Till The End Of All
By CyberDracomon
Chapter 7 of 26 - Gateway
The group parted with Baihumon, who had returned to his post in the Digital World's version of limbo, and left the temple with a lot of new information to absorb. They now knew of Ragnadramon's origins, and his level of power, but also the power of what spawned him and what it had in mind. TK wasn't sure how they were supposed to beat something that didn't even have a form, but apparently Kari would have the ability to do it soon. He looked over to her, watching her look over the new map they had received, amazed at her new found destiny. He held down a slight chuckle, realizing that his girlfriend would be the most powerful entity in the Digital World by the time they were done.
"It looks like Azulongmon's temple is pretty far from the nearest monitor..." Kari said. "There's some kind of special pathway leading to it, as well." TK looked at the map, seeing what she meant. It looked like a very long bridge between the monitor and the temple, nothing in between and no other way to access it.
"Maybe it would be better to wait until tomorrow." TK suggested. "After today I think we all need some time off and it may take a whole day just to get across that path." Kari looked over the pathway again, realizing he was probably right. It was easily more than ten times as long as their path through the jungle, if not more, but she also noticed that it passed through a lot of places, including File Island, but didn't make any turns or effort to avoid these obstacles, just straight through them. Kari didn't remember seeing something so long in any of those places, though.
"I guess so..." Kari said. TK noticed something didn't sound right, though, like she wasn't feeling like herself. Something in her voice made TK suddenly worry about Kari.
"Kari?" He asked. "There's something wrong, isn't there?" Kari should have known TK would pick up on that, no matter how well she hid it he could always tell when something was wrong.
"...Why did it have to be me?" Kari asked, not expecting a response. "Why does the Digital World's fate have to depend on me? It's easier when it's just some enemy that everyone in the Digidestined can fight, but I don't know if I can take being the only one that can fight it..." TK should have guessed that was it... He didn't know if he could fully imagine it, being the only hope for an entire world, not to mention the other worlds that were out there. TK walked over to Kari, pulling her into a light embrace, hoping to provide some comfort for her. Kari didn't return the embrace, rather she put her arms to TK's chest, leaning into the embrace for support.
"Let's not worry about that." TK said softly. "This isn't any different from anything else we've faced, it's just a little complicated. All they want us to do is try, we can at least do that. Besides, we've been through too much to let this stop us." Kari was well aware of that, after everything from Myotismon to Armagemon there was little they hadn't faced and defeated together. "Besides, it's not just you. I'll always be here to protect you, so will Patamon and Gatomon." TK and Kari looked down at their Digimon beside them, both watching on.
"You didn't think we wouldn't, did you, Kari?" Patamon asked, smiling to her. It was a good fact to know, raising Kari's spirits a bit.
"You're right..." Kari said, smiling back at the two Digimon. "Still I wish this wasn't so reliant on me." TK wished the same thing, but of course Kari had a power that he lacked, thanks to her inner crest. That's what made her special to the guardians, but at least in TK's view she had a lot more qualifications than that.
"Well it's not like we have to start right away." TK said, letting go of Kari, but still keeping his hands on her waist. "Just relax tonight, don't even think about this quest and we'll continue whenever you're up to it." Kari smiled, glad to hear that she still had some luxuries in this quest.
"Thanks, TK..." Kari said, returning her attention to TK. She leaned forward, quickly putting her lips to TK's, sending a quick jolt through him. Once again Patamon and Gatomon looked on at the scene, but this time they had a little more knowledge of it at least. "Let's go home now... I think I'd like all the time to relax as I can get." TK nodded, letting go of Kari. The two looked around for the path that lead them here, only to find that the digital jungle had already repaired itself and their path had been covered up once again. Fortunately TK found something better, buried in the side of one of the clearing's trees was a monitor, unactivated. He walked over to it, kneeling down in front of it to get a better look. Kari, Gatomon, and Patamon came over to watch as TK pulled some stray vines and roots away from it, finding a switch and turning the monitor on, it's screen flaring to life.
"Well that beats clearing out the jungle to get back to the first one." Gatomon said. TK agreed, but he could have sworn the monitor wasn't there before... Nevertheless he stood up, stepping back and removing his Digivice. Kari did the same, also picking up Gatomon in the process. TK waited for Patamon to fly up, letting him land on his shoulder before holding out his Digivice, letting the monitor absorb both of them and their Digimon, returning to their own world.
**********
That night back in the real world Kari was in a deep sleep, her new found burdens relieved by the chance to relax in her bed and forgotten about as she dreamed. Gatomon, on the other hand, was wide awake, watching her human friend sleep from the foot of the bed. She was feeling her own sense of pressure now. She was supposed to be Kari's guardian, her protector and companion for life. And now Kari had been given the fate of saving the entire Digital World... Gatomon was well aware of TK and Patamon promising to protect her on this quest, but that programmed instinct she was born with was too strong, and now protecting Kari meant protecting the Digital World. As much as the feline Digimon tried, it was still a burden on her mind...
"Sorry, Kari..." Gatomon said quietly, leaving her spot on Kari's bed, walking to the only window in the room. "I'll be back soon..." Gatomon was hoping some fresh air would get her to calm down, hopping up to the window. Luckily Kari liked it open a little at night and Gatomon was able to push it open just enough to squeeze out without waking Kari. She closed it back to where it was, in case Kari woke up and noticed it open. With that taken care of Gatomon was free to leave. From the window's ledge she carefully walked to the side of the window, looking over to the balcony of the Kamiya apartment. Gatomon made a long jump from the ledge to the balcony, making it easily as she had so many times before. This was her usual path to the roof where she usually escaped to for relaxing. Gatomon looked up at her next stunt, jumping to the balcony above and grabbing it with her claws, pulling herself up.
This continued until she pulled herself up to the roof of the apartment building. For her this was an easy trip and lead to one of her favorite spots. From here you could see all of Odaiba, its buildings lit up from the lights through the windows. It looked like a close-up of the stars above, which were bright and shimmering despite the light from the city. The most notable was the large satellite dish just a few blocks from the building, lit up with many different colored lights. Gatomon sat on the edge of the roof, looking over the city and it's lights, letting her new-found pressure leave her.
After a while Gatomon looked up to the stars, then to the moon, bright and full, huge in the skies over Odaiba. This was a mistake, though, bringing back pressures that she had hoped she was rid of.
"...That night..." Gatomon said to herself, remembering out loud. Her mind had drifted back to the night she and Patamon had spied on their human partners and the results of their "experiment". After returning home she remembered sitting in the window for hours after Kari had gone to sleep, looking at the full moon. It was so strange remembering it now, to this moment she wasn't sure if she enjoyed it or regretted it...
"Patamon..." She said, still thinking out loud. "You just had to sneak out that night, didn't you? If you didn't leave to spy on TK I wouldn't have..." Gatomon stopped herself, knowing that was wrong. It was as much her fault as it was hers, she didn't have to leave that night, either.
"Who am I kidding..." She continued. "He was the one thinking that night, I pushed him into that kiss..." Gatomon laid back onto the roof, keeping her eyes fixed on the moon above her. "...If I hadn't done that I wouldn't be torturing myself... I wouldn't have had to lie to him..." She remembered those occasions, telling Patamon in the tree that it was just an experiment, then in that jungle that it was wrong. She wouldn't admit it to anyone but Gatomon knew what she felt from that kiss wasn't just a normal feeling, it was something in her that made it, not the action itself. Gatomon refused to tell Patamon that, though, telling him there was nothing, convincing him it was just from the kiss itself and was normal. It confused her, unsure of what it was or what extent it went to, but it was definitely still there. Just thinking about that moment now made a tightening feeling well up in her, she could feel her heart racing a little faster, as well.
"What's wrong with me..." Gatomon said to herself, sitting up. "I got passed Myotismon, the Digimon Emperor, that world of darkness, just to get hurt even more by one kiss?" It was all she could assume, something had to be wrong with her if she couldn't understand this or get passed it. "I lived most of my life alone until I met Kari, even Wizardmon was only around part of the time. All that time I was in pain, but I endured and moved on... so why do I hurt so much just for getting close to someone..." Gatomon hung her head, doing her best to resist a sudden urge to shed a few tears. Needing to do this made her confusion grow, it was all so powerful just to think about and experience, but she had no idea what it was or how to stop it.
"That's it, I have to figure this out, one way or another..." Gatomon said. "I have to know... why someone that makes me happy also makes me hurt..." She stood up, wiping away the still-forming tears from her eyes before they fell, trying her best to remain strong. "Patamon... I'm so sorry... if I hurt you..." She did more than she could believe, lying to him telling him the kiss was just an experiment, keeping him from knowing how she felt... It was too much for her to stand. Gatomon fell to her knees, tears now rolling from her eyes, unable to hold them back any longer. This went on for a few minutes until Gatomon put her gloved claws to her eyes, trying to stop. Even after Wizardmon died in front of her, she only cried briefly, able to keep her mind from it. Now this... She didn't know how this could be so much stronger, harder to contain... She just knew that it was and that it had to stop...
**********
The next day TK and Patamon again met with Kari at her house, this time a little earlier, but this was by Kari's decision, despite TK telling her not to be in such a rush. He sat there, watching her loading up her computer for their trip, still wondering what kept her going after yesterday and all the pressure suddenly dropped on her shoulders. He had to admire her determination, what kept her going was beyond his understanding.
"Okay, all set." Kari announced, standing up from her computer chair. This felt like the old days with Davis, Yolei, and Cody, going into the Digital World almost daily in this fashion. Those days, though TK was shocked to admit it, were a lot less complicated.
"Somehow I'm not looking forward to such a long walk..." Gatomon said. TK looked over to the feline Digimon, sitting at the edge of Kari's bed with Patamon, but she looked exhausted, a lot more tired than usual for some reason.
"It can't be that long." Patamon said, trying to reassure her. "We'll just get started on it and before we know it we'll be at Azulongmon's temple." Gatomon gave her best effort to smile, despite being no more relieved than before.
"He's right, Gatomon." TK said. "Besides, it's not like you'll walk the entire way, if you get too tired it's not like we can't carry you." This was just a guess, though, mainly since Kari seemed to prefer carrying Gatomon rather than making her walk.
"We?" Gatomon asked. "Last time I checked you never even held me once." TK smiled nervously, just now realizing that same fact. Gatomon smiled in victory, making Kari giggle a bit.
"Alright, if you two are done." She said, picking up Gatomon from the bed. "Let's get going. We need all the time we can get." TK nodded, picking up Patamon. Both Digidestined withdrew their Digivices, aiming them at the now-open Digiport on Kari's computer. A familiar light came from the monitor, engulfing them and absorbing them into the Digital World.
After a moment the four had arrived back in the Digital World, but now it felt very familiar. They were back in the western Digital World, in Azulongmon's territory. TK was quick to notice that, even though it felt the same, they were in an area he had never seen before. It was a cliff of some kind, overlooking the digital ocean, but at the edge was a massive gate of some kind. It was a steel circle with a stone ramp leading into it. The circle had stones on it, each with a different symbol on it that looked like the writing Izzy had found in so many places. In the middle of the gate it looked strange, like there was water suspended in the circle, reflective and clear at the same time.
"Is this the beginning of the path?" TK said, not sure of what he was seeing. Kari pressed the switch on her Digivice, displaying the map of the western Digital World. It displayed the long path to Azulongmon's temple, with their indicator right at the beginning of it.
"I guess so..." Kari replied. Gatomon jumped from Kari's arms, apparently reawakened by returning to her home world, and walked up to the gate, looking over it.
"Doesn't look like any path I've ever seen..." Gatomon stated. She walked up the ramp, toward the field in the middle of the circle. Cautiously she moved a claw toward it, trying to see if it was a portal. When her claw touched, however, it felt like a solid wall. Curious, Gatomon stepped closer, setting a hand on it. Indeed it felt firm, like a solid metal wall instead of this liquid-like portal.
"Maybe it's not a gateway..." Gatomon concluded, stepping back from the circle. TK doubted that, letting go of Patamon, who took to the air, and stepped forward himself, walking to the circle.
"I doubt it's an oversized magnifying lens..." He said, stepping onto the ramp. Kari watched as TK got within a foot of the ring, now trying the same experiment as Gatomon. This time, however, his hand passed through without any struggle. He removed it quickly, now confused about this mysterious construct.
"So much for the magnifying lens theory." Patamon said, flying closer. He landed on TK's shoulder, now also testing the portal with his wing. He had the same result as Gatomon, however, his wing just brushing the face of the gate. Kari was still watching, taking in everything.
"Maybe only humans can pass through." She said. TK had a feeling that was right, he didn't have any other explanation. "Why would a gate in the Digital World only allow humans, though?" TK had the same question, it didn't make any sense. Gatomon walked away from the portal and back over to Kari, trying to form an idea as she walked.
"...It's a fail safe." Gatomon announced, turning to face everyone. TK turned, hoping to get the rest of this theory. "Baihumon told us that Azulongmon was the weakest of the four Guardians. If that's true then he would need some kind of protection against other Digimon, so he has this gate to prevent any Digimon from getting to him." Well that would explain half of it, of course TK was more interested in the other half.
"So why can only humans enter?" He asked the feline Digimon. "As it is the only humans in the Digital World are the Digidestined." Gatomon wasn't sure of why this was, either, until TK reminded her of that fact, giving her an idea.
"That's probably exactly why." Gatomon explained. "Azulongmon is the only Guardian that keeps in contact with the Digidestined, it makes sense that they would be the only ones able to go to him." Now it made perfect sense. Unfortunately this meant more than just a safety precaution.
"That means we can't go in with you..." Patamon said. "What if Ragnadramon comes back? We can't protect you there." Exactly what TK was afraid of, and with how long the path was he was also worried about Ragnadramon attacking their Digimon while they were gone.
"Don't worry about us, Patamon." Kari said. "It looks like there's no way to find the path except with the gateway, he can't get to us." TK hoped she was right, as it was Ragnadramon had already proven he could find them and the way he appeared probably wasn't too limited on range.
"What happens when we get to the other side, then?" TK asked to Kari. "It will take a long time to get back here, I don't want to leave Patamon and Gatomon alone for that long, if Ragnadramon can't get onto this path he can still get here." Kari hadn't realized this before, now making her worry, as well.
"You worry too much." Gatomon said confidently. "There's a way to meet you there." She pointed a claw to a spot on the side of the ramp leading into the portal. TK looked, finding a monitor he hadn't seen before. It was a little small, though, probably not the kind to leave the Digital World with. He walked over, kneeling down once he reached it to get a better look. TK reached over and turned a dial on the monitor, turning it on. Rather than flashing to life, however, it instead displayed a map that looked like the path on Kari's own map. This one featured two indicators at both ends of the path. The one on their end was active, but the one on the other side was still dead, probably the monitor that this one was linked to.
"Looks like we can take this as a shortcut if both are on." TK said. "That still means me and Kari have to make the trip across..." TK stood up from the monitor, rejoining the others in front of the portal's ramp. He was glad to know the trip would only be one way, not looking forward to making such a long trip twice, especially with their Digimon vulnerable.
"Let's get it over with, then." Kari said. "I don't want to leave them alone, either, but that means we'll have to cross as fast as possible. We might as well start now." TK nodded regretfully, still not happy with the idea of leaving Patamon and Gatomon behind. He watched Kari start up the ramp, walking up to the portal. He followed soon after, joining her at her side in front of it. TK turned back to Patamon and Gatomon, who were watching them walk off.
"Keep an eye on that monitor." He instructed. "As soon as the other indicator comes on, enter and join us on the other side." The two nodded, both hoping that wouldn't take too long. He turned back to the portal, suddenly nervous about entering, with no idea what to expect behind it. Patamon and Gatomon watched as TK and Kari joined hands, stepping through at the same time. As they entered the portal bent a bit before engulfing their forms, leaving only ripples in the surface that eventually faded away.
"I've got a bad feeling about this..." Patamon said, still looking at the portal. Gatomon turned her attention to him, now starting to worry herself.
"There's nothing to worry about." She said, trying to quell her own worry. "Ragnadramon can't find this location or the path they're on now, all we have to do is wait." Patamon shook his head, knowing all of that already.
"No, it's not that..." He replied. "It's something else... I don't know what it is, I just feel like something bad is going to happen on that path..." Gatomon turned and looked at the portal, now appearing just as it did when they arrived. She began to worry more, knowing Patamon had good instincts, but also because she was starting to get that same feeling, and it was becoming worse by the second.
End Chapter 7
Coming Next: Chapter 8 - Highroad
Author's Note: Recently I've had a reviewer constantly reviewing and bringing up the same thing, with nothing beneficial from the review at all. To him and anyone else with a problem with anything in my story, please e-mail me at Scyther247@aol.com or CyberDracomon@aol.com rather than leaving it in a review with no way to get back to you. Thank you.
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By CyberDracomon
Chapter 7 of 26 - Gateway
The group parted with Baihumon, who had returned to his post in the Digital World's version of limbo, and left the temple with a lot of new information to absorb. They now knew of Ragnadramon's origins, and his level of power, but also the power of what spawned him and what it had in mind. TK wasn't sure how they were supposed to beat something that didn't even have a form, but apparently Kari would have the ability to do it soon. He looked over to her, watching her look over the new map they had received, amazed at her new found destiny. He held down a slight chuckle, realizing that his girlfriend would be the most powerful entity in the Digital World by the time they were done.
"It looks like Azulongmon's temple is pretty far from the nearest monitor..." Kari said. "There's some kind of special pathway leading to it, as well." TK looked at the map, seeing what she meant. It looked like a very long bridge between the monitor and the temple, nothing in between and no other way to access it.
"Maybe it would be better to wait until tomorrow." TK suggested. "After today I think we all need some time off and it may take a whole day just to get across that path." Kari looked over the pathway again, realizing he was probably right. It was easily more than ten times as long as their path through the jungle, if not more, but she also noticed that it passed through a lot of places, including File Island, but didn't make any turns or effort to avoid these obstacles, just straight through them. Kari didn't remember seeing something so long in any of those places, though.
"I guess so..." Kari said. TK noticed something didn't sound right, though, like she wasn't feeling like herself. Something in her voice made TK suddenly worry about Kari.
"Kari?" He asked. "There's something wrong, isn't there?" Kari should have known TK would pick up on that, no matter how well she hid it he could always tell when something was wrong.
"...Why did it have to be me?" Kari asked, not expecting a response. "Why does the Digital World's fate have to depend on me? It's easier when it's just some enemy that everyone in the Digidestined can fight, but I don't know if I can take being the only one that can fight it..." TK should have guessed that was it... He didn't know if he could fully imagine it, being the only hope for an entire world, not to mention the other worlds that were out there. TK walked over to Kari, pulling her into a light embrace, hoping to provide some comfort for her. Kari didn't return the embrace, rather she put her arms to TK's chest, leaning into the embrace for support.
"Let's not worry about that." TK said softly. "This isn't any different from anything else we've faced, it's just a little complicated. All they want us to do is try, we can at least do that. Besides, we've been through too much to let this stop us." Kari was well aware of that, after everything from Myotismon to Armagemon there was little they hadn't faced and defeated together. "Besides, it's not just you. I'll always be here to protect you, so will Patamon and Gatomon." TK and Kari looked down at their Digimon beside them, both watching on.
"You didn't think we wouldn't, did you, Kari?" Patamon asked, smiling to her. It was a good fact to know, raising Kari's spirits a bit.
"You're right..." Kari said, smiling back at the two Digimon. "Still I wish this wasn't so reliant on me." TK wished the same thing, but of course Kari had a power that he lacked, thanks to her inner crest. That's what made her special to the guardians, but at least in TK's view she had a lot more qualifications than that.
"Well it's not like we have to start right away." TK said, letting go of Kari, but still keeping his hands on her waist. "Just relax tonight, don't even think about this quest and we'll continue whenever you're up to it." Kari smiled, glad to hear that she still had some luxuries in this quest.
"Thanks, TK..." Kari said, returning her attention to TK. She leaned forward, quickly putting her lips to TK's, sending a quick jolt through him. Once again Patamon and Gatomon looked on at the scene, but this time they had a little more knowledge of it at least. "Let's go home now... I think I'd like all the time to relax as I can get." TK nodded, letting go of Kari. The two looked around for the path that lead them here, only to find that the digital jungle had already repaired itself and their path had been covered up once again. Fortunately TK found something better, buried in the side of one of the clearing's trees was a monitor, unactivated. He walked over to it, kneeling down in front of it to get a better look. Kari, Gatomon, and Patamon came over to watch as TK pulled some stray vines and roots away from it, finding a switch and turning the monitor on, it's screen flaring to life.
"Well that beats clearing out the jungle to get back to the first one." Gatomon said. TK agreed, but he could have sworn the monitor wasn't there before... Nevertheless he stood up, stepping back and removing his Digivice. Kari did the same, also picking up Gatomon in the process. TK waited for Patamon to fly up, letting him land on his shoulder before holding out his Digivice, letting the monitor absorb both of them and their Digimon, returning to their own world.
**********
That night back in the real world Kari was in a deep sleep, her new found burdens relieved by the chance to relax in her bed and forgotten about as she dreamed. Gatomon, on the other hand, was wide awake, watching her human friend sleep from the foot of the bed. She was feeling her own sense of pressure now. She was supposed to be Kari's guardian, her protector and companion for life. And now Kari had been given the fate of saving the entire Digital World... Gatomon was well aware of TK and Patamon promising to protect her on this quest, but that programmed instinct she was born with was too strong, and now protecting Kari meant protecting the Digital World. As much as the feline Digimon tried, it was still a burden on her mind...
"Sorry, Kari..." Gatomon said quietly, leaving her spot on Kari's bed, walking to the only window in the room. "I'll be back soon..." Gatomon was hoping some fresh air would get her to calm down, hopping up to the window. Luckily Kari liked it open a little at night and Gatomon was able to push it open just enough to squeeze out without waking Kari. She closed it back to where it was, in case Kari woke up and noticed it open. With that taken care of Gatomon was free to leave. From the window's ledge she carefully walked to the side of the window, looking over to the balcony of the Kamiya apartment. Gatomon made a long jump from the ledge to the balcony, making it easily as she had so many times before. This was her usual path to the roof where she usually escaped to for relaxing. Gatomon looked up at her next stunt, jumping to the balcony above and grabbing it with her claws, pulling herself up.
This continued until she pulled herself up to the roof of the apartment building. For her this was an easy trip and lead to one of her favorite spots. From here you could see all of Odaiba, its buildings lit up from the lights through the windows. It looked like a close-up of the stars above, which were bright and shimmering despite the light from the city. The most notable was the large satellite dish just a few blocks from the building, lit up with many different colored lights. Gatomon sat on the edge of the roof, looking over the city and it's lights, letting her new-found pressure leave her.
After a while Gatomon looked up to the stars, then to the moon, bright and full, huge in the skies over Odaiba. This was a mistake, though, bringing back pressures that she had hoped she was rid of.
"...That night..." Gatomon said to herself, remembering out loud. Her mind had drifted back to the night she and Patamon had spied on their human partners and the results of their "experiment". After returning home she remembered sitting in the window for hours after Kari had gone to sleep, looking at the full moon. It was so strange remembering it now, to this moment she wasn't sure if she enjoyed it or regretted it...
"Patamon..." She said, still thinking out loud. "You just had to sneak out that night, didn't you? If you didn't leave to spy on TK I wouldn't have..." Gatomon stopped herself, knowing that was wrong. It was as much her fault as it was hers, she didn't have to leave that night, either.
"Who am I kidding..." She continued. "He was the one thinking that night, I pushed him into that kiss..." Gatomon laid back onto the roof, keeping her eyes fixed on the moon above her. "...If I hadn't done that I wouldn't be torturing myself... I wouldn't have had to lie to him..." She remembered those occasions, telling Patamon in the tree that it was just an experiment, then in that jungle that it was wrong. She wouldn't admit it to anyone but Gatomon knew what she felt from that kiss wasn't just a normal feeling, it was something in her that made it, not the action itself. Gatomon refused to tell Patamon that, though, telling him there was nothing, convincing him it was just from the kiss itself and was normal. It confused her, unsure of what it was or what extent it went to, but it was definitely still there. Just thinking about that moment now made a tightening feeling well up in her, she could feel her heart racing a little faster, as well.
"What's wrong with me..." Gatomon said to herself, sitting up. "I got passed Myotismon, the Digimon Emperor, that world of darkness, just to get hurt even more by one kiss?" It was all she could assume, something had to be wrong with her if she couldn't understand this or get passed it. "I lived most of my life alone until I met Kari, even Wizardmon was only around part of the time. All that time I was in pain, but I endured and moved on... so why do I hurt so much just for getting close to someone..." Gatomon hung her head, doing her best to resist a sudden urge to shed a few tears. Needing to do this made her confusion grow, it was all so powerful just to think about and experience, but she had no idea what it was or how to stop it.
"That's it, I have to figure this out, one way or another..." Gatomon said. "I have to know... why someone that makes me happy also makes me hurt..." She stood up, wiping away the still-forming tears from her eyes before they fell, trying her best to remain strong. "Patamon... I'm so sorry... if I hurt you..." She did more than she could believe, lying to him telling him the kiss was just an experiment, keeping him from knowing how she felt... It was too much for her to stand. Gatomon fell to her knees, tears now rolling from her eyes, unable to hold them back any longer. This went on for a few minutes until Gatomon put her gloved claws to her eyes, trying to stop. Even after Wizardmon died in front of her, she only cried briefly, able to keep her mind from it. Now this... She didn't know how this could be so much stronger, harder to contain... She just knew that it was and that it had to stop...
**********
The next day TK and Patamon again met with Kari at her house, this time a little earlier, but this was by Kari's decision, despite TK telling her not to be in such a rush. He sat there, watching her loading up her computer for their trip, still wondering what kept her going after yesterday and all the pressure suddenly dropped on her shoulders. He had to admire her determination, what kept her going was beyond his understanding.
"Okay, all set." Kari announced, standing up from her computer chair. This felt like the old days with Davis, Yolei, and Cody, going into the Digital World almost daily in this fashion. Those days, though TK was shocked to admit it, were a lot less complicated.
"Somehow I'm not looking forward to such a long walk..." Gatomon said. TK looked over to the feline Digimon, sitting at the edge of Kari's bed with Patamon, but she looked exhausted, a lot more tired than usual for some reason.
"It can't be that long." Patamon said, trying to reassure her. "We'll just get started on it and before we know it we'll be at Azulongmon's temple." Gatomon gave her best effort to smile, despite being no more relieved than before.
"He's right, Gatomon." TK said. "Besides, it's not like you'll walk the entire way, if you get too tired it's not like we can't carry you." This was just a guess, though, mainly since Kari seemed to prefer carrying Gatomon rather than making her walk.
"We?" Gatomon asked. "Last time I checked you never even held me once." TK smiled nervously, just now realizing that same fact. Gatomon smiled in victory, making Kari giggle a bit.
"Alright, if you two are done." She said, picking up Gatomon from the bed. "Let's get going. We need all the time we can get." TK nodded, picking up Patamon. Both Digidestined withdrew their Digivices, aiming them at the now-open Digiport on Kari's computer. A familiar light came from the monitor, engulfing them and absorbing them into the Digital World.
After a moment the four had arrived back in the Digital World, but now it felt very familiar. They were back in the western Digital World, in Azulongmon's territory. TK was quick to notice that, even though it felt the same, they were in an area he had never seen before. It was a cliff of some kind, overlooking the digital ocean, but at the edge was a massive gate of some kind. It was a steel circle with a stone ramp leading into it. The circle had stones on it, each with a different symbol on it that looked like the writing Izzy had found in so many places. In the middle of the gate it looked strange, like there was water suspended in the circle, reflective and clear at the same time.
"Is this the beginning of the path?" TK said, not sure of what he was seeing. Kari pressed the switch on her Digivice, displaying the map of the western Digital World. It displayed the long path to Azulongmon's temple, with their indicator right at the beginning of it.
"I guess so..." Kari replied. Gatomon jumped from Kari's arms, apparently reawakened by returning to her home world, and walked up to the gate, looking over it.
"Doesn't look like any path I've ever seen..." Gatomon stated. She walked up the ramp, toward the field in the middle of the circle. Cautiously she moved a claw toward it, trying to see if it was a portal. When her claw touched, however, it felt like a solid wall. Curious, Gatomon stepped closer, setting a hand on it. Indeed it felt firm, like a solid metal wall instead of this liquid-like portal.
"Maybe it's not a gateway..." Gatomon concluded, stepping back from the circle. TK doubted that, letting go of Patamon, who took to the air, and stepped forward himself, walking to the circle.
"I doubt it's an oversized magnifying lens..." He said, stepping onto the ramp. Kari watched as TK got within a foot of the ring, now trying the same experiment as Gatomon. This time, however, his hand passed through without any struggle. He removed it quickly, now confused about this mysterious construct.
"So much for the magnifying lens theory." Patamon said, flying closer. He landed on TK's shoulder, now also testing the portal with his wing. He had the same result as Gatomon, however, his wing just brushing the face of the gate. Kari was still watching, taking in everything.
"Maybe only humans can pass through." She said. TK had a feeling that was right, he didn't have any other explanation. "Why would a gate in the Digital World only allow humans, though?" TK had the same question, it didn't make any sense. Gatomon walked away from the portal and back over to Kari, trying to form an idea as she walked.
"...It's a fail safe." Gatomon announced, turning to face everyone. TK turned, hoping to get the rest of this theory. "Baihumon told us that Azulongmon was the weakest of the four Guardians. If that's true then he would need some kind of protection against other Digimon, so he has this gate to prevent any Digimon from getting to him." Well that would explain half of it, of course TK was more interested in the other half.
"So why can only humans enter?" He asked the feline Digimon. "As it is the only humans in the Digital World are the Digidestined." Gatomon wasn't sure of why this was, either, until TK reminded her of that fact, giving her an idea.
"That's probably exactly why." Gatomon explained. "Azulongmon is the only Guardian that keeps in contact with the Digidestined, it makes sense that they would be the only ones able to go to him." Now it made perfect sense. Unfortunately this meant more than just a safety precaution.
"That means we can't go in with you..." Patamon said. "What if Ragnadramon comes back? We can't protect you there." Exactly what TK was afraid of, and with how long the path was he was also worried about Ragnadramon attacking their Digimon while they were gone.
"Don't worry about us, Patamon." Kari said. "It looks like there's no way to find the path except with the gateway, he can't get to us." TK hoped she was right, as it was Ragnadramon had already proven he could find them and the way he appeared probably wasn't too limited on range.
"What happens when we get to the other side, then?" TK asked to Kari. "It will take a long time to get back here, I don't want to leave Patamon and Gatomon alone for that long, if Ragnadramon can't get onto this path he can still get here." Kari hadn't realized this before, now making her worry, as well.
"You worry too much." Gatomon said confidently. "There's a way to meet you there." She pointed a claw to a spot on the side of the ramp leading into the portal. TK looked, finding a monitor he hadn't seen before. It was a little small, though, probably not the kind to leave the Digital World with. He walked over, kneeling down once he reached it to get a better look. TK reached over and turned a dial on the monitor, turning it on. Rather than flashing to life, however, it instead displayed a map that looked like the path on Kari's own map. This one featured two indicators at both ends of the path. The one on their end was active, but the one on the other side was still dead, probably the monitor that this one was linked to.
"Looks like we can take this as a shortcut if both are on." TK said. "That still means me and Kari have to make the trip across..." TK stood up from the monitor, rejoining the others in front of the portal's ramp. He was glad to know the trip would only be one way, not looking forward to making such a long trip twice, especially with their Digimon vulnerable.
"Let's get it over with, then." Kari said. "I don't want to leave them alone, either, but that means we'll have to cross as fast as possible. We might as well start now." TK nodded regretfully, still not happy with the idea of leaving Patamon and Gatomon behind. He watched Kari start up the ramp, walking up to the portal. He followed soon after, joining her at her side in front of it. TK turned back to Patamon and Gatomon, who were watching them walk off.
"Keep an eye on that monitor." He instructed. "As soon as the other indicator comes on, enter and join us on the other side." The two nodded, both hoping that wouldn't take too long. He turned back to the portal, suddenly nervous about entering, with no idea what to expect behind it. Patamon and Gatomon watched as TK and Kari joined hands, stepping through at the same time. As they entered the portal bent a bit before engulfing their forms, leaving only ripples in the surface that eventually faded away.
"I've got a bad feeling about this..." Patamon said, still looking at the portal. Gatomon turned her attention to him, now starting to worry herself.
"There's nothing to worry about." She said, trying to quell her own worry. "Ragnadramon can't find this location or the path they're on now, all we have to do is wait." Patamon shook his head, knowing all of that already.
"No, it's not that..." He replied. "It's something else... I don't know what it is, I just feel like something bad is going to happen on that path..." Gatomon turned and looked at the portal, now appearing just as it did when they arrived. She began to worry more, knowing Patamon had good instincts, but also because she was starting to get that same feeling, and it was becoming worse by the second.
End Chapter 7
Coming Next: Chapter 8 - Highroad
Author's Note: Recently I've had a reviewer constantly reviewing and bringing up the same thing, with nothing beneficial from the review at all. To him and anyone else with a problem with anything in my story, please e-mail me at Scyther247@aol.com or CyberDracomon@aol.com rather than leaving it in a review with no way to get back to you. Thank you.
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