Chapter 2
By Lady Ava
As the others continued to care for Tai, Tai mind was off in a different place altogether. One minute he would be fighting Myotismon and then the next minute be with his family and friends. But other times, Tai's mind would just be a swirl of color and noise.
Tai just floated in the dark void that was becoming his mind. "Where am I now? I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore. Then again, I have never been to Kansas before, so I could I...oh never mind." Tai rattled on and on.
As he continued to float there, Tai heard voices talking above him, "Izzy, you can go now. I'll take it from here."
"Are you sure, Sora?"
"Yea. You and Izzy go rest now, Matt. Mimi's in the kitchen if you want something to eat."
"Thanks. You know, we still didn't find a cure yet."
"I know, Izzy. But even without it, I think Tai will be just fine."
Tai wanted reach up to the voices of his friends, but it just seemed like too much work. Now, even breathing seemed like too much work, but he had to keep pushing air in and out of his weakening lunges.
'Sora! Matt! Izzy! They sound so close to me. I just want to shout that I'm in here and that I'm okay. But...it's too much work...everything...is...too...much...energy...wasted.' And with that, Tai fell deeper into the black cold void his mind was in.
Matt looked back at Tai. He had a strange feeling that something was going to happen. Something that he or any of the teenagers wouldn't be able to deal with very easily. 'Why? Why do I have this feeling of an evil foreshadowing is approaching. It feels as if his cabin is being watched as if...we're being hunted.' He thought as he watched Izzy place a damp cloth onto Tai's brow.
"Hey Matt. Are you all right? You look as if you seen a ghostamon." Joe stated, bringing Matt's thoughts back in order.
He looked you at his friend and smiled, "Yea, I'm fine. I just got a strange feeling, that's all." Matt shuttered at his thoughts.
"A strange feeling about what?" T.K. asked, pulling on his brother's pant leg.
Matt smiled as he picked up his little brother. "Nothing, T.K. I was just thinking about random things that you'll understand when you get older."
T.K. raised an eyebrow at his brother then shrugged. "Oh, well. But Matt, I have a question. Why does Sora always say that she'll go when it's time to switch posts for watching Tai?"
Placing T.K. back onto the floor, Matt looked down at him, "Sora is just really worried about him that's all." Matt looked up at ceiling. Closing his eyes, Matt remembered the time when Sora had gotten kidnapped while they were in the pyramid. He remembered how depressed Tai got when they got back to camp. 'Why couldn't I save her? Why?!' Tai shouted.
Matt bent down and grasped his friend's shoulder. 'We'll get her back, Tai.' He promised.
But then he remembered something he heard Tai whispered to himself, 'I let down the one person that I care for in a way that I have never felt before. I...love...her so...much.' The words echoed through Matt's memory as if it had just happened.
"Matt? Hey, snap out of it." He heard Izzy shout. Matt shook his head and looked over at Izzy. "Hey, I think Tai's coming around."
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the kitchen, followed by Mimi shouting. "What the-?" Joe asked, spinning around towards the door.
As they watched the door in silence, it flung opened. Sora and Mimi stumbled backwards through the doorframe. "Ah! Get away from us!" Mimi screeched out as both she and Sora hit the floor.
"Girls! What wrong?" Izzy asked, standing from his chair.
Suddenly, the entire room went black. "Oh no! The power's gone out!" Joe complained. "And my soap opera was just about to come on, too."
Suddenly, the candles that were lit all around the room relit themselves. The strange glow from the candles make the Digidestined get chills up and down their spines. "What's happening?" Matt yelled, as he bent down and picked up T.K. again.
The young boy wrapped his arms around Matt's neck tightly; afraid of whatever might happen next. "Matt, I'm scared." He cried into his brother's shirt.
"And he has every reason to be." A deep, rich voice said from the doorway.
As the teens looked up, they saw the familiar woman standing there. Her black hair and evil smile were as sickening as ever. "Aboshi!" Matt grumbled under his breath.
"That's right. I have come for the leader of the Digidestined and for his crest. Give them to me, now!" She demanded, stepping completely into the room. Her long black dress dragged behide her as she walked and her hair hung down and dragged along the floor with the dress. She stepped over Mimi and Sora and headed directly for Tai's bed. "Give the boy to me, now." She demanded.
Sora got to her feet and then helped Mimi to hers. "Yeah right. Like I'm gonna let you take Tai from us." She stated harshly, running so that she was next to Matt.
"Sora, here. Take T.K. and hold onto him." Matt said, passing his brother over to Sora. Although against T.K.'s will, he remained with Sora. "Why do you want him so badly? We all have crests, so why is Tai's so important to you?" The blond haired rebel asked, hate burning on every one of his words.
Aboshi crossed her arms over her chest and laughed, "If only you knew. The power that boy processes. It is enough to boggle the mind." She giggled.
"What power? What are you talking about?" Izzy asked, slipping Tai's crest into his back pocket.
Aboshi advanced a bit further towards Tai then stopped. "I thought your dear friend, Genni would have told you by now. But since you are so blunt to what his real power is. I'll tell you." Aboshi moved in closer to Matt and the others. They had formed a protective wall around their friend, so that it would be difficult to reach him.
Aboshi laughed even harder. "When your crests were created, the makers decided to make each one of them have their special characteristics. They match the personalities of the barer of the crest. But when the boy you call Tai received his crest, an alarm was triggered inside of the crest." She looked at the teens shocked expressions and then continued, "This alarm made his crest's power increase a ten fold compared to your own."
"Why?" Joe asked, his teeth chattering in fear.
"Simply. That's boy's soul is so incredibly powerful that it caused the crest to reach a new level completely out of your class. While you would be in-training Digimon, your friend there would be at UltimateMega." Aboshi said with a smile.
The others drew back in shock. 'How can Tai be that powerful?' Sora thought.
"I'll make a deal with you." Aboshi stated, very business-like. "If you give me your friend, I'll give him the medicine as long as he has his crest with him."
Matt stepped forward, "No deal, Aboshi. But how about one of my own?" He started slyly. "Give us the medicine and leave him out of this."
Sora stepped forward, "Tai is sick. He can't travel in his condition." She said softly, still holding T.K. in her arms.
Aboshi threw her head back and laughed. "Well then, I guess then I will have to move on to plan B." The woman rose into the air with one mighty wind gust. She looked down at the Digidestined. "You digidoomed, I have another deal to make with you." The woman floated over the six standing children so that she was directly over Tai. She pointed her finger down at the boy and a gust of wind rushed from her hand. "You fools. Here is my deal," she started. As the others watched, they saw the wind suddenly change direction, causing Tai's limp body to rise into the air and right to Aboshi. "I'm taking the boy. If you can find him in the next five hours, than he's yours and you get the medicine. But if you don't find him, then, well, I'll just have to kill him."
Aboshi grabbed Tai by the neck and began to squeeze him tightly. As she did, they heard Tai gasp for air as she sucked the life out of him. "Do we have a deal?" She asked, extending her free hand to Matt.
"Don't do it, Matt." Sora whispered into his ear.
Matt looked up at Aboshi and then at Tai. His friend's face was slowly turning a new shade of blue and his gasps were becoming shorter. Matt extended his hand and placed it into the woman pale hand. "Deal."
The room became filled with Aboshi's high-pitched laugher and a blinding white light. The Digidestined were thrown to the floor and forced to shield their eyes, in fear of being blinding. But as the laughter faded, so did the light. When they uncovered their eyes, both Aboshi and Tai were gone.
Sora placed T.K. onto the floor and stood from the ground. Her heart felt as if it had just been ripped into two pieces, one in which was still with her, and one disappeared with Tai. As she stared at the place where she last saw him, her eyes welled with tears. "Tai..." She whispered, lowering her head.
Matt stood from the floor as well. He looked over at Sora and softly spoke, "Sora, I had no other choice." He said quietly.
Sora spun around so that her tear-stained face was visible to the other Digidestined. "Matt, you had plenty of other choices! You could have just kept him here with us. We could care for him and then he would get better and then everything would be back to normal..." She babbled.
Matt reached over and grabbed Sora's shoulders, causing her to gasp. "Look! I had no choice, Sora. If he stayed here, than he would most likely die. But if Aboshi does have an antidote, than I had to take the risk."
Sora stared at Matt, her eyes turning red from crying. "But, what happens if she was bluffing?"
Izzy stood from the ground and dusted himself off, "Then we save Tai and steal the medicine. Simple. Easy. Basic." He stated clearly.
Looking over towards Tai's, now empty bed, Sora noticed Tai's goggles and gloves were still there. Moving away from Matt, she moved over to the end table and picked up the items. As she looked at them, she smiled. "Tai, I will get you back. We will be together again..." Sora whispered. She pulled the gloves and goggles against her chest and smiled even wider.
"Well, let's get a move on guys! We only have five hours to find Tai." Matt said, bringing Sora back to the world around her.
Meanwhile, Aboshi bowed in front of a large, stone throne. "Master, I brought you the leader of the Digidestined, just like you wished." She said, her voice low.
A tall figure shrouded in darkness stood from the throne. As he stood, bats flew out from behide him. "You fool!" He shouted, causing Aboshi to cower. The figure's eyes turned bright red with his anger. "You brought me the leader, but what good is he without his crest?"
"Master, He must have his crest with him. He has too." Aboshi said, pleadingly.
The dark master's eyes grew even redder with frustration. "You dare to question me, Aboshi?" He shouted.
"No master! Of course not!" She said, falling to the ground.
"Good. Now, do this for me." He stated, sitting once again.
Aboshi sat up, smiling. "Anything, Master."
The dark master snapped his fingers and Tai appeared against the wall next to him. He was chained to the wall by his wrists and his face was bloody. "Whip him into shape. Literately." He commanded, throwing Aboshi a strong horsetail.
Aboshi paused as she caught the whip. She didn't know what to do with it. Suddenly, it hit her. "Master, the boy would be a lot more useful if we keep him alive. If you were to kill him, the crest and the power he processes would be completely useless."
The shadow figure sighed, "You are correct in saying so. He is a lot more useful to us alive than dead. Fine." With a clap of his hands, the whip vanished from Aboshi's hands. The girl bowed to the figure again; knowing there would be more orders. "I have another idea. This one will really get those Digidoomed." The figure began. With a flick of his wrist, a small needle appeared floating above his palm. "This is the same substance that you injected into the boy before. Give him another shot of this and we'll see how long he can survive. Besides, if he dies, then we can always use the weaker crests."
The sharp instrument floated away from the man and to Aboshi. As she grabbed it, the dark master continued. "It is really a pity. He is so young and with such unbelievable power, it's a shame we must destroy him. But we must. Inject him."
"As you command, Master." Aboshi stated, an evil smile growing wide on her face.
By Lady Ava
As the others continued to care for Tai, Tai mind was off in a different place altogether. One minute he would be fighting Myotismon and then the next minute be with his family and friends. But other times, Tai's mind would just be a swirl of color and noise.
Tai just floated in the dark void that was becoming his mind. "Where am I now? I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore. Then again, I have never been to Kansas before, so I could I...oh never mind." Tai rattled on and on.
As he continued to float there, Tai heard voices talking above him, "Izzy, you can go now. I'll take it from here."
"Are you sure, Sora?"
"Yea. You and Izzy go rest now, Matt. Mimi's in the kitchen if you want something to eat."
"Thanks. You know, we still didn't find a cure yet."
"I know, Izzy. But even without it, I think Tai will be just fine."
Tai wanted reach up to the voices of his friends, but it just seemed like too much work. Now, even breathing seemed like too much work, but he had to keep pushing air in and out of his weakening lunges.
'Sora! Matt! Izzy! They sound so close to me. I just want to shout that I'm in here and that I'm okay. But...it's too much work...everything...is...too...much...energy...wasted.' And with that, Tai fell deeper into the black cold void his mind was in.
Matt looked back at Tai. He had a strange feeling that something was going to happen. Something that he or any of the teenagers wouldn't be able to deal with very easily. 'Why? Why do I have this feeling of an evil foreshadowing is approaching. It feels as if his cabin is being watched as if...we're being hunted.' He thought as he watched Izzy place a damp cloth onto Tai's brow.
"Hey Matt. Are you all right? You look as if you seen a ghostamon." Joe stated, bringing Matt's thoughts back in order.
He looked you at his friend and smiled, "Yea, I'm fine. I just got a strange feeling, that's all." Matt shuttered at his thoughts.
"A strange feeling about what?" T.K. asked, pulling on his brother's pant leg.
Matt smiled as he picked up his little brother. "Nothing, T.K. I was just thinking about random things that you'll understand when you get older."
T.K. raised an eyebrow at his brother then shrugged. "Oh, well. But Matt, I have a question. Why does Sora always say that she'll go when it's time to switch posts for watching Tai?"
Placing T.K. back onto the floor, Matt looked down at him, "Sora is just really worried about him that's all." Matt looked up at ceiling. Closing his eyes, Matt remembered the time when Sora had gotten kidnapped while they were in the pyramid. He remembered how depressed Tai got when they got back to camp. 'Why couldn't I save her? Why?!' Tai shouted.
Matt bent down and grasped his friend's shoulder. 'We'll get her back, Tai.' He promised.
But then he remembered something he heard Tai whispered to himself, 'I let down the one person that I care for in a way that I have never felt before. I...love...her so...much.' The words echoed through Matt's memory as if it had just happened.
"Matt? Hey, snap out of it." He heard Izzy shout. Matt shook his head and looked over at Izzy. "Hey, I think Tai's coming around."
Suddenly, a loud crash came from the kitchen, followed by Mimi shouting. "What the-?" Joe asked, spinning around towards the door.
As they watched the door in silence, it flung opened. Sora and Mimi stumbled backwards through the doorframe. "Ah! Get away from us!" Mimi screeched out as both she and Sora hit the floor.
"Girls! What wrong?" Izzy asked, standing from his chair.
Suddenly, the entire room went black. "Oh no! The power's gone out!" Joe complained. "And my soap opera was just about to come on, too."
Suddenly, the candles that were lit all around the room relit themselves. The strange glow from the candles make the Digidestined get chills up and down their spines. "What's happening?" Matt yelled, as he bent down and picked up T.K. again.
The young boy wrapped his arms around Matt's neck tightly; afraid of whatever might happen next. "Matt, I'm scared." He cried into his brother's shirt.
"And he has every reason to be." A deep, rich voice said from the doorway.
As the teens looked up, they saw the familiar woman standing there. Her black hair and evil smile were as sickening as ever. "Aboshi!" Matt grumbled under his breath.
"That's right. I have come for the leader of the Digidestined and for his crest. Give them to me, now!" She demanded, stepping completely into the room. Her long black dress dragged behide her as she walked and her hair hung down and dragged along the floor with the dress. She stepped over Mimi and Sora and headed directly for Tai's bed. "Give the boy to me, now." She demanded.
Sora got to her feet and then helped Mimi to hers. "Yeah right. Like I'm gonna let you take Tai from us." She stated harshly, running so that she was next to Matt.
"Sora, here. Take T.K. and hold onto him." Matt said, passing his brother over to Sora. Although against T.K.'s will, he remained with Sora. "Why do you want him so badly? We all have crests, so why is Tai's so important to you?" The blond haired rebel asked, hate burning on every one of his words.
Aboshi crossed her arms over her chest and laughed, "If only you knew. The power that boy processes. It is enough to boggle the mind." She giggled.
"What power? What are you talking about?" Izzy asked, slipping Tai's crest into his back pocket.
Aboshi advanced a bit further towards Tai then stopped. "I thought your dear friend, Genni would have told you by now. But since you are so blunt to what his real power is. I'll tell you." Aboshi moved in closer to Matt and the others. They had formed a protective wall around their friend, so that it would be difficult to reach him.
Aboshi laughed even harder. "When your crests were created, the makers decided to make each one of them have their special characteristics. They match the personalities of the barer of the crest. But when the boy you call Tai received his crest, an alarm was triggered inside of the crest." She looked at the teens shocked expressions and then continued, "This alarm made his crest's power increase a ten fold compared to your own."
"Why?" Joe asked, his teeth chattering in fear.
"Simply. That's boy's soul is so incredibly powerful that it caused the crest to reach a new level completely out of your class. While you would be in-training Digimon, your friend there would be at UltimateMega." Aboshi said with a smile.
The others drew back in shock. 'How can Tai be that powerful?' Sora thought.
"I'll make a deal with you." Aboshi stated, very business-like. "If you give me your friend, I'll give him the medicine as long as he has his crest with him."
Matt stepped forward, "No deal, Aboshi. But how about one of my own?" He started slyly. "Give us the medicine and leave him out of this."
Sora stepped forward, "Tai is sick. He can't travel in his condition." She said softly, still holding T.K. in her arms.
Aboshi threw her head back and laughed. "Well then, I guess then I will have to move on to plan B." The woman rose into the air with one mighty wind gust. She looked down at the Digidestined. "You digidoomed, I have another deal to make with you." The woman floated over the six standing children so that she was directly over Tai. She pointed her finger down at the boy and a gust of wind rushed from her hand. "You fools. Here is my deal," she started. As the others watched, they saw the wind suddenly change direction, causing Tai's limp body to rise into the air and right to Aboshi. "I'm taking the boy. If you can find him in the next five hours, than he's yours and you get the medicine. But if you don't find him, then, well, I'll just have to kill him."
Aboshi grabbed Tai by the neck and began to squeeze him tightly. As she did, they heard Tai gasp for air as she sucked the life out of him. "Do we have a deal?" She asked, extending her free hand to Matt.
"Don't do it, Matt." Sora whispered into his ear.
Matt looked up at Aboshi and then at Tai. His friend's face was slowly turning a new shade of blue and his gasps were becoming shorter. Matt extended his hand and placed it into the woman pale hand. "Deal."
The room became filled with Aboshi's high-pitched laugher and a blinding white light. The Digidestined were thrown to the floor and forced to shield their eyes, in fear of being blinding. But as the laughter faded, so did the light. When they uncovered their eyes, both Aboshi and Tai were gone.
Sora placed T.K. onto the floor and stood from the ground. Her heart felt as if it had just been ripped into two pieces, one in which was still with her, and one disappeared with Tai. As she stared at the place where she last saw him, her eyes welled with tears. "Tai..." She whispered, lowering her head.
Matt stood from the floor as well. He looked over at Sora and softly spoke, "Sora, I had no other choice." He said quietly.
Sora spun around so that her tear-stained face was visible to the other Digidestined. "Matt, you had plenty of other choices! You could have just kept him here with us. We could care for him and then he would get better and then everything would be back to normal..." She babbled.
Matt reached over and grabbed Sora's shoulders, causing her to gasp. "Look! I had no choice, Sora. If he stayed here, than he would most likely die. But if Aboshi does have an antidote, than I had to take the risk."
Sora stared at Matt, her eyes turning red from crying. "But, what happens if she was bluffing?"
Izzy stood from the ground and dusted himself off, "Then we save Tai and steal the medicine. Simple. Easy. Basic." He stated clearly.
Looking over towards Tai's, now empty bed, Sora noticed Tai's goggles and gloves were still there. Moving away from Matt, she moved over to the end table and picked up the items. As she looked at them, she smiled. "Tai, I will get you back. We will be together again..." Sora whispered. She pulled the gloves and goggles against her chest and smiled even wider.
"Well, let's get a move on guys! We only have five hours to find Tai." Matt said, bringing Sora back to the world around her.
Meanwhile, Aboshi bowed in front of a large, stone throne. "Master, I brought you the leader of the Digidestined, just like you wished." She said, her voice low.
A tall figure shrouded in darkness stood from the throne. As he stood, bats flew out from behide him. "You fool!" He shouted, causing Aboshi to cower. The figure's eyes turned bright red with his anger. "You brought me the leader, but what good is he without his crest?"
"Master, He must have his crest with him. He has too." Aboshi said, pleadingly.
The dark master's eyes grew even redder with frustration. "You dare to question me, Aboshi?" He shouted.
"No master! Of course not!" She said, falling to the ground.
"Good. Now, do this for me." He stated, sitting once again.
Aboshi sat up, smiling. "Anything, Master."
The dark master snapped his fingers and Tai appeared against the wall next to him. He was chained to the wall by his wrists and his face was bloody. "Whip him into shape. Literately." He commanded, throwing Aboshi a strong horsetail.
Aboshi paused as she caught the whip. She didn't know what to do with it. Suddenly, it hit her. "Master, the boy would be a lot more useful if we keep him alive. If you were to kill him, the crest and the power he processes would be completely useless."
The shadow figure sighed, "You are correct in saying so. He is a lot more useful to us alive than dead. Fine." With a clap of his hands, the whip vanished from Aboshi's hands. The girl bowed to the figure again; knowing there would be more orders. "I have another idea. This one will really get those Digidoomed." The figure began. With a flick of his wrist, a small needle appeared floating above his palm. "This is the same substance that you injected into the boy before. Give him another shot of this and we'll see how long he can survive. Besides, if he dies, then we can always use the weaker crests."
The sharp instrument floated away from the man and to Aboshi. As she grabbed it, the dark master continued. "It is really a pity. He is so young and with such unbelievable power, it's a shame we must destroy him. But we must. Inject him."
"As you command, Master." Aboshi stated, an evil smile growing wide on her face.