Humanity

Disclaimer: I do not own the charecters in Digimon. I am only using them for this fanfic. Please do not sue me.


Acknowledgement: IWANTMORE!, Mae, animegurlie45, Tachikawa IVIimi, Yumeko, and Moon Fairy: Thank you for your comments. I really appreciate them. That Person with The Laptop: Thank you for your comment, however, I think I have already stated specifically that this will be an Mimato instead of a Sorato. A definate Takari is most certain, although I am kind of making them like each other right at the beginning because they knew each other for a long time. Confusedazngurl637: I'm glad that you like this fic. It is similar to FFX, so don't be surprise when you see something that is very similar to it, especially with Mimi...she is kind of a mirror or Yuna and her destiny...if you get what I mean. Quantum Weather Butterfly: Hehehe...don't worry. First of all, I am not going to make Matt and Mimi fall in love by first sight...look at this chapter and you will see...heheh. Second of all, I know Davis is not an idiot. He is just impulsive and sometime, his impulsive behavior make him act irrational. Last but not least, I am sorry to disappoint you but I can't see any flame between Tai and Joe...I tend to write couple that I could see some flame from the series...matt and mimi are an exception because they resemble the characters in FF7...hehehe. If I need to pair Joe with a guy, I will have to choose Cody because Cody respect Joe and they are quite similar in some cases. However, I can't think of anything yet. Okay...enough of my rambling and on with the story.



Fear



"Hello everyone. My name is Mimi Tachikawa. It is my pleasure to meet all of you."


Tai looked at his team members before they all kneeled down before Mimi. "The pleasure is all ours, shrine priestess," said Tai.


"Please call me Mimi." She looked at Tai and smiled at him. "I don't like formality and there is no need for you to treat me as someone special." She walked up to Tai and extended her hand toward him.


"In that case," started Tai as he took her hand and lightly lifted himself back to his feet. "I will call you Mimi then. And you can call me Tai." He looked at the rest of his teammates when they all stood up. "Allow me to introduce ourselves. My name is Taichi Kamiya, but as I said before, you can call me Tai. We are the mercenary team that the mayor had hired to protect you in your journey."


"I know. The mayor contacted us last night." She shook his hand. "I've been waiting for a long time for this, Tai." Tai looked at her in confusion. "I've heard a lot about you from Kari."


"Oh." Tai nodded with understanding. "However, I couldn't say the same for you because I didn't know my sister was your guardian until I met her here today." Kari and TK smiled nervously when Tai looked at their direction.


"Oh...Kari didn't told you..." Mimi never did finished with her sentence because before she knew it, Matt walked up next to Tai and gave her a serious look.


"If you guys are going to stand here and waste our time yapping about stupid things, I'm going home. Call me when you start talking about something serious." He turned to leave but before he could take one step, Yolie stood in front of him and blocked his path.


"You know what," Yolie said coldly as they faced each other. "I don't like your attitude at all."


"See if I care," Matt replied. Without another look at her, Matt attempted to walk around her but Yolie blocked his path again. His eyes flashed with anger as they looked at each other. "Get out of my way," Matt warned dangerously.


"What if I don't," Yolie said defiantly. She watched calmly when Matt raise up his hand to push her away. Before he could touch her, Cody and Sora jumped in between them before they could start a fight.


"Calm down both of you," said Sora as she pulled Yolie away. "We are not enemies over here so there is no need for you guys to jump at each other's throat."


"Yeah," said Cody as he stood in front of Matt. Noticing that Matt was going to fight back at him, Cody quickly whispered in Matt's ear with the only topic that he knew that could calm him down. "Beside, we have ten million dollars at stake over here. You don't want to lose that opportunity, do you?" He watched with relief when the anger disappeared from Matt's eyes.


"I'm sorry," said Mimi as she walked up to them. "I'm sorry that I wasted your time."


"Don't worry," said Joe. "Matt is always like this. Don't let him bother you."


"However, I have to agree with Matt," said Hasuma. "We have far more important matter to discuss than to talk about Kari's problem." She looked at Kari and gave her a kind smile. Kari blushed from embarrassment. "I hope you learn your lesson, Kari. It is always good to be truthful." She turned to them and walked up to the entrance of the main chamber. "Come on in here. We could talk about the mission in here because it gives us all the privacy that we need."


They all watched her as she step through the entrance, with Mimi following closely behind. "Why not," said Izzy while he gathered his laptop and walked into the main chamber with the others right behind him.


"What the heck," Davis exclaimed when the door that they enter disappeared and reverted back to a wall.


"Don't worry about the door," said Kari. "It always disappears."


"Who cares about the door," said Izzy with awe. "Check out this room! This is absolutely prodigious." His eyes settled on the lake that lay in the middle of the room. The beautiful crystal clear water sway gently as the fishes, which lived in there, played in it. He watched with astonishment when a marble platform suddenly rises up from the lake. He watched in silence as it rose five feet above the lake. A golden pedestal is placed in front of it and on it was a book that is encased within a glass box. Although, the lake was very beautiful, it was nothing to compare to the drawings that were depicted on the walls of the whole room. Exquisite drawings, along with a sense of reality within them, were displayed on all of the walls.


"Digimons," said Tai as he ran his hand over the drawing. "Theses are drawings of digimons." He looked at the walls in awe while he ran his fingers through the carved drawing. "I've never...I never saw any drawings of digimons before." His eyes stopped on a drawing of a little orange dragon. He quickly pulled up his left sleeves to reveal a sign that is similar to the drawing of the orange dragon on his left arm. "Hey, that's Agumon!" Joe quickly rushed to his side and looked at the picture the Tai was pointing toward to.


"Hey, Izzy," Joe cried out. "There is Tentomon."


"Where?!" To his annoyance, Izzy ran up to him and open his laptop to scan the image. As he was processing the information, Davis suddenly cried out loud. They all turned to look at him and found him pointing to the front of the room. "My Goddess!" Matt, Joe, Izzy, Tai, Davis, Cody, TK, and Ken all stared in astonishment as the look at the beautiful marble statue of the goddess herself.


"Is...is that real," Davis murmured.


"No...it is just your illusion," said Yolie sarcastically. "Are you an idiot? Of course that is real!"


"Of course I know that is real," Davis angrily retorted. "I am just asking is that a real statue of the goddess?"


Yolie looked at him in disbelief. "I don't even know should I take you seriously or should I start laughing at your question. You've just asked a question that I've already given an answer to."


"You know what," said Davis. "You don't even have to tell me what is your digimon, because I know which one it is for sure. It got to be Ogremon because you are just like him. Mean, ugly, and just plain old nasty." Before he knew it, Yolie walked up to him and grabbed him by the neck of his shirt.


"You want to get that pass me again, pal," she growled at him.


"Gladly. I said that you..." Davis eyes didn't flinch when Yolie pulled her hand back to sock him. However, before she could do that, Hasuma stepped up to her and pulled her back.


"Whoa...calm down Yolie," she said. She quickly turned to Davis. "You shut up...don't push your luck." Davis listened to her warning and quickly closed his mouth. She quickly turned back to look at Yolie. "We need to work on your socializing skill because this is not the right conduct a guardian of the shrine priestess should act."


"And what do you expect me to react like," Yolie whispered harshly to Hasuma's ear. "First, Matt was disrespectful to Mimi and Davis just insulted me today...twice!"


"If you can't even handle some little insult like those, you don't deserve to be a guardian," Hasuma whispered back. "Being a guardian restricts you from acting in some certain way because other people look up to you. If you act irrational and aggressive, you might lower people's respect for Mimi as a shrine priestess because what kind of guardian also reflects what kind of shrine priestess they follow. Do you understand?" Yolie took a deep breath and let it out in a huff.


"I understand," she said.


"Alright," said Hasuma as she turned to look at them all. "Not to waste anymore time, let me introduce our team." She turned to look at Mimi. "As you all know, that is Mimi. She is the shrine priestess that we are going to protect for the pilgrimage." Mimi nodded her head and smile at them. Sora and Kari walked up to Mimi and stood beside her. "I don't have to introduce Kari to you because you all know who Kari is. Alright, next to Mimi is Sora."


"Hi," said Sora. "It is nice you meet you all."


Hasuma patted Yolie on the shoulder. "This hot temper but also very kind girl is called Yolie. She is the second in command of this team."


"Second in command," Davis said with disbelief. Yolie ignored his comment and bowed her head to them.


"And last but not least, my name is Hasuma Majiki. I am the leader of this team." She walked up to Tai and shook his hand.


"Okay, I guess it is my turn," said Tai. "I am Taichi, but as I said before you can call me Tai. I am the leader of this team." He turned to the blue hair boy that is standing next to him. "This is Joe. He is the one that provide for our escape. Basically he is the one that monitor the situation while we are on a mission." Joe waved his hand to them. "That is Izzy. As you guys could see, he loves information."


"I resent that comment," said Izzy. "I just feel that information is necessary in order to succeed."


"And he is right," Tai replied. "He is also our inventor for most of our weapons. Talking about inventor..." Tai turned to look at Ken. "This is Ken. He is one of the smartest one in our group...beside Izzy. He helps Izzy with our technology but don't let that fool you. He hardly misses his shot."


"I'm TK," said TK as he walked up to Matt. "This is my brother, Yamato but you can call him Matt."


"Yamato," Matt said coolly. "Only my friends are able to call me Matt."


"Alright, Yamato," Sora said sardonically. "We get the point."


"Hey don't let him get to you," said Tai. "He is always like that." He turned to look at the silent boy that is standing next to Ken. "That is Cody. He might be the youngest one among us all, but he is also the wisest one in this team. Without his logical thinking, we would have been dead a long time ago." Cody blushed under Tai's praise and bowed his head politely to them.


"It is my pleasure to meet you all," said Cody.


"Last but not least, this loud mouth is Davis," said Tai.


"Hey!"


"He is the second in command in our team," Tai continued on while ignoring Davis's exclaim. "And I guess that rounds it up."


"I am glad to meet you all," said Mimi.


"Yeah, yeah," Matt said impatiently. "Let's just cut to the point. What do we have to do?"


"Nothing," said Hasuma.


"What?" Matt looked at her with annoyance. "What do you mean nothing? We are here to protect the shrine priestess so don't tell me that we don't have anything to do."


"You guys aren't officially in the team yet," said Hasuma.


"Look..."


"Matt, shut up," Tai interrupted. "There must be a reason why she said that." He turned to look at Hasuma. "Can you tell us what you mean by that?"


"I'll be glad to." Hasuma walked up to Mimi. "As you all know, Mimi is about to go on her pilgrimage and you guys were hired to protect her. That is the condition the mayor has given to you. However, this is not all the case. Under the writing of the goddess, the shrine priestess and her guardians must undergo the trials that are set for them in each of the shrine in order to proceed to the next shrine."


"Yeah, we know that," said Ken. "So what are you implying?"


"I am implying that once you guys accept this mission, you are not only just there to protect her. You guys will automatically become her guardians because anyone that accompanies the shrine priestess in the mission is automatically bounded together with a commitment to complete the pilgrimage. Therefore, all of you must also go through those test that is set for the shrine priestess and her guardians."


"What the heck," Davis exclaimed. "We have to be tested too?"


"Yes," Hasuma answered.


"What kind of tests are they," asked Tai. "If it is like fighting Maji then there is no problem."


"Nope, sorry Tai, but that is not what you are going to be tested on. The trials will be testing the devils inside of you. Your phantoms, fears, greed, and all aspect of human natures because it is human's ambition that brought this problem. We shown we have the ability to destroy so that is not going to be tested on." She patted Mimi softly on her shoulder. "Because these tests look at the devils within you, many shrine priestess and priest have stray from their path. Either they automatically gave up or they stray from their path."


"How do you know so much," Izzy asked.


"It is because Hasuma was one of the guardians that protected the previous shrine priest," Mimi answered. "She was only nine at that time but she is powerful enough to be accepted as one of the guardians."


"And..." Cody's word trailed off.


"We were able to go through the first two tests but on the third tests, the shrine priest and my fellow guardians all gave up," Hasuma said sadly. "I was the only one who passed the test."


"What happen to them," asked Ken.


"They die," Hasuma answered. "They weren't able to fight the devil within them so they die within their conscious. That is the consequences for not passing a trial." She watched them as they all stood there in silence. "I know that it is going to be hard on you, especially since you guys have seen so many aspect of human nature in all of your missions. Aspects that I can guarantee that us guardians have never seen before. You guys have more knowledge of evil in you than us, therefore, it will be harder for you guys to pass the test. If you guys don't think you could handle it, then go. But if you stay, remember this is the condition that you will have to face."


They stood there in silence for a while as they contemplated about the serious contract that they are going to be bounded under to. "If you went through the trials then," started Tai.


"I can't tell you about them," said Hasuma. "I made an oath that I would not tell anyone about the trials, because once you know, you will be prepare. In that case, the trials are useless because it will not be truly testing your nature."


"Damn," Tai cursed. "But what the heck. I am going because there is no way I am letting Kari go on this mission alone." He turned to look at the rest of his team members. "You guys decide for yourself because I don't want to force anyone of you in it."


"I'm going," said TK. He smiled at Kari.


"Then I will go too," Matt immediately muttered.


"Hey don't count me out," Davis said. "I'm going too!" He walked up to Kari and to TK's dismay, he took Kari's hand and smiled at her. "That way, I can protect you." Kari gave off a nervous laugh and carefully removed her hand from him.


"Thanks Davis, but I can take care of myself," Kari said with confidence. She turned to look at Ken, Joe, Cody, and Izzy as they stood there in silence. "What about you guys?"


Izzy looked at Tai and closed his laptop with a bang. "Damn you, Tai. I curse the day that I met you. Ever since I met you, do you know how many times you put my life on the line? I can't even go to sleep without a gun under my pillow!"


"I'm sorry, Izzy," said Tai. "I understand if you want to back out..."


"Would you let me finish," Izzy interrupted as he picked up his laptop from the floor. "I am going to regret this but...I'll go with you. You need my technology and help." He sighs. "I'll be damn if you die because I am a coward."


"Thank you, Izzy."


"I might as well join the loony bin while I am at it," said Joe. "I am the best driver that you guys have so count me in." He turned to look at Ken and Cody. "So what about you guys?"


"Oh well, might as well do it," said Ken. "I've got nothing to do with all of you gone."


"And it will be my honor to accompany you on your mission," Cody said as he bowed his head to Mimi. He blushed slightly when she smiled at him.


"Alright," said Hasuma. "Since this is settle, let's start preparing for our pilgrimage. Hmmm..let's see...how about tomorrow?"


"That's fine," Tai confirmed.


"Good. Then tomorrow it is." Hasuma turned to look at Tai. "Why don't you take the rest of the guardians and let them help you with the preparation. I will like to stay here and have a little talk with Mimi, alone."


"Sure." Tai headed for the entrance of the door and turned to look back at all of them. "Come on. Let's go. We got a lot of things to prepare for, especially for this mission."


"We will like to follow you, Tai," started Izzy. "But in case you haven't notice, we couldn't walk through wall. Where is the door anyways?"


"It's over here," said Sora. She walked up to Tai and tapped the wall two times. Like before, the door magically appeared before them. "All you have to do is to tap the wall two time and it will appear."


"Man, why all the trouble," Davis mumbled.


"Because of what happened in the past," Kari explained.


"The past," Cody asked.


"Yes, the past," Sora explained. "During the war fought between the humans and the digimons, many minor shrines, statues of the goddess, and drawings of her and the digimons were destroyed by the human. It was an act to cut themselves away from their creator and deemed themselves superior than the others." She touched the door softly. "In order to protect the sacred area of the shrine, the digimons created this magic door to block out the human from entering and ransacking the main chamber of worship. After the war, only this shrine's main chamber escaped the destruction." She looked at the wall and the statue of the goddess. "This is the only shrine that still retain the old drawings and the statue of the goddess. No other places have these drawings or the statue of our goddess."


"No wonder I never saw any statue of the goddess before," Ken murmured. "But what about the other four main shrines?"


"They were ransacked too," said Hasuma. "That was why the goddess was so mad at human kind and turned her back on them during the war."


Izzy whistled and sighed. "We sure did dig ourselves a deep hole, didn't we?"


"No other statue of the goddess was made because no one could remember how the goddess look like," said Mimi. "And this statue was hidden from people because we don't want the last sacred statue of the goddess to fall under the same fate as the others. Beside, glorifying a statue is not what the goddess teaches. Understanding her concepts and following under her teaching is what we should keep in our heart."


"Well, said Mimi," said Hasuma. "But enough about this. We got a lot of things to do."


"Yeah...right," said Tai. "Let's go." Mimi and Hasuma watched in silence as they exit out from the chamber. Once they have disappeared from the chamber, Hasuma turned to look at Mimi and pulled her toward the lake. They both flew up to the pedestal and opened the sacred book.


"What do you want to talk to me about," Mimi asked.


"Tomorrow is it. Are you ready for it?" Mimi nodded her head. To her surprise, Hasuma patted her softly on her head. "I know it is hard to have so many fall on your shoulder."


"I'm fine, Hasuma. Really, I am." Mimi lifted up the right sleeves of her white-priestess robe and looked at the star mark that is located there since she was born. "It is my destiny...no...my choice and I am determined to go with it." She smiled and pulled her sleeve down to cover her arm again. "For the people of Gaia, I know what I have to do. Remember, you trained me for it for so many years. And beside, I will always have your guys support and that is all I need."


"Good girl," Hasuma said proudly. "But remember to keep the goddess teachings within your heart."


"I know," said Mimi as she touched the book tenderly. "Evil is inevitable...it is non destructible because it exist in everybody. As long as there is hope and as long as there light, darkness also live. Remember that light, hope, kindness, courage, honesty, and good virtues will lead the path to our future. Greed, desire, ambition, and power would ultimately lead the road to destruction." She slowly closed the book.


"But most of all, remember that every sins that you have committed must be solve by yourself," said Hasuma. Mimi nodded her head and closed the book. "These are the essential teachings that you must keep in mind among the whole book. Saying them and being able to recite them are not that hard but retaining those teachings are the hard part." She took Mimi's hand and they flew down together. "I know you can do it." She reached into one of the pockets of her coat and took out a metal stick. She handed over to Mimi. "You might need this."


Mimi looked at it and held it tightly within her hands. "I will use it wisely."


**Evening**


"The last supply is finally loaded into the car...sheesh, I need to rest," said Joe as he plopped down on the floor.


"Joe, get up," Izzy said as he typed on his laptop.


"Let's see you try after doing what I have done today," Joe retorted. "I never shopped so much in my whole life!"


"That's what you get for going to the mall with a bunch of girls."


"Excuse me?" Izzy quickly turned around to find Sora giving him an offended look. "Would you like to repeat that again?" Izzy wisely shook his head and quickly turned back to his laptop.


"Uhmmm...do you guys know where are everybody," Izzy asked. He turned to look around the room they will be staying for tonight. "They are supposed to be here so we could discuss about our mission."


"Here we are," said Davis as he strolled into the room with Yolie, Ken, Cody, and Tai following closely behind.


"Where are the others," Joe asked.


"Well, Matt ignored me so he is outside in the church ground somewhere," said Tai. "Hasuma and Mimi are sleeping."


"Then where is Kari," Davis asked with panic.


"She's with TK," Sora answered. The next thing they knew, Davis ran out of the room with the speed of light. "What's with him?"


"Too long to explain," Ken sighed. "So what do you want to talk to us about, Izzy?"


"Ask our leader, he was the one that told us to be here." They all turned and look at Tai.


"Hey, don't look at me. I don't know anything about this mission. The person we should ask is fast asleep in her bed. She is the one that have previous experiment. I am just following her directions." He turned to look at Yolie. "Why don't we ask her? Maybe Yolie could inform us about the mission."


"Sorry, I can't," Yolie answered. "I will love to but I can't. It is because I don't know anything at all. All I know is that we have to protect Mimi and get her to the other shrines."


"Man are you helpful." Yolie turned around in anger and found Davis walking back into the room. "Are you sure you are the second in command because you seem as clueless as we are?"


"Are you sure you are the second in command because I swear that they don't act obnoxious as you," Yolie retorted. "Beside, if you would have paid attention to what Hasuma have said before, she told us that she was not allow to tell us about the trials."


"I wasn't talking about the trials!!! I was talking about the mission in general," Davis retorted back in anger. "Now I have further proof that your digimon must be Ogremon because that explain perfectly why your thinking is so slow."


Yolie was about to jump on his throat but she managed to restrain herself. She paced around the room in anger for a few second before she turned back and looked at him. "Obviously, someone didn't read the teaching of our goddess because if he did, he should have known that things are not predestine but are subjected to free will and choice," Yolie said calmly. "Having a specific digimon symbol does not necessarily means that you are going to represent their characteristic. If a person was given Myotismon's symbol at birth, it doesn't necessarily mean they are going to turn up evil in their future. In fact, their choice to follow their digimon symbol is entirely up to them. That is why we have no one to blame for the war but ourselves."


Davis lifted up his left sleeves of his coat and looked at his digimon symbol. "Hey, does it mean that I don't really have Veemon's quality?"


"You have what!" Yolie stared at him in disbelief. "How in the world did you get Veemon?!"


"Well, then what is yours!"


"Hawkmon."


To her annoyance, Davis laughed out loud. "Sincerity and love! I'll say that is the most mismatch digimon and human I ever saw because I swear you don't have those quality."


As they continued to throw insult to each other, the others in the room continued to watch with amusement. It was until Yolie was about to pounced on Davis when Sora and Tai finally stopped the argument. Grabbing each of them by their arms, Sora and Tai dragged Yolie and Davis across the room from each other before they could kill each other or worse, destroy the peace in the shrine. "Darn," said Izzy as he turned back to his laptop. "It was just getting interesting." Joe, Ken, and Cody can't help but agree. Once that Yolie and Davis have calmed down, Sora and Tai released them.


"I think we all need some rest," said Sora. She took out her gun and checked it. "That way we will be prepare for tomorrow."


"Yeah," said Tai. "I've already checked the supply. We have enough fuel and supply to reach the other shrine."


"If that is the case, then good night," said Sora. She was about to walked out of the room with Yolie when Izzy called out to her.


"Give me your gun." Sora turned to look at him in surprise. She handed over her gun to him. With only a brief glance at her gun, Izzy tossed the gun across the room and into the fireplace.


"Would you mind telling me why you did that," Sora asked in anger.


"Because your gun is not sufficient for the mission," said Izzy. He took out a gun from his coat and hand it over to her. "Take this. This is a special modify gun that Matt, Ken, Joe, and I are using. This gun uses your energy instead of bullet." He turned the gun side way and pointed at a gauge. "All you have to do is charge it by exerting your energy into it." He took her gun and she watched as the gauge increase to show the amount of energy that is in the gun. "By energy, I mean your attack power. For example, my special attack is lightning ball, therefore, instead of forming that attack with my hand and throw it at my enemy, I am converting it into this gun. The gun will automatically convert whatever you power is into pure energy. That way, if you only have the power to heal, this would also work too. That's not all, this gun also amplify the energy ten times its original power. That way, you can just charge it with a weak energy ball and it will be amplify to ten times its power. Also, you don't have to keep on recharging it because you could charge it once and recharge it when the gauge is almost empty. That way, you could attack with your energy ball at one hand and fire the gun with the other."


Sora took the gun from him and looked at it. "Thanks...but I would prefer it if you would have told me earlier."


"Just be glad he didn't go into all the scientifically explanation to you," said Joe. "He has to modify this explanation ten times before either one of us understood what he was talking about." He quickly turned to look at Ken. "Except you."


"Well, then I guess I am just lucky then," Sora said with a smile. "Thanks again, Izzy." She put the gun inside her light blue coat and headed for the door. "Goodnight everybody. Don't stay up late." They all bid her and Yolie good night and watched them as they walked out from their sight. Joe and Cody quickly plopped down on the bed and fell asleep. Ken joined them not long after.


"Hey, Izzy, aren't you going to sleep," asked Tai as he climbed into his bed.


"I...argh!!!" Izzy closed his labtop and climbed into his bed along with Davis. "I only need ten more points and I could have reached to the final level."


"Well, beat the game in your dreams," Tai said with a smile. "Hey Davis, do you know where is Kari?" He heard a muffled replied. "Huh? What did you say?"


"She is with TG," Davis answered sadly.


"Oh...good night then." Not knowing what else to say the comfort the unfortunate boy, Tai remained silent. It didn't take long for them to fall asleep.


TK and Kari


"So I guess, tomorrow is it, huh," asked TK to break the silence. For two hours, they have sat there in silence. It is not that he was not enjoying her company but...well, Kari's silence is somehow disturbing him.


"Yep," she answered. "Hard to think that after all these years that I have prepared for it, I still feel like I am not ready." She turned and smiled at TK. "Do you think I made the right choice, TK? Do you think I am good enough to be Mimi's guardian?"


TK looked at her for a moment before he replied. "Yes," he said firmly. "Yes, you are, Kari. Don't ever doubt that. Ever since you met Mimi you have wanted to help her in her mission. You have the passion and kindness to help this world, and I can't find any reason why you aren't good enough."


"Thank you, TK." Kari smiled at him and looked out to the sky. "Thank you for all of the things you have done for me for all these years. You are my best friend for all these years. If you weren't here, I wouldn't have become who I am. Without your support, I wouldn't have had the courage to become a guardian."


"I didn't really do anything."


"You were there for me, and that means a lot to me." She looked at him and they sat there in silence.


"Kari."


"Hmmm?"


"Is that all I am to you?" Kari looked at him in surprise while he stared straight forward. "Am I just your friend?"


"No," she said softly. Without another word, she leaned toward him and laid her head softly on his shoulder. He automatically put his arm around her shoulders. "Why did you accept this mission, TK?" TK looked down on the girl leaning on his shoulder and kissed her head.


"Because I want to help the world, and I believe that Mimi will be able to do it. And most of all, I want to walk this path with you and watch over you. I want to be there when you need me."


"Like you always supported me in the past."


"And I will always be there even if you don't want me." He held her tightly in his arms as they watch the stars in the sky.


Mimi


"I can't go to sleep," thought Mimi as she took a stroll in the shrine garden. "Everything...I've waited for so long...yet...I'm not sure am I ready. Hasuma said I am but...I don't know if..." She stopped her thinking when she heard some music coming from the water fountain direction. "Who could it be?" As she walked toward it, the beautiful music started to get louder. To her surprise, it stopped just when she was ten feet away from the water fountain. When she walked over there, there was no one at there. She sighed and sat down near the water fountain.


"You shouldn't be wandering off by yourself at night." Mimi jumped up in alarm and turned around to look at the direction of the voice. To her relief, she found Matt staring down at her from the tree he was sitting on.


"Oh...it's just you," Mimi said with a smile. "You had me scared for a moment."


"Good," Matt said coldly. He quickly jumped down from the branch he was sitting on and walked up to her. "I hope you won't be doing that once we started the mission. We don't need you to wander off by yourself and make our mission harder than it have to be."


"I'm sorry," Mimi said sincerely. She noticed the harmonica sticking out from his pocket. "So you were the one that was playing over here. It sounds really nice."


"You weren't suppose to hear it," said Matt as he sat down next to her.


"I will leave then. I'm sorry that I disturbed your peace." Mimi stood up to leave but to her surprise Matt grabbed her by her hand and pulled her back to her seat.


"You will leave when I do," he said. "The last thing I need is to have something happening to you before the mission."


"Oh...thank you," Mimi said with a smile. For a moment they sat there in silence. Matt sat there while he fiddled with his harmonica, and Mimi sat there staring at the water. Unable to withstand the uncomfortable silence any longer, Mimi decided to break the silence. Just when she was about to open her mouth to say something, Matt started to play with his harmonica. "It's beautiful," Mimi thought as they sat back to back. "But it is also so sad too. I wonder why he played such a sad music." She sat there in silence as Matt continued to play. A draft of wind blew toward their direction, causing Mimi to tuck her legs to her chest to keep herself warm. She sighed when Matt finished the last note. "You played really well," Mimi complimented him.


"Hmph." Matt quickly slipped the harmonica into his coat. He continued to sit there as he stared at the stars, unconscious of the fact that Mimi was shivering from the coldness.


"So...I guess tomorrow is it, huh," Mimi asked as she attempted to form a conversation. When Matt didn't answer her, she continued on. "Tomorrow is the day when I finally going to start on my pilgrimage." She turned sideways so her side would be facing his back. "To tell you the truth, I am a little bit scared. I don't know can I do it...I don't know can I live up to people's expectation. I don't want to fail them."


"Then why the heck are you going on this pilgrimage for," Matt mumbled.


"It is because I am their only hope," Mimi simply replied. "If I don't go, then who knows how long our people will suffer. If there is at least a little chance I could succeed, I will do it. I...I don't want them to live in this world, where everyone live their life in fear. I want to give them a better future." To her surprise, Matt started to laugh bitterly.


"Give them a better future? Are you sure they deserve it?" He turned to look at her with great bitterness. "What make you think human deserve to live better than it is right now, huh?"


"I...," Mimi stumbled with her words. Matt quickly noticed that she was shivering. He quickly took off his coat and draped around her shoulders. "Thank you." Matt ignored the smile she gave to him. "I believe that there is good within human. No matter how corrupted they are and no matter how much evil they have done, there is a place in them that contains kindness and hope."


"Girl, you are more naive that I thought you were," Matt said. "You haven't seen how bad this world could be. I did. I know how humans are like. They are nothing but greedy son of a..." He looked at Mimi and stopped himself from cursing right in front of a shrine priestess. "Human are not as nice as you think they are. They would do nothing to benefit other unless for themselves."


"That's not true. Not all humans are like that. I know there is some people that are evil but goodness also exist. As long there is goodness in human beings, then that is what I am will to fight for. Isn't...isn't that what you are fighting for too? Isn't that the main reason why you are going to the pilgrimage with me?"


Matt looked at her with disbelief. "If that makes you feel better, then go ahead and think like that. I don't care a damn about this world or about the peoples. All I care about is money and that is all. I live for myself and that is all it matters. I don't care if we are stuck here for the rest of eternity. Maji could rule for all it matters."


"I can't believe you could say that," Mimi stood up in disbelief. "How could you say such a thing?! The Maji have destroyed so many lives! Don't you care about your offspring's future? Do you want them to live in a world like this?"


Matt stood up in anger as he faced her. "Look, I don't need any lecture from you. You can live in your dream world but don't expect me to believe in it. I know reality. I've seen reality. And reality tells me that what is important is the survival of the best. Money is all it matters in this world. Things such as moralities and virtues doesn't exist in this world. That is the fact. Live with it and accept it!"


"That is not true! Morality and virtue exist. Human beings are not as corrupted as you said they are." Her body trembled from the anger that she is feeling. "I am fighting for the future of our people. I am fighting so I could give hope for our people. I want them to live their lives in peace. Isn't that what's important?!"


"Important to you but not to me. Just face the fact, priestess. To me you are nothing but business. I don't care about whatever you think or whatever you believe. What I care about is the ten million dollars that I would get after I completed this mission. Do I make myself clear?"


"So all you cared about is money," Mimi whispered softly with her eyes cast downward. "Is there nothing in this world that is more important than money to you?"


"No," Matt answered unemotionally. Before he knew it, Mimi threw his coat at his face and ran away from him. "Sorry priestess but that's life." Without another word, Matt walked up to the shrine and headed to his room. He stopped by Mimi's room to make sure that she got back safe. He saw the light coming from her room and walked back to his room.


The Next Day


They are all waiting outside of the shrine for Hasuma and Mimi as they packed up their things. "How long are they going to take," Davis asked.


"Be patience," said Cody as he practiced with his sword. "Patience is a virtue."


"And it is something that Davis sure need to learn," Ken said with a smile. Before Davis could start his tirade, the door to the shrine open. "Oh my goddess." They all stared at one of the two people that appeared from the doorway in shock.


"What," Hasuma said as she walked down the stairs with Mimi. "You guy don't like Mimi's look?"


"No, it is just that we didn't expect Mimi to be dress like this," said Sora. They all looked at Mimi while she examines the long black coat she is wearing. Under her coat she wore a black pants with a dark blue tank top. Her hair is tied into a ponytail and each of her hands were protected by a black hand guard.


"What," Mimi asked. "I look just like you guys."


"Exactly," said Izzy. "You don't look like a priestess at all."


"That's good," said Tai. He walked up to Mimi and looked at her with approval. He turned to look at Hasuma. "You're prepared aren't you? I didn't even think of this step. By dressing Mimi like us, the Maji won't be able to pick her out that easily. Beside, they might not expect that the shrine priestess is with us."


"Precisely," said Hasuma. She patted Mimi on her shoulder. "However, if they do believe that the shrine priestess is with us, Mimi, Sora, Kari, and Yolie will be the main targets."


"Why," asked Joe.


"Because the Maji have saw Hasuma and us before," Tai explained. "It knew that Hasuma is the guardian for the past shrine priest and they know that we are the mercenary team because we always go out in those mission. The only one they haven't seen are Yolie, Mimi, Kari, and Sora. So either one of them could be the shrine priestess."


"Oh," said Davis. "In that case, we have to make sure we don't call Mimi the shrine priestess while we are out there."


"Alright," said Izzy. "Now can we get started already? We are already running late." They all nodded their head and enter the hovercraft. It didn't take long for them to reach the border of the barrier. "Hey! Come and look at this!" Everyone crowded around Izzy and Joe as they pointed at the front of the hovercraft.


"Great," Ken said as they stared at the crowd of Majis that are waiting outside the barrier. "How are we going to get pass them. There must be a thousands of them!"


"I guess this will be a busy morning," said Matt as he took out his gun. He opened the door to the hovercraft and started to aim for the Majis. Before he could fire, Hasuma stopped him.


"Allow me to take care of this," she said with a smile.


"Don't be ridiculous," said Davis. "You can't handle all of them yourself."


"That's what you think," said Yolie. "Wait until you see what she could do and you will understand why she was chosen to become a guardian at the age of nine."


They all stood there in silence and watched as Hasuma formed an energy ball. With great ease she tossed the energy ball out the barrier and right at the crowd of Maji. Except Mimi, Yolie, Sora, and Kari, everyone watched in shock when the energy ball exploded killing fifty of the Majis. They continued to watch in shock as she threw energy balls one right after another. Soon the ground outside the barrier was piled with hundreds of dead bodies of Majis. With a terrible scream, the remaining Majis retreated from the slaughter. Hasuma lowered her arms and turned to look at them with a smile on her face.


"That was refreshing," she said.


"How...how...," Cody stuttered as he looked at her.


"How could I do that so effortlessly and how come I have so much power, right," said Hasuma to finish Cody's unfinished question. "Well, let's see. First things first, I don't have a digimon symbol."


"What?!"


"Yep," said Hasuma. "I don't even know why I don't have it."


"Then were did you get your power," asked Izzy with interest.


"I would love to answer you if you will stop scanning me with your laptop." Joe grabbed Izzy's laptop away from his hand and placed it away from him. "You wouldn't believe me but I get my power from the shrine. Well, basically, you could said that I gain my power from the goddess herself."


"You must be joking right," Joe said.


"No I am not. I mean, I am not as powerful as the goddess...goddess knows I am not, but I draw my powers from her. I might seem powerful when I am within this barrier but once I go outside, my power is reduce to one-fourth of its full potential."


"I've heard about this before," Izzy said softly. "But not a lot of people were born like this and well, people that were born like this were kind of condemned and feared for their power. I'm amazed that we actually have one here."


"Thanks, I guess," Hasuma answered. "But shouldn't we get going until they decide to come back?"


"Yeah, sure," said Joe. Ken closed the door and they speed out of the barrier.


"How long will it take us to reach to the other shrine," asked Sora.


"With this hovercraft, it will take us only a week even though all of the shrines are equally distanced from each other," Izzy answered.


"If that is the case, we better travel near the woods," said Kari. "Because that would provide hiding for us."


"We know that, Kari," said TK. "We are mercenaries you know."


For five days, they traveled in peace. Maybe it was because of what have happen at Guardinia that caused the Maji to stayed away from them. But whatever it is, they continued to be caution. On the sixth day, everything was going like everyday. Joe, Izzy, Hasuma, and Ken took turn driving the hovercraft while the others sat around with nothing to do. Often they would go outside and fly around so they could watch for anything that is out of the ordinary. And like always, Yolie and Davis are starting off the day with their usually verbal war. Finally night falls and they managed to reach into a forest. They built a campfire and ate their dinners.


"Well," said Joe. "I guess by tomorrow we will reach Cita. That way we could pack up on our supply and go through the first trial."


"Yeah," said Sora. "Are any of you guys nervous."


"It's too late to be nervous now," said Cody.


"Just don't think to much of it," said Hasuma. "And just go to sleep. We need all the rest that we could get." She turned to look at Tai and he nodded his head with understanding. "Yolie. Davis. Both of you will keep watch tonight."


"What!" They both exclaimed with surprise and glared at each other.


"Why him," asked Yolie. "Can't I stay watch with someone else, instead?"


"No," Hasuma said firmly. "You two are the second in command and yet you guys are the most immature among our whole group. If you guys don't get along with each other, how do you expect us to work as a whole team."


"Yes," said Tai. "It is about time that you guys start working together and learn to be in each other presence without trying to kill each other every other second."


"And we better not hear you guys fighting tonight or else you guys are going to stay at watch until you guys learn to get along with each other," Hasuma said. Davis and Yolie glared at each other before they sat down from the opposite side of the camping area. Joe and Izzy climbed back into the hovercraft. That way they can ensure an easy get away if there are any attacks. Slowly, everyone started to fall asleep. They all slept around a circle from the campfire. Mimi was sleeping in between Tai and Hasuma so that they could protect her. Matt slept next to TK. Beside TK was Kari next to her laid Sora. Sleeping between Matt and Tai was Cody and sleeping next to Sora was Ken.


Yolie sighed as she looked left and right. She glanced at Davis direction to find him glaring at her. She quickly looked away before her temper could raise a degree. Midnight came and still the woods remain silent. The fire crackled from the campfire as Davis picked up a piece of wood and tossed it into the fire. The leaves from Yolie's left rustled and she pulled her coat closer around her. She looked at Davis direction to find him doing the same thing. Their eyes met and they both quickly looked away. Yolie scanned around her and found a piece of wood. She unconsciously tossed it at the direction of the fire but aimed it to high. The wood went flying at Davis direction. Davis ducked just in time when the firewood hit the tree that he was sitting next to.


"What the heck do you think you are doing," Davis yelled out in anger. "You almost hit me."


"I'm sorry," Yolie said as she picked up another firewood. "It was an accident." Before she knew it, Davis threw back the firewood at her direction, missing her by just an inch. Yolie stood up in anger. "What is your damn problem, moron. I said it was an accident!"


"Yeah, right, Ogremon! I know you did that on purpose!" Davis stood up to face her.


"On purpose! You know what?! You are nothing but a sensitive creep! Everything I do offend you even if I don't mean it!"


"Yeah, and everything I do offend you!"


"Would you guys just shut up already," Joe screamed out in anger as he stuck his head out of the window. "We are trying to get some sleep over here."


"You shut up," Davis scowled at Joe's direction. "This is none of your business. I had it with her attitude! If it is a fight that she want, then it is a fight that she gets." He started to advance toward her but stopped when an energy ball flew in front of him and hit the tree to his right. He turned to look at the person who shot that energy ball to find everyone awake from their nap.


"Don't make me shoot again," Matt warned.


"What is going on over here," Hasuma asked angrily while Mimi and Tai stood up to look at the situation. "I thought I told you guys not to fight!"


"Hasuma, I know that I am suppose to listen to you but this time, I am not going to," said Yolie. She formed an energy ball in her hand and glared at Davis. "We have to settle this right now."


"Gladly," said Davis as he formed a fireball inside his hand.


"STOP IT, YOLIE," screamed Sora. "ARE YOU CRAZY!!! THIS ISN'T YOU!!" Sora and Kari were about to run up to them both but Hasuma pulled them back.


"Let me handle this," said Hasuma as she formed an energy ball in her hand.


"Don't..." That was all Mimi could get out of her mouth because before they knew it, Hasuma, Yolie, and Davis turned around to face the opening forest and fired their energy ball out into the darkness. Cries of injured and angry Majis erupted thought the silent night.


"Protect the priestess," Davis ordered as he drew out his sword. In the next second, Majis started to appear from the hiding and started their assault. Without wasting a second, Tai and the others grabbed their weapons that were placed next to them and started to fight off the on slaughter.


"Get in here," Joe said as he blew off a head of a Maji.


"Thank goddess," said Izzy as he looked at his monitor. "There is no underground Majis. I wonder why my computer didn't detect the Majis around us?"


"Because they weren't in the range," Joe answered with annoyance. "Come and help me will you!!!" With one last glance at his laptop, Izzy took out his gun and started to blast the Maji with great accuracy.


"Where's Mimi," thought Matt as he shot a Maji right in the chest. He groans when one of them jumped at him from the air. Crouching down on the ground, Matt watched as it got closer. Just when it was about to reach him, Matt quickly threw a high kick at the Maji's chest, knocking the wind out of him. He touched the unconscious Maji and within a second, it was frozen solid. With his gun in his right hand, he shot off another Maji's head. He formed some icicles with his left hand and threw them at the direction of TK. TK turned around in shock to find the Maji behind him dying on the floor with icicles sticking from out of his chest. He smiled at Matt and continued on with his fighting.


With the corner of his eyes, he saw Yolie and Davis running toward the hovercraft. They sliced and knocked all of the Majis that were blocking their path. "Watch out!" Matt turned around to find a Maji bringing his claw down on his head. To his surprise, the Maji screamed out in pain when a sword pierced through his chest. As the Maji dropped down to the ground, Matt eyes widen in shock when he found out who was the sword wielder.


"Mimi," he murmured while he watched her sliced through another Maji expertly. He quickly snapped out from his shock and grabbed her by her arm.


"Yamato, what are you doing," she asked while they ran toward the hovercraft. "Hasuma and Tai are still out there."


"You are our priority," Matt muttered in a low voice. He looked backward when he heard Mimi cried out in shock. A Maji have just barely missed her right arm and ripped a hole into her coat. Matt shot the Maji at his chest and continued to run with Mimi. TK and Kari were closing in to the ship with Ken and Cody fighting off the Maji for them. A loud explosion occurred from the left as Hasuma and Tai blasted blew up some of the Majis with their energy ball.


"Get in there, now," commanded Hasuma as she wiped out twenty of them with her energy ball. Tai nodded his head and grabbed Sora by her hand as they sped up to the hovercraft. Matt pushed Mimi into the hovercraft and Cody jumped right in there after her. Standing next to Ken, Matt continued to fire at the Majis keeping them at bay.


"Joe, go to the driver seat right now," said Izzy as he continued to help Matt and Ken. Joe nodded his head and ran up to the driver's seat. Tai finally reached there with Sora and they stood out there helping Matt, Izzy, and Ken as they waited for Hasuma to join them.


"Where is she," asked Sora when she scanned the area.


"I'm over here," said Hasuma. To their surprise, she suddenly appeared right next to them. "Get inside, now." Matt, Tai, Ken, and Sora stopped their attack and ran into the hovercraft. With a huge energy ball, Hasuma threw it at the direction of the Majis, killing all of the Majis around its five feet radius. "Let's go," said Hasuma as she jumped into the hovercraft. Izzy fired off two more round while the hovercraft lifted off the ground. He slammed the door down once they reached high up in the air.


"Hang on," said Joe when he saw some Maji sprouting some wings. "The fight isn't over, yet." Shifting the gear of the hovercraft, it speed through the night in high speed. Not wanting to lose them, the Maji started to chase after them. Joe expertly dodged through trees without losing speed. However, it takes more than that to lose the Majis.


"Open up the top hatch on the ceiling," said Sora. Izzy opened up the top hatch for her. Sora stood from a chair and raised herself up pass the hole into the open night. With her gun charged, she started to shoot the Maji's off the air one by one. Ken joined her soon after. It didn't take long to kill off all the Majis. With a smiled of satisfaction, Sora and Ken went back down into the hovercraft and closed the hatch.


"Wow," said Joe when Izzy told him that no Majis are being detected around them. "That is a good alarm call. Don't want to go through that again."


"We got through this thanks to Yolie and Davis," said Hasuma. "If they haven't woke us up, then we wouldn't have known about the ambush. Even Izzy's laptop failed us this time."


"Shut up," grumbled Izzy. "They didn't approached the radius that is all. However, how did you guys know about them?"


"Well," said Davis. "I heard some noises and then I kind of looked around."


"Although it was dark but I could still see them," said Yolie. "So I looked at Davis. The way he looked at me confirmed my suspicion and then we acted like we are having an argument to wake you guys up." She turned away from Davis and smiled a little bit. "Not bad for a second in command."


Davis looked at her in shock. "Hmph...same for you."


"Well, I'm glad they are finally getting along," Hasuma said with a smile. "However, I have a bad news." She lifted up the right arm of Mimi and showed them the rip on her sleeves. They all noticed the problem over there because the star on her arm is clearly revealed. "Now they know who is the shrine priestess. Now they will be targeting her."


"I'm sorry," said Mimi. "I wasted all your efforts."


"Don't be," said Cody. "It just happens. By the way, where did you learn to fight like that?"


"Hasuma," said Mimi. "She trained me to fight with all sort so weapon, but the one that I like to use to most is a rod." She took out the stick that Hasuma have given to her in the chamber. To their surprise it turned into a rod. "It can also turn into a sword."


"Wow," said Izzy. "Do you mind if I examine it?" Mimi handed over the weapon while Izzy looked over it. "I never saw anything like this." He turned to look at Hasuma. "Where did you get this?"


"From my teacher," said Hasuma. "He gave it to me when I was only four. He said it was one of the weapons that the goddess has given to the digimons so they could defend themselves from the human. It was the only surviving weapon left."


"Then this is an ancient artifact," said Cody. "How did your master get it?"


Hasuma shrugged her shoulder. "Beats me." She turned to look at Joe as he stifled a yawn. "Why don't I take over, Joe. Go get some sleep."


"Are you sure," Joe asked uncertainly.


"Yep," said Hasuma as she takes over the wheel. "Don't want you the crash the hover craft after we just escape from the Majis. Go to sleep everyone."


Without another word, they all fell asleep, leaving only Hasuma wide-awake.


Cita


"We're here," said Hasuma as she parked the hovercraft on the street, outside of the hotel. When no one answered her, she turned around to find them all sleeping. "Hey! WAKE UP!" They all jolted upward with their weapons in their hands.


"Where?! Where?!" Davis looked around him with his sword ready. It took him a moment to realize that they are in the hovercraft. He scowled at Hasuma and put his sword away. "That was funny. Really funny."


She ignored his sarcasm and pulled open the door. They all groaned when the light lit the dim room. "We're here. If you guys would rather stay in the hovercraft than the hotel, then that is fine with me." She jumped out of the hovercraft and the others immediately follow her.


"Are we going to go to the shrine today," Sora asked tiredly.


"In this condition, no way," Hasuma answered. "We will go tomorrow after we have our rest." In a matter of minutes, they took all of their luggage and trotted into the hotel. In an hour, they are in their rooms fast asleep.


*Tommorrow Morning


"Are you sure this is the shrine," asked Ken as he looked at the black dome that lie before them. "It sure doesn't look like it."


"I have to agree," said Cody. "It doesn't look like a shrine at all. It is...kind of creepy." He looked at the black dome that is glittering in the sun. Golden rims decorated the top of the dome and the two upper windows of the structure. Red curtains shrouded the window preventing anyone to look into the shrine. "Is it me or does those looks like eyes to you?"


"It's not you," Yolie answered.


"Come on," said Hasuma. "You are not going to let this shrine scare you, are you?" They follow her as she led them to the entrance of the shrine.


"Are you sure this is the entrance," said Davis as he looked at the decoration of the door. He looked at the black iron doors that have opened when they stepped near it. Two burning torches were rages with flame as they stepped through. "I can't help feeling like we are going down below."


"Don't be ridiculous," said TK nervously. Kari clutches his arms unconsciously as they walked through the hall. On the wall, paintings of the deadly war were shown. Pictures of death and torture souls were displayed on every inches of the wall.


They walked down the hall for two minutes when they finally reached the main chamber. An old man, dressed in a black priest robe, was waiting for them. He was hidden within the shadow that they didn't notice him until he spoke to them.


"Welcome priestess and her..." The poor man never did finished his sentence because before he knew it, Matt and Tai jumped on him and tackled him on the floor.


"Stop it," said Hasuma as she tried to pull them back. "You are hurting the shrine priest of this shrine."


"Oh shoot," said Tai. He quickly backed off with Matt. They reached out their hands to him and helped the shrine priest up on his feet. "We're sorry. I guess we are kind of jumpy."


"Believe me," the shrine priest mumbles. "I get that every ten years." He brushed off the dirt on the robe. "Twenty years ago, I would have been glad about this greeting because it means that you are doing your duty as a guardian well. However, now that I am old, it is not that pleasant." He turned to look at Hasuma and smiled. "I see you are back, Hasuma. How have you been?"


"Fine Genai," said Hasuma. "It's been ten years, haven't it?"


"Yeah, and this time I am glad you weren't the one that tackle me," he said with a smile. "So who is the hope of our people?" Mimi appeared from the shadow within her white priestess robe. She bows down before him with respect.


"I am the shrine priestess, that will attempt to pass the trial," said Mimi.


"Ahh...young priestess," said Genai. "It is a pity to have so much fall on your shoulder. Our future depends on your success."


"And I will do the best I can," said Mimi.


"Good." He patted Mimi on the shoulder and walked to the wall he was hiding at before. He took out a match and tossed it at the wall. To their surprise, the wall burst into flame and burned a hole through it. The flame disappears, leaving a hole in the wall.


"What is in there," Izzy said nervously as they stared at the black hole.


"In there is your demons and the trial," Hasuma answered. She turned to look at them seriously. "Remember, what you will be facing is your demon. As long as you remember your mission and as long as you are willing to face your demon, you can pass it. Don't let your mirror scare you."


"Hasuma," warned Genai.


"I didn't say anything about the trial," Hasuma said flatly. She looked at Mimi and smiled at her. "Are you ready?"


"Yes," said Mimi. With determination, they both walked in there.


"Wait," said Matt. "You don't know what is in there!" He ran into the hole right after them. Without any further hesitation, the rest of them follow right behind. When they reached in there, a bright light lit up the whole room and blinded them.


"Welcome to the trial," Genai said as the hole disappeared. "Let's hope they pass."


*Davis, Kari, and Hasuma*


"What the heck!!!" Davis cursed out loud as he rubbed his eyes to remove all the flashes in his eyes. Slowly his eyes adjusted to his surrounding. He was shock to find that the room was dimly lit by a small torch located near where the hole used to be.


"Davis, are you alright?" He turned around to find Kari standing next to him.


"Yeah," he mumbled. "Where are we?" He looked around to find the other standing around the room apart. Mimi is standing at the left lower corner of the room, and Yolie was standing at the lower right. Sora, Ken, Izzy, Joe, and Cody were standing at the middle of the left side of the room. "What are they doing?"


"I don't know," said Kari. They watched in silence as Sora, Izzy, Joe, Cody, and Ken moved around the room like they were blind.


"Come on TK," said Matt. "Let's go look for the other people." Kari and Davis looked to the middle of the right side of the room to find Matt talking to an empty air.


"What the..."


"EEEKKKKK!" Davis never did finish his sentence because Yolie suddenly screamed out in horror. Her eyes widen in shock as she backed up suddenly.


"Yolie," called out Kari and Davis as they ran up to her. Before they could reach her, they ram into a barrier.


"Damn!!! What is going on over here," screamed Davis as he pounded the invincible wall before him and Yolie.


"Kari, TK, Matt, and Mimi," Tai commanded. "Stick close together. We might not know what is going to happen." Kari looked at the front of the right side of the room, to find Tai and TK walking closely together. She ran up to them only to hit into another barrier.


"I wouldn't do that if I were you," said Hasuma. "You might end up hurting yourself." Davis and Kari turned to look at the front of the room where Hasuma's voice manifested. Instead of seeing her, they saw a block of stone that had some ancient writing on it. They both turned around in shock when the torches that are lined up around the room suddenly burst into flame and lit up the dim room. Davis and Kari screamed out loud when Hasuma suddenly tapped them on their shoulder from their back.


"Hasuma," screamed Kari. "You scared me!"


"What the heck is going on over here," Davis screamed at her.


"Whoa...calm down," said Hasuma. "Let me explain first."


"Well you better get started," Davis warned in a dangerous tone. Kari can't help but smile because he just pulled off a good Tai imitation.


"Okay, first of all, I will like to congratulate you guys on passing the first trial," Hasuma said with a smile.


"The first trial," Kari asked in confusion.


"Yes. The trial of Courage."


"The trial of courage," asked Davis. "What is that? Beside, Kari and I didn't do anything!"


"It is because you guys have no fear. Every one of us supposed to have a fear. It could be either the fear of losing, a certain animal, of disappointment, or of failure, etc. Those are the common fear that people feel." She looked at the rest of the others as they roam around the room. "Being able to face your fear, protect your love, and especially being able to conquer over it and proceed with your mission is real courage." She touched Davis and Kari. "Both of you are able to face all of your fear, that is why you are able to pass it so easily."


"But I do fear," said Kari. "I fear that I wouldn't be able to protect everyone but yet..."


"But yet you don't let your fear stop you. You have determination and faith in what you are doing, and that is what made you pass the test."


Davis looked at Kari and sigh. "I guess I don't have any fear because I already faced it." He blushed when he look at Kari. "I saw you with TK at the church garden." Kari blushed from embarrassment. She opened her mouth to explain but Davis raise up his hand to stop her. "Don't worry about it. I kind of expected it. I guess my greatest fear was rejection, but...well, you know."


"You see," said Hasuma. "You guys are able to face your fear, that is why you guys are here."


"Then what about them," asked Kari.


"They still have to faced their demon."


"Hasuma?" Davis, Kari, and Hasuma looked at Mimi's direction as she called out Hasuma's name.


"Whoa...I hope that is not what I think it is," Hasuma whispered in shock. "Am I Mimi's greatest fear?"


*Mimi*


"Where am I," thought Mimi as she looked around the darkness. To her surprise, the whole room changed before her eyes. "Oh my goddess!" She looked around her in astonishment when she recognized the room. "This is...this is the main chamber of the shrine in Gardenia." She flew up to the middle of the platform and touched the book. "Impossible. How did I get back here?" A cool wind blew at her softly and she shivered from the cold.


"Mimi..." Mimi turned around in alarm when she heard her name whispered softly in the air.


"Who's there," Mimi asked. When no one answered her, she flew down from the platform and looked around her. "I need to get out of here." She walked up to the wall and knocked on the wall two times. To her surprise, the door did not appear. "What...what happen?" She knocked on the door two times again but still it did not appear.


"It won't open for you."


Mimi turned around to find Hasuma standing on the platform. "Hasuma!" She ran up to her but hit a barrier between them. She slid down the floor in pain and looked at Hasuma in shock. "What...what is going on over here?"


"We're back where we started, Mimi," Hasuma answered. "Don't you recognize this place?"


"I know but...why are we back here?" She stood up and cautiously walked toward Hasuma with her hand stretched out before her. She managed to touch the barrier before she could slam into it once again. "And why is there a barrier over here?"


"I don't know why. Maybe you should ask yourself why we are back here."


"What do you mean by that, Hasuma?" She ran back to the wall and knocked on it two times. When the door did not appear, Mimi turned to look at Hasuma with great frustration. "Why isn't the door working? Why isn't it opening?!"


"Are you sure that you want it to be open?"


Mimi was taken aback by Hasuma's question. "I...I don't understand," she stammered.


"Who is locking you in here, Mimi? Am I doing it or are you doing it to yourself?"


"I..I.." Mimi closed her eyes and face downward. "I am locking myself," she whispered. "I'm afraid of this mission. I can't help think what would happen if I fail. I..I don't want to disappoint other people." She looked up at Hasuma. "I don't want to disappoint you. After all that you have taught me and told me, I am not strong enough to face this task."


"Then stay."


"Huh?"


"I mean stay here," said Hasuma as she extended her hands toward her. "Stay here with me. You don't have to go to the journey if you don't want to. Just stay here and be an ordinary girl. Isn't that's what you want?"


"I can't...I want to but I can't. People are depending on me. I have to do it."


"Having to do it is not the same as wanting. If you don't believe in your ability, then stay here with me." Mimi watched in silence as Hasuma floated down toward her. "Stay here and I will give you peace. You don't ever have to be afraid again."


Mimi looked at Hasuma's hand that is extended toward her direction. All she has to do is to take that hand and then she will be safe. All her worry and all her fear will be gone. "But that wouldn't solve anything," Mimi murmured. She took a deep breath and sighed. When she lifted her head to look at Hasuma, her eyes shine with determination. "I can't give up now. I know what I have to do and...and I have been training for this day to come. I can't let my worry and fear block me from fulfilling what I know is right. If I give up right now, I can never forgive myself. You..you once told me to believe in myself. I do now."


"If that is the case," said Hasuma with a fading voice. "Go ahead and try the door again. Remember to keep in mind of your faith and your reason. Have courage, Mimi."


"I will." With that said, Mimi knocked on the wall twice and to her relief, the door appeared. She opened the door to find the room around her disappearing. Instead it is replaced with a room filled with torches and all her guardians. She blinked her eyes twice to make sure she is not seeing things. Davis, Kari, and Hasuma were staring at her as she walked toward them uncertainly. "Are you guys for real?"


"Can you see us," asked Davis. Mimi nodded her head. Before she knew it, Kari and Hasuma threw their arms around her and pulled her into a hug.


"Thank goddess, you pass the test," said Kari. "For a moment there, I was kind of worry."


"Test," Mimi asked in confusion. "What test? I was just talking to Hasuma."


"And I am your greatest fear," Hasuma said wryly. "That is encouraging. Beside, how could I be talking to you while I am here all the time? What you saw was an illusion."


"Greatest fear???" Mimi finally realized what was going on. She quickly told them about her trial. She shamefully admitted her doubts about the pilgrimage.


"Well, we are just glad that you made it through," said Kari. "However, I can't say the same thing for the others." Mimi looked around to find the group that Ken is in is still prowling around like they are in the darkness. Matt is still roaming around in circle, while Tai and TK stood there wondering what is going on.


"Is there any way that I can help them," asked Mimi.


"If your will is stronger than them, then you can break their barrier. However..."


"I know it is just an illusion! I can do it! I can do it!" They all turned around to find Yolie encouraging herself.


*Yolie*


"Darn," thought Yolie as she closed her eyes to stop all the flashes in her eyes. "That stupid light almost blinded me." After she made sure the flashes were gone, she slowly open her eyes to find out that everyone have disappeared. "What the heck...where did everyone go?" She looked around the vacant room but still she could not find any clue to their whereabouts. "Damn!!! How do I get out of this room?" There are no doors to the room because it is just surrounded by four brick wall. She slammed her rod on the wall in frustration. To her surprise, the wall opposite to its direction rumbled and out from nowhere, a door appeared. "Alright!" Yolie ran toward it but before she could reach there, a huge python fell down from nowhere and blocked her path.


"EEEKKKKK!!!!" Yolie screamed out loud from the top of her lungs and backed up away from it as fast as she could. "Where the heck did this thing come from!" She stared at it in horror as it started to coil itself in front of the entrance. Pressing her back to the wall, Yolie continued to watch as he placed his head on his body. His tongue flickered in and out of his mouth while he watched his little bait. For a moment, they stared at each other in silence. Breathing heavily from her racing heart, Yolie shifted her position to relief the cramp she was starting to feel. However, before she could move even a few inches, the snake lifted up his head, causing her to fall back to her old position. She gave a sigh of relief when he placed his head back on his body.


Davis, Kari, and Hasuma (Mimi is still in her trial) watched her as she pressed her back closer to the wall. "What is going on over there," asked Davis while he looked at the terrify girl.


"If I know Yolie, like I believe I do," started Hasuma. "I think the thing that she is seeing must be a snake. Yolie isn't really scared of anything beside snake."


"Why is that?"


"Because she was bitten by one when she was really small and she almost die from it," Kari explained. They looked at her to find her breathing slowly like she is meditating. With her eyes closed, Yolie contemplated about the current situation.


"Alright...Yolie," she thought to herself. "It is just a snake...a horrible and gigantic one. Damn it, why does it have to be a snake! They don't expect me to beat this thing do they! What are they nuts! I thought Hasuma said they are not going to test your fighting ability! Shoot...among all of the things in this world, why do I have to be afraid of snake." Her eyes snapped open when she realized the meaning of this. "This is the trial...so this is the trial...the test of fear." She looked at the snake in shock. In one quick movement she raised herself from off the floor. To her relief the snake did not move.


"I know it is just an illusion," she mumbled to herself. "I can do it. I can do it!" Making the least amount of movements as possible, she slowly removed her jacked and rolled it into a ball. Taking a deep breath, she tossed her coat at the python's direction. Her eyes widen from horror when the snake lifted his head slightly upward and swallow her coat in one gulp. "He...he just swallow my coat," Yolie stammered. "I DON'T CARE IF THIS IS A DAMN ILLUSION BECAUSE IT SEEMS REAL ENOUGH FOR ME!!!" The snake took no heed of her tirade and placed his head back on the body while he digested her coat.


She crumbled down on the floor with fear as tears started to fall down from her eyes, unconsciously. "Huh?" Yolie touched her face and felt the wetness on her cheeks. "Am...am I crying?" She quickly wiped her eyes and looked at her hands in disgust. "What is the matter with you, Yolie! You promise you will never cry...not again...not like this." She stood up and looked at the snake in confusion as her mind did a mental battle between her fear and her courage. "I'm scared...I can't be...but I can't do it...I have to," she thought to herself. "I have to do this because...because Mimi is waiting for me." However, her doubt still haunted her thinking. "What if I die...what if I can't kill it, then what will happen?"


"Heck," she said out loud. "I will die here if I don't even try." She looked down sadly on the ground. "I promised mother...I won't cry. If...if I do, it must be the tears of happiness. I broke my promise to her today. But..." She pulled out her rod and faced the python with great determination. "But I won't break my promise to anyone, anymore. I promise I will protect Mimi, and nothing, NOTHING, in this world is going to stop me!" With that said to spike up her nerve, she charged at the python in top speed. Noticing the danger that is headed straight for him, he lifted up his head and hissed at her. In one swift movement, he plunged his head downward to strike at his prey. Yolie swung her rod upward to meet his head, only to find the python had suddenly disappeared from her sight, along with the whole room. Instead, she found herself in a room filled with torches and next to her feet, was her coat. She picked it up cautiously as she kept her eyes on area where the snake was suppose to be. "Where did the darn snake go." She turned around rapidly when she heard some shuffling around her. She was relief to see the rest of her team. "Thank goddess. You guys are here."


Davis looked around and noticed she was looking at their direction. "Who? You mean us," Davis asked while pointing his finger at himself.


"No...I am speaking to the stone over there," Yolie said dryly. "Of course I am talking about you guys, you idiot!" She started to walk over there but fell downward when her legs suddenly became really weak. Mimi, Hasuma, and Kari ran up to her and helped her up. "I'm okay...I guess I still haven't gotten over the fear."


"You did great though," Mimi said proudly. "I couldn't have asked for a better guardian."


"Heh...thanks," Yolie said with a smile. She looked around her to find the rest of the crew members still in their delusional world. "So how are they doing?"


"Not much," said Kari. "It seems like nothing have happen to them. I think you two were the first to be tested."


"Us two?" Yolie looked at Mimi with confusion. Her confusion was put aside when noises started to come from Izzy's group's direction.


*Izzy, Sora, Ken, Cody, and Joe*


"I can't see anything," Joe grumbled.


"No kidding," Izzy reply irritated. "What do you think that have been happening to us for these past few...I don't even know how many minutes passed us by."


"Why is this happening," asked Sora. "I mean, we usually get used to the dark once our eyes get adapted to it but...I still can't see anything." She yelped when someone accidentally bumped in front of her.


"Sorry," said Cody. "And for your question, the answer is simple. Because we are in pitch-black kind of darkness. There are no hints of light to guide us." He tripped and stumbled forward. Ken grunted when Cody rammed him right at the chest.


"Stop moving around, Cody," Ken snapped. "I don't even know how long this thing will last and we don't know where we are."


"If only I could get some light, then my laptop can do some analysis," said Izzy. "I could input the surrounding data into my laptop without looking at the keyboard but I can't read the data without any sort of..." Just like magic, the room started to slowly lit up. "Finally, I could get some reading..." His words froze in his mouth when he saw the shadows of some bodies lying on the floor. From the dimly lit room, they couldn't make out who they were. "For the first time, don't let me be right." Sora, Izzy, Joe, Ken, and Cody watched in frozen terror as the room continues to slowly lit up around them.


"No...," Sora whispered when she recognized the face of one of the dead bodies lying on the floor. "Mimi. MIMI!!!!" She ran up to the dead girl and cradles her in her arms.


"TAI," screamed Ken when he recognized the dead body lying next to Mimi. Their blood was splattered around them as they laid there. "TK! KARI!" Ken looked around the room to find them dead on the floor.


Cody walked up to Yolie's dead body and fell down on his feet. "Their all dead...all dead," he muttered with tears streaming down his face. "We...we weren't able to protect them."


"My goddess," said Joe. "Hasuma had die too!" He ran up to her and found her ozzing with blood. "She...just died recently." He turned to her right and checked up on Davis dead body. "He...he died just a few second ago."


Izzy stumbled toward the dead bodies in shock. He looked to his right when he heard someone groan out loud. "Matt!" Izzy picked up the injured boy in his hand. "Joe, come over here." Joe ran over there as fast as he can and touched Matt on his arm. A warm glow surrounds him as Joe applied his healing power on him. Ken, Cody, and Sora ran up to him to help stop his excessive bleeding. "What happen, Matt?"


"The Maji," Matt said slowly. "They...they attacked us..." His eyes widen in pain and before they knew it, he passed away.


"Matt!!!" They cried out for him but he was gone.


Sora sobbed. "Why did this have to happen? Why did we lose them?" She walked up to Mimi and held her in her arms. "Mimi...Mimi...I've failed you. I've failed you...I wasn't able to protect you."


"Damn it," screamed Ken. He took out his gun and fired some shots at the walls. "Come on out you damn Maji! Come on out and fight me!" Tears fell down on his cheek as he continued to fire his gun. Joe watched in silence when Izzy stood up and walked up to his laptop. He opened his laptop.


"Why aren't you not working," Izzy growled at the empty computer screen. "Come on!" He hit the laptop and still nothing popped up from the screen. With a scream of frustration, he threw the whole laptop across the whole room, scattering it into pieces. "WHY ISN'T MY TECHNOLOGY WORKING WHEN I NEED IT? WHY? WHY?!"


Ken stopped his firing due to exhaustion and fell down on his knee. His body trembled when haunted memories resurfaced in him mind. "It is the same thing...I wasn't able to protect my friends." He started to sob uncontrollably. "Just like I wasn't able to save my brother."


Davis, Yolie, Mimi, Kari, and Hasuma watched them with great sadness.


"Isn't...isn't there something we could do about it," Yolie demanded. "Isn't there a way we could help them?"


"If there is, don't you think I would have done it already," snapped Davis. "We can't get through the barrier."


"There's got to be a way," said Yolie. "I am not going to stand here and do nothing while they suffer!" With that said, she stalked up to their direction and to all of their surprise she walked through the barrier like it was nothing.


"How did she do that," Davis exclaimed from astonishment.


"I told you, if your will is stronger than theirs, you could get pass the barrier," Hasuma replied. Before he knew it, she ran pass the barrier to join Yolie.


"I'll go too," said Kari and Mimi. They passed through the barrier and with a prayer to the goddess so he would not ram into the barrier, Davis ran right after them and pass the barrier. He almost threw up when he saw his own bloody corpse lying on the floor.


"What is going on over here," asked Yolie. Izzy, Ken, Cody, Joe, and Sora looked up in shock when they heard Yolie's voice. They screamed out in terror when they saw Yolie, Mimi, Kari, Davis, and Hasuma standing there alive.


"Mi..Mimi," Sora stuttered in shock. "You're alive." She looked at the dead body that is lying on the floor. "Then...who..who is she?"


"I don't care," said Joe as he ran up to them. "They are alive and that is all it matter." He threw his arms around Davis and happily laughed out loud.


"Whoa...calm down Joe," said Davis. Ken, Cody, Izzy, and Sora ran up to them and hugged them in joy. Once they got over the rejoicing, Sora and the others started to pour them on with questions.


Hasuma walked up to her dead body and sighed. "What you guys see is your own illusion."


"Our illusion," asked Sora.


"Yes," she said. "Think about it, how can there possibly be two of us? Two, if the Maji really did attacked them, then where did they go? Three, after fighting with the Majis so many time, is it natural for them to leave live prey? Obviously, the answer is no. Therefore, by careful deductions, you should have know that what Matt said was not true. And beside, Cody was walking around the room and he didn't bumped into any of the bodies. You guys should have known right away that something is wierd."


Izzy pounded his hand on the wall. "Why didn't I think of it?"


"It is because you were blinded by guilt," Hasuma answered. "In case you haven't notice, this is the first trial that is given to you all of you."


"Our first trial," asked Joe.


"The trial of courage. Answer me, what is your greatest fear?" When they continued to look at her with a blank expression, she went and picked up the fake Mimi's dead body. "Why did she have to die? Why are your devils showing you our dead bodies? Ask yourself that question." She smiled when their eyes shined with understanding. "Now you see the truth don't you? Your fear for failure. Your fear for not being able to protect the people that you cared about make you sees these illusions. As long as you guys submit to those fears, you will not be able to break through this barrier."


"I understand," said Cody. "I understand it clearly, indeed." He sighed when he saw the bodies started to disappear. "If every test is like this, I think I will end up getting a mental breakdown."


"ARGHHH!!!!!" They jumped up in surprise when Izzy suddenly screamed out loud. "WHY DIDN'T YOU GUYS COME HERE EARLIER??!! LOOK AT MY LAPTOP!!!" They looked at the remaining pile of junk that once was Izzy's main source of power.


"Come on, Izzy," said Joe. "It can't be helped." He dragged Izzy away from his laptop and walked up to Mimi. He looked around him and found there is no door in this room. "Do you guys know how to get out of this room?"


"Follow me," said Hasuma. They looked at her as she disappeared through the wall. Joe and Izzy followed quickly with Davis, Mimi, Sora, Cody, and Yolie. When Ken tried to walked through the wall, he slammed right into it instead.


"Why aren't I able to get through," Ken asked.


"It's because you still haven't let go of your fear," said Hasuma. "As long as you believe that you are a failure and that you can't protect your friends, you can't get out of there."


"I...I..." Ken tried to step through the wall again but he failed. He slumped down on his feet and clutched his head in his hands. "Leave me. I can't let go." He looked at them with a pitiful look. "I can't forget about what happen in the past. I can't forget about the way my brother died because I wasn't able to reach him in time."


"His brother," asked Yolie.


"Yeah," said Davis. "Ken's older brother died because he was killed by a group of gang. They jumped on them both when they were walking back home. Ken was able to escape because his brother protected him. Ken ran back to find his parents but by the time that they reached there, his older brother was already dead. He never stop blaming himself for what had happen."


"Just leave me here," Ken said sadly. The next thing he knew, someone grabbed him roughly on his arm and lifted him up to his feet. His head snapped to the right when Yolie slapped him hard across the face.


"Grow up," Yolie growled. "If you are just giving your life like this, then you are better off dead than alive." She grabbed him by the front of his shirt collar. "You are the most pathetic person that I ever seen. Yeah, you weren't able to reached your brother in time, so what? It happened in the past! Live with it, get over it! Your brother wasted his life to save you so that you could live. Not to die like this. If you give up your life like this, you have just throw away his whole reason for doing that sacrifice." She released the stunned Ken as he continued to stare at her blankly. "If you really want to repay your brother for what he done, then you should live and try to protect your friends just like your brother protected you. That is what you should be doing." She stalked away from him and walked up to the wall. Before she stepped through it, she turned to look at him. "We're waiting." With a little nod from Ken, they stepped through the barrier together.


"When they came out of the barrier, they found the rest of them crowding around Tai, TK, and Matt's area.


*Tai and TK*


"You know what," said Tai. "This is getting irritated. There are no doors in this room and nothing is happening! What are they trying to test? Our patience?" He looked at Mimi but she shrugged her shoulder.


"I don't know either," said TK while he held on to Kari's hand. "Hey, Matt." He turned to looked at his brother only to find some tentacles suddenly sprouted out from the ground and wrapped around him. "Matt!" Kari gave out a little yelp when the same tentacles wrapped around her waist and pulled her away from TK's grip. The two of them were lifted twenty feet off the ground. Tai, Mimi, and TK watched as a fiery pit open underneath the two of them. A face of a woman appeared from the wall and grinned at them evilly.


"Kari!" Tai attempted to fly but to his surprise, his power seemed to be restricted. "I can't fly!"


"Neither can, I," TK exclaimed.


"It is because this shrine restricted our powers," Mimi answered mechanically. Tai gave her a suspicious look but he quickly ignored it when the face started to speak to them.


"Welcome, guardians and shrine priestess," said the face. "Welcome to my trap."


"Trap," asked Tai. "What do you mean by that?! We are here for the trial."


"Trial," the face laughed mockingly. "It was destroyed five years ago!"


"Destroyed," TK repeated in disbelief. "Then...what about the others?"


"The same," the face sneered. Her tentacles wrapped tighter around Matt and Kari and they quickly screamed out in pain.


"STOP IT, OR ELSE..." Tai commanded. However, even he knew this was an empty threat.


"Or else what? What make you think you could stop me, guardian."


"What do you want," TK asked desperately.


"I want her." Tai and TK turned around to find the face staring at Mimi. "She is the shrine priestess that is destine to destroy the Maji race. I can't let her do that to my species. Give me her and then I will set them free."


"We can't," Tai answered.


"Then are you willing to sacrifice their lives?" He watched in horror when she loosens up her tentacles, causing Matt to fall down toward the fiery pit. Before he reached there, she caught him back and placed him back high in the air. "It's a tough decision isn't it? Don't think that long because I don't have that much patience at all."


"Damn you," TK thought as he looked at Kari and Matt.


"Are you guys going to turn me over," Mimi asked.


"I...I don't know," Tai answered her while he tried to think of a way to solve this situation. His heart plunged when the face released her tentacles around Kari and played catch with her. "Stop it!" The face ignored his command and continued to toss her up and down.


"TK, help me," cried Matt. "Save me!"


"Help me brother," Kari screamed out loud. "I don't want to die! TK! Save me!!!"


"Matt. Kari." TK looked at them desperately while he tried to reassure them that he will try to do it. "Tai, can you..." He turned around to look at the older boy, only to find him standing there with his eyes closed. TK walked up to him and shook him lightly. "Tai?" His eyes snapped open when he felt TK's hand on his shoulder.


"I understand now," Tai said coldly. He turned to look at the face. His eyes are cold and filled with hardness. He took Mimi's hand in his and turned away from the Maji. "Come on, TK. Let's go."


"What," TK exclaimed with surprise. "We can't just leave Kari and Matt there! What are you thinking?!"


"I'm thinking for the best road of for this situation," Tai said coolly. "As for leaving Kari and Matt there, I don't care." He turned around and glared at the face. "You can have my sister and my best friend because they aren't real. My sister would rather sacrifice her life to save the shrine priestess because she is that kind of person, and Matt would have told TK to stay back instead of saving him because Matt cared about TK more than his own life. Go ahead and kill them if you want." With that said, he and TK pushed Mimi behind them and raised their sword to fight the Maji. To their surprise, the face gave a joyful laugh.


"Good job, guardian," the face said. "You've pasted the first test. Return to your friends now." TK and Tai looked around in great alarm when Mimi, the room, Matt, Kari, and the Maji disappeared from their sight. They soon found themselves staring straight at Kari and the other's eager and worried face.


"What," asked Tai. Before he knew it, they jumped on him and TK and congratulated them on their success.


"We still have one more," said Yolie when they hear Matt screamed out for TK.


*Matt*


"Let my brother go," Matt warned as he faced the same Maji that Tai and TK saw before. Dangling in her hand was TK and below him was the fiery pit. Matt protectively placed himself in front of Mimi and took out his gun. "I'm warning you. Let him go." When the Maji ignored his demand, he pressed the trigger. To his surprise, the gun didn't work. He pressed it and pressed it again but still it didn't work.


"The shrine prevent using these kind of energy in here," Mimi said flatly.


"Then tell me what I can do to save, him," Matt hissed at Mimi.


"I don't know," she simply answered him.


"But I do," said the face. "Give me the shrine priestess and I will give you your brother back. A life for a life. What do you say?"


Matt looked at his brother and back at Mimi. While he was making that decision, the others watched on in the real main chamber.


"I want to see what he is seeing," Mimi said softly. Before anyone could stop her, she entered into his trial. The fake Mimi disappeared while Matt was looking away, only to be replaced with the real one.


"Isn't money all that matter to you," Mimi asked softly.


"Shut up," Matt growled at her.


"Matt, help me," cried out TK. "Save me! You said that you will always protect me, brother. You promise!"


"TK," Matt said. He took one step forward but stopped when he noticed the Maji was loosening up her tentacles. He quickly stepped backward and silently cursed. To his annoyance Mimi took hold of the sleeves of his coat. "What!" He turned around and snapped at her. Mimi didn't flinched under his angry eyes.


"The choice is not hard because you once told me that nothing matter to you more than money," she said. "I am worth ten million..."


"I don't care how much you're worth! All I care about is my brother right now! Not you!" Mimi's eyes widen with surprise when Matt lashed out his anger at her. However, she quickly reverted into a smile.


"I am right," she said with a smile. "You do have hope." She pointed at TK and while facing Matt. "Answer me, is that how your brother normally act?"


"What are you trying...oh," Matt looked at TK with understanding. His face convulsed into rage when he realized that the Maji have tricked him with a fake image of his brother. He rushed toward it only to have the image disappeared before him. "Come out and fight me you damn Maji!" He turned around violently and pointed his gun at Mimi's head when she tapped him on his shoulder.


"Stop it Matt," cried out TK. He and the other rushed toward him to prevent him from hurting Mimi. Before they reached there, Matt pulled his gun away from Mimi's head and pointed it at the TK that was running toward him.


"Stand right there," Matt warned. "How should I know whether you are real or not?"


"Because he is," said a voice. They all turned to look at the stone that was placed at the front of the room. A ghostly figure of a beautiful woman rose up from the stone. She is clad in a black robe and in her hand is a scepter that is embedded with a symbol that looked like the crest of courage. "Congratulation, guardians and shrine priestess. You have successfully passed the first trial. My name is Ana." Mimi lowered Matt's hand, which has the gun, so it is no longer pointing at TK's direction. When that was done, she walked up to the ghostly figure and bow down.


Ana tapped Mimi softly on her shoulder and turned to look at Hasuma. "So you are back," she said.


"Yeah, long time no see," Hasuma answered.


Ana smiled. "Guardians and shrine priestess...you have my blessing." She touched her staff and took out the symbol of courage and handed over to Mimi. "Although I give you this symbol so you could enter the other shrines and take their test, you must remember that true courage lies within each of you. As long as you remember what you are fighting for, what you value the most, and try your best to protect them, your courage will never die. Don't ever forget that." With that said, she disappeared. The hole that connects the main chamber with the rest of the shrine appeared again. They walked out of there silently as each of them thought about the tests. Their thoughts were quickly interrupted when Genai appeared from the shadow and congratulate them. However, before he could finish his sentence, Matt took out his gun and aimed it at his direction.


"Still that jumpy aren't you," Genai said with a nervous smile. Matt promptly put his gun away.


"Let's get out of here," Matt said flatly. They all proceeded out of the shrine as fast as possible, without having to break into a run. Once they reached outside, they stretched in the sun. It is hard to believe that only three hours have past since the time they started the trial. When the uncomfortable feelings they get from the shrine lifted off their shoulder, they started to laugh and rejoiced over their recent accomplishment.


"We did it," Davis screamed. "We past the first test!"


"Yeah," said Ken. He turned to look at Yolie and stuck his hand out to her. "I couldn't have pass it without your help. Thank..."


"Don't thank me," Yolie interrupted. "Even though I talked you into it, the decision was yours to make."


"Yeah," said Davis. He looked at Yolie evilly. "And beside, you have a better reason to be afraid of things than her. You should have seen her when she was facing the imaginary snake."


Yolie roared with anger and everyone else sighed when she chased after Davis in anger while he happily taunted her.




Author's note:


Hi everyone...sorry that it is taking me so late to update this...I have been very busy with summer school and all. I hope you guys like this chapter. I know it can be boring but...I promise the next chapter will be fill with more actions...hehehe. Oh yeah, comments and acknowledgement are written right after disclaimer. I hope you like this chapter and thanks for all of the reviews.