==2:00 PM==
TK strolled slowly around the room, looking at the old pictures that hung on the walls. Even though they were only three years old, some of the events in the pictures felt like they had happened ages ago. Looking at his younger self in the photos, TK started to feel nostalgic for his youth. As the young man wondered where he left that old helmet of his, he was surprised by a gentle tap on the shoulder, which made him jump.
"Whoa, sorry TK," said his long-time friend. "I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's okay Kari," he said as he turned and leaned his back against the wall.
"What were you thinking about?" Kari asked as she glanced at the pictures behind him.
"Oh, nothing really. Just...remembering, I guess."
"Oh..."
"How 'bout you?"
Kari leaned on the wall with her shoulder, arms crossed over her chest. "Nothing. I'm just worried."
"About what?"
"The test. The others came back from their tests and didn't say a word about them; Yolei was actually cut. It makes me nervous. I hope I don't fail this."
TK smiled. "You won't. You're great at tests, remember? You have a 4.0 grade point average and you're on the honor roll." Kari didn't laugh.
"I know the others can do stuff by themselves. I just don't think I can do the same thing. I'm not strong like my brother, or Davis, or you."
"You'll do just fine," TK assured her. "Everybody's going to show Gennai that we're worthy of being digidestined."
Kari sighed sadly. "I hope so."
"Hope's my middle name," TK said with a smile. "Just don't give up hope, and you'll be alright. I promise."
Kari eventually smiled back. "...Thanks TK."
"Don't mention it."
I guess some things never change. TK and Kari both looked at the TV monitor warily.
"Then again, some things change when you least expect them," said TK dryly.
Still unsure of why I'm doing this, eh TK?
"You could say that," the boy answered evenly.
I know it's strange, but it's necessary. It's important that we know just how strong your feelings and special traits are. Just do everything like you would normally do, and do your best. I'm sure you guys will turn out fine.
"So when does the next test start?" asked Cody from the couch in the room's center, where Ken and Yolei were taking care of the food for the recently rehatched digimon.
TK and Kari's test starts now.
"We're taking our test together?" asked Kari curiously.
Yes. Light and Hope are one unified force, and thus must be as one. Just as Love and Sincerity were tested together, and Knowledge and Reliability were, so to must Light and Hope.
"Now you won't have to do this alone Kari. I'll be there with you," said TK. Kari smiled lightly.
Cody leaned over to Yolei and whispered, (Somehow I knew they would end up together for this testing stuff.)
(How did you know?)
(Something tells me this stuff isn't really "testing". We've yet to do anything challenging or that anything requires any real thought. All they've really done is show us what's inside us.)
(I don't know...you might be right, but why would they do that? What would the point be in doing that?)
Ken leaned over and joined their little pow wow. (I think Cody's right. It seems that these trips into our past have some ulterior motive. If Gennai is really a close affiliate of the digidestined, he would have no need for this, and anyone working with him probably wouldn't either. Someone else must be trying to learn something about us.)
(But why?) asked Yolei. (Who would be doing that, and why?)
(Even if it's true, then why would they take Davis away? It just doesn't make sense...)
Are you ready Kari? TK? Gennai's voice interrupted the three kids' conversation, and they turned to watch the two other children take hold of their D3's and hold them up to the TV monitor.
"Ready Gennai," TK answered.
"Me too," added Kari.
As the digiport opened and surrounded the two, Gennai made one final warning. Be careful you two. Your choices could very well change your lives forever. Listen to your heart, and make sure you can live with your choices.
[The digiport sequence commences...]
Darkness, everywhere. It was as if all the light in the universe had suddenly snuffed out, like a candle in a strong breeze. All that was left, was the sound of their thoughts that echoed through the void around them.
TK?
Kari, are you okay?
I can't see you...
Where are you?
I don't know. There's nothing around me.
Where are we? What happened to all the light?
TK...it's so cold here.
Don't worry Kari. We'll be all right, as long as we stay together.
Slowly, two lights formed in the darkness. One was a bright pink, and the other was neon green. Both dimmed and brightened periodically like two beating hearts, and were easily visible to both children.
Kari, is that you?
TK, what's happening? We're...glowing!
The green light moved closer to the pink light, until finally the two could see each other. It must be our crests- or what's left of them, anyway.
So what do we do now, TK? There's nothing here.
Slowly, the darkness around them parted, revealing a familiar setting- a gray, empty beach with a steady tide and a light breeze. The glows around the two children remained constant, despite the change in the environment; they were the only non-gray things in sight. Finally, all the blackness from before was gone.
"The beach..." said Kari softly. "Not here again...please, not again."
"Don't worry Kari," said TK just as softly. "I won't let anything happen to you."
"But...what if we get separated?" she asked fearfully.
TK slowly took hold of Kari's hand, making her look at him in surprise. "I'll make sure that doesn't happen." When he saw Kari's expression, TK started to blush shyly, and started to let go of her hand. "Sorry, I got a little carried away..."
Kari clenched his hand tightly, preventing him from letting go. "Whatever happens, don't let me go TK." The boy saw just how afraid of this place Kari really was. She was trembling with fear, and on the verge of crying. "I don't want to be left here alone..."
TK was stunned for a moment, but eventually he nodded to her. "I won't leave you alone Kari. I promise."
"Such touching words. Pity you won't be able to keep your promise."
"Whose that?" The two kids looked around confused.
"Welcome back, Kari," continued the strange voice. "I've been waiting for you."
Kari started to tremble again. "No...it's you. The one who was trying to take me."
"I am the master of the Scubamon, and lord of the Dark Ocean. Soon, you too will call me master."
"No she won't!" TK yelled. "You can't have her!"
"Heh heh heh. You don't have a say in the matter, my young friend. I am a digimon unlike any other, and you are just a human."
TK looked at his still glowing body, then back out to the ocean, where the voice seemed to be coming from. "Patamon and Gatomon may not be here, but we can still fight you! We've fought digimon like you before, and we've won with the power inside us!"
"Perhaps that was true when you had those "crests" of yours, but without them or your digimon, you are nothing to me."
TK pulled out his digivice. "I don't care how powerful you think you are, you aren't getting Kari! Run Kari!" TK ran away from the beach, dragging Kari until she got out of her shocked state. Before the two could escape, a gigantic tentacle approached them and tried to encircle Kari. Thinking quickly, TK pushed her out of the way and was quickly ensnared by the giant limb.
"TK!" Kari cried. TK struggled to escape, but was unable to fight the strength of the powerful digimon. The tentacle quickly dragged him into the water, leaving a shaken Kari at the upper side of the beach.
"No...T-K!!" she cried at the top of her lungs.
"Now you are all alone, my child. Surrender yourself now or you die with this insect!" There was a giant splash of water offshore, and a large tentacle holding TK appeared. After being dragged around underwater, he wasn't looking too spry, and he had lost his treasured hat. Kari was paralyzed with fear and indecision. She was alone.
"Now...choose. Freedom, or death?"
"Kari, don't give up!" TK cried.
Kari fell to her knees once again. "I...I can't..."
"Very well. If you're that adamant about it, I can simply kill you both." The massive tentacle tensed up, and the boy screamed in great pain as he was slowly crushed.
"Don't!" she cried. Instantly, the tentacle stopped crushing him, and he slumped into half-consciousness. "I...I'll choose."
"As you wish. Make your choice."
"Kari...don't," said TK weakly as he gasped for breath. "Don't give yourself up." The tentacle squeezed tightly again, making TK scream loudly and preventing him from speaking to Kari further. Kari bordered on crying as she saw the pain TK was being put through. She struggled to remain strong though, like her brother would. She had to think of a way to save him. Without Gatomon though...that seemed impossible.
"I am quickly losing my patience. You will decide now."
"If...if you let him go...I will be your slave like you want. I'll serve you willingly."
"Kari, no!" cried TK. This time, a charge like an electric eel shot through the giant tentacle, stunning TK into unconsciousness.
"How do I know you will keep your word?"
"I know that if I don't, you will kill my friend. That's something I will never let happen. I... I care about him too much."
"That you do." The entity seemed to think about Kari's proposal, and finally answered. "Very well. I will spare this child's life, in exchange for your eternal servitude."
"...Yes."
"Yes, what?"
Kari slowly crawled into a submissive position. "Yes...master."
"Good. It is done." The monster dropped TK's limp body on the sand before her, and returned its tentacle to the water. Kari rushed over to him and lay his head on her lap, while TK coughed and slowly regained his wits.
"TK...you're alright," she whispered. "I'm sorry."
"Kari, why did you do that?" he asked weakly but angrily. "You can't throw away your life for me."
"Why not? You would do it for me." TK's eyes started to well up with tears, while Kari struggled to remain strong. She would need to learn how to hold her pain inside if she was to serve this monster in the deep blue sea.
"Kari...I can't let you do this. Please, let him take me instead." He sat up and hugged her tightly. "Please..."
"Give it up, boy. She has made her promise, now she will live with it." A shadowy, red-eyed humanoid crawled from the water and waited several yards from the two children. "Come, child."
"Just give me a little time, please," Kari said. "I have to say goodbye...master." The Scubamon remained still, apparently unconcerned. Since the undersea master made no comments to the negative, Kari guessed she had time for a quick goodbye. Turning back to TK, she resumed the deep hug the two were sharing. "TK..."
"Kari, I'll find a way to free you," said TK with determination. "I'll never give up hope."
"I...I'm just glad I could finally show you just how much I care about you." Kari lifted her head from TK's shoulder and kissed his cheek lightly as she started to weep. "Oh TK...I'm going to miss you so much."
"Don't say that! This isn't the end! We'll see each other again, Kari!"
Kari stood up and slowly walked over to where the Scubamon was waiting. The digimon menacingly looked at TK, making sure he didn't try anything. Despite his willingness to do so, TK knew he couldn't do anything useful against a digimon like that. Looking at her friend for probably the last time, Kari tried to put on her bravest smile.
"Goodbye...TK." She turned around, and with the Scubamon as her guide, the girl was lead into the murky waters, leaving TK by himself on the dark beach.
"KA-RI !!!"
****
"Hey, what the hell was that?!!"
Ooh...temper, temper. Somebody has a potty mouth.
"I thought you said you meant us no harm?! What just happened?!"
It's all part of the test, my friend. You just witnessed Kari and TK's worst fear, brought to life.
"...What?"
Their worst fear. As I said before, these "tests" are nothing more than creations of each child's subconscious mind. You have seen all of their tests. You know their worst fears, and their innermost desires.
Davis focused his eyes shrewdly. "You're trying to tell me something, aren't you."
You still don't get it do you?
"Obviously not."
All this time, you've seen and heard the thoughts and feelings of the other digidestined. You've been shown what it is that makes them the way they are. If you were a decent leader, you would have already known about this, but it turns out even spoon-feeding it to you isn't enough.
Comprehension slowly dawned on Davis, though he was already angry by now. "You say you're showing me this because I'm a bad leader?!"
All leaders must know those under their leadership inside and out. Otherwise they can't keep their morale high, or bring out the best in them. You have been held responsible for the failures of the digidestined team, since you are supposed to be their leader. Gennai had hoped that showing you the truth about your friends would help you, but now I know that can't happen. You're as dense as I believed you to be.
Davis growled angrily and shouted into the darkness, "Shut up!!"
You know it's the truth, Davis. There's no use getting angry with me. It only shows that I was right.
"Let me out of here!" he yelled, jumping around hastily as he searched for a way out. "Let me out of here now!!"
What's wrong, Davis? No "creative" comeback? Ha ha ha ha...
"Let me out of here!! LET ME-"
*Flash* THOOM *Flash*
Then, the spotlight went out.