Chapter 2- Strange
Note- Lyrics from Queensryce- "I am I" from Promise Land @1994
Our World

I was doing the only thing I could do at this point. That was running. But I wasn't running to loose this opponent, but to lead. At least that's what I was trying to tell myself. I could feel Augumon's breath against me as I dodged the dark blasts aimed at me. When I was younger I could never have run this fast, but that is also the benefit of having longer legs. The world around me had all but disappeared in the fog. I couldn't tell if I was running towards cars, people or anything. In fact I almost ran over a mailbox because it seemed to have just jumped out of the fog.
I am not going to be able to keep this up. I knew that I'd have no chance to make it to the bay, but if I just tried.
A black van jumped out of the fog. If it hadn't been moving I would have hit it. Wait. It was moving. Life at last!
"Tai?!" A familiar voice yelled. It was Matt's.
The rumbling had stopped. The black shape was gone. It had looked like it belonged to Seadramon that was beyond the size of any Seadramon I have seen.
"Did you see it?" I asked
"Yes." He said with a wide-eyed look. "Get in!"
"We have to lead it out of the city..." I started to tell him as I got in. I saw TK and Davis in the back of the van. TK took Agumon from me and helped me lay him down. Patomon and Veemon where sitting with Davis giving him strange looks while he mumbled to himself.
"We have a serious problem Tai." TK said.
"The digimon that was chasing you is gone. Gabumon said climbing in the van. "
I shut the door. "Are you sure? It couldn't have just disappeared?"
"Maybe it decided you weren't such an appetizing snack after all." Veemon added.
"We got bigger problems." TK said calmly. "Megumi just disappeared before our eyes." I realized that was why Davis looked so strange. "In fact the entire city is empty. Except for us digidestine." Matt had put the van in drive and was turning around.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"The TV station." Matt answered.


*********************


Beating with life
You promise Life, Security, Happiness
Unfortunate son cornered,
cowering in the pit of
Circling panes of glass that
surround and reveal the ever present "It"

The song had been droning on in the background as Ken pulled into the TV station. No one was there either. "Well there's no cars." Yolei said trying to sound cheerful. "Maybe they evacuated."
"Yolei.." Hawkmon began.
"Sh.." I said quietly. I figured if it made her feel better about the situation then let her think what she wanted. Hawkmon seemed to understand and simply nodded.
Ken looked back at Cody and me. "Are you ready?" we nodded simultaneously. "Good. Kari.." he looked sideways a bit "Could you help Yolei?" Yolei put a hand on his and smiled.
"I would be happy to." I said and smiled. We all knew what he was getting at. No one had to say anything. We didn't know what was in the TV station or what was causing the fog. We couldn't even see a few feet in front of us at this second. It was like an oppressive veil laid over everything, and something in that fog had made everyone but us digidestine simply vanish.
Ken turned off the car, and we all got out. Everything was silent. The only sound we heard were the ones we made. "There are no birds." I said. Gatomon looked up at me and gave me a reassuring smile.
"I noticed." Ken said as he and Wormon took the lead. "Grab on to each other everyone." He said taking Yolei's hand. "We don't want to get lost in the fog.
"I don't even think we can find the door." Armadillomon said staying close to Cody's leg.
"Yes we will." I answered picking Gatomon up before taking Cody's hand. "We have to."

~sssssssccccccrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaappppppp~

"Did anyone hear that." Gatomon asked.
"Yeah." We all answered.
"Do you think something's following us?" Yolei asked.
"Don't worry Yolei. It's probably nothing," Ken said as he led us around the building.
We walked in silence . We all where concentrating on the sounds around us. It was a defining silence. Ken found the door after we had walked around the building a bit. When we went in the building was pitch-black. The power was out. Gatomon found the emergency generator for us and got the lights on. "We need to put a light beside the door outside." Cody suggested. "The others won't be able to find the door either if we don't."
"Good idea." Matt should be here soon. They where in the city when I called them." I said. Ken nodded in agreement and Cody left with Armodillomon to find something to serve as a light for the outside.
"It's cold in here." Yolei whispered to no one in particular as she sat on a couch in the nearby lobby. Ken took off his jacket and wrapped her in it. She smiled up at him gratefully.
"I am going to stay beside the door until Cody gets back." I said smiling. "I'll be within earshot so yell if you need anything." They both nodded and I left with Gatomon.
I cracked the door open enough to get a clear look outside. "Are you trying to figure out what made the scraping sound earlier?" Gatomon asked.
I nodded. "Everything that is happening is wrong, Gatomon."
"I know." She said trying to peer outside. "Did you hear that?" she asked.
"Yeah." I tried to listen closer. "Sounds like a car. Cody where's that light? Someone's here!" I yelled back over my shoulder. I heard Yolei yell that Ken had gone to look for Cody. "Great." I mumbled. "Hey!!!! OVER HERE! IS ANY ONE THERE!!" I yelled out the door. I was thrilled to get a response. Another human voice. I kept yelling till I could see Tai leading the group to the door. I then let out a deep breath that I hadn't even realized I had been holding.


The Digital World


"Don't touch that it may be poisonous" I yelled as Kenshin had put his hands out to investigate one of the strange plants on the side of the trail. I don't know why I got stuck with my little brother. He wanted to go with Enishi and Shiro, which would have been fine with me, but he got to go with me instead.
"Quite mothering me!" he yelled back. I just growled and turned my back. Yokomon gave me a worried look as I adjusted her weight in my arms. Kenshin stuck his tongue out at me and then took his Terriormon by the hand. He has been a brat all week I thought. I wished I could have one of the others as a brother, but then I'd probably miss the brat.
"How much longer do you think we have?" Yokomon asked.
"Have?" I questioned.
"Till we get to the shrine?"
"I don't really know... maybe a day." Maybe a month if Kenshin didn't hurry up and quit walking so slow, I thought.
"This will be easy." Terriormon announced. "I've heard some very nice things about the village in that area." He smiled so assured.
"Really by who?" Yokomon asked. She can digivolve to Terriormon's level right now, but she said she felt so conformable as a Yokomon she chose to stay that way more often. It helped a lot when we had mom's Biyomon around too.
"Oh a really nice Pagumon." He answered happily.
"I've heard some bad experiences from trusting what a Pagumon says." Yokomon said.
"But you can't judge one digimon by the actions of another digimon." Kenshin said trying to defend his Terriormon. The kid could be so cute at times. But he's still a brat.
Yokomon looked embarrassed. "Your right sorry."
"Oh no problem." He answered. We walked on down the trail in silence after that. I didn't feel like talking. I felt like I was being watched.