Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon

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The First Kiss: Part 2
by: Gennai's Apprentice

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TAI'S POV:

In the Digital World...

I had just been in summer camp only moments before. Now I was running for my life from a giant red bug that wanted ME for lunch. Not to mention the fact that aside from being just me and this other kid I met at camp, Izzy, there were these things that were following us around. The one who called himself Koromon was this giant talking head with no body, while the other one was named Motimon, a blob taller than it was wide, with short stubby arms and short stubby tentacle like legs.

Koromon stayed by me, while Motimon stayed by Izzy. Only a few minutes earlier, I climbed up a tree, and with my trusty telescope, I scouted to see whether we were still at the camp. Unfortunately, it didn't look like it. It almost seemed as if we were on an island. I mean, yeah, Japan is an island too, but from my perch, I could see not just water but also an ocean on the horizon. This was definitely not Summer Camp, 'cause it was no where near the ocean. That was when I saw Kuwagamon. On his first pass, his giant pincers just barely missed Koromon and me and the only thing that saved us was by hanging upside-down like a couple of monkeys. On the other hand, the top part of the tree was missing. On his second pass, Koromon tried to help by shooting a bunch of bubbles at it, causing it managed to go off course, knocking me and Koromon back to the forest floor.

We thought that after his little bubble bath, he'd leave us alone, but instead it just made him angrier. Now he was chasing us through the forest, ripping trees apart that just happened to be in his way. In another couple of minutes, we were going to become bug food.

"Inside this tree!" the little Digimon named Motimon motioned with his little arms. One second he was there, the next second he was gone. Me and Izzy stopped in our tracks in amazement at what we had just seen. Throwing caution to the wind, I grabbed Izzy by the wrist and dragged him with me into the "tree".

Once we were inside, I put Koromon down, who I'd been holding the whole time we were running. All around us, we heard bug-brain screaming his head off, looking for us. Inside the tree was something else, though. It seemed as if we were in some circular, steel-plated something-or-other.

"What kind of tree is this?" Izzy asked to no one in particular.

"It's a hiding tree, silly!" Motimon said with as much cockiness as a little thing like him could handle.

All of us got down and cowered in fear, hoping that bug wouldn't find us.

"Quiet now, don't make a sound," Koromon warned.

Then there was silence. Then there was Sora.

"All clear, no need to hide anymore!" she said from the other side of the tree.

"Sora!" I said in surprise

"You can come out now," she said with a mocking smile.

"Uh, we were just planning the trap we were gonna set for that big bug."

It was an obvious lie. Well, not really a lie, just a joke to sorta lighten the mood after almost getting killed by a bug the size of Godzilla.

The fact of the matter was that she was here, with me and Izzy and who knew what else on this forsaken island. But her voice, when she said that it was all clear, it reassured me. And her smile, gave me comfort, that one thing was for sure... If you're gonna die, might as well have someone you know to enjoy it with you.

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SORA'S POV:

Near Etemon's Pyramid...

It was almost morning. Biyomon and me had just left the camp when everyone had fallen asleep. Only T.K. noticed us leaving, but I told him it was okay.

Only a couple days ago, Tai, Izzy, Joe, me, and our Digimon had secretly infiltrated Etemon's HQ. Tai, being the jerk that he was, almost got us caught several times by taunting the nearby Gazimon. The whole objective was to get the final crest, mine. Instead, it almost seemed like a field day for Tai. We eventually got to an electrified fence, where with one misstep could cost us our life. As soon as Izzy found the weak point, though, Tai just marched right through it as if it was just a game. He acted as if nothing could possibly go wrong.

Then on cue, EVERYTHING went wrong.

We encountered Datamon inside what seemed to be a prison of some sort. Then he began communicating to Izzy through his laptop. He told us that all he wanted us to do was free him. In exchange, he was going to give me my crest. For some reason, none of us trusted him, until he said that Etemon was both of our enemies, therefore making us allies. Right when Tai was getting ready to release him, Etemon barged in to stop us.

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Flashback

From one of the walls, a door opened to reveal Etemon.

"Hold it!"

Tai caught his breath, "Etemon!"

"I've been watching you on surveillance cameras and you're an annoying little brat, y'know that," Etemon said in his annoying little Elvis voice.

Then two Gazimon jumped in from the doorway to land at Etemon's side.

"Punk Kid!" one of them said.

"Troublemaker!" the other one said.

"Hey hey, it's been my pleasure," Tai said with a smile.

Joe turned to Tai, "Great, why don't you just call him ugly too."

Etemon turned to Datamon, "Now, all this time, I thought it was those snot-nosed kids who were causin' my network to go on the fritz, BUT IT WAS YOU, WASN'T IT!?! You Digital Dumpster!"

"Well, in a word, yes," Datamon replied in a small voice.

"You RAT!" Etemon yelled at him, and then charged for Tai who was still holding the lever that would set Datamon free.

"Digimon!" Agumon yelled out, "Help Out!"

Immediately, all the Digimon went to their Champion levels. Just like all the other times they faced Etemon, Etemon just tossed them around, but it gave Tai enough time to raise the lever that would open Datamon's cage.

"I'm FREE!" Datamon yelled, "Now let's see how you like it!"

Etemon turned around to see Datamon manipulating the panels of his former cage to soar at Etemon. Etemon dodged them, but Birdramon and the other two Gazimon were hit. Birdramon was hit with the flat side of one of the transparent panels, pinning her to the wall and causing her to de-Digivolve.

"Biyomon!" she yelled out to her partner.

Tai turned around to the, now free, Datamon, "Hey, we set you free!"

"And I do appreciate that, you chump!" he replied.

"Dumb kids," Etemon said while giving a little chuckle, "you'd think by now they'd learn not to trust no one!"

Etemon and Datamon duked it out, blowing a hole in the roof. Eventually, Datamon had been thrown to a wall, near where Sora was trying to revive Biyomon.

"Tough love, looks like I won again," Etemon said to Datamon who was lying on the floor.

"It's not over yet, Monkey-breath!"

Suddenly, Datamon jumped up, placing Sora between him and Etemon, and wrapped his long arms around her and Biyomon.

"Just wait, with their powers harnessed to my own, I'll be more than a match for you!" Laughing hysterically, he spirited the two away.

Etemon was just about to give chase, when he was blocked by Greymon, Kabuterimon, and Ikkakumon. The other three boys ran off to save her.

"Sora!" he yelled as he ran out the door through which Datamon had exited.

Coming around a corner, they encountered another electrified fence.

Just then, Sora called out, "TAI!!!"

End flashback

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That was the last thing I remembered, calling out for Tai when Datamon knocked me out. It wasn't until later when Izzy and Joe told me what had happened that prevented Tai from coming after me at that moment. Tai tried to remember where the weak point was, and was about to go through when Izzy stopped him. Tai still thought that nothing bad could happen since it wasn't the real world. Tai was just about to go through again, when this time Joe restrained him. Then Izzy laid the truth on him like a sledgehammer. He told me exactly what he told Tai. He said, "Our Digital selves are directly linked with our Real selves back home... If something happens here..." then Joe finished, "it happens there."

When that revelation struck home, they told me that Tai, the heroic, unbreakable Tai, had become a stone statue, unable to move out of fear, even though Izzy told him where to go, Tai had frozen up. Then it was too late; when Etemon beat their Digimon, the only reason Tai and the others made it out alive was because Matt and Mimi, who had been waiting back at the Sphinx, had come by and distracted Etemon long enough for everyone to escape.

Matt continued the story from there. He told me that he started questioning Tai after Izzy and Joe had told him the whole story. The whole time, Tai just sat there with his head between his legs. He asked why he didn't go after me after I was taken. All he did was shout my name, claiming responsibility. He was that way until nightfall.

That night, as Matt explained it, was when they made their plans to get me back. Tai vowed he would do anything to bring me back. Their plan was daring. While Matt, Joe, and Mimi were running a diversion from the many Digimon surrounding the pyramid, Tai and Izzy snuck inside. On the way, Etemon realized what was happening, and went back to find Tai and Izzy in a secret area of the pyramids. Izzy said he held off Etemon as long as he could, and Tai went alone to face the final electrified fence that stood between me and him. I know he conquered his fears, I know he went through it without help from Izzy. The rest is history. If not for Tai, I probably would have been dead. If it was anyone else, me and that person could have been dead. But it was Tai, and I knew I was safe. But now, Tai was gone and I didn't know if any of us were going to be safe ever again.

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TAI'S POV:

In Heighton View Terrace...

"It's called Mammothmon!" Izzy exclaimed, tapping out commands on his keyboard as he kneeled on the sidewalk.

"He's a fully Digivolved Digimon with the strength of a wooly mammoth. He shoots missiles he calls Tusk Crusher and has a chilling attack called Freezing Breath."

It had only been a couple hours since we had arrived back into the Real World. Home. But home was in danger what with Myotismon and his goons running about in search for the Eighth Child. We hadn't known it until we got here to Heighton View Terrace, but all of us at one time lived here. Then a good many of us moved away at around the same time. Why? Joe says it was because of a terrorist bombing around here four years ago, but... There seems like there was something more to this place than we first realized.

When Izzy finished with his description on Mammothmon, a police car pulled up, "Get out of here kids, this is a danger zone!" the officer yelled to them. He turned to his radio and tried to call for backup, but his radio was dead.

The Mammothmon began to roar and to stampede its way towards the Digidestined.

Koromon jumped out of my arms as Tsunomon jumped out of Matt's arms.

"That monster's fully Digivolved, you can't fight him!" Matt said trying to persuade the two In-Training Digimon to back off.

Biyomon stepped forward, "Just leave everything to me..." she said right before Digivolving into Birdramon.

"Meteor Wing!" the fiery bird shouted her attack. Balls of fire shot from her wings heading straight for Mammothmon. Some hit, but did no noticeable damage. Others were deflected and destroyed parts of the surrounding area.

As the battle continued, the others and me began to remember. The fight between two Digimon right here on this very spot. Right then Birdramon had taken a Freezing Breath attack full on. She was launched backwards, crushing one of the footbridges. Sora immediately ran to her Digimon as I followed behind, still holding Koromon in my arms.

Sora's crest of love began to glow and Birdramon Digivolved into Garudamon.

Mammothmon fired his Tusk Crusher missiles directly to us. Then everything went into slow motion. I saw them and yet I didn't see them. Instead of the tusk missiles, I saw a large ball of electricity. Instead of Mammothmon, there was a huge green bird, which almost looked like a parrot. And beside me was not Sora but my little sister Kari. And the Digimon on our side... was Greymon.

Instinctively, I pulled Sora down and covered her to try to protect her. Garudamon dropped herself so she could shield us with her body. We were safe, but now I remember... I remember the fight Greymon...

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SORA'S POV:

At Sora's Apartment...

Only a few minutes earlier, I had just finished getting off the phone with Tai. I had sent him a picture of me wearing the hairclip he gave me for my birthday along with an acceptance of his apology. I guess he was still using his computer, because not long after, he gave me a call.

He had explained to me that he sent his e-mail early that morning, but according to Izzy, Diablomon had prevented it from getting to me. Of course, he was getting ahead of himself. I had no idea who Diablomon was. It was then that I looked out my window, and saw a large missile being towed out of Tokyo Bay. I just stared at it, as police cars, ambulances, fire trucks, and black vans, with people in yellow biohazard suits.

Tai explained that he had tried to get a hold of me the entire day; he explained that he was incredibly sorry that he hurt my feelings. He sounded tired, but happy. We were all alive to live another day. When he hung up, I just lay there in my bed, wondering at how close I was to death, and didn't even know it. How close, and yet all I thought about was a dumb hairclip from dumb Tai... Dumb Tai. Maybe I'm the dumb one. He, Matt, Izzy, and T.K. were the only ones to face off against one of the worst enemies we have ever seen. I thought about how I was so close to knocking on his door, to say I was sorry, but no. I thought it was his fault and that he should've been the one to give the apologies. But now that I think about it...

The doorbell rang.

I got up and checked out what was going on. My mom just nodded to the police officers at the door. When she had closed the door, she turned to me.

"C'mon Sora, we have to leave for right now, something has happened, and it's dangerous to stay here."

"Alright, Mom."

I just grabbed a jacket and my hat, along with my new e-mail messenger. The jacket and hat in case we had to sleep in the car, and I brought the messenger just in case. When I stepped outside, it seemed as if everyone was trying to leave the area. My mom just packed some food and some clothes for the both of us, then we were off to Tokyo University where my Dad was teaching. At least some good things came out of all this. We were in heavy traffic, but instead of worrying about the nuke that almost killed everyone I knew and loved, I was still thinking about Tai when I finally fell asleep.

When I finally got up the next morning, I found myself lying down on a couch in my Dad's living room at the university. Sitting up, I found it weird to see my Dad and Mom sitting together at the table having breakfast; it just wasn't something that happened very often. Then my mom noticed me.

"Honey, your friend Tai called again," my Mom got up out of her seat and handed me a piece of paper with a phone number on it, "He said that he was staying with some relatives on the other end of Tokyo, that's the number where you can reach him."

"Thanks Mom," I said as I got up and headed toward the phone. I felt achy and tired, but it didn't bother me too much. When I reached the phone and dialed the number, I waited.

"Hello? Yagami residence," a woman said on the phone.

"Hi, is Taichi Kamiya there?" Sora asked.

"Oh yes, my nephew, hold on."

There was a little rustling, then the next thing she knew Tai was at the phone.

"Tai here, what's up?"

"Tai, it's Sora."

"Sora! Are you all right? I was worried about you when we had to evacuate."

"How did you get this number?"

Tai chuckled a bit, "It turns out my aunt is taking some of your Dad's courses in... What was it again?"

"I don't know something about supernatural stuff."

"Yeah, anyways so how are you feeling?"

"Alright I guess, just a little achy from the car trip I think."

"That's good. By the way, do you know any way I could get a hold of Izzy or Joe? Matt and T.K. are still up in Shimane and Kari's with me. I just wanted to make sure they're okay too."

"Sorry Tai, I have no idea where or who to call."

"It's alright, I'll see you later."

"Wait, I just want to ask you one thing."

"What?"

"You never answered me about why you put 'Love Tai' at the end of your e-mail. That's not like you to say something like that."

There was a silence on the other end of the line.

"Well, actually it's a long story, but the whole thing was sort of an accident," Tai said finally, "but if you're wondering, even if I didn't intend to put it there, I don't regret it."

Mrs. Kamiya's voice was heard in the background. The two started talking for a little, but Sora couldn't understand what they said.

"Sorry Sora, I gotta go, bye!"

With a click on the other end, he was gone. Sora pulled the phone away from her ear and put it back on the charger.

"I love you too, Tai."

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TO BE CONTINUED