Tai could not move, and yet he felt alive.  He knew this was impossible, and yet, he could think it, so it had to be possible.  He had no vision, no hearing, no senses – only blackness, but he had a sense of himself.  He couldn't believe what had happened, playing the moment over and over in his memory.  He had been standing on the battlefield, and had heard the voice of Bahamut in his mind.  He had concentrated deeply on it, blocking all that was around him from his view.  It told him that they were going to lose, that if they tried to resist they would die.  But he said there was a way.  Even though the ark would boost the enemies power beyond that of their own, there was a way for them to equal it, but it was dangerous.  He said that Tai had to die for it to work.  If he was dead, then they could win.  It shocked him, but he looked around at his friends, all that if he sacrificed himself they would live, it was something he had to do.  Tai knew that as their leader, and friend, he owed it to them all to give them the gift of life.  It didn't even sound absolutely ridiculous that his death could in some way make their victory possible, but for some reason he trusted what he heard.  After that it was like there was another force helping him, not forcing him, but comforting him, making the unspeakable task a little easier on him.  When he did thrust the sword into his chest it was like he woke up, back to the world.  It was breathtaking - pain rocketed throughout his entire body, emanating from the wound.  But soon he felt himself slipping out of consciousness, this is when he saw Sora's face.  There were a million things he wanted to say, but seeing her despair the only this he could say, was sorry.  Before he even hit the ground he found himself in the place he was currently.  Now he did not know what would happen, nor did he want to think about it much, all he wanted to do was rest.  Only he couldn't rest, something was holding him to the current realm, he could feel it, like it wasn't him time.  All he could do now, was wait.

Outside of Tai's perception Sora was beyond words.  She had fallen to his body, and was holding onto his hand tightly.  The shock of the moment had halted everyone, they were all fixated on Tai.  MetalGarurumon and Imperialdramon felt a surge of anger, and blasted their ultimate attacks.  MetalGarurumon's took out one of the knight's copies, whilst Imperialdramon's positron laser beam, fuelled by Davis's and Veemon's anger, vaulted through three knights blasting them to pieces on impact.  Wargreymon had wanted to do the same, yet he felt his power draining, and soon dedigivolved back to Agumon, who then raced to his partners side.  All the ultimates volleyed their ultimate attacks, which halted the knights respectively.  Meanwhile Sora still sat immobile next to Tai, crying her heart out.  She stroked the hand she held. Its colour was fading, and it felt cold.

"Joe, he's… he's getting cold," Sora whispered quietly, between her tears.

"Sora, I can try, but he's probably…" Joe started, interrupted by Matt.

"Don't say it, he wouldn't do that, there has to be a reason!" He yelled enraged.

"But he has, the keeper of courage had made our job a lot easier.  Perhaps he wasn't worthy of the crest…" Hades started.

"You don't want to finish that sentence!" Imperialdramon and Davis's voiced bellowed.

"You cannot defeat me, with this power I am indestructible, no known force could possibly face me.  I know all, I've seen it in a split second, I shall reign over all dimensions, for the rest of eternity, and no one can stop me."

Agumon felt a strange sensation overcoming him, as if his very essence was fading away to nothing.  "Agumon, what's happening?!" Kari exclaimed.

"I, I can't hold on anymore.  I don't know why but I'm fading."

"It's his essence.  It's linked to Tai, without him Agumon can't exist," Ifrit explained sombrely.  Agumon wanted to do stop it, to avenge Tai, but all he could do was feel himself fade away to nothing.  So he found himself in the same situation as Tai.  He could see an image of Tai in his mind's view, walking toward him.  It was not the Tai of recent times, it was the normal Tai, in his jacket, and he looked almost happy – at peace.

(A\N: This is gonna work as normal, it's just way easier than having to say every time that they call out in their mind)

"Tai?"

"You're here too huh?"

"Yeah, I always knew I wouldn't be able to exist without you there, I just didn't think that it was literal."

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to put you in any harm at all, but I had to do it."

"I know, I mean, I knew you wouldn't just, you know, without a reason."

"He said that they could win if I was gone, were they?"

"Well, Imperialdramon took out three of those weird knightly guys, and MetalGarurumon shattered one, so yeah, we're winning."

"What about Hades?"

"He was, I'm not sure."

"Cocky, maybe we wont win."

"Wait till he gets a laser beam through his cocky face, then we'll see.  But who told you all this."

"Bahamut."

"Are you sure?"

"Tai, Agumon, this is not enough," Bahamut's voice bellowed.

"I'm sure."

"But why can I hear it?  Where am I, and why am I here, should I be gone?"

"You are here, because Tai called for you."

"Sorry, I needed some one, and he said that I should call for you."

"But why am I still… Ifrit said that my essence wouldn't exist without Tai, if he was dead I would be too."

"Does Tai seem dead?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Then neither are you.  You would have been weakened, in fact, you were so weakened that Tai could bring you here."

"Which brings us to our final question, where is here?" Tai asked.

"There is no time to fully explain it, it's like limbo, you're between realms, because there is one life force connecting you to this realm, but not so much so that you can fully exist there, and that would be me."

"Well, that's kinda nice of you, but what do we do now?" Agumon questioned.

"Tai's sacrifice was great, yes, but it was not enough.  We must finish it once and for all.  You were brought here, because this is where I have been.  But I don't have to stay here anymore.  Tai has left his body, that wound was fatal.  But a wound such as that would not kill a spectre, as such, I can take over Tai's body."

"Wouldn't that kill you, I mean, the transformation?" Tai asked.

"No.  The serum was in your body, it was a part of you, when you died it died with you.  I would take over, and the transformation would complete and I would become a physical version of my spectre self."

"So you can take my body and finish them off."

"You have me wrong, I never intended to take anything, or to kill you.  It would not be enough, no spectre can stand up to Hades now.  But I do not want to become a spectre.  I propose we become something entirely different."

"What are you saying?"

"That garnet links us all.  It's power is that which took your life Tai, but in doing so it was transferred to you.  With that power you and Agumon could merge, much as you saw Davis and Veemon do.  But it would not be that you are yourself inside Wargreymon acting as one with each other, it would mean that you would become something entirely different, you would be one being, and become a Digimon.  The only problem is that Agumon's strength can only give you the power to do this, not the power to exist in him physically.  You need a vessel."

"And you're going to take my body and be the vessel right?"

"Exactly.  I am going to transfer into your body, but as I am transforming into my true form, I will call upon your spirits.  Tai you must then use your power to bind the three of us, and we can become a being powerful enough to stand against that which apposes us."

"That's cool, I suppose, but I have two questions.  Firstly, how exactly do I bring us all together?" Tai asked, uneasy as the whole idea of being one being was a little weird.

"It's simple.  You're not supposed to be in limbo, it's not how things are meant to go.  All you have to do is want to be with me, and if your will is strong enough, you'll be carried there.  But at the same time you have to call out to Agumon, and in that way you'll be able to bring him with you.  Then all three of us will call out to the power of the garnet with our minds, and as long as we're in a state of readiness and acceptance, out beings should fuse together, my body, Tai's mind, and Agumon's power, creating a totally new, spectre human Digimon hybrid."

"Oh, so your every day mind transferral and merging…" Tai said sarcastically, it came out more cynical than he had wanted it to though.

"I am sorry that this had to be done, but I know that it is the only way.  You need to understand just how powerful the ark really is.  This was something I wish I could have asked you first.  But if you wish for your soul to rest, then that is the choice that is yours to make, you have done your job, and gone far beyond the call of duty, I, and no one…"

"Oh, I'm in on this, come on, you only get to merge with your spectre and Digimon once, so count me in!" Tai said enthusiastically.

"I'm glad to hear it, but what was the other question?"

"Oh, that's for Agumon, I want to make sure you want to do this buddy, this is your life too."

"Of course I'm in, like you said, you only get one chance to do this.  Besides, maybe I can finally learn what's going on in your head," Agumon replied grinning.

"This is very encouraging.  With attitudes like this I think that our success should be ensured.  I guess that there's just one more thing I want to say.  Tai, to you, I want to thank you for being willing this whole time, for listening to me, for accepting what has happened, and not shunning and shutting me out.  Agumon, for supporting Tai, and always being with him.   If for any reason we don't make it through this, I have to say now, that it has truly been an honour knowing you, I will always remember the holder of courage, and his partner."

"Hey don't talk like that now.  But I know what you mean.  And it's been really interesting knowing that I'm not the only one out there who holds the crest of courage."

"Yeah, it's been great knowing that we're not alone," Agumon added.

"Right.  Then I suggest we get this show on the road.  Tai, I want you to wait a minute, that should be all I need to get to your body and get your vital functions started."

"Hang on a second, we've been in here for hours now haven't we?" Tai and Agumon asked, practically in unison.

"You forget, we're communicating at the speed of our thoughts, it's really only been a few minutes, if that."

"Alright, another interesting twist I suppose.  So after a minute I'm calling out to be with you, and for Agumon to be with me, right?"

"Correct, we'll be calling out  to you too, and be ready for the change."

"Then I guess, good luck!"

"Yeah, we'll see you in a few."

Sora was still holding desperately onto Tai's hand, the three minutes that had passed had seemed like hours to her, it was almost too much for her to handle, she turned away for a second to catch her breath. As she stood in her despair she failed to notice the crimson aura that began to surround Tai.  It grew brighter, until it was plainly obvious to all that were around him.  Slowly his body began to levitate a few centimetres off the ground.  This brought Sora back to earth, and she was horrified to see what was transpiring.  Tai's body lifted further until he was floating at a new height.  From here his legs dropped gracefully till his feet were firmly on the ground.  His back straightened, and now he was standing straight, but rigid.  In a flash of crimson the aura dissipated to nothing, and the rigid presence left Tai's body, leaving him falling forward, and gasping for air.

"Tai!!" Sora gasped in morbid fear.

"Back, away," Tai grunted, but it was Bahamut's voice that spoke.  He opened his eyes now, revealing their blood red colour.  The group held no objections to doing so.  Everyone was stunned, including the evil spectres who had been taking great pleasure in watching the despair of their opposition.  Slowly Tai's former body rose into the air majestically, his wings opening with grace to their full span.  His arm straightened with vicious speed, attacking the air the happened to plague it's path.  He moved it slowly now, in a stark contrast to the pace it had been before, and with pin point accuracy he latched onto Alestor, sliced deep into his earthly vessel. He pulled it slowly at first, cringing as it ripped the very flesh that detained it in his chest cavity.  But finally in one foul, violent cleave he liberated it from it's human prison.

Bahamut roared in the pain he felt, but deep in that roar was a call for Taichi.  Tai received it loud and clear.  He stretched out with his mind first for Agumon, who was waiting for this moment.  They were hand in hand now, thinking as one, being as one, but remaining separate virtual entities.  It was the time for Tai to return to his body now, and Agumon would be accompanying him.  They felt as if they were flying back to earth from where ever they had been, which was almost an intoxicating feeling.  They hit Tai's body with a violent force, which was physically evident as Tai's body lurched forward.  All three consciousnesses could feel each other's presence, and it was now warm, where as before it had been a chilled feeling.  But they knew the job was not done, and they had to fuse.  Bright crimson light emerged from Tai's body now, but in the glare it was visible that movement was once more occurring.  Once by one the scales that were in the immediate area of Tai's tail and wings began to spawn.  Slowly they engulfed the whole of Tai's body.  His horns grew fiercely, and offset from the upward path briefly, then returned to it creating an 'S' effect.  Tai's tail grew three fold in length, with an end analogous to an arrowhead. His wings too became larger, doubling in size, and power.  Also notable was Alestor's change, it became longer, and the blade much wider, one edge curved, the other straight.  Finally, materialising in Tai's left hand now, was a shield, but not any shied, it was Wargremon's Brave shield.

"Leave him alone!" Sora shouted desperately.  The group looked over at her, it was hard to see her like this, especially seeing as no one knew what was happening.  "Just leave him alone.  You've killed him now, isn't that enough for you.  Why, just give him some dignity and let him rest in piece.  You didn't take any one else into account, you've taken him from us all, and from me.  I loved.. I love him and you took him from me, so just leave him alone."  Matt and Mimi moved over to Sora, Mimi taking her hand, Matt putting his arm around her.  Tai's levitating body slowly drifted down to the floor.  Once firmly on the terrain, the glow subsided, until it was gone.  One second lapsed, and then Tai lost all the rigidity and fell forward gasping for air.  Every one inched backward as he was getting close to them.  Tai looked up to Sora, his eyes now visible to them, had become an emerald green, Agumon's emerald green eyes.

"Sora?" he gasped, and now the voice was his own.

"Don't come near me you devil!"

"Sora, I can't, it's me," Tai said desperately, tears forming in his eyes.

"I said stay away, You have his voice, you have his body, but you'll never be him," Sora raged, tears now streaming delicately down her face.

"Sora, it is me, I know it's hard to believe, but it's me," Sora was still despondent to his pleas.  "Sora, I love you, I'd never leave you like that, but I had to do it.  You have to believe me, it IS me."

"Prove it," Sora replied, Tai's claim of love had brought her about, only one person had ever said it like he did, and that was Tai.  He stood thinking, then looked down at himself.  Black scaly skin armoured him, she'd never believe him while he looked like this.  But as he looked at himself, he noticed his crest.  He secured Alestor on his back, then placed his crest in his hands.  It began to shine it's gentle orange colour.

"Because Sora, only the crest of courage is mine, and I would never back away like that.  It is me, you have to believe me," he said opening his hand and showing her the crest's glowing colour.

"Tai?" Sora said confusedly.

"Sora, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. I had to do it, Bahamut told me that we would not win without me like this.  I hated leaving you, but I'm going to make it up to you, I promise.  For starters, I'm taking them down!" Tai shouted, grabbing his sword from his back and pointing it at Hades.

"A.. Alright.  I trust you Tai, let's take em down," Sora said confidently nodding once, she even managed a small grin, whilst rubbing her eyes clear of tears.

"Right, this is going to take co-ordination.  Imperialdramon, Metalgarurumon, Garudamon, Megakabuterimon, Zudomon, Lilimon, And Angewoman are taking a duplicate knight each, Alexander, Magna Angemon, you're taking the master knight, Madeen, take out Kjata, Ifrit you've on Shiva, Leviathan, take out Atamos, Phoenix Evrae's all yours, Valefor, Typhoon is up to you, and Ixion can take out Titan, Hades is all mine.  Once you're task is complete help out anyone that needs it, Carbuncle, help out where you can with some white magic."  Confused at Tai's confidence and knowledge, the group were impressed with the strategy.  They trusted him, and their gems shone brightly in their hands.

"What's funnier than the fact you're trying, is the fact you think you can win," Hades mocked confidently.

Tai strode furiously toward Hades, uncannily growing in size as he took each step.  He now matched Hades' height, having gained ten feet in height.  Upon Tai's approach Hades revealed his skeletal hand from his robes, and in a puff of black smoke a sword appeared in his hand.  Hades' sword had a bone handle, and the blade looked to be made of human bone as well.  Tai charge at him furiously swiping down his sword.  Hades blocked it strongly.  Tai recoiled Alestor and spun round for a side swipe.  Hades blocked this too.  Tai now volleyed a variety of sweeps and cuts at Hades, but was blocked at each one.  Hades now came onto the attack, jabbing his sword forward, Tai just blocking it with the brave shield.  The went straight beck into volleying attacks at one another, but Hades made one fatal error, in leaving his chest open when he blocked a downward swing from Tai.  Tai leaped from the ground and pummelled a double kick into Hades' chest taking off into the air with the force, gliding a few metres away.  Hades crashed onto the ground helplessly.  Tai was ready for his final blow.  Instinct told him that rushing back in would leave Hades ready for his sword attacks, he needed a projectile.  He felt Agumon and Bahamut's presence grow stronger, and let his feelings guide him.  He threw Alestor into the ground, and held his hands out before him.  In them grew a ball of energy, bright crimson and orange fused together.  He let is grow till it was the size of a soccer ball, then placed his hands back at his side.

"Here's something I was saving for my first premiership game, but I'll show it to you for nothing…  TERRA FLARE!" Tai yelled, as he lunged himself upward with his wings, then rocketed himself to the left, and extended his leg to a kicking position.  As he neared the energy he focused and let Agumon and Bahamut help guide him.  His foot connected with the energy and sent it straight for Hades.  As it neared Hades quickly lunged the ark out in front of him.  Tai's attacked slowed at it neared Hades now, and was absorbed straight into the ark.  Tai landed in dismay.

"You see now why you can never win.  As long as I have this all your most powerful attacks will be drawn inside it, fuelling my power."  Hades stood now, and approached Tai with the ark extended.  "But not only shall your attacks be drawn into it, so shall you."

Tai placed his hand on Alestor.  His heart was ready to fill with fear, but he felt not only Bahamut and Agumon, but he felt Matt's friendship, Mimi's sincerity, T.K's hope, Kari's light, Joe's reliability, Izzy's knowledge, Davis's courage.  But Strongest of all, he felt Sora's love, and he knew, there was nothing to fear, and he knew what to do.  He plucked Alestor from the ground,

"Okay, I'll go visit your ark, just make sure there's room for my sword first," Tai yelled.  He whipped Alestor over his head, and lunged it toward Hades.  Before Hades could even process it's approach Alestor pierced the ark, and drove furiously through it.  All sound vanished from the world now, except for the smashing of the glass ark.  But Alestor did not stop at the ark, it pieced right through to Hades and sent him flying back several feet, until he connected with a tree.  Here he stopped.

"This.. Cannot be…  I had everything.. I should be ruling this world," Hades gasped.

"Just goes to show, if you set your sights on everything, you'll end  up with nothing," Tai replied vengefully.  Hades took one last look at his victor, then slumped his head down.  His cloak disintegrated to dust, as did his sword, and all that remained was his skeleton.

Locked into battle, the ultimate Digimon were having a tough time placing a hit onto any of the knight copies.  As their attacks neared the knights, they would simple cut through them.

"This is getting me nowhere," Zudomon shouted infuriately.  "Vulcan's hammer!" he yelled as he volleyed his hammer toward his knight copy.  The knight tried it's formulaic downswing to block the attack, but Zudomon's hammer shattered the word and connected with the knights head, decapitating it.  The knight flopped to the ground, then dissipated.

"That's it!  Play on their weakness, they have only so many programs they can follow," Angewoman shouted.  She took the initiative to do so herself.  Raising her hands above her head, she commanded the heavens to form her attack, "Heaven's Charm!"  The attack flew toward the knight, who readied to block it.  but as he readied himself, she soared around behind it.  He sliced through her attack, failing to notice her change of position, "Celestial arrow!" The bow formed on her wrists, and she sent the arrow at point blank range directly through the knights chest.  Before it could even hit the ground it dissipated.

"Nice show, but not my style, "Garudamon chuckled.  She launched into the air, out of sight of her knight copy.  Then rushed in from straight on, as she passed over it's head, she grabbed it in her claw.  Flying high into the air, she levelled out at great altitude.  Then with split second timing released the knight from her grip in one claw, and with her fist she pummelled it in the head.  The knight drove into the ground shattering as it landed."

Megakabuterimon watched her technique, but preferred the blunt approach.  He merely walked over to the knight he was to face off with.  The knight lunged at him, but he grabbed the sword with one hand, the knights remanning arm with another.  Finally with the fifth limb he grabbed the knights head.  The strain was building on the hand in which he held the sword, it was beginning to pierce, but he mustered all his strength into his hand that help the head, and crushed it into nothingness.

Lilimon flew over to Imperialdramon, "Let me make this a real easy shot for you," She said playfully.  She zoomed over to her knight, confusing it with her fast movements.  Once she was through playing with it, she applied her flower wreath to it's neck.  "Now be a good boy and stand still".  The knight was almost malfunctioning, but in this time of opportunity, Imperialdramon rocketed his positron laser through it's chest, destroying it.

Metal Garurumon did not need to rely on strategy, manoeuvring, only sheer numbers.  He sent a volley of missiles at the knight, and while it dealt with those, he froze it's legs with his ice wolf snout attack.  Once done he approached the knight.  He slowly used his breath to freeze the knight into a statue.  Backed away, then fired one auxiliary missile into it, shattering it to pieces.

With each knight copy that was destroyed the master knight shrunk.  Alexander and MagnaAngemon distracted it until he was down to fightable size, with it being two on one, they did this comfortably.

"Right, he's ready to be taken down," Alexander signalled.  He unsheathed his sword, and went into melee with the master knight.  Blow by blow his speed increased, meanwhile MagnaAngemon open the gate of destiny.  Once it was ready to receive the master knight, Alexander blasted him with an upper cut, then a horizontal slash that sent him right into the gate, which closed gracefully behind him, then disappeared.

Ifrit stumbled to his feet, still trying to regain his breath.

"Carbuncle, I could use some of your mojo over here," he yelled.

"Of course.  Pearl light," She commanded.  A rain of small gentle blue particles rained over him, once done, he shine a hint of pearl.

"If the light show is over I thought we'd fight then," Shiva said mockingly.  Ifrit chose now to turn to beast form for the battle.  Shiva did the same, and iced over her body.  (A\N Sorry Shiva fans, you know what's coming…).  She lunged a flying kick his way, he dodged it, but only just.  She still chose to use melee tactics, but this time her punch connected.  Ifrit was now taking a beating, and had to think fast.  He used Tai's strategy of kinking her in the chest and lunging himself backward at the same time.  Once done he readied himself in the air, then lunged forward, "Reign of fire!"  As he travelled forward flames appeared where he had been.  As he approached her he disappeared from view completely, but Shiva felt his intense heat pass straight through her.  The emitted flames proved too much for her, and slowly she melted to the ground, and disappeared.

"Psh, lightshow, that showed her," Ifrit said mockingly.

Leviathan was no match against the devastation of Atamos' attack, but Atamos was no match against Leviathans wit.  Leviathan circled Atamos, but as he did so Atamos took on his beast form, a giant red blob (A\N Players of FF9 can sympathise with me here, Atamos really is just a big ol red blob ^_^)  Atamos opened his gigantic mouth, and began to draw in all that he could.  Leviathan, feeling the pull on his body, immediately used his plane shift ability.  He took them both to an area of the digital worlds ocean.  Here Leviathan created a mass tidal wave, and directed it straight for Atamos.  Unable to stop his intake of air, all he could do was watch as he slowly suffocated himself.  As his essence faded, so did his body.  Once the battle was over, Leviathan shifted back to the forest.

Madden was outsized by Kjata, but this did not worry him.  Predictably, Kjata called on his tetra elemental attack.  The first of the four elements, ice, surrounded him completely.  From within the ice Madeen summoned his two ethereal whips, long white strips of spiritual energy.  He used them too precisely, slicing the ice that surrounded him, then wrapping one whip cord firm around Kjata's neck.  With one final swoop, and a loud crack, he broke Kjata's neck sending him to the great beyond.

Ixion was pitted against Titan, he did have a speed advantage in this case, but power was another thing.  Unsure of what to do, for the current time he just dodged titans attacks, which were a barrage of large boulders.  Knowing he needed to go onto the offensive he strode forward slowly, smashing his large horn through the boulders as they came his way.  His progression was slow, and eventually he was knocked over.  At this point Ramuh entered the battlefield, he had been tending to the wounded Gennai, but hearing the commotion left as soon as he could. 

"Looks like you could use a hand," He said cheerfully.

"Sure thing!" Ixion replied as he stumbled to his feet.  Ramuh sent a jolt of lightning through into Titan.  This paused the brute, seeing the opportunity Ixion charge, and knocked him high into the air.  Nicely done, Ramuh hurled his staff through Titan, and called his judgement bolt.  Titan cried out in pain, but was not vanquished.  Ixion had to add his power.  He whipped his head in Titan's direction, sending a stream of electricity from his horn, then one large pulse straight down the newly created path.  This was the final blow, as titan slowly dissipated, completely gone by the time Ramuh's staff hit the ground.

Typhoon was quick to call his wind attack, sucking Phoenix slowly towards him.  Sensing the impending doom, she had to act fast.  She extended her wings, setting them ablaze.  This created a whirlwind of fire, but she was burnt out by her attack, and turned to ashes.  Luckily Typhoon was engulfed by the flames, and so as the storm subsided it revealed nothing but a pile of ashes.  But slowly a rainbow glow became visible from the ashes.  In an explosion of light Phoenix reformed herself, smaller than before, and worn out, but very much alive.

Evrae turned to beast form quickly.  Her speed, and agility were far supreme to that of Valefor.  Not one known for patience Valefor charged up his energy ray, and flailed it randomly into the air, striking Evrae in multiple places.  The giant air snake was split into a multitude of pieces, each quickly disintegrating.

Tai remained standing where he had defeated Hades.  There was an odd silence now, as each of the simultaneous battles were over.  Each human, spectre and Digimon also now realised the battle was over, and they had won it.  Each of the Digimon dedigivolved back down to their in-training forms, and rushed over to their human counter parts, who welcomed their return.  This included Davis and Veemon, who were once more, Davis and Veemon.  They ran over to Catherine,

"Are you alright!" she asked urgently.

"Yeah, I'm… fine," Davis said, feeling very strange.

"Yeah, that sure was… interesting," Veemon added.

"Huh, I've always wondered what it was like being a Digimon, I guess now I know."

Aside from their speech it was still silent, they had seen so much violence compressed into such a small space of time.  Sora noticed Tai. She slowly walked over to him, he turned to face her, and extended his hand out in front of his body,

"You shouldn't have to see me like this."

"Tai, all I can see is the one I love,"

"I know, I wanna hug you so much right now, but not like this.  I caused you so much pain to become this, you should have to touch it."  The rest of the group were now around them, but a little back.

"I don't care, knowing you're in there is all I care about.  I love who you are, not what you are, and I always will, no matter what."  Tai felt himself getting teary.

"Okay, then can you hold on a second, there's still one thing I have to do.  Can you all stand back."  The group obliged, not knowing what it could possibly be.  Tai turned to the skeletal figure latched into the tree.  He grabbed hold of Alestor, plucked it out, then with lightning speed whipped round and smashed the skull before it could fall even a centimetre.  The fragments shattered in every direction, whilst the rest of the skeleton fell to the ground.  Tai looked down upon it, glared at it, then spat on it.  he turned back to face the group now, Alestor still in his grip.  He didn't even watch as the bones disappeared.  "There, it's finished."

"Yeah, it really, really, is," Matt replied.  Tai was about to go to Sora's arms, when he heard a familiar voice in his head,

"Taichi, why not go to her as you wanted, as yourself?" Bahamut asked rhetorically.

"Can we do that?" Agumon asked.

"I believe so.  Don't worry, you'll revert to your digital world self too Agumon.  I was the catalyst  that brought us together, if I leave then there's nothing to hold the transformation."

"But how can you leave?"  Tai asked.

"With Hades gone there is no longer a spell to imprison me here."

"Will you, I mean, can you survive that?"

"I'm not sure, but you deserve to be with her.  I want to thank you for all you have done for my kind, and re-instil my faith in the true meaning of courage.

Tai felt Bahamut's energy leave his body.  A bright crimson beam of energy shone from him, then straight up into the air.  Once the glare faded, the group could see Tai, back in his human form, with Agumon standing beside him.

"Tai?"  Sora gasped.

"Yeah."

"Tai!"  she burst into tears then ran over to him.  He was almost doing the same.  The embraced each other for a long time, Sora holding him tight.  Tai pulled out of the hug, then looked into her teary eyes.  He moved in close and kissed her, with all his heart.  Tai then came to the realisation that Bahamut had not become visible.  He broke off from the kiss and looked around, but he wan nowhere in sight.  Tai looked into the sky,

"Thank you, for teaching me more, about myself…"

"Who are you talking yo Tai?" Sora asked.

"A friend, that I wish was here now."  Almost directly after Tai had uttered the words the clouds parted, and light shone through over the area.  It was bright, and hurt their eyes as they adjusted to the brightness.  But through the clouds was the catalyst for their separation.  It flew down at breakneck speed, then landed before them.  A large dragon, magnificent horns upon his head, and a wingspan that spread majestically from his body.  The familiar crimson aura surrounded his body, and he transformed into a humanoid form.  He had burning red eyes, Tai's horns, and Tai's wings, and a mane of deep black hair.

"Bahamut, you made it!" Tai yelled in happiness.

"You doubted me?" he said arrogantly, but smiling.  The spectres moved in close around them, eager to see their ally once again.

"It's, amazing, simply amazing.  I don't think anyone else could have survived all that you have.  And it is not just you, but Tai also played a major role, you are lucky to have had him,"  Alexander announced.  "And we are lucky to have had you," He added.

"Alright, can someone fill us in on exactly what just happened to you?" Izzy asked with urgency.

"I think that, Agumon Bahamut and I just grew a lot closer," Tai replied strategically not answering the question.

"Come on, you have to tell us, no way you can keep this much to yourself," Matt begged.

"Well, We merged, I don't know quite how it was possible.  Bahamut said that I would have to die for it to work.  All I can really say is that the power of the garnet and the spell Hades cast allowed us to start over, as one being, and just then we split up again."

"How elegantly put," Izzy replied sarcastically.

"Sorry, I'm kinda tired.  I'll explain it when we get home."

"Yes, speaking of homes, we must get back to ours," Alexander announced.

"Do you have to go now though, we didn't even get to meet our counterparts properly," Joe complained.

"We must go.  Too much spectre energy is present here now.  If we were to stay we could cause a permanent rupture in the dimensional fabric, worlds could merge, or fall apart if we were too remain much longer.  We have a world of our own to repair for the time being.

"Then, I guess this is goodbye," Izzy said filled with sadness.

"If I may, I would like a word with Taichi before I depart, Bahamut asked.

"Very well," Alexander replied.  All the spectres barring Bahamut gathered together, and slowly vanished from where they stood.  Tai looked solemnly at Sora, but she nodded him to go and talk with Bahamut.  Agumon accompanied them off into the trees.

"What is it?" Tai asked in a depressed tone.

"You must not be sad because of my leaving, you can get back to your normal life."

"I know, but what if I don't want a normal life anymore.  I want to get to know you, to become the warrior you are, to have the knowledge of how to use my crest like you do."

"Taichi, it is you who has taught me these things.  It was you who brought us through this, I merely told you how.  And you must not be sad because of my leaving.  I will always be with you, we were reborn as one being, then split into three, rather than just three beings linked by soul.  Remember this, and I will always be in your heart, and you in mine."

"Alright then, I'll always remember that, and I'll keep Alestor to remind myself." He smiled softly.

"Then all that is left, is my departure."  Bahamut took a last look at his human counterpart, then changed to beast form, and rocketed into the sky, disappearing from Tai's view.

"Thank you…"  Tai whispered into the air.  He looked at Agumon, nodded, then they rejoined the group, and headed home.

*******One year later*******

Tai stood in the now master bedroom of the Kamiya apartment.  The household had grown once more, with the addition of Sora.  Today, that would be made permanent, as the first of what would most likely be three weddings within the group was to take place.  Tai was filled with nerves, seated in his tuxedo on the bed.  Not much had changed since the eventful days.  Life returned to normal, until the upset of getting their final marks back.  They had all done well, Tai had even managed to pull off the fateful maths exam, and now the only thing that was left was to decide what he would do with his life. 

Matt's band had huge success in the local area, and won a competition to get air time on a state wide radio program, which skyrocketed their success.  He had even managed to finish off the lyrics to that song he was writing. 

Catherine's exchange eventually ran out, and it was with heavy hearts the group had to watch her return home.  But Davis was determined, and kept in close contact, via email and many expensive phone calls.  He had even taken up a part time soccer coaching job to earn some money.  He had built up a large back account, as he was a natural for the job, all the kids liked him, and he was an excellent coach.  But he didn't spend a cent from that account, as it was for one purpose - to bring Catherine back.  And he had finally raised the money, in a few days she was to return, but not quite in time for the wedding.

Tai was almost ready to go, but still nervous out of his mind.  He had always remembered the words that Bahamut had said to him that day, but he was beginning to get doubtful that he would ever see him again.  He looked over to Alestor, which hung on their bedroom wall.  He got up and placed his hand around the handle.  A familiar feeling came over him, and in his head he heard a familiar voice,

"Congratulations.  You deserve each other…"

Tai paused for a moment, and all of a sudden he felt no nerves, filled with courage, and the memory of a close friend.

So there you have it, the end!  I'm kind of sad, and yet, I'm also really happy that I managed to finish it.  I have to say a huge thanks to my proof readers over the year this was in production, so to Kiran, Z, and PP, I say a huge huge thanks.  I also have to say a huge thanks to all of my readers.  It's been a long slog, but I know that it was all the reviewers begging for me to update that gave me the motivation to do so.  Hehe, I guess hitomi won't be hunting me down now.  But I have to say that I would like everyone's opinion of it, the whole fic.  You can be brutal, just not too brutal ~_^.  If you like what you read here, then you'll have to keep an eye out on fiction press for my original.  If you're in doubt hit my website, I'll log what ever I'm doing, be it on the main page, or my blog (Which if you're interested in my life, for whatever reason, is now updated regularly).  So I guess all that is left to say is

THE END