"Are we there yet? I'm hungry. Could we slow down or something? I need to go to the bathroom. I feel sick. Ew, I think I just stepped on something I wouldn't have wanted to!"
"Cut it out, Tai!" scowled Matt, he despised the fact that Tai just sounded like Mimi then. Matt trudged farther away from the group.
"Well, I am," Tai whimpered and pouted, putting his hands behind his head.
Mammothmon laughed, "Don't worry, we're almost there. You kids sure get tired pretty fast."
"Well, we've only been walking for like a year now!" complained Tai.
"Mammothmon, who's this Dokugomon leader we heard about?" Joe asked and changed the subject.
"Ahh…That I do not know of, my friends. I only know that he must've been pretty powerful to defeat the last king."
"What do you mean?"
"He who challenges the king of the Empire and succeeds is crowned the new king of the Dokugomon. A pendant is handed down to him that automatically brings darkness inside the heart of the
possessor. It's like their tradition."
"What does this pendant thing look like, Mammothmon?" asked Sora.
"Well, from what I heard, the pendant doesn't always have the same appearance. It takes the shape and color that reflects its bearer, " Mammothmon replied and they kept on conversing about the Dokugomon—speaking of which their conversation topic quietly watched the Digidestines behind the trees. Each eye following their every step, they crawled, jumped, swung around the trees.
Gabumon's ears twitched and he stopped, "Hey, do you guys hear something?"
They all stopped. Mammothmon's eyes narrowed, "They found us."
The last word seemed to have triggered it all. Shrill laughs echoed around the trees. The Digidestines slowly moved closer to Mammothmon, their digimon already had digivolved, except for Palmon, who was still willing to fight. Takeru huddled close to Matt.
"What's going on?!" Tai yelled.
Webs were spraying out from behind the trees, forming a circle around the trees, completely trapping the Digidestines, "Tai," whispered Mammothmon, "The Dark Forest is a day's walk from here, just keep heading north. But watch out for Mayumi's army. From here on, I need you to lead the group—I'll hold them back as much as I can."
"Mayumi? But Mammothmon wh—"
"There's no time! Go!"
Greymon ran to Tai, "Come on, Tai! We have to go!" Greymon grabbed Tai and carried him towards the others. Kabuterimon sliced through the webs and everyone followed him. Tai watch as the Dokugomon quickly dropped down from the trees. He noted that they were a lot more gruesome looking than he remembered—those eight fiery red eyes, heavy-boulder bodies, venomous sharp teeth-they shot their poison strings at Mammothmon. Tai yelled out Mammothmon's name. The Digidestines watched as they were being carried away by their digimon. They saw Mammothmon trying to struggle out of the sticky webs, the Dokugomon laughed in joy as they closed in on Mammothmon. And that was the last they saw of their friend, Mammothmon.
Back in the Dokugomon Empire, a shadow softly laughed up in the willow tree, gazing at the small pool of water that was used to see around the Digiworld. It showed Mammothmon, the Digidestines and their Digimon. Kaoru slowly appeared at his master's side.
"Lovely, isn't it…?"
"Actually," Kaoru casually said, "It's pretty pitiful if you ask me."
"Pathetic. Crying over a worthless creature…"
The shadow slowly twirled around the pendant hanging from its neck. Its red eyes looked upon the Digidestines. The Digidestines were all mourning at another loss of yet another friend. The red eyes watched them; Takeru was crying against Patamon—his young, innocent tears staining his soft cheeks. Joe was as usual, sat on a rock and wiped his unwelcome tears behind his glasses. Izzy and Sora both sat quietly beside each other crying in silence. It then showed Agumon comforting Tai, who was almost crying his eyes out. Matt was leaning against a tree beside Gabumon. And Matt, who barely cared about anything at all, had his own blue tears dripping down his cheeks. A small glint of light shimmered. A teardrop had somehow escaped the red eyes and fell down to the floor.
Kaoru noticed and a small smile appeared across his face and he sidled closer to the tree, "I know what you're thinking. You don't need them, Mayumi, didn't you see what they did to Sincerity?"
"How could you possibly know what goes through my mind!"
Kaoru shook his head, "Because I have watched you ever since you were born. I know everything. Feeling alone all through you're childhood and have always thought that no one has or will ever care for you." The one called 'Mayumi' turned away but Kaoru continued, "You were so alone that you trusted anyone whom you thought cared, but deep down you knew it was all a lie. Hmmph, you even fell in love once, remember…? But you still played along until you just couldn't take it anymore. You ran away from your problems and came here, where you became our new queen. Don't you see, you're strong without anyone's help, the Digidestines won't help you, Mayumi. They're only coming here to destroy you. Only I can help you," His voice got louder, "Look at this world; our Empire has waited many years to take over this world, and now with you as our leader and my guidance, we can dominate over the Digiworld and the all the other dimensions."
Mayumi turned around and faced the pool of water again and looked at the Digidestines. Then she smacked her hand on the water, the picture shattered as the water splattered all over. Mayumi breathed heavily, "You're right. I don't need them—I don't need anyone…they'll just get in my way and for that I want them destroyed!"
"As you wish."
Kaoru smirked and disappeared behind the darkness leaving 'Mayumi'. She twirled around her pendant. Its silky silver chain twisted around her neck, the gem twinkled as it rolled around her hand. Its misty face clouded with loneliness and confusion. Mayumi clenched it tight.
"I don't want to be alone, not anymore."
Tai got up and wiped the tears from his eyes. They had also made a small grave in honor of Mammothmon. Tai walked back to the group and looked around, What am I going to do now…everyone's too upset to go on, he thought, he looked at Palmon, What are we going to do without Mimi. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder he looked back and smiled.
"Don't worry, Tai. Everyone will be okay, cheer up."
Tai smiled, "Thanks, Matt. Thanks," Matt nodded and inwardly smiled as he remembered that same line he fed Tai not too long ago. Tai cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.
"Look," he started, "I know were all pretty upset at everything these Dokugomon did. We already lost two of our friends because of them and that adds more reasons of why we should destroy them and make them pay for all the damage they're causing!"
"You're right, Tai." They all stood up.
Tai looked at Palmon, he held out Mimi's Digivice, "Hey Izzy."
"Yeah, Tai?"
"Is there any way that we could use Mimi's Digivice so Palmon can digivovle?"
Izzy gave him a curious look then pondered for a moment, "Well, I guess we could try. I don't see why it won't work."
Tai grinned, "Great!" He tossed Matt Mimi's Digivice. Matt looked at Tai, Tai just nodded, and so did Matt.
"Come on, what are we waiting for? Let's make those Dokugomon pay!" cried Palmon. And they were off. Palmon happily walked by Matt and Gabumon, Takeru and Patamon. Gabumon stopped and twitched his ears.
"Something wrong, Gabumon?" asked Matt.
"Nah, I thought I just heard something." And they continued.
"C'mon you guys! Hurry up!" hollered Tai.
"That's right, we wouldn't want you to fall behind now do we…"'Mayumi' watched them as they headed to the Dark Forest. Kaoru stood beside her.
"Kaoru, where are your manners. Aren't you going to welcome our guests when they arrive?"
Kaoru nodded, "Of course, your highness."
A day passed by and nothing much has happened, the Digidestines went on with ease. Tai led the group, followed by Sora—who was happily talking to Biyomon and Agumon—same goes for Izzy and Tentomon. Though, Joe wasn't having much fun as Gomamon was having, he was laughing at Joe who was stumbling all over while getting attacked by killer mosquitoes. Everything seemed back to normal, now, like an unwritten poem, all it was missing was the title. Matt smiled and watched Takeru playing around with Patamon and Gabumon. Hands in his pockets he gazed up onto the sky. Sure is a great day, he thought. It was perfect, the sun wasn't too hot as it beamed down through the leaves of the trees that gave them shade while the cool summer breeze brushed against their faces. The trees, Matt noted, seemed to be dancing with each other as they swung to and fro, their leaves danced around the sunshine and its shadows skipped about on his face. He looked down as he felt a bump in his jeans, he took out Mimi's digivice. A frown slowly crept up on his face and held onto it tightly. I wish you were here with me instead, he thought.
"You're not the only one, you know," Cut in Palmon. Matt stared at her, Palmon looked at him and slightly smiled, "I think about her, too."
Matt looked down, "Then how can you be so happy?" he asked, Palmon didn't respond for a while as they walked along but just as Matt drifted to another reverie, Palmon's voice came loud and clear.
"Because," Palmon watched looked at the trees dancing and smiled, "Because I come to realize that, even though I can't see Mimi anymore, I know that she's still with me. And she'll always be with me as long as I keep her close to my heart. Like you and Gabumon, it may not look like Mimi and I have much in common or anything, but…I know she cares for me, and I will do anything to protect her. When you think about it, you're a lot alike. Misunderstood," Matt looked at her, "You're both trying to hide what's truly you and replacing it with someone you think that people would respect and like." Matt's eyes widened hearing this, "The point is, I know that Mimi wouldn't just want me to be depressed about her, she'd want me to be happy and to know that she'll always be here." Palmon's eyes were clouded with tears, "I've waited all my life for a friend like Mimi, and when I met her I knew I'd never be alone ever again." She stopped and looked at Matt.
"She didn't know this, but I knew that she has always cared deeply about you. And she wouldn't want you to be all miserable like that, so cheer up, that's what she would've wanted." Palmon smiled warmly and similar smile crept onto Matt's face as he remembered what Mimi had whispered to him—I'll never loose you, you're mine to keep, he thought.
"Thank you." He said to Palmon—and Mimi.
"Well gang, we're here."