davis shot up and got to his feet, ready to fight, but when he looked around, all he was barely able to see was Kari, kneeling over and crying into her hands. Davis slid to his knees and put an arm around her shoulder.

"Kari! What happened?!" She didn't acknowledge him, but Gatomon pushed her D-3 in front of him. Davis read Sora's IM and a huge lump formed in his throat. He gave Kari a sideways hug with his one arm, and then took her D-3.

The8thChld: Sora, this is Davis. We're heading out right now to find the flower, the sun is just starting to come up near the east, tell me, can u see it?

Y_T_K: Yeah, it's coming up from the ocean. I would find it beautiful but in a situation like this I can't.

The8thChld: Okay, good, we're going, over and out.

Davis shut off her D-3 and shoved it in her book bag. Kari was still crying with Gatomon hugging her around the neck. Davis quickly pulled the blankets out from under them, and the other one, and stuffed it all into his bag. Veemon was also consoling Kari, but then he went to help Davis.

"Veemon, go look through Kari's bag, try to find the flashlight she brought." Veemon nodded. He reached for Kari's bag, slowly at first, but then he opened it and dug through. He pulled out a long black flashlight and shone it in Davis' face. Davis screamed at his friend and told him to shut it off. Veemon did, and went to Gatomon.

"Gatomon, you have to get her to come." Gatomon nodded, shaking Kari's shoulders.

"Kari…we have to get going, we have to find the plant." Kari was still crying when she sat up, looking at Gatomon.

"I sent my light too late, it's too late." She whispered, kneeling over again. Davis pulled her up to her feet and looked into her soft brown eyes that were now red and puffy.

"Don't you dare say that! How can you give up just like that?! We're going now, to find the plant, the faster, the better." Kari gulped, the tears still streaming down her eyes, and nodded. She picked up her book bag and wiped some tears away.

"I." She started, having to stop since her heart still hurt. "I think they should Digivolve." Gatomon and Veemon sent each other excited looks and turned to Davis. He shrugged and nodded.

"Uh, sure. You ready?" The two Digimon smiled and Veemon went first.

VEEMON DIGIVOLVE TO…EXVEEMON! The large blue winged Digimon flew high into the air and landed roughly next to Davis, shaking the ground. Kari picked up her D-3 and shot it in the air.

"Digiarmor energize!" She screamed, her voice cracking in the process.

GATOMON ARMOR DIGIVOLVE TO…NEFERTIMON! The Sphinx like Digimon opened its angelic wings and flapped them, causing the two humans to back up a few feet. She helped Kari on her back as ExVeemon did the same for Davis.

"Is he okay?" Sora whispered to Tai after she had shut off TK's D-3. Tai shrugged, putting a supportive arm around her shoulder.

"I have no idea. Joe won't let us near him." The boys had taken TK back to the bench on which he had been laying the day before, and who knows what Joe, Izzy, and Ken were doing to him now. All the others knew was that they weren't allowed over there and that the situation had turned from bad to worse.

Of course Matt was taking the worst blow of this situation. He stood alone, away from everyone, leaning on a large palm tree. His head was bowed down and his hands were in his pockets.

Yolei and Cody watched him, wondering what they could do to at least keep his mind off his brother.

"We could take him to the waterfall, it's so pretty there." Yolei suggested to her younger, but much wiser friend. Cody nodded,

"It's worth a shot." The new young kids walked over to Matt quietly, not wanting to make a big entrance. He didn't look up as they stood only a few feet in front of them.

"Hey Matt," Yolei started nervously. "You want to go by the waterfall? You know, keep your mind off things?" Matt shook his head, and slid against the tree to the ground, landing softly.

"No thanks." He whispered, now cradling his head in his hands. Yolei turned to Cody, but the boy just sighed. The two left Matt alone, joining Sora and Tai. The two younger ones talked to the older kids and Sora got an idea. She excused herself from the group, and started towards Matt, who was on the brink of tears.

She squatted near him, tapping him lightly on the shoulder. Matt looked up slowly, and when he realized it was Sora, he brushed away some of the tears that had just exploded out of his bright blue eyes.

"Matt…why don't you play us some music? I'm sure you have your harmonica with you…right?" Matt just stared at her for a second. Music? In this kind of situation? He thought. But he knew Sora was right, she was always right. He always had his harmonica in his pocket and he always played it to the group when they were down. Something about his songs just brought back some sort of hope into the group. Matt knew why of course although he didn't tell the others or TK; he had written most of these songs for TK when he was younger. When he would get upset, Matt would just play and play until he either forgot about what was going on, or fell asleep on his lap. Matt smiled at the memories and then quickly pulled Sora into a hug. She hugged him back tightly as he whispered in her ear,

"Thank you…" She nodded, breaking their connection. She left and joined Tai as Matt took out his harmonica and started to play TK's favorite song.

"What do the directions say?" Kari yelled to Davis. The four were now flying through the air, circling the rather steep mountain. Davis pulled the piece of paper out of his pockets and read,

"It says: The Mott Plant only grows in cold temperatures. The plant grows at the very top of the mountain, where only a few creatures thrive." He screamed over the wind. Kari and Davis looked up and saw that the top of the mountain was very high up, and the two became scared.

"Can the Digimon make it up there?" Kari yelled back, looking at Davis, then to Nefertimon. Nefertimon nodded,

"Don't worry Kari!" She said proudly. "We'll be able to make it, the question is, can you guys handle it? There's very little oxygen up there!" Kari thought for a moment, was she strong enough to take it? She was positive Davis wouldn't give up on her, but she questioned herself. Then she remembered what TK had said,

"I send you all my hope because you have given me so much light that my world will never be dark." He sent her everything he had…she has to at least try for him, even if it hurts her.

"Let's do it!" She screamed, turning towards Davis. "Feel like getting some altitude goggle boy?" Davis smiled wildly and nodded.

"Hells ya! Come on ExVeemon!" The blue Digimon smiled happily and zoomed almost entirely vertically up the side of the mountain. Kari and Nefertimon shared an annoyed look, and then took off after the boys.

"Ye haw!" Davis screamed as they rose higher and higher. The two broke through clouds, perspiration moistening their bodies. Davis looked back and saw the girls steadily catching up, a competitive look on each of their faces. Davis leaned over to ExVeemon's ear and whispered, "Let's kick it into overdrive, let's show those girls what we're made of!" ExVeemon's laugh was full of aggression as he flapped his wings harder and he ascended much faster.

Nefertimon took this sudden increase in speed as a challenge, and of course, she couldn't decline a challenge. She also started to pump her wings hard and soon she and ExVeemon were almost neck-to-neck.

"Fancy seeing you here!" She yelled at him, sending him a nasty smile. ExVeemon sent her an equally nasty smiled and suddenly turned horizontal, for they had reached the flat top of the mountain. Nefertimon flew further up a few feet, but came back down and landed near ExVeemon and Davis.

Kari and Davis' hair had been blown all over, although you really didn't notice the difference in Davis', and they were a little flustered, but the two were laughed excitedly.

"WOW! That was better then the Scream Machine!" Davis' yelled, talking about his favorite roller coaster. Kari nodded in agreement, combing some of her hair down and back into place. She found it a little difficult to breath, but did not mention it to the others; she didn't want to worry them.

"Let's find that Mott flower, then we can go straight to the beach." She said tiredly, taking in a few breaths. "We'll go by foot as you two fly over." The two Digimon nodded, taking to the air once again, hovering a few feet off the ground.

The top of the mountain was almost barren, green bushes and a lone tree being the only signs of life. The bushes were very thorny and it was hard to get through them without scratching your legs. Kari and Davis spilt up and Kari took off towards the left.

She was getting frustrated. The top of the mountain was maybe twice as big as the playground at school, but still after twenty minutes of searching, no one found the flower.

It was ExVeemon who found it.

"Over here!" He called, flying over an extension of the mountain. The others joined him and Kari's shoulders sulked. It seem sort of like a plank from a pirates ship, and at the end, was the Mott Plant.

It was prettier then Kari had imagined, it's red petals almost shining in the bright light. Thick black spots covered those petals and it didn't have a stem, it popped right out of the ground.

"Who's gonna get it?" Davis asked, taking a step towards the flower. Kari stuck her arm out to the side, hitting Davis in the chest and stopping him.

"I will. You're two clumsy." Davis blushed, but nodded. Kari climbed onto Nefertimon's back and the Digimon flew off the edge, and hovered just about a foot from the plant. Kari wasn't able to fully pull the plant out of the ground. "Nefertimon, you have to get me a little closer, I can't pull it out without using both hands, or I'll fall." Nefertimon ascended slightly, getting Kari a few more inches closer to the flower. Now, Kari was able to reach the flower and she tugged with all her might, careful to have her legs tightly around Nefertimon's body, just incase.

A breeze started to grow and as if on cue, once Kari pulled the flower out, the wind knocked it right out of her hands.

"NOOOOO!!!" They all screamed as they watched the flower fall to the ground so far beneath them. Kari grabbed on tightly to Nefertimon's hair and screamed,

"DIVE!" Nefertimon obeyed and the two were now in a nosedive, completely vertical to the mountain, chasing after the flower that floated towards its doom. Davis and ExVeemon peered over the edge and prayed to who ever they wished, that the girls would be okay.

Kari and Nefertimon's hair flew back as they zoomed towards the Mott plant.

"Oh please let us reach it…oh please…its TK's only hope!" Nefertimon's wings were almost planted flat against her body; they were the only things keeping them from just falling to their doom.

"KARI!" YOU HAVE TO REACH FOR IT OR IT'LL BE TOO LATE!" Kari's heart pounded as she realized what she had to do. She was grabbing on too Nefertimon's hair with both hands, scared of falling. Kari looked over her Digimon's shoulder as saw the ground getting closer and closer…

Kari looked towards the side and saw the flower floating along with them. Slowly, she let one hand go of Nefertimon's hair and reached out. She felt her body float away from Nefertimon's and now she was almost flying along with her, if it wasn't for her other hands grip on the Digimon's hair.

She closed her eyes and thought of TK. "I need to help him. I need to help him. He's my hope; I'm his light. Together we'll help this world and it will all be right again." She opened her eyes and stuck her arm out, grabbing the Mott plant.

"GOT IT!" She screamed. Nefertimon made a sharp turn and was now flying only feet above the trees. Kari clung to the Mott plant with all of her might, making sure not to drop it again.

"Well," Nefertimon said, "That was fun." Kari laughed a weak laugh and tightened her grip around the Digimon's neck.

"Um, how do we get Davis?" Kari whispered, obviously still shaken up.

"No need to worry fair maiden!" A voice from above yelled. The girls looked up and saw Davis and ExVeemon flying down towards them. "We decided we'd join you! Did you get the flower?" Kari raised the flower in victory and everyone cheered.

"Let's get back to camp then!" Nefertimon yelled and they started towards the east, flying at full speed.

Ooooh, okay, that was longer then the others, I really want people to review this, but FanFiction.net never posts my stories!!! I really hope this goes up, even though I will continue it even if it doesn't get posted.

Until then…

S.C. Hardy