CHAPTER 12: The Split-Up

"What?! They've disappeared?! I can't leave any of you in charge, can I? Not even for a minute!" Jakimon rose from his enormous throne and walked over to the nearest window. Looking out didn't do him any good, however, for the fog was too thick. But that was what he wanted. "That's fine. The fog is too thick for them to get anywhere."
"Yes master. You are much too clever for those digi-brats! Shall I send one of my men to "escort" them back to the castle?"
"No, you inferior Bakemon- I mean, no, not yet. This shall be fun, watching them wander around in the darkness and the fog..." The evil digimon waved his hand, and immediately the fog seemed to clear. "There. Now I can see them, but they can't see me, or anything else for that matter!" Jakimon laughed menacingly. Even his servant had to quiver.

~*~

"Ow! Tai, watch the face! Hey, quit moving around! It's hard enough trying to stand with you and Agumon on top of me, much less when you're wiggling around!" They had decided to flip a coin. Rick had lost ("Just my luck!") and had wound up on the bottom. His shoulders were sore. They had been trying to get out of the hole for hours. "Tai, I don't think this is- Whoa!" The three of them fell to the ground. "Hey, watch where you step!" Tai was rubbing his backside, obviously he had fallen on some rock. "Sorry. It's kind of hard when there are two heavyweights standing on your shoulders." He looked at Tai with one eyebrow raised. "Hey, we're not that heavy!" A sweat drop appeared on the back of Agumon's head. "Ok, so maybe I have put on a few pounds… Sora's cookies are delicious!" Tai stared at Agumon. "So THAT"S where they all went."
"Yeah, well..." Tai continued to stare at Agumon. Rick tried to change the subject. "How are we going to get out of here. Nothing seems to work!" Tai took his gaze off of Agumon for a minute. "Yeah, you're right. I still have no clue what we're going to do."

~*~

"Where is everybody? Hello?" Akira called into the fog.
"I don't think they can hear us. What happened? Did they wander off?" Fernamon said.
"I don't know." They tried to see through the fog, but it was too thick to see their friends or anything for that matter. "Hey, what's that?" Akira saw a light ahead, but it wasn't sunlight, it was too red. That could only mean it was... "Ashmon! Boy, are we glad to see you! Where are the others?" A look of worry passed over the little digimon's face. "I was hoping you could tell me."
Everyone sighed. "This is getting us no where. Rick! Tai! Sora?! Where are you?"
"Agumon! Tentomon! Hazukashiimon!"
"Rick! Rick, where are ya, buddy?" The three of them continued yelling, but a sudden chill went down their spines as they heard an evil laugh. "Oh no... He must've figured out that we're gone by now. This can't be good..." Akira's face had gone pale. "We HAVE to find the others." The two digimon nodded, and one girl and two digimon walked off into the fog.

~*~

"Don't worry Mimi. Everything will be alright." Joe put his arms around the girl, who was sobbing loudly. And she kept on. Palmon and Gomamon were silent, walking slowly beside their partners through the dense cloud. "Mimi, c'mon. It's ok I'm here." She looked up at the boy. He was only two years older than she, but at the time she felt like she was much younger. Everything's different now, Joe. Don't you see? Mimi was too sad to speak. Oh, Joe. I know you're here for me, but what about the others? "What happened to them, Joe?"
"You mean the others? I don't know. All I know is-" They heard an evil laugh. Joe was silent for a moment, then continued. "-that we have to find them before HE does. Are you with me or not?"
"I'm with you. I just hope they're alright."

~*~

How'd I get stuck with Matt?! He's driving me NUTS!! Somehow, everyone had been split up earlier. And, SOMEhow, Shouri got stuck with Matt. You think he'd be a little less stubborn at a time like this. He sighed. Hazukashiimon was no help either. He was just being his own shy self, nothing to say, just watching, listening, and waiting for some way to "get away from it all." He obviously wanted no part in this. Gabumon was the only one besides Shouri who was being calm. If you could call it calm. "Matt? Can we please look for the others? Tai and Rick fell in some hole, and I can't find Agumon ANYWHERE!" Gabumon was frantically tugging on his friend's shirt. "Get off, Gabumon! What do you think I'm doing? Geez, you'd think that you could control yourself a little more than that!" That's Matt for you. Always flaming at everyone. Just like when we first met these guys. It's like... Wait, it was only yesterday! I think... Being in that cell so long has scrambled my brain. Boy, he and Akira are big hot-heads. I was laughing so hard after that fight. Matt must've been furious, beaten by a girl. Wonder if he's still mad. They did apologize... "Hey, Matt?"
"What do you want?"
"Are you still mad at Akira?" A look of confusion crossed the other boy's face. "Why would I be mad?"
"Well, I was just thinking about that time when you two were first fighting." Matt smiled. "Oh, that. No, I'm not mad."
"Even though you were beaten by a girl?" Shouri asked slyly. Matt's face turned a deep crimson. "Neither one of us won, thank you very much!" Shouri sighed. "You two are too much alike. You're even beginning to SOUND like her."
"What?!"
"You heard what I said." Matt was still fuming, but he kept his mouth shut. Hazukashiimon, though not as much as Gabumon, was enjoying this scene. Shouri noticed him smiling, and he quickly turned to his digimon. "So, you're not so shy after all!"
"It's the name. I can't help it." Both boys laughed.

~*~

"Where's Tai?"
"And Matt?"
"And Akira? Hey, anyone out there?!" The three younger digidestined had stuck together during the split-up, and now all they had was each other. Their digimon had gone to scout the area, though they couldn't do this very well because of the fog. Each had insisted on staying with the children, but Kari wouldn't have it. Yuuki and TK were a little more scared, but not that much more. In any case, if the time came, they could all be brave. "We're back!" Gatomon called. "Yeah, we couldn't see anything." Patomon ran into TK's waiting arms. "Where's Rallimon?" Yuuki asked, trying to hide the worry in her voice. "Right... HERE!" Rallimon jumped on top of Yuuki's head. Everyone laughed. When the laughter had stopped, everyone looked at each other. What were they going to do? And where were the others?