LAST TIME TAI ASSEMBLED A TEAM TO SEARCH FOR THE BLACK DIGIVICE. THEY SUCCEDED, BUT IT WAS HIDDEN IN A TIME LIMBO, AND, WHEN THE HUNTERS OPENED IT, A TIME STORM THREATENED ALL OF REALITY. THE ONLY WAS TO STOP THE TIME STORM WAS TO RESEAL THE TIME LIBO. KASUMI WAS THE ONE, BUT, BEFORE SHE DID, SHE TRIED TO TELL SORA WHO SHE WAS MARRIED TO IN KASUMI'S REALITY. SHE FAILED. KASUMI THEN SEALED THE HOLE AND POSSIBLY RETURNED HOME. MIRIYA THEN LEFT TO SEARCH FOR A WAY TO STOP THE BLACK DIGIVICE.

                Years of Preparation: Part 7: Tears of Couarge

                "I'm going Tai,"Miriya said,"It might be the only way to save the earth. Daemon has the Black Digivice, and, once he gives it to the Child of Darkness, both worlds will be in great danger. There might be a way to stop the Black Digivice, however, and I'm going to find it. Goodbye, I hope to see you again soon." She turned around and started walking towards a cave in a light colored mountain, surrounded by great green forests.

                Tai slowly opened his eyes. "Owe," he said, rubbing the back of his head,"What happened to me?"

                "Well," Joe said,"You were hit in the head by a large object, but, your hair, and, well, you know..."

                Tai smiled, and sat up in the hospital bed. "What happened to the time storm?"

                "Kasumi saved us all," Davis said, walking into the room,"The others said that after the time storm was over, they looked around and there was no sign of her. She must have gone back to where she came from."

                Tai sighed,"Hopefully. Where's Miriya?"

                Davis looked a little nervous as he adverted his gaze,"Um, well..she, um, used Noriko's computer system and jumped into the Digital World.."

                "What?" Tai shouted, jumping out of the bed,"Where in the Digital World did she go?"

                "I..ah...well," Davis said,"Noriko is trying to find her using a search program..."

                "Forget it," Tai said,"I know where she is."

                "What?" Davis and Joe asked.

                "I just had a dream of Miriya telling me she was leaving..." Tai started.

                "It might not have been a dream," Joe said,"She was in here ever since you guys came back from the Digital World.."

                "Anyway," Tai continued,"She told me that she was going to find a way to stop the Black Digivice. She walked into a cave of some sort. If I saw that area again, I'm sure that I'd recognize it."

                Davis nodded. "Okay, let's get Noriko's scanner's on line, and we'll be able to find her."

                "Thanks," Tai said, hopping off of the bed. He gave a small salute to Joe,"A pleasure as always, Dr. Kido."

                Joe smiled. "You won't be so pleasent when you get my bill."

                Tai laughed. "Thanks, I needed that." He walked out of the small room and over to where Davis, Veemon, and Agumon were waiting.

                "Are you feeling okay, Tai?" Agumon asked, walking over to his Digidestined partner,"You were hurt pretty bad..."

                "Come on, buddy," Veemon said, patting Agumon's back,"You know how resilient our partners are."

                Agumon was about to say something else, when the twins and their Digimon ran up the hall. "Mr. Kamiya!" Sam cried,"Are you okay?"

                "Where's Mrs. Kamiya?" Serena asked,"Your son is alone in the nursury!"

                Tai sighed,"She went to find a way to stop the Black Digivice. We're going to go find her..."

                "Great!" Sam said,"We're going with you! There's no way anything will happen to her while I'm around...Ow!" He started rubbing his head and glared at Serena, who was just opening her fist,"Would you cut that out?!"

                Davis sighed. "Noriko's got a search program up that's looking for her now. She'll let us know as soon as..." Suddenly, Davis's D-terminal began to beep. He reached inside and fliped it open. A transparent image of Noriko's head appeared. "You've got something?" Davis asked, hopeful.

                Noriko's head nodded. "Yes, I've got a trance on her psychic patterns. She is in a location on File Island that had been unearthed during the massacre of Destiny's Eve, and, I have even more good news. There is a Digital Gate right in front of the cave!"

                "Great!" Davis said,"I'll get a team together..."

                "No," Tai said, holding up his hands,"That won't be neccassary. I'll go..."

                "Don't forget us!" Sam said, giving Tai a thumbs up.

                Tai half smiled. "Of course not. The three of us.."

                "I would prefer if others went with you," Davis said,"Daemon and the Hunters are still after you two. I'll go, as well as Ken, just in case.."

                Tai's smile broadened. "Thanks. I would like Izzy as well, in case we need something translated."

                Davis nodded. "Okay, Noriko," he said to the image of her head,"Contact Izzy and Ken, tell them what's going on, then prepare a Digital Gate. We'll be there in a minute."

                Noriko nodded, then her head disapeared.

                "Sora, there you are."

                The redhead looked up from where she was eating dinner with a very attractive blond young woman. "Oh, Matt," she said, turning away from the door of the Digidesitned Headquaters cafateria. "Shoot," she thought,"I..I can't see him, not yet. He probably hates me..."

                The young woman nodded and got up. "I'll talk to you later, okay, Sora?" she said.

                "Yeah, sure, um, see you later, Amanda," Sora said, watching Davis's fiance leave.         

                "Sora," Matt said, sitting in the seat next to her,"I..I need to talk to you..."

                She nodded, and allowed Matt to hold her hands. Matt took a deep breath, and let it out. "Sora, I..I'm sorry for the way I've been acting lately. I've been taking you for granted. I..I wasn't letting you know how much you really meant to me. I'm sorry."

                Sora was shocked. "W-what?" she asked,"Y-you mean that you're not angry with me about what happened between me and Tai the other day?"

                "No," Matt said,"At first I was, but...it was my fault. I was pushing you away and I didn't realize it until you and Tai..' he started to blush,"..you know..."

                Sora nodded. "So," Matt asked,"Do you forgive me?"

                Sora thought for a long moment. "Yes," she said,"I do forgive you."

                "Oh, thank you!" Matt said, tears starting to fall from his eyes, squeezing Sora's hand tight,"Thank you so much!"

                He got control of himself, and removed his hands from Sora's. He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a small box. "Sora Takenouchi, will you marry me?"

                "Matt," she said, shocked,"Of course I will, but, you already proposed to me!"

                "I know," Matt said,"But, this is a new proposal, a promise that I will always appreciate you, and always love you."

                Sora smiled slightly,"I doubt that, but, I will marry you."

                The two fiances hugged each other long and hard. When they finally broke apart, they were both crying. "Uh, listen," Matt said, whipeing his eyes,"I've got to get back to work. Davis has Reiko and I trying to decipher the writing from the wall of the temple we found the Black Digivice in..."

                "Really?" Sora asked,"If my father was here, I'm sure he could help."

                "Where is your father, anyway?" Matt asked,"I haven't heard about him for a couple of months now. Is he back from his dig in Suadia Arabia yet?"

                Sora sighed. "I...haven't heard from him in five weeks. I...I don't know where he is, no one does..."

                "Oh, I'm sure he'll be okay," Matt said,"He's very far away, I'm sure he can't call all the time..."

                "He hasn't called in five weeks," Sora said, staring at the table.

                "Anyway," Matt said, changing the subject,"Reiko and I have manadged to get the name of one of the First Digidestined. He is apparently the leader, and very powerful. His name was Makura, and get this! apparently all the First Digidestined were some kind of sorcerers! They could all use magic, that was how they were able to seal the Black Digivice in an small time warp. Incredible, huh?"

                "Yeah," Sora said,"Wow, that's pretty amazing!"

                "I'll see you later," Matt said, starting to walk out the door when Sora stoped him.

                "Listen," she said,"Um, speaking of the time storm, do you know what Kasumi was trying to tell me? I couldn't hear her, I thought that maybe you did.."

                "......No," Matt said,"I didn't."

                "There she is," Tai said.

                "What is she doing up there?" Ken asked.

                The Digidestined that went after Miriya appeared outside the dark cave. The inside of the cave was not impressive. It was nothing but a large cavern, with a deep underground lake. There was a large pillar of stone that reached up from the middle of the lake, with a narrow, slanted bridge from the entreance of the cave, to the top of the platform where Miriya was. She was on her knees, as if in prayer.

                 "What is she doing up there?" Ken asked again.

                "Maybe praying for the Digital Gods?" Davis suggested.

                Tai didn't say anything as he started walking up the ramp, followed by the other Digidestined. They soon reached the larger platform where Miriya was kneeling. She was still wearing the same clothes that she wore when they were searching for the Black Digivice, even the backpack. The others stood in the back while Tai approached his wife. "Miriya?"

                Miriya looked up from where she was praying. "Tai," she said, a smile crossing her face,"I've found it Tai. I found it!"

                "Found what?" Tai asked, concerned,"What?"

                "I knew where it was all along!" she said,"Its right here!"

                "What is?" Tai asked, stepping forward,"What are you talking about?"

                "Tai," Miriya said,"I've got something wonderful to tell you..."

                Tai was going to help her to her feet, when he heard a sharp noise, like an object falling. "Do you hear that?" he asked, cutting his wife off.

                Suddenly, he saw a figure drop behined Miriya. Tai's eyes widened as he recognized the figure, it was Daemon. Before anyone could react, Daemon reached up his left hand, and, due to the Cyberdyne Virus in his system, he formed it into a long blade. With simple ease, he ramed his sword arm threw Miriya's back.

                Tai was horrifed as he watched a blade emerge from his wife's stomach. She lurched forward, and her head hung lifelessly. Daemon stared Tai in the eyes, and pulled the blade out of Miriya Kamiya's body. Her backpack was torn, and the contents spilled out along the rock of the pillar. Many items fell, but, it was the necklace that Miriya wore around her neck that caught Tai's eye. It became undone, and fell to the ground. It bounced several times, before joining the others items as they spilled into the lake below.

                Tai ran forward, and caught his falling wife in his arms. "Miriya?" he asked, shaking her,"Miriya!"

                 As Tai mourned his wife, Daemon laughed wickedly. "Ha ha ha! At least I have had the pleasure of killing one Digidestined...."

                Tai gently placed Miriya on the ground, then stared up at Daemon. Through red eyes of hot tears, he stared at the glowing yellow eyes of the demon Digimon. "Shut up!" he screamed,"You don't care about anyone except for yourself. You slaughter hundreds of Digimon on File Island, you capture my sister to get us to the Dark Ocean, y..you kill my wife! I am going to kill you!"

                Daemon dropped his arms to his side and started laughing. "Stop acting as though you really cared for her. You didn't love her, the only reason you even looked at her the first time you met her, was because she is an exact duplicate of Sora Takenouchi."

                "What are you talking about?" Tai asked, defensivily.

                "Ever since you and your sister found the Digital Egg in Heighten View Terrace, almost every choice you have made, almost every choice you have made, has been part of an experiment by Azulongmon."

                Tai just kept glaring at him with tears running down his face,"I am going to finish you off!"

                Daemon laughed again. "You still don't get it do you?" He started hovering in the air,"You're not angry, stop pretending you really cared for Miriya, you did not. All emotions you had for this woman, you never really had. Because you, Taichi Kamiya..." He shot back up threw the hole he entered the cave with,"....are a pawn."

                Tai stared up at the hole as Daemon shot threw it. "I...I'm just a pawn, Azulongmon's pawn?"

                The others were horrified.as they saw Miriya lying lifelessly on the ground. Serena was sobbing loudly as she hugged her twin brother tight. While Sam was not as loud as his sister, his tears were no less painful. Izzy had his head down as he cried, while Ken and Davis cried silently. Their Digimon were all hugging each other, comforting each other. Mourning the first Digidestined that was lost.

                The funeral was soon, Amanda's father was able to call in some favors to have the funeral as soon as possible. All the Digidestineds were there, even a few of their friends from the Digital World. They all gave their condolenses to Tai, even Matt and Sora, (although he said it forced, and she just noded in agreement to his statement.) All the kind words and statements didn't lessen Tai's pain any.

                As he stood with the crowd, staring at the tombstone for his wife, his mind began to wander. He remembered the day he first saw Miriya, the day Destiny's Eve and the File Island massacre occured. He remembered the day that he and Miriya's family moved to northern Japan. He then remembered the happiest day in his life, the day he and Miriya were married. He thought that nothing could ever go wrong after that, that his life would be full of sunshine and smiles. He should have known better.

                He sighed and looked at the sharp, green blades of grass under his feet. Nothing in his life has ever come without a price, nothing. Now, his wife, the one woman who truly loved him, was gone. He would never, ever be the same again.

                He didn't really remember too much after the funeral, he knew that people talked to him, but he ignored them. Everything was pretty much a blur, until he found himself in the Digital World, standing on a large cliff. The view was beautiful, the bright green trees fully showcased the roaring blue river beneath him. The Digital sun glowed brightly in the blue sky.

                Tai's eyes were ice as he stared at the landscape. He started to walk forward towards the cliff, then stoped. He looked up at the sky. "Where are you, Azulongmon?" he asked,"I know you can hear me, where are you?!"

                The sky remained calm and quiet. "Where are you!" Tai shouted again,"Show yourself!"

                Again, the blue of the sky remained the same. "Fine!" Tai said,"I am going to jump, if you want to save me, you will show yourself!"

                Suddenly, the blue of the sky turned black, and a storm began to rage. Soon, a serpent creature emerged from the sky, turning its giant blue head towards Tai.  "What are you doing, Tai?" it asked.

                Tai glared up at the creature. "You and I need to talk, Azulongmon," he said,"Daemon told me that I was a pawn, your pawn! What is he talking about?"

                Azulongmon was silent for a long time. "It was neccassary," the Digital Guardian said,"It was a calculated risk..."

                "What are you talking about?!" Tai shouted,"I want the truth, and I want it now!"

                Azulongmon was silent again. After a few moments he cleared his throat. "You want the truth, and, out of all the Digidestined, you deserve it. " He sighed,"What Daemon told you...was true.."

                "What?" Tai asked,"You've been using me?!"

                Azulongmon nodded. "Yes, ever since you saw the Digital Egg emerge from your computer, you have been the subject of an experiment, to create the most powerful Digidestined..."

                "Meaning what?" Tai asked.

                "Meaning that most everything you have done during your time as a Digidestined, has been to make a powerful Digidestined. You and Yamato Ishida were placed together in certain situations that acted apon your..enmity towards each other to determin who is the strongest...."

                "You mean you were using me!" Tai shouted.

                "If that is what you wish to call it," Azulongmon said,"I had to make sure that you were the strongest Digidestined..."

                "You're telling me that you manipulated me into doing things just to further your little experiment?" Tai asked,"Everything? What about Miriya, huh? She looked just like Sora, I'm sure you had something to do with that too!"

                "Yes," Azulongmon said, without any appeareance of regret,"I was behind that as well..."

                "What do you mean?" Tai shouted,"You were behined that, what are you talking about?"

                "During a enlighting journey on File Island, Genni found an inscription of a prophecy that told of a future time, The Night of Destiny, when an evil Digidestined child would come to power, and destoy me and the rest of the Digital Gods..."

                "That's what Daemon said on File Island," Tai thought to himself.

                "I wanted to check the validility of the prophecy," Azulongmon continued,"So, I used my precognitive powers and saw the future, however, there are an infitine number of time lines, most of wich had a Child of Darkness from one of the Digidestined. There were too many time lines to say for certain who would be the parents of the evil Digidestined. I had to stop it, so, that was when I warned you about the child. After that event, I re-read the future of this world. I found that the number of time lines had decresed, but, the result was still the same, one of the Digidestined children would become a Child of Darkness. I then needed to go about finding a way to stop it, so, reading the future time-lines again, I saw that you would not have any children.."

                "What?" Tai asked,"But...what about...Kasumi?"

                Azulongmon raised his eyebrow. "You knew that she was your daughter? I am surprised, she never told you..."

                "You've been spying on me too?" Tai asked.

                Azulongmon sighed. "Let me continue. I saw that you did not have any children in most of the other time-lines, and, the few time lines that you did have children, you would already have had them in this time, so, I thought that perhaps, if you were to have a child, that child would be able to change to course of the future. However, in order for your son/daughter to stand a chance against the Child of Darkness, it would need to be concived around the time of the Child of Darkness's birth. So, to that end, Geni and I found a girl who wished to undergo plastic surgery. It was a simple matter to slightly alter her thoughts to want to look just like Sora Takenouchi..."

                "What?" Tai shouted,"You mean to tell me that you found some girl who wanted plastic surgery, and changed her mind so she could look just like Sora?!"

                "Yes," Azulongmon said,"I needed a girl to brith your child. Your heart was not yet healed from the wounds of her betrayal. So, a girl that looked just like her to take her place was needed. I simply looked through the hospital files of young girls who wished to change their appearance. It was then that I found Miriya. Of course, I knew she was one of the First Digidestined the moment I saw her. I knew that your impressive genetic information, merged with her Digidestined cells, could produce a child of incredible power, one that might be able to beat the Child of Darkness."

                "Could my son also become the Child of Darkness?" Tai asked,"I mean, you told me that if I had a child with a Digidestined, he could become the horror you predict?"

                "Yes," Azulongmon said, showing emotion for the first time,"After you and Miriya were assured to be a couple, I tried to read the future again, only to find that I could not. Your daughter Kasumi, was a temporal anomoly, therefore, she is blocking my visions."

                "She's gone now," Tai said,"Can't you read the future now?"

                "Sadly, no, her interfearence on this time line has created a permenat temporal cloud, I cannont forsee the near future. I am certain of one thing though, that the Night of Destiny, the night with the final battle with the Child of Darkness, will occur in fifteen years."

                Tai took a deep breath. "So, what you're telling me is, you used me and Miriya to create someone to fight the Child of Darkness. You used me to father a child that would save your ass! You are a coward, you can't even fight your own battles!"

                "Things are not always that simple!" Azulongmon said, raising his voice,"In order for this world to survive, you must train your son to be a hero!"

                Tai didn't say anything for a long while. He then cleared his throat and glared at Azulongmon. "Let's get one thing straight," he said,"The only reason that I will train my son, is to save the world, not you!"

                "As you wish," Azulongmon said,"There is, however, one thing you must do before you began your training..."

                "Oh?" Tai said, sarcasticly,"And what is that?"

                Azulongmon's eyes started to glow, Tai braced himself. He felt a small earthquake, and then heard some shouting. He looked around and saw that he was now surrounded by a large group of humans and Digimon, every good Digidestined and their Digimon partners. Everyone was confused and a little scared.

                "Tai!"

                Tai turned around and saw Agumon, Davis, Ken, and thier Digimon running towards him. They were soon followed by the twins, and Kari and Gatomon. "Tai," Agumon cried again, "What's going on here?"

                "I don't know," Tai said, glaring up at Azulongmon."What's going on here?" he shouted.

                Everyone gasped. "Tai," Kari whispered,"Don't you realize who you're talking to?"

                "Yeah," Tai said, nodding,"A manipulative, self-centered, jerk!"

                Davis and Ken had their jaws to the ground, while Matt's eyes were bulging out of his head, while he was running over to Tai. Even Agumon's spine was ice as he slowly backed away from his human partner.

                "I would not talk that way to him," a familiar voice said,"It is not healthy."

                "Mr Fugiama?" Tai asked.

                Everyone was shocked as they watched their teacher walking towards them. "What are you doing here?" Davis asked.

                "I have come to give a special title to one of you," Fugiama said.

                "What do you mean?" Davis asked, "And how did you get into the Digital World anyway?"

                Fugiama smiled as he, to the amazment of everyone, rose into the air. Everyone was gasping as a small storm began to form right over Fugiama. A small wind storm blew up around him, as lightning crashed. Their was a bright blast of light, and when it was over, where Fugiama once stood, was a creature wearing bright armor, with a flurry of wings attached to his back.

                "Who..who are you?" Matt asked.

                "I am Seraphymon," the creature said,"The ruler of the Angel Digimon, a guardian of the Digital World." He smiled slightly,"I have been watching over you all for some time."

                "You've been spying on us too?" Tai snapped.               

                "If you don't mind," Azulongmon said,"The reason that we are here...."

                "Right,"Seraphymon said,"During the First Digidestined's time in the Digital World, one of their own betrayed them by creating the Black Digivice. They fought him, and during that time, the one that you know as Miriya was killed. During that battle, there was some....tension..between the Digidestind.. Azulongmon, decided that when the Digidestined population had greatly increased one of the Digidestined must become a figure that all other Digidestined would acknowledge as leader. That person, is you Tai."

                "What?" Tai asked.

                "You, Tai, are the Master of the Digidestined," Seraphymon said, landing next to Tai,"You have proven yourself time and again, to be a capable leader, and a true hero. You are the Master of the Digidestined."

                Tai just nodded, unsure of what to do. "Way to go, Mr. Kamiya," Sam whispered into his ear.

                "I know you'll do good," Serena whispered into his other ear.

                Tai nodded. "I except."

                "Good," Seraphymon said,"I know you will not abuse it." He glowed for a second, then disapeared.

                "I must be going as well," Azulongmon said, his eyes glowing once more,"Far thee well." He vanished, while Tai's eyes glared at the Digital God untill he was completly gone.

                "So, you're really going to leave again?"

                Tai stopped placing clothes into the bag for a second and turned to the door. He smiled slightly at Kari. She was leaning against the frame of the door with a sad look on her face. "Yeah," Tai said, sighing.

                "You don't need to, you know," Kari said, walking towards him.

                "Yes, I do," Tai said,"You don't understand. When Azulongmon told me about the Child of Darknes, I saw the horror in his eyes." He placed his hands on his sister's shoulders, "Kari, when I saw the look in his eyes, for one of the few times in my life, I was scared, so scared that my spine was ice. He was scared of being destroyed, the Child of Darkness will be extreamly powerful, and...and if my son can stop it, then, I have to make sure he is able to!"

                Kari nodded. "But, what about Sora?"

                Tai sighed as he went back to packing. "I have no chance with her, I never did. Azulongmon told me that in almost every timeline, I was destined to be alone. Sora and I aren't meant to be, and we never were. I...I realized that when we fought the Daemon Corps on File Island, but, it took me so long to....." He sighed, and whiped his eyes.

                "I...am going to miss you," Kari said, as she started crying,"I'm really going to miss you..."

                "Kari," he said, hugging her,"You don't need to worry. Remember, we share a bond so strong that death can't even break. I knew that you had been kidnapped even before T.K. called me. If you ever need my help, just call my name, and I'll be there."

                Kari nodded, with tear strained eyes. "I will."

                Tai smiled silghtly,"That was just an expression..."

                "Hey," Kari said, returning the smile,"I am a psychic, remember?"

                Tai didn't say anything, he just squeezed her tight. He released her and cleaned his eyes. "Well, I'd better get going," he said, grabbing his many bags. He started walking towards the door, when he dropped a couple of his bags. He was about to grab them, when two sets of hands lifted them up.

                "What are you guys doing?" Tai asked.

                "We're going with you," Sam said, handing a small bag to his Candlemon.

                "That's right," Serena said, holding Tai's son.

                Tai was about to say something, when Sam quickly interupted him. "Remember, you said that you would always be there for us, well, this time, we're going to be here for you."

                Tai sighed, then smiled. "Thanks."

                "You're really going to go?" Davis asked, as he and Izzy walked into the room.

                "That's right," Tai said,"All three of us."

                Davis nodded. "I'll keep things in ordered until you return."

                "Thanks," Tai said,"All of you in this room, you're the only friends I've got left."

                Davis walked over, and patted Tai on the shoulder. "Davis," Tai whispered,"Make sure you keep an eye on the two suspects for the C.O.D."

                "What about fish?" he asked.

                Tai sighed. "The Child of Darkness!"

                "Oh!" Davis said, winking his eye,"Don't worry, I've got it."

                Tai sighed. "If you need help, just e-mail me on my D-terminal, okay?"

                "Right," Izzy said, smiling.

                "Goodbye guys," Tai said,"If all goes according to plan, the next time I see you, I'll be infinetly more powerful than you."

                "Yeah right," Davis laughed,"Just focues on our last hope, okay?"

                Tai nodded. "Right."

                to be continued...