z: another chapter. this is my longest chaptering fic ever. i think i just like to drag things out at times. eh.
sorry about the delay.
Disclaimer: nah...don't...own...them....Duh.
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Chapter 12Tai glanced up into the sky and realized that it was getting darker in the far north. He groaned and slapped his thigh, catching Sora's attention. She sided up to his side and linked her arm through his. He sighed quietly, glad that she was near.
"What's wrong, Tai?" Sora asked, quietly.
"The sky. It is getting a bit freaky." Tai answered, pointing. "And I've this awful feeling that Matt and Dai are in the midst of it."
"Probably." Mimi said, joining in their conversation. "So we need to bust ass and get going, I take it."
"Of course."
Mimi grinned. "Let's go be hero's and save the day!"
"So, do we have a game plan?" Tai asked, raising his eyebrows.
"You thinking about a plan?" Kari teased, grinning. "The Tai I know doesn't come up with plans. .."
"Hmm, well, uh, oh, shut up, Kari!" Tai stuttered and walked pasted his sister, practically dragging a giggling Sora.
Ken rolled his eyes as he watched his friends acting goofy. Yet he noticed that there was a touch of edginess. He sighed-- they were always like this when something big was happening. Or about to. It seemed like no one really wanted to think about the up-coming battle.
Or even battles, Ken mused silently to himself. He sighed again and dropped his pace, so Izzy could catch up to him and he could ask the red-head a quick question.
"What's up, Ken?" Izzy asked, as he came up beside his friend. "What's your question?
Ken gave a startled glance and then smiled a little. "Was it that obvious that I wanted to ask you something?" He replied.
"Of course." Izzy replied. "So, what is it?"
"I've been thinking. . .of that place that we have to 'return' to on earth. You know, the second group?" Ken said, slowly. "What if we go back to the place that we first saw it? Meaning, your house."
Izzy tilted his head. "How do you mean, Ken? Why my room?" He questioned, frowning, trying to pick up on Ken's thought process.
"Because that is when we first saw it. First looked out the window to see the Mist outside. And not only would we have your laptop at hand but as well as your computer." Ken told him, and shrugged. "I can't explain why else. I just have a feeling that is where the other group should be."
"And to get rid of the Mist when the time came, we could just open the window and hold out the D3 and maybe have the digiport open as well---" Joe said, joining their conversation.
"Hmmm, I see it." Izzy nodded. "Then it's decided. My room. But who will be in what group?" He asked.
Ken glanced ahead at Tai. "I've a feeling that Tai will be with Matt and Davis. And we know that those two are going to stay, regardless of what has happened or will happen."
"I'll be going back home," Izzy said. "I know that I will. I know that I'm needed near a computer."
Ken smiled and Joe nodded.
"What about you guys?" Izzy replied. "Maybe if we figure out where we are, then the rest will know as well."
"I'll be going with you, Iz," Joe replied. "I've a feeling that this time I won't be needed after we fight Metal-Panthamon."
"Same here." Ken nodded. "I think Mimi and Sora will be staying with the guys and Yolie, as well as Cody, will come with us. As for Kari and Tk, that is rather difficult."
"Well, we'll know soon enough." Joe replied, somberly. He, along with the others, slowed their pace and stopped at the edge of a steep hill. "I think we're almost there. . ."
"Now what?" Ken asked quietly.
Tai heard and turned around to face him, his face grim. "Now we find Matt and Davis, and join them." He answered.
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"I wish we had some light," Matt whispered, as he, Davis and Veemon followed Gabumon through the labyrinth. "But then again, that would defeat the whole purpose of the element of surprise."
Davis smiled. "Afraid of the dark, Matt?" He teased but truth be told, he was afraid of the darkness that surrounded them. It had an errie feel to it and that gave him the chills.
"Well, not really, but in this case, yes." Matt answered, honestly. "Something odd about this darkness and. . .what is the word I am looking for?"
"Eerie?" Davis suggested.
"Yes, thank you. There is something eerie about it." Matt nodded. He gave Davis a look. "You know what I am talking about. . ."
"Of course, I just wouldn't have said anything." Davis retorted. "But I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought it that way."
"Yeah, me too." Matt said softly. He sighed and started to miss Tai and Mimi and the others.
"I miss the others. It's just so weird--" Matt started to say but didn't finish. He bumped into Gabumon who had stopped. "Gabumon, what's the deal?"
"Hello, Mattie, nice of you to join me." Came the voice that Matt tried to block and lock away ever since he thought they had destroyed Metal-Panthamon. "Don't worry, the others will be along shortly. They'll be in time see our show."
"Our show?" Matt stammered. He took a step back, bumping into Davis, who held him steady.
The group stared at Metal-Panthamon and his zombie like body just a few yards in front of them. Davis gritted his teeth and spun to face his digimon. "Veemon, it's time!" He told him, noticing that Matt was too frozen with hatred and fear to really think.
Veemon digivolved into X-Veemon and he charged at the other digimon. Davis shoved Matt out of the way. Not watching where he was shoving the blonde, Matt tripped and fell into an open doorway.
"Davis!" Matt shouted as he fell, but Davis was too slow to try to grasp his arm; Matt slipped through the door and in a blink of an eye, it became a stone wall. Davis slammed his fists against it.
"Matt! Matt! Can you hear me??" He kicked the wall and grimaced in pain. Then he looked up to see that Gabumon had disappeared as well. "Dammit, why am I not noticing any of this?" He angrily shouted.
"Because, digidestined child, I've altered your vision." Came a voice from his right.
Davis froze. It wasn't just from his right, Metal-Panthamon was standing right behind him. Davis slowly turned around to face the other digimon and stared hard at him, glaring.
"Where did you take Matt to? Gabumon? And Veemon?" Davis demanded.
"Davis, I'm right here, but I can't digivolve." Veemon said, from his left. Davis looked down and saw that he wasn't Veemon but Demiveemon. "He somehow made me back to ---I'm sorry, Davis."
Davis shook his head, and picked up his digimon. "It's okay, Demi." He told his digimon. He turned back to the right and took a few steps back away from Metal-Panthamon. "What did you do??" He demanded.
Metal-Panthamon simply grinned and then he disappeared, leaving Davis alone.
"Hey, hey!! Come back, I wasn't done talking to you!" Davis yelled and then angrily kicked a stone.
"Ow!" Came a distant voice. Davis blinked, and ran to it.
"Tai!" Davis cried, as soon as he found him and the others. And before he could say another word, Tai looked around, realized that the brunette was alone and then asked, "Where is Matt?"
Davis closed his eyes and sank to the ground. "I didn't protect him well-enough. I'm sorry." He said, quietly.
Tai grabbed the younger digidestinied arms and gently pulled him up. "Don't be sorry, Dai. I know you; I know that you tried. So what's the situation?" He replied and then noticed that his friend's digimon was at a lower level than normal. "What. . .what exactly happened, Dai? And why do I have the feeling that this is going to be a lot tougher than we thought?"
"It is." Davis responded, and then added, "A lot tougher. He--Metal-Panthamon can do illusions and drop our digimon down a level. Or two." Then he precedded to tell Tai and the rest exactly what had happened.
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Matt fell onto the cold stone floor roughly, and managed to soften the blow to his head, just barely. He groaned and clenched his teeth at the sudden pain he felt, and instantly raised a hand to the back of his head to massage it out. He felt something wet and sticky and pulled his back quickly--only to see blood.
"Damn." He muttered. "What the hell--" He then asked, remembering what happened and wondered why Davis had shoved him.
With the thought of Davis, he quickly pushed himself up, and then swore. He ran up to the wall that had been an opening only seconds before.
"Davis! Davis!" Matt shouted, and pounded on the wall. "Open the hell up!" He demanded. "Davis! Don't leave me!"
"He's left. He doesn't care about you," something whispered.
Matt twisted around and saw only darkness. He took a step back, only to feel the wall behind him. He suddenly had a bad feeling and wanted more than anything to be out of the room.
"W-who's there?" He called out, peering into the darkness. "Show. . .yourself."
"Are you sure that is what you want, Digidestined of Friendship?" came the hoarse whisper.
Matt took a deep breath and said, "Are you saying that I shouldn't see who you are?"
"I'm saying that it would be something that you'd not expect."
"Show yourself."
"As you wish."
A figure emerged from the darkness and Matt gasped, and a hand flew to his mouth.
"You--you're me." Matt whispered.
The figure, who was identical in every way to the blonde, nodded. "Yet, I'm a creation of Metal-Panthamon." He smiled. "He will destroy me as soon as he has you."
"Does he know you're here?" Matt had to ask.
"Of course. I'm just keeping you occupied until he finishes off your friend."
"I thought you said he left."
"Oh, I lied." A pause. "I rarely ever tell the truth."
"So, you're lying now, then."
The twin smiled and Matt groaned, feeling a headache coming on.
"How do I get rid of you?" He asked.
"You can't. I am strong."
Matt blinked and tilted his head. "You can be destroyed." He said slowly.
"I didn't say that."
"You said you rarely ever tell the truth."
The twin snarled angrily and grabbed Matt's throat and forced him up against the wall, strangling him. Matt gasped and tried to pry the hands away but couldn't.
"You weren't supposed to catch that. No one has ever catched that and called me on it. That was a bad, bad idea of calling me on that. And now you will pay for it." The figure smiled darkly and then without a blink, dropped Matt.
Matt gasped for air and massaged his neck, glaring up at the look alike. He decided not to say anything and wondered how this turn of events would screw things up.
His look alike smiled and shook his finger at him. "Now, now, don't wonder about that. It is a twists and you've just learned your first lesson." He scolded Matt.
"Oh? And that is?"
A grin. "Expect the unexpected. Now, do you have any other questions?"
"Stay. Out. Of. My. Head." Matt snarled through gritted teeth, annoyed and angry.
"I can't. . .because I am you. You are me."
"No. You said Metal-Panthamon created you."
"Yes but from a lock of your hair that he managed to get earlier."
Instinctively Matt reached up behind his head and touch his hair without thinking about it. He stared at himself and shook his head, disbelief flashing in his azure eyes. Yet deep down, a strong feeling told him that his twin was actually telling the truth. He groaned and leaned back against the wall, a thought on his mind.
"You can't. If you destroy me, you'll be destroyed as well. That is how strong we are linked. Metal-Panthamon made it clear that not only did he want the original--which is you, by the way--he wanted another just like you." A pause. "And that is where I come in, of course."
"Damn." Was Matt could muster and then, feeling utterly defeated he lowered his head in his hands and ignored the look alike altogether.
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thank you for reading. awww. my cats are being cute. that has nothing to do with the fic or the nice review you're going to give to me...but still...
thanks!