Chapter 19:
REALITY
Tai awoke when he felt a sharp pain in his back. He glanced around and found that he was lying at the end of a bed, but everything was oddly out of proportion. He glanced at himself and found that he was once again his Digimon alter-ego, Taimon. He turned his head around to look to the head of the bed. Kari was there, sleeping peacefully, she had kicked him, that was the sharp pain he felt.
He got to his feet and walked up to Kari's head. "Kari," he said,"Kari." She didn't move. He slightly pushed her with his paw." Kari!"
The girl opened her eyes and stared at Tai for a second before giving a small yelp. "Tai! You're a digimon!"
He nodded. "Yeah, I know."
She stared at him for a long time. "Can you digivolve?"
He opened his mouth, but hesitated. "I don't know. I guess."
Kari climbed out of bed and walked over to the mirror on the side of the door. She smiled. "I'm normal, I mean, I look like I do back home."
Tai followed her out of the room and into the kitchen. Kari walked over to their parent's room. "Mom!" she called,"Dad!" There was no answer. "I guess they're not home."
Tai pointed to a note on the refrigerator. "What does that say?"
Kari walked over and read the note. "It looks like they left for work early. We're on our own."
Tai sighed. "Now what do we do? I'm not eating cat food."
Kari giggled. "Hey, I can cook, you know."
"You can?"
She put her hands on her hips. "That's not funny."
"I'm going to watch t.v. Call me when breakfast's ready." Tai turned around and walked into the living room. He grabbed the remote and clicked the television on. What he saw was an image of Derwood, tied up with thick chains, floating through a sea of glowing lights. "Kamiya!" he moaned,"Kamiya, help me...please..."
Tai ran over to the television. "Derwood, what's...?"
"Help me, please..." The image changed to static. The computer suddenly turned on and a page printed out a paper. He ran over and glanced at it; there was a set of numbers that he didn't understand, but Sam and Sara might.
He grabbed the paper and ran back into the kitchen. "Kari!"
Emperor Tai opened his eyes as he felt himself land on the building roof. He glanced at the city before him, this city looked exactly like the one he remembered, but he knew it was different. Small differences that would exist only between worlds, but enough to tell Tai that he was not home.
He sighed. "Only a few more, just a few more crests to take, then the Ultimate Reality will be mine! The reality where dreams come true." He looked to the sky,"Then I'll bring you back, I'll bring you both back! I swear it!"
Back at the Kamiya's apartment, Kari was looking at the sheet of paper that had printed from the computer. "I don't have any idea what it means."
"I know," Tai said,"Sam and Sara would know, I bet."
"But how do we contact them?" Kari asked. "Maybe the other Digidestined can?"
"It's not like the Emperor Tai world," Tai said,"This world's Digidestined aren't the same kind of military organization that they were. We can't just sneak and use a computer to track something like this."
Kari sighed. "I guess we'll just have to tell them the truth."
"I don't know about that," he said,"It might be too weird for them. Heck, I'm going through it and it's too weird for me!"
"Are you sure? What are we suppose to tell them? We're looking for someone that travels through dimensions, but we can't tell you why?"
Tai sighed. "I guess you're right. This is going to be weird."
His remark was a total understatement. The Digidestined didn't believe them at all. "Cut it out, Kari," Davis sighed.
"Yeah," Yolei said,"This really isn't funny."
"We're not lying!" Kari protested.
"Yeah," Tai said,"Why would we lie about something like that?"
The other Digidestined stared at Kari, then at her partner, the one they knew as Taimon. "No," Tk shook his head,"You're tricking us."
"Why would we?" they both said at the same time.
The digidestined and the digimon stared at her and Taimon for a few more seconds before they looked at each other. "Well, do we believe them?" Cody asked.
Davis looked at Yolei,"Is there any way you can find the girls that they're looking for?"
Yolei shook her head. "I don't have any idea where to start."
Kari reached into her pocket and pulled out Sam's device. "They gave us this. Can you use it?"
Yolei took it and started to examine it. "I'll see what I can do."
Kari and Tai spent the next few hours by themselves because the other Digidestined and their digimon were all avoiding them. Apparently, Sam's device was enough to prove that they were telling the truth.
They were waiting in the Inoe's living room when the other Digidestined came out of her room. "Okay," Yolei said,"I did some investigating on that device. I couldn't find any way to find the two girls you are looking for, but I did find a weird program inside. It looked like a program that you can find a signal with. I entered the numbers from that paper, and I got a location."
"Really?" Tai asked, jumping off of the couch.
"Yeah, it's just down town."
"Tai and I are going," Kari said, walking to the door with her brother,"Thank you for helping us."
"Wait," Tk said,"We'll go with you."
"Are you sure?" Tai asked,"We don't know what we're going to find there."
"Hey," Davis said,"If we're anything like the kids from your world, then you know we're use to danger."
"Oh brother," Yolei sighed,"Can he be any more arrogant?"
Outside the apartment building, the Emperor Tai watched as the Digidestined exited. "I'll have you soon, One more crest to add to my collection."
Yolei lead the Digidestined through the streets and alleys until they reached a warehouse that Cody said had been abandoned for years. When they entered, they were surprised to find a brown-haired teenage girl waiting inside. At her feet was a dog digimon, covered in yellow fur.
"Sara, Sam!" Kari shouted,"You guys are here!"
"The two frowned at them. "They don't seem happy to see you," Patamon said.
"We're not," Sara sighed,"We were about to enter a place that no 'stationary being in reality' should see."
She turned to the others. "Greeting Digidestined. I know you don't remember us, but when we last met you knew us as the Digimon Empress and Saramon."
"What?"
"It's complicated," Sam explained,"We 'took over' Ken and Wormmon's position when Kari and Tai visited this world before. Only we erased your memories."
"Derwood sent me something," Tai interrupted.
"He did?" Sam asked, glancing at Sara.
"That doesn't matter, "Sara sighed,"You still shouldn't be here, but since I know no matter how many times I tell you not to come, you're going to try and come anyway. Sam.."
The human girl nodded. "Right. Kari, I need the device I gave you."
"Uh, sure." She pulled out Sam's device and returned it to her. The other girl pushed a set of buttons on it and a glowing circle appeared.
"What's that?" Veemon asked.
"It's a gate," Tai answered,"But, where does it go?"
"To the space between worlds where the Reality Police station is located."
"What?" Tai and Kari shouted.
"Yes, now you can understand why I didn't want any of you going there, but I know there'd be no stopping you."
"Why not erase our memories again?" Tk huffed.
"Because we may need your help after all," Sara said. She turned back to the glowing circle,"And be prepared for anything on the other side."
Everyone nodded. "Right."
Sara and Sam took deep breathes, then jumped in. The others soon followed, leaving the warehouse empty. Or so they thought.
Emperor Tai stepped out of the shadows and stared at the circle. "Well, my prey, I'd be a fool to step into a Reality Police Station. I'll get you next world."
On the other side of the gate, the Digidestined found themselves in a room that was, surprisingly, empty.
"We're not in a closet or something , are we?" Davis asked.
"I don't understand this, "Sara gasped, standing up,"Where are all of the policemen?"
Cody mentioned to the door,"Why don't we check through there?"
"Good idea," Yolei responded. She walked over and opened the door a crack.
"What's going on?" Sara asked.
"Some guy's trapped in a glass cylinder."
"Is there anyone else there?"
"Nah, just him."
"What are we waiting for then?" Tai asked. He flung the door open and walked inside. The others soon followed. Tai was staring at the trapped figure. "Derwood, it is you."
The others Digidestined were being more cautious as they walked through the room. Tai just ran over to the glass and pressed his paw against it.
Alarms started blasting through the room as Reality Policeman charged inside. The good guys gasped as they noticed that every single cop had a Digimon partner.
"They're all Digidestined?" Yolei gasped.
A new figure stepped into the room. When he did, all of the policemen saluted him. This figure turned to face the others. "Tai, Kari, I know you don't know who I am, but I've been watching you for quite some time. Please, you can call me Yamaki."
Emperor Tai walked onto the soccer field, trying not to bring attention to himself. He saw all of the older Digidestined watching the soccer game. He silently walked over to the blenchers and watched them from the corner of his eyes.
They were all like the ones he remembered, for the most part. Since the Tai of this world was a digimon, Matt was now the leader, even complete with a pair of goggles on his head. Izzy and Joe were almost complete opposites, they were now the school's best soccer players. Sora was there also, this time as the captain of the cheerleading team, and was now wearing an extremely tight shirt and short skirt. Mimi was there to, the typical stereotype of a nerd, with her hair badly combed, and a very uncoordinated color outfit.
Emperor Tai hid underneath the bleachers until Izzy walked away from the others to get some snacks. He quietly walked behind him until he rounded the corner of the building where there were no people around. He knocked his wrist into the back of Izzy's head, throwing him to the ground. Emperor Tai grinned as he pulled the Crest of Knowledge from him. "I'm so close, I can almost taste it!"
Back inside of the Reality Police Station, Derwood stared from his glass cylinder as the Digidestined were surrounded by the policemen. Yamaki glanced at Sara and Sam. "So, you are now calling yourselves, Sara and Sam, right?"
The two girls glared up at him. "You're behind the Reality Police? You were a force against the evil digimon, how could...?"
"Every man has his price," Yamaki answered,"And my employer found it."
"Who? Who is your employer?"
"That..I'm afraid must be silent for now."
Derwood shouted to them. "Kamiya! Behind me, the machine!"
Everyone looked behind him to a massive machine with glowing buttons and monitors. "What is that?" Kari asked.
"REALITY!" Derwood shouted,"The computer core of the Reality Police! That is REALITY! Destroy it!"
"You traitor!" Yamaki shouted, pointing at Derwood.
"You betrayed me!" he shouted back.
Sara turned to the Digidestined behind them. "Keep the policemen busy, we'll go after REALITY!"
"Right!" Davis nodded,"Digivolve!"
"Veemon digivolve to Exveemon."
"Hawkmon digivolve to Aquillamon."
"Armadillomon digivolve to Ankylomon."
While they started fighting the Reality Policemen, Tai turned to Sara. "Hey, can we digivolve?"
"Yeah, and we'd better do it while we can."
Tai turned to Kari. "This is going to be weird."
"I know. Let's just hurry up, then we can go."
"Taimon digivolve to Saber Leomon!"
"Saramon digivolve to Metalgarurumon!"
Tai looked at his new form, very impressed. "Wow, I like this body!"
"Tai!" Sara growled,"We've got to stop REALITY."
"Right, let's go."
The two mega digimon charged at the machine, but were stopped when Yamaki jumped in front of them. He leapt at Sara and punched her in the face. She flipped over backwards. Before he could attack her further, Tai grabbed him with his mouth and flung him into the far wall.
Sara thanked him, then Tai pushed his paw through the glass cylinder, freeing Derwood. He then turned to face REALITY with Sara. He fired a stream of needles from his mane while Sara fired all of her missiles at once. The two attacks hit REALITY and caused it to explode with a defining sound.
"We've got to get out of here!" Yamaki shouted,"Retreat!" The Reality Policemen quickly ran from the room.
Tai grabbed Derwood while the Digidestined ran back through the door they came out of and jumped into the gate. They landed back in the warehouse. While the Digimon de-digivolved to their previous forms, Sara closed the gate.
Derwood bowed to Tai. "Thank you for rescuing me."
"You can thank us by telling us who Yamaki's boss is," Sam said.
"I'm sorry, I don't know. Thank you for rescuing me, we might meet again."
"You're leaving?" Kari asked,"But.."
Derwood shook his head. "I know you really don't want me around, so I won't bother you again. Farewell."
He walked over to the wall of the warehouse and made a gate open by using his watch. He jumped through and the gate closed.
"He's gone," Sara sighed,"We could have learned so much from him."
"Wait a minute," Kari said,"We've still got to close that gate of this world, right? Sam, can I have the device back?"
"Sure," the brown-haired girl said. She handed Kari the device again,"Let's find that thing so we can relax for the rest of the day."
After they closed the rip in this reality, Kari and Tai did relax for the rest of the day until it was time for bed. While Kari was buried under the covers, Tai rested at the foot of her bed. "Only a few more worlds," he smiled.
"Yeah, but does that mean that our adventure is over? Or do we have to fight who is behind Yamaki?"
"I..I don't know. I'll have to ask Sara in the next world." He yawned,"Good night."
"Good night."
In the ruins of the Reality Police Station, Yamaki stood in front of the destroyed REALITY. "It's going to take us years to rebuild! We may never do it! I'm going to kill Kamiya with my bare hands."
"Easy, old man, remember your blood pressure."
Yamaki twirled around to glared at the girl who just insulted him. "What do you mean 'old man'? Huh, Alice?"
The blond girl grinned. "Let's face it, you're old enough to be my grandfather."
"Why you little..!"
"That's enough you two!" a new voice shouted. Alice and Yamaki both bowed as another figure walked inside. "Yamaki, because of your incompetence, the Reality Police are gone! That was a very good resource to me. Kamiya is going to pay dearly for this!"
to be continued....