Annhilation
Part Three
Davis and Mimi walked into the computer room at each other's throats.
"Well, what do you think a man is like, huh?"
"If it's any of your business, which it's not, Matt is the perfect example!"
Daisuki choked on his spit.
"MATT?!! So you think a man is someone who sings and can't fight! Your messed up!"
"HE CAN TOO FIGHT, YOU…YOU…GOGGLE-HEADED FREAK!!"
"HEY! LAY OFF THE GOGGLES!"
"IS THAT YOUR EXAMPLE OF BEING A MAN?! GOGGLES! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S MESSED UP!"
"IF YOU WEREN'T A GIRL I'D BEAT YOU UP SO BAD-"
"TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT!"
"GUYS! I mean girl and guy," Izzy stepped in between them, "stop fighting, please! We were just getting to the good part of my theory. And, Mimi, what are you doing here?"
"Well, since it's summer break, I thought I'd visit Ma- uh, you guys."
"How thoughtful of you Mimi!" Yolei's eyes got all sparkly, "I'm so happy you came! It's good that you came too!"
"No, it's not, Yolei. Mimi is now in, what I call, the Danger Zone."
"Oooooooo…scary name, Izzy. But why is this place 'the Danger Zone'?"
"Mimi, I think that something is wrong with the digital world. And this is the main opening to that something."
Pulling himself onto the bank, Tai found himself behind Piedmon. An idea flickered across his mind. Surprise Attack. Attack with Piedmon's Weapon. Steal one of the swords strapped on Piedmon's back. An evil grin found a place on his face. Goodbye Piedmon.
He stealthily walked half the way, not making one sound. He extended his hand the rest of the way, trying not to breath hard. Then his hand had a firm grip around the hilt of one of the swords.
Piedmon heard a slight scraping sound. He listened harder. Some shallow breathing to go along with it, too. Someone was behind him, that was for sure. Hmmmm…how shall I surprise them? He laughed on the inside.
Just a little bit further. Come on, come on. Before this clown knows I'm here. With a satisfying last scrape, the sword was in his possession.
Piedmon spun around, unsheathing another one of his swords in the same movement.
"Well…what have we here? A thief? I would think so."
"What's wrong with the digiworld?" Mimi groaned, "don't tell me we have another enemy."
Koushiro shrugged.
"Your
guess is as good as mine. But I know
something else that you don't."
Izzy pointed at the screen
with the faces on it.
"Ooo…my picture looks good."
"Mimi! You're missing the point!"
Izzy pointed at Matt's face, then Sora's, T.K.'s, and-
"Whoa! When did Tai's face get X-ed out?"
Kari ran over, Cody with her.
"What? Tai's face! Oh noo…"
"But then that means that Tai is in the digiworld also."
Izzy grimaced at Cody's voice.
"Yes, Cody. Tai left for the digiworld about, ohh…a long time ago."
Uhh…" Iori pointed at Mimi. She was crying nonstop, looking at Matt's picture.
"Matt! Poor *sob* Matt! Who would do such a thing?!"
The two fighters clashed, metal ringing off metal. The battle reflected in Sora's eyes, wonderment also showing. Tai knows how to fight with a sword? When, or where, had he learned to fight like that too?
A shout emitted from Matt's throat. The Tai that held him was jogging steadily towards the lake. And, just like in Matt's dream, the lake lost its water.
Tai spun around and sped towards Matt. Piedmon took his time to follow; even if Tai saved his friend, Piedmon would win. He would maybe even win by backstabbing. Funny word, but so true.
Taichi (let's call the Tai holding Matt Taichi, k?) had finally reached the edge of the lake/canyon. He lifted the struggling Matt high above his head, and-
Was sliced in half.
Matt fell to the ground with Taichi's lifeless fingers still wrapped around him. He regained his breathing slowly, then looked up at Tai. He had been splattered with blood in the process of killing Taichi, and looked more like a man then he had ever looked before. Matt stumbled on his words. What were you supposed to say to the person who had just saved your life? Thanks, I'll be fine now?
But he didn't have time to say thanks, because Piedmon had appeared behind Tai.
"Tai! Behind you!"
"Uhh…Mimi, we haven't quite figured that out yet."
"WELL FIGURE IT OUT!"
"Er…okay
then! Let's crack this freaky case!"
"Well," Davis stroked his chin
thoughtfully, "I wonder… if we're our own murderers."
Sweat drops appeared on everyone's heads.
"Yeah! Like we create our own enemies! I saw this show once where a boy drew something; a monster, and it came to life and ate him! Isn't that awesome!"
T.K. gritted his teeth.
"I never want to hear the word awesome from you again."
"What would you do about it?" Davis grinned, "awesome awesome awesome awesome awe- hrrt!"
T.K. strangled him roughly.
"Shut up shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP!"
"Hkkk…make…hykkm…me."
"I am you idiot!"
Mimi pried T.K.'s hands off of Davis' throat.
"Stop it T.K.! You should be ashamed of yourself. What do you think Matt would say if he saw you right now?"
"Go for it."
Tai whipped around and met the sword that came at him with his own. He preformed a mid-air back flip, dodging a low swing.
"Very impressive. But acrobatics won't change your fate."
Piedmon charged, Tai also launching into an attack.
Tai's hand slipped. The sweeping motion he had planned faltered, giving Piedmon enough time to make a move. He took it.
Piedmon thrust his sword, catching Tai in his side. Still, Tai advanced, ignoring the deep wound. If only he could get him to mess up. Come on, come on. Everyone messes up at some point.
"Sorry, but I don't mess up, amateur."
Tai snapped. His swings turned more violent, and he lost his skillfulness. This turned out to be dumb luck. Not use to these types of blows, Piedmon faltered, enabling Tai to make the deadly swings he wanted.
First he swung for the middle, missed by a hair, and received a cut right under his eye from Piedmon. Then he thrust for the chest. This, Piedmon dodged nimbly and counter-attacked by slashing Tai across his chest. Piedmon smiled broadly.
"Nice try, amate-"
Piedmon's head rolled to the ground. Tai had tried a last fatal swing, and it had worked.
"No,
he wouldn't, T.K. Now will you stop
choking Davis?"
"Why should I?" T.K. stared at
Davis, who was trying to regain his breath.
"Because we need to be fighting the enemy, not ourselves."
T.K. turned on Mimi. "Who is the enemy, huh? Tell me that. Who killed my brother; who killed Sora; and Tai?"
"T.K., they're not really dead. We've already figured that out."
"How do you know, Koushiro? Is it because you're such a brainiac that you think you're always right? Well, I've got news for you, everyone messes up at some point." He stopped talking suddenly. Tai flashed across his mind. Bloody and defeated, begging mercy. T.K. smiled. I am so much like my brother. I really don't like Tai at all. Leader, uh-huh, I'm so sure. "Kari, I hate your brother."
"Huh?" Kari lifted her head from her hands slowly. She had been crying hard, not knowing if her brother was all right or not. "Where did that come from, T.K.?"
"I don't know, I just realized it. He thinks he's so strong and that none of us could ever fight as well as he does…it just eats me up. I think I speak for everyone when I say: -"
"Help! Guys, you gotta help us!"
Izzy ran over and opened up the door. "Matt? Is that you?"
They saw the back of Matt backing into the doorway. He was dragging something, Sora helping out. He collapsed backward, bringing his burden on top of him.
"Tai!"
Kari ran over and fell to her knees by her brother. There was blood everywhere on him, some of it not his own.
"Oh my gosh, Tai…"
Matt slid Tai off of him gently. "Do you think Jou is home to help out here? I mean, he is training to be a doctor and everything."
"I don't know, I went over to his house when I first got here, and he was taking a really important test at school. But then again, he could have finished already."
"I bet he has, Mimi. Do me a favor and call him over here, okay?"
Mimi fluttered her eyelashes at Matt. "Anything for you."
He stared at her.
"Mimi…you understand that Sora and I are dating, correct?"
"Nothing is forever."
"Whatever, just call Jou, will ya?"
"I'm all over it," Mimi paused, "hon."
Sora was too busy tending to Tai to overhear their conversation, which was good because she would have probably gotten into a fight with Mimi.
"Oh, Tai, please wake up."
"Sora, what happened?"
Sora looked up from Tai to Izzy.
"You see Izzy, Matt and I were taken to a place that was just light. We had a little fight, so we went our separate ways. I found Piedmon, I don't know what Matt found."
"Nothing. But I did find out what that noise was. It was chains. And when I finally figured that out, they had tied me up."
"Oh, okay. Well, Piedmon had this new plan. He explained it to me…and…" Sora gave Matt a look. "Matt, was he really telling the truth about that betrayal thing. I mean, I really didn't believe it for a second. Because you wouldn't do that…would you?"
Matt held his breath. She looked so hurt. How could he tell her the truth? He had almost killed Tai; he had almost ruined everything. Without Wargreymon, they would have lost to Apocalymon. Or even worse, never have gotten that far. Knowing Piedmon, he would have killed them all after Matt had killed Tai. He hung his head.
"Matt…I can't believe it…I can't believe you."
"Look, Sora, I've changed, okay? I was really stupid back then, and, and…I just wasn't thinking."
"I wasn't thinking when I started dating you. I wasn't thinking when I turned Tai down. Matt…I can't believe that you would ever do such a thing."
"Sora! I wouldn't! That's why I didn't kill Tai!"
"Whatever Matt!" she turned her back towards him, "I never want to see you again!"
"Wait a second. You're breaking up with me because of something I didn't do four years ago?"
"That's right."
"Uhh…who knows Jou's cell phone number?"
Everyone stared blankly at Mimi.
"Um…try 569-0…no, that's not right. Maybe 956-0…that's not right either."
"Look, Koushiro, you should know. You're the one who's always crunching numbers."
"Not phone numbers! And why does everyone keep on calling me Koushiro?!"
"Maybe it's because it's your name."
"Look, I don't call you Yamato."
"Oooooo…what a nice name. And it fits so perfectly with mine…Yamato and Mimi. Oh! I just love the sound of it!"
"Too bad no! Now the phone number is: -"
"What's going on here?!"
"Jou! Finally! Do you think you can fix Tai up?"
"Uh…hold on. First, would someone answer my question?"
"Uh…hold on. First, would you save Tai's life!"
"Gees, Matt, how big is that bee in your bonnet?"
"BONNET!!??? I don't wear a bonnet, Koushiro!"
"It's just an expression Matt, calm down."
"Why shou-"
"WOULD EVERYONE JUST SHUT UP?!!" They all stopped talking to stare at Cody, "thank you. Now, we need to figure out a way to get Tai to the hospital…right?"
"But wouldn't they ask a whole bunch of questions and then our cover for the digiworld would be blown?"
"Mimi," Cody sighed and rubbed at his temples, "do you want to have Tai alive and happy, or would you rather be attending a funeral?"
"Hm…well, I do look good in black…"
"Call 911. Jou can't take care of Tai all by himself. It looks to me like Tai is really-"
Tai's hand twitched, catching the attention of everyone. Then his head moved noticeably. He groaned. Sora placed a hand on his face and whispered to him quietly.
"Tai…if you can hear me, please say or do something. Please, it would mean a lot to me…just please…"
His eyes quivered slightly. Sora held her breath, Kari doing likewise. He opened his eyes partly.
"Yes! Tai you're all right! Oh, I mean, will be all right!"
Sirens sounded outside of the building.
"Tai? Do you remember when you asked me if I wanted to do something after Matt's concert?"
"Yeah."
"Well, even though Matt's concert is over and I never want to attend something of that creep's ever again…do you still want to do something?"
Tai smiled at her.
"Sure, once I get out of this prison."
"It's not a prison Tai, and you know it. The people here just want to help you."
"Poisoning isn't exactly what I would call helping. Speaking of which, hear it comes now…" Tai scrunched up his nose as a nurse came in with a tray of food. She laid it on a table by his bed.
"Okay Mr. Charming, your girlfriend should leave now. She might distract you from eating all this lovely food."
"Food? That's what you people call it? I had no idea."
The nurse ignored him and made a '5 minutes' sign to Sora. Sora nodded as the nurse left.
"Tell you what Tai, I'll bake you some cookies *author laughs wildly*, and sneak them into here. All right?"
"Really? You're the best girlfriend a guy could ever ask for."
"Oh! Which reminds me. I have to kiss you back for the time that you kissed me."
Tai gave her an odd look.
"What kiss?"
(There's a big window in the hallway so that the other digidestined can look into Taichi's room. Just so you know ^.^)
Matt watched Sora and Tai get closer and closer.
"Man, I can't believe she dumped me for something I never even did. And then the next day she runs off to Tai. It doesn't make any sense to me. I thought we had the perfect relationship."
"Maybe she was planning of dumping you all along, and that was just the perfect timing."
"Look Mimi, I'm not going to go out with you."
"I never even- what made you- forget it. I'm not going to ask."
Davis grinned suddenly.
"Hey Kari, with all this talk about dating and stuff, I was wondering-"
"Drop dead."
"Okay then, I'll take that as a no."
T.K walked over to Kari.
"Are you still upset about what I did to Davis?"
Kari stood up quickly and walked away.
"I'm going to go get a soda from the lounge."
Davis snickered. "Looks like your girl just ditched you."
"Davis…do you really want to fight again?"
"Bring it on, T.S."
Matt got up from the hard chair he was sitting on.
"You two really need to give it a rest. If you start fighting I'm going to have to beat you both up."
Izzy gave a frustrated sigh. "I still don't get what happened. No one really ever explained it to me."
"Okay, Koushiro, it went something like this: Piedmon came back with this new plot to kill us all. What happened was that when we went unconscious the dream that we would have would become real. But the catch is that our dream is about our mortal enemy or some junk like that. For instance, I had a dream about Tai killing me; therefore a copy of Tai came into existence. Well, after Tai killed Piedmon, I guess the things that Tai, T.K., and Sora dreamed of disappeared. Got it?"
"Yeah, I think I do. But then…what did Tai and Sora dream of?"
"I could really care less about Sora's dream; I just want to know what Tai dreamed of."