Humanity

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


Acknowledgement: Hi everyone...like always, acknowledgement first! To animegurlie45, confusedazgurl637, Kaye, Tachikawa IVIimi, luv blue eyes, kaz, and Teeny: Thank you for your nice reviews...hehehe. I know, I have to update more often and well, I will try to. To The Biggest Dreamer Lily: I don't know who I am going to pair Yolie with. I mostly tend to favor Davis though. Yumeko: Oh...I think I got you confuse. Like Yolie said, having a certain digimon symbol does not necessarily mean that you will have the digimon's personality. It all depend on your choice. Therefore, if you have myotismon as your symbol, it does not necessarily mean you are evil. It is a matter of choice. Therefore, Davis, who have Veemon's symbol, might not have the quality of courage...but he could work toward that goal. The digimon symbols only represent their power. Davis have lightning, fly, and fire because Veemon could eventually digivolve to those ability. Do you get what I mean? The main part I have Yolie talked about their ability is because I want to stress the point that things are not predestine but depended on free will. That is why human being have no one to blame for their actions but themselves. To Kazumi Tachikawa: Oh...I answered your question in my last update on my other story. Hey, thanks for your support on both of my stories. K-chan THE Pseudo-Princess: Oh...I think I will answer your question here, that you asked in Revelation of Destiny. It is not Sasami and Ken's marriage and they are not marry yet. It is Ryoko and Tenchi's wedding that I am talking about. However, their relationship are going very well and he will eventually marry her. Hehehe...so don't worry. Last but not least, Quantum Weather Butterfly: Saved the best for last..hehehe. Hmmm...I don't think Taijyou is a weird couple. In fact all couples are good, it is just can you find the evidence to support your view and can you write a good story to show their relationship. I can't do it for Taijyou because I don't see the chemistry. That is why I am not attempting to write about them...hehehe...I might end up ruining it instead...sigh. Okay, enough of my rambling...now on with the story.



Scatter



"Where am I?" Hasuma looked around her surrounding as she floated in mid air. Her long black hair and nightgown gently waved in the air as she observed the fluffy white clouds that are floating along with her. "Ah...a dream." She nodded her head and turned to look at her right. "Come on out, Ana. What do you want me to do?"


With a smile on her face, Ana suddenly appeared before Hasuma. "Your powers have improved throughout the years."


"That should not be surprising. People do improve through time."


"Or they could become corrupted through time. You haven't forgotten about that, have you?"


Hasuma frowned and shook her head. "I haven't forgotten about that." She sighed and looked at her surrounding. "But I don't think you call me over here to talk about human nature. So what is your real intention?"


"That is correct, guardian," said Ana as she bent her head downward. "I need your help." Hasuma sharply turned to look at her. "Actually, Gia needed your help."


"Why is that," Hasuma asked cautiously.


"Come to me and I will tell you." Hasuma floated toward her direction and Ana whispered into her ear.


A Hotel in Cita


Hasuma quickly jolted upward on her bed as she woke up from her sleep. Looking around her in the darkness, she slowly realized that she had returned back to her hotel room. She pulled her blanket away from her body and silently walked toward the window. The cool breeze blew on her face when she open the window and looked out at the moon. The beautiful ivory moon in the dark sky dimly lit up her room as she stood by the window, contemplating what Ana had just told her. "Ana, you have too high of an expectation of my abilities," she muttered to herself. Hasuma shrugged her shoulder and smiled slyly. "But, I'll do it. It might be interesting after all."


*The Next Morning*


"Hey, Izzy. How is the modification going?" Izzy looked up from his work to find Tai, Yolie, and Joe walking up to him.


"We still need a few days to finish this thing, Tai," Izzy replied as he stood up from his crouching position. "Damn, cramp." He shook his legs to shake out the fuzzy feeling.


"Yeah," said Ken when he appeared from the back of the hovercraft with Cody following right behind him. "We still need to add in some more parts before we could start traveling."


"I thought you said that you could finish it in one day," Joe teased. "I've seem to remember that you told the girls that you will have this done by today."


"Shut up," Izzy muttered. "You don't have to rub it in."


"Cut him some slack," Yolie said with a smile. "It is hard to remodel the whole hovercraft in one day."


"It is not the remodeling that is putting us back," said Cody. "It is the new parts that we have to add to it that is slowing us down."


"I know," said Sora when she and Kari joined into their conversation. "However, this is the only way we could satisfy your need and our needs."


"That's true," said Tai. "Hasuma told us that we could only used the hovercraft half of the way to Teria because we have to go through a ruin city and dense forest and the hovercraft is too big to maneuver through the tight spots."


Kari turned to look at Izzy. "And you didn't want to abandon your hovercraft after all of the effort that you have put into building this thing."


"That is why we are remodifying the hovercraft so that we could take it apart when we reach to the denser area and transform the parts that are in the hovercraft into seven motorcycles," said Ken. "That way we could travel through those dense area using these motorcycle instead."


"But Izzy haven't been able to finish it like he said he would," said Joe with a smile.


"Joe, you are digging your grave over here," Izzy growled. "If you don't stop teasing me, I might end up putting a bomb on your motorcycle."


"Hey, don't forget that you are riding with me. If I go kaboom, so would you." They all laughed when they saw Izzy flushed up in anger. "Come on Izzy, lighten up," said Joe. "It isn't that often I have the upper hand over you."


"I don't see the humor in what you have just said."


"Izzy, calm down," said Ken. "You usually don't lose your temper like this." He patted Izzy on the shoulder. "You're still not comfortable without your laptop, aren't you?"


"Yeah," Izzy sighed. "I've haven't have that much of a time to look for a new one because I have to work on this pile of junk." He quickly glared at his hovercraft and quickly turned to look at Joe. "Don't give me any of your smart remark." Joe quickly closed his mouth and smiled.


"So," started Kari as she tried to change the topic. "Have anyone seen Hasuma, Mimi, Davis, Matt, and TK?"


"Well, Matt went to buy some supply for the trip," said Tai. "I think TK went with him. Davis is still sleeping."


"Mimi is in her room doing her regular morning prayers," said Sora.


"Then where is Hasuma," asked Cody.


"Don't know," Ken replied. "Izzy and I saw her coming out of the hotel this morning but she didn't told us where she is going." He looked passed Tai's shoulder and saw Matt walking toward them. "Here is Matt."


"Hey, Matt," called out Kari when she saw that he is alone. "Where is TK?"


"I don't know," said Matt. "He went of on his own while I was looking at some hand guards. He said that he want to be alone for a while."


"Oh," said Kari. "Uhm...in that case, I won't go look for him."


"Hey," said Yolie when tapped Matt on his shoulder. He turned around and looked at her. "Why is Kari able to called you Matt and we have to call you Yamato?"


"Because she could," Matt replied flatly. "You have any problem with that?"


"Man, you have to take a class on social manner," grumbled Yolie. "Your attitude stinks."


"He is not the only one." Yolie temper quickly flared up when she recognized the owner of the voice. She turned around and frowned when she saw Davis approaching them. "I see you are the same as always, Ogermon."


"And you are obnoxious as ever, lazy bum," Yolie angrily replied.


"Oh boy," said Tai as Yolie and Davis continued to throw insults at each other. "Here they start again."


"Good," said Izzy. He sat down and looked at Yolie and Davis. "I needed a break and some entertainment." They all stood there in silence as they watched Davis and Yolie's daily argument.


*TK*


"Where am I going?" TK looked around him and sighed. For half an hour, since he separated from his brother, he has been wandering around the city unconsciously. "I should go back to the hotel. They might be worried about..." His thoughts were interrupted when he accidentally bumped right into a person. He stumbled backward and was about to fall down on his back if that person hasn't grabbed him by his coat and pulled him up. "Thank you," TK said softly while looking downward from embarrassment. "I'm sorry that I bumped right into you. Please excuse me." He was about to walk away when that person grabbed him by his arm.


"You have a lot in your mind, TK." TK turned around to look at that person and was surprise so see Hasuma smiling at him kindly. "Do you want to talk about it?"


"I'm fine," said TK. "Thanks for caring, Ha..."


"It is about Kari and Yamato isn't it," Hasuma interrupted. TK looked at her with surprise.


"How did you know?"


"Because you seem troubled when you stepped out from the trial." TK looked down on the floor sadly. Hasuma sighed and walked up to him. "Why don't you talk to me about it? Maybe I can help." When he didn't say anything, Hasuma took him by the arm and dragged him to a nearby bench. For a while, they sat there in silence.


"I feel like a failure," TK finally said. Hasuma turned to look at him.


"Why do you feel that way?" She saw him looked down on the floor. "Is it because you fail to notice that it was an illusion?" TK turned to look at her in surprise.


"How do you know?"


Hasuma shrugged her shoulder and looked at the busy street. "Because I just do. Well, maybe it is because this happen to some of my team members in the past."


"Oh."


"But you shouldn't blame yourself," said Hasuma. She patted him gently on the shoulder and gave him a kind smile. "It was normal that you didn't recognized the truth."


"But Tai did," TK exclaimed. "I know it would be normal for him to recognize his sister because he knew her longer than me but...I can't even see that it wasn't Matt that the monster was holding."


"That is normal," Hasuma replied. He looked at her with confusion written all over his face. "Listen. You are wrong in the part where Tai knew his sister more than you. Why? Because he didn't know his sister was a guardian until just recently."


"Then I should feel even worse."


"No, you shouldn't." She took TK's hands in her hands and spoke to him in a serious tone. "The only reason why Tai noticed they were fake before you was because he was trained to keep calm in all situation. He is your leader and that is his duty. You panicked in the trial and that is why you weren't able to notice the difference. You shouldn't blame yourself for your lack of experience." She released his hands and smiled at him. "Also, Tai is your leader. It is his duty to understand his team member's personality more than you should. That way, he could calculate carefully each of your weakness and put you in a position where your harm is the least during your mission. It is not surprising that he could see through the fake that easily."


TK sighed and looked up into the sky. "I guess you are right but somehow, the trial manage to make me doubt whether I actually know Kari and Matt as much as I thought I did." He sighed again and smiled sadly. "If it weren't for Tai, I would have fallen into the trap. I couldn't even protect myself, let alone protect the people that I care about."


"You are blaming yourself too much," said Hasuma. "You should know that these trials are to test the darkness within you. Like I said, you just panic at that time. Once you calm down, you will know it was a fake. Look at Yamato. He value more than everything in the world and still, he wasn't able to see the truth. He needs Mimi to point out the truth to him! Why did that happen? It is because he panicked. He couldn't think straight so he couldn't see the flaw." She shook her head while TK stared in front of him in a daze. What Hasuma said next managed to knock some sense into him. "Yamato knew that he panic during the trial and you don't see him moping around, blaming himself for his failure. He didn't do that because he knew that it wouldn't help the matter further by moping around." TK turned to stare at her for a moment in shock. "TK?"


"Yeah, I hear you," he said in a low and serious tone. "So what should I do?"


Hasuma stood up and stretched herself. "Why are you asking me? Aren't you old enough to make your own decision?" She smiled at him and grabbed her shopping bag. "However, here is a word of advice. No matter what happen in the future, I want you to believe in what you knew and feel about your friends. As long as you trust in them and what you know about their personality, you can't fail. Remember that." With a little pat on his shoulder, she turned and walked away from him. TK smiled at her retreating form and silently thanked her.


*Three days Later*


"And...now it is done," said Izzy as he patted his hovercraft proudly. He smiled to the rest of his teammates while they stood there, observing his masterpiece. "So do you guys like it?"


"It looks good to me," said Joe. "Let's just hope it doesn't explode."


"Hey!" They all laughed when they saw Izzy blushed from embarrassment. Hasuma walked up to Izzy and gave him a shopping bag. Izzy unconsciously took it. "What is it?"


"Look inside and you will see," she said. Izzy reached inside the bag and to his surprise, he found a brand new laptop.


"This is the newest and best model," Izzy said in astonishment.


"I know," said Mimi. "Hasuma went and brought it for you after what happen to your old laptop. She spent the last three days inserted the data that you have in your old laptop into the new laptop."


"Thanks," said Izzy. He smiled at her while hugging his new laptop with joy.


"No problem," said Hasuma. "It was a gift from all of us."


"Thanks," said Izzy. "Wait out here." He hopped into the hovercraft while the others stood out there wondering what he was doing. In a few second he popped his head out to them and looked at Ken. "Hey, Ken. Give me the crystal that I had you hold for me two days ago." Ken took the crystal from his front pocket and handed over to Izzy. With the crystal in his hand, he went back into the hovercraft and started to type furiously on his laptop. It was after fifteen minutes when he finally looked up from the screen. "Huh? Where is everyone," Izzy wondered when he noticed the hovercraft was empty. He walked to the door and looked outside only to find them all sitting on the floor, talking to each other. "Hey!" They all turned to look at him when he yelled out to them. "What are you guys doing? We have to start going you know!"


"We know, idiot," Matt said wryly. "You were the one that told us to wait outside." Izzy flushed in embarrassment.


"Well, come on and get inside right now." He walked back into the hovercraft with all of them following closely behind him. Joe sat next to him and took over the steering wheel. Hasuma walked up to them both while everyone else settled at the back of the hovercraft.


"What were you up to, Izzy," asked Hasuma.


"You'll see," Izzy said with a sly smile. Hasuma rose up her eyebrows and looked at Joe. Joe shrugged his shoulder and in a few seconds the hovercraft lifted off toward the direction of the barrier. One they reached to the barrier, they were surprise to see that it was not surrounded by Maji.


"Hmm...I don't like this," Hasuma said. Tai and Sora walked up to her and looked out at the vast empty land.


"I agree," said Tai. "This is too quiet. They are up to something."


"But we can't just sit here the whole day," said Sora.


"I know," said Joe. "But if we rush into it, we might be ambushed." He turned to look at Izzy. "What is the reading?"


"Nothing," Izzy replied. "No Majis around the area."


"Oh well," said Tai. "Sora is right. We can't just stay in here the whole time. We have no other choice but to move forward."


"I hope you are making the right decision," said Cody. They jumped up with surprise when the found him standing right next to them. Somehow during their conversation, he had managed to sneak up to them silently.


"Cody. Thank you for scaring the living daylight out of me," said Joe. "However, I have to agree with Cody."


"Don't worry," said Izzy. "I have a secret weapon." He looked at Hasuma and smiled.


"Somehow, I don't like his smile," Hasuma muttered. With that said, Joe drove the hovercraft out of the barrier. To their surprise, no activities were shown in Izzy's screen.


"Let's get out of here," said Tai.


For four days they traveled in peace without any Maji attacks. Although this was suppose to be good for them, they can't help but feel that something is quite wrong with the situation. By the evening of the fourth day, they managed to make it to the outskirt of an abandon city.


"We will rest out here and go into the ruin city tomorrow morning," announced Hasuma. "We need all the strength that we need." They all nodded their heads and started a camp for the night. After eating their dinner, they all retired to sleep, leaving only Hasuma and Tai to keep watch for tonight. For a moment, they sat in silence as they waited for the rest of them to fall asleep. Tai watched her as she silently tossed firewood into the campfire. Her eyes were clouded with thoughts while she leaned back on the tree. "Speak." When Tai looked at her in confusion, she turned to him and smiled. "You were looking at me and you have been uneasy for these past few days. Obviously something is bothering you."


"Hmph...the same goes to you," Tai said with a smile. However, his smile disappeared as soon as it came and is replaced with a serious expression. "But you know that we do have a good reason to be worried."


"I know," Hasuma said solemnly. "Something is wrong. It is too peaceful for my liking."


"You're telling me." Tai picked up another firewood when he saw Kari snuggling next to TK to keep herself warm. "They should attacked us by now. Especially when they know that the shrine priestess is in this group."


"Unless..." Hasuma stopped her sentence as she stood up and looked at the abandon city. "Unless they are waiting to ambush us in the city."


"That could be likely." Tai nodded his head and stood up to look at the city with her. "With all of the collapsed building and all of the ruins in the city, it would be a better place to ambush us."


"And don't forget about the forest," she added. "The forest is located just right on the other side of this city, and Teria's closest barrier is located halfway in the forest. So the best place to ambush us would be in those area."


Tai nodded his head thoughtfully. "So instead of wasting their energy on us while we were traveling in the clear fields and where we could see them, they rather ambush us in a place where we are uncertain of the area and where we couldn't move that fast." He sat back down on by the tree and sighed. "In that case, we better start thinking who we should pair up together for the rest of the trip." He looked at Izzy who is holding his laptop in his arms. "The obvious pairing would have to be Izzy and Joe. They work best as a team."


"I agree," said Hasuma. "Joe's driving and shooting skill could be able to allow Izzy the ability to concentrate on his laptop the whole time." She took up a stick and poked a dot on the dirt floor. "Izzy and Joe would be located here." She poked another dot on the top of the one she had just drawn while Tai looked at her drawing attentively. "I will travel in the front and by myself because I know the directions of the city." Tai nodded his head while she poked a few more dots around Izzy and Joe's position. "The rest of us would surround Izzy and Joe."


"That way, we could be sure that we are going to be within the range that Izzy is detecting," Tai answered. "And we have to protect him too because without his knowledge, we won't know where the Maji are."


"Correct." She walked up to the hovercraft and took out a case from its side. She opened it and showed it to Tai. Tai whistled as he touched the ten new guns that were clasped in the case. "I told Izzy to make us this so when we are in there, we could hit them from long ranges." She closed it and placed it on the floor. "We don't want them to approach us in close range because that would put our lives in danger and the possibility of them damaging one of our motorcycle would be higher."


"I understand," Tai answered. "In this case, we need to pair up people that have a good shooting ability." He looked at the group that is sleeping near the campfire. "I know that TK would want to be with Kari and Matt would want to be with TK. Yolie and Davis are a definitely disaster."


"I wouldn't say that," Hasuma said with a smile. "In fact, I was thinking to put them together. This might be a good chance for them to get a feel in how to act as a team no matter how they feel toward each other."


"But neither one of them is a good shooter," Tai said. "Well, at least I know Davis isn't. He is able to hit but he is not as accurate as the others."


"Yolie can," Hasuma confirmed. "I've trained her to be good in all sort of weapons so she is fairly accurate with the gun."


"Alright." Tai shook his head and smiled. "Although I was worried about your suggestion at first, but they have proven they could act mature enough when the situation called for it." Tai looked at Ken and Cody. "As for now, I want Cody and Ken to be put in one team." Hasuma raised her eyebrows with surprise. "Ken is a good shooter and his driving ability is not that bad. I believe he will be able to protect Cody."


"In that case, we are left with Mimi, Yamato, TK, Sora, Kari, and you." Hasuma looked at them and shook her head. "Sora and Yamato are the only sharp shooter that we have over here. Kari is okay at shooting."


"TK's shooting skill is equivalent to Matt," Tai interrupted. "He is Matt's brother, you know. And beside, I make it my duty to perfect all kinds of weapon so I am not that bad of a shooter myself."


"If that is the case then..." Her voiced trailed off when she thought of the possible pairing.


"If this is the case," Tai continued. "Then I will go with Sora. Yamato will take care of Mimi and TK will go with Kari. Although I am good with the gun, it is better to have an expert in each pair." Hasuma nodded her head.


"Then it is settled. Now all we need is to take a little bit rest. I got a feeling that tomorrow is going to be a big day." Tai smiled and leaned back on his tree. He fell asleep while Hasuma take the first watch of the night. She looked up at the sky and sigh. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day. I just know it."


Least to say, she was right. After eating their breakfast in the morning, Izzy, Ken, Cody, and Joe quickly settled down to dismantle the hovercraft and modify it into seven motorcycles, while Hasuma and Tai told the rest of the team about their position. Tai and Hasuma was not surprise to find Matt frowning when he heard that he would not be with his brother. "Let me handle it," said Tai to Hasuma when he saw Matt walking toward them. She nodded her head and walked up to Sora.


"Why did you put me with Tai," Sora asked suddenly while adjusting her gun. She looked up briefly at Hasuma before she turned her attention back to her gun. "I could protect Mimi too. Why didn't you put Yamato with Tai?"


"I am not doubting your ability," Hasuma answered. She patted Sora on her shoulder to catch her attention. "Look over there." Sora looked at the direction that Hasuma had pointed toward and saw Matt grumbling softly to himself. Mimi was near him as she observed Izzy, Joe, Cody, and Ken's progress.


"I don't get your point," Sora simply stated.


"Have you ever seen such an unlikely pair?" Sora lifted up one of her eyebrows and turned to look at Hasuma in disbelief.


"Are you sure you are not talking about them," asked Sora with a smile while tilting her head toward Davis and Yolie's direction.


Hasuma sighed and shook her head. "They might not like each other but they at least respect each other. But..." They turned back to look at Matt and Mimi. "But those two have different ideas. Yamato don't believe in anything. The only thing he values is money and his brother. The only thing he live for is TK and that is it."


"And that is not how he is suppose to live, right." Sora frowned when she saw him rolled his eyes when Mimi smiled to him.


"You're right. People are supposed to have reason to live. They should live for themselves and for their goals. If they live for someone else, they will eventually lose the will to live once that person is gone." She smiled when she looked at Mimi. "But Mimi knew that part in Yamato. I don't know what happen between them but somehow, Mimi is attached to him." Sora raised eyebrows and looked at Hasuma in surprise. "It's not what you think," Hasuma said flatly. "She is attached to him because she see the sadness in him." Sora nodded her head. "Mimi has compassion and Yamato hardly have them. I know she want to help him enjoy life and bring him out from the darkness he is hiding in."


"So that is the main reason why you put them together," said Sora.


"Well, that is only one reason," Hasuma said. "I also know that Yamato will protect her with his life...not that I am saying you won't. But to him, she is the key to his TK's future happiness. She is worth ten million dollars to him, you know." Sora shook her head while Hasuma gave her a little smile.


By the next hours, the seven motorcycles are placed on the floor and all of the supplies were equally divided among them. TK took out the case that held ten of the guns that Izzy have created and started to distribute them. He gave one to Mimi, Tai, Kari, Yolie, and Davis before keeping one to himself. Joe kept the rest so that he could guard them and give it to his teammates if one of them lost their gun.


"Get into position," said Tai. "Hasuma will be leading us so she will be in the front." He turned to look at Izzy and Joe. "You guys stay in the center while we for a circle around you. That way, Izzy can focus on detecting the Majis. Cody and Ken will cover you in the back because their team have two expert shooter." He turned to look at Matt and Davis. "Matt, you will be position at the left of Izzy and Davis, you will be at the lower left of Izzy. TK will be at the top right of Izzy's motorcycle and I will be at the bottom right. Is this clear?" They all nodded their head.


"Try to maintain within the radius of the radar," said Izzy as he activated his laptop. "So that means, stick as close together as you can."


"And take this," said Ken as he handed each of the driver an earpiece. They looked at it wryly before putting them on. In a few second, the earpiece suddenly sprouted out from their ear and formed a microphone near their mouth. "I invented this with Cody's help. It allows us to communicate with each other so that we can know when to turn and what to do. The best thing is that it can pick up little noises so that you don't have to shout out your order and reveal what moves we are going to make."


"Thanks Ken," said Kari. "It is going to come in handy."


"And that is not all," said Izzy. He turned to look at them with a grin. "Remember that I said I have a secret weapon." Cody, Joe, Hasuma, and Tai nodded their heads while the other looked at them in confusion. "I managed to modify this specific motorcycle so that it can radiate a shield around us for five minutes."


"So," said Joe. "This isn't the first time you done this before."


"But, this time the shield is not some ordinary shield," said Izzy. "I've manage to draw in the power of the shield that is the same as the shield that the goddess have created to protect the five shrine." He smiled proudly while all of them stared at him in shock. "So basically, when we do get ambushed by a lot of Maji, Hasuma will have five minutes to use her full power and eliminated as much enemies as she can."


"Wow," said Davis. "This is...this is.."


"Prodigious isn't it?" Izzy smiled as they continued to stare at him speechlessly.


"So I have five minutes to eliminate them," Hasuma murmured. "Why do I suddenly feel so much pressure?"


"We have to be careful to only use the shield when we really need to use it," Cody warned. "We don't want to use it when it is only a small ambushed. We only got one chance."


"Actually, ten," Izzy corrected. "Every time I activate it, it need a good fifteen minutes to recharge, and I only gathered enough energy to recharge it ten times."


"And by that time we could be dead already," Joe said flatly. "Therefore, Cody is right. We should only use it when we need it. We don't want it to be recharging while a swarm of Maji suddenly appeared around us."


"Since we have everything settle, can we start moving now," Matt muttered. "We haven't got all day."


"Yamato is right," said Mimi. "The longer we stay out here, the more we are prone to an attack. Teria is only two days away."


"Yeah, and the whole way is cover with forest," said Yolie. "This make it easier for the Maji to attack us."


"What are you, scared?" Yolie snapped her attention away from the current situation and glared at Davis. She opened her mouth to argue with him when TK interrupted her and dragged her gently to her motorcycle.


"We don't have time for this, you know," TK interrupted. He watched in silence when Davis frowned and walked up to them. "Shall we get going?" They all nodded their head and got on to their respective motorcycles.


"Okay, everything is activated," Izzy confirmed as he looked into his computer. "Now..." With a tap on his computer a blue light flashed out from it and formed a circle around them, extending twenty feet in radius. "As long as you stay within this circle, I can detect whether there is any Maji around us or not."


"Remember, we have two days before we actually reach to Teria," said Joe as they started their motorcycle. "The gas in our motorcycle could last us for approximately five days. However, if we did ran out of it, there is an extra supply placed right at the back of your motorcycle."


"We'll remember that," said Kari. "However, I don't think we will be needing it."


"You never know," said TK while charging his gun. "We might end up with a leak."


"None the less, if you did ran out," said Tai. "You can ask us for ours. But as for now, let's start moving. It is best we get through this in the daylight."


"Wait, one last reminder," said Hasuma while looking at them. She didn't speak until she was sure that she has all of their attention. She nodded when they all looked at her and started to speak to them in a serious tone. "I want you all to trust me." She remained serious when they all started to look at her in confusion. "I know that when I say this it might sound awkward but it is important that you guys understand this." She pointed her fingers at the city. "You might not believe it but I can swear that we are walking into a trap by going into the city. But since that is the fastest way we could reach to Teria, we have no other choice but to move forward." She frowned when she saw Matt rolled his eyes. "Once we are in the city, I need you guys to trust in me no matter what I do. Even if some of my actions might seem to be irrational and are putting you guys at risk, I need you guys to remember that I would NEVER do anything that would not end up hurting any of my team members. I need you guys to trust me with your lives just as I trust you with mine. If you don't, then there is no way we could get past this city and finish our journey." Tai nodded his head silently. "So...if either one of you guys can't do this, then I would suggest that we end the journey right here because I don't want to lose anyone of you." She waited in silence as they all stood there looking at her. "Alright, then everything is settled."


With that said, they entered the city in silence. Shadows loomed over them as ancient buildings stretched up high in the sky and blocked the warm sunlight. Kari shivered and held on tightly to TK. "Don't get to cozy over there," teased Tai with a smile. TK and Kari blushed immediately at Tai's remark.


"Stop it Tai," said Matt. "This is no time to..."


"Turn left," Hasuma whispered. They immediately turn left to avoid the fallen building that is laying on their path. "Very good." Hasuma smiled when she saw them turning together with good synchronization. "I think if we continue to work like this, we can get through this easily." She increased her speed and the other follows her closely.


"It's getting chilly in here isn't it," said Sora as she held on to Tai.


"It is the building and the atmosphere," Tai replied. He looked at his bleak surrounding and frowned. "This is not good. Somehow, the area around here is making the blocking the sunlight more than usual."


"It's the debris," Cody replied. "Although we can't see it that clearly, the dust and other smaller particles are still floating around in the air."


"But shouldn't it be settle since now," asked Mimi. "It has been so many years since the last war."


"Good point," said Ken. "And that is why we should be caution. The dust are telling us that someone have been here and quite recently too." They increased their speed and swerve to avoid another building.


"Left," commanded Hasuma when they saw their path blocked by a wall. They made a 90-degree turn and continued on their way.


"Shoot," Davis cursed when his motorcycle hit a rock. It caused him and Yolie to bounce upward from their seat.


"Where," Yolie whispered in Davis ear. She took out her gun and looked around him.


"Where what," Davis grumbled back to her.


"Why are you asking me," Yolie growled. "You were the one who told me to shoot!"


"I said that because I just ran over a rock."


Yolie gave him an annoying look. "You mean you told me to shoot a rock just because you ran over it?! Are you nuts!"


"ARGHHHHHH....I was cursing!!! I didn't mean it!"


"I don't know about that," said Izzy when he saw some red dots appearing on his laptop screen. Without having to warn them, Matt, Sora, TK, Joe, Ken, Mimi, and Yolie took out their gun and pointed it out to their surrounding. "They should be here by...now!" Within a few second of his warning, forty Majis started to swarm toward their direction.


"Right!" Hasuma and the other turned to the right to avoid the swarm of Maji waiting for them in that direction. She quickly threw an energy ball at a nearby group of Maji and destroyed some of them while Ken and the others were killing them one by one.


"Above," screamed Izzy. TK looked upward and found five of the Maji pouncing on top of them. Raising his gun quickly in the air, he fired five rounds at each of the Maji's hearts. They plopped down on the floor in a pile of heap as Tai and the other passed them.


"Damn!" Hasuma frowned when she saw a bunch of Maji waiting to ambush them in the front. She quickly scanned the area and found a ramp to her left. "Up the ramp!" They quickly turned their motorcycle slightly and droved up the ramp to avoid the ambushed.


"Watch out," screamed Mimi when she saw the ground that is located a few feet in front of them crumbled and a bunch of Maji was waiting underneath.


"A trap," said Ken as he shot down three Majis.


"Slow down everyone and give me a second," said Cody while closing his eyes. In a few second, the ground started to rumble and a pile of earth started to rise up from the ground. The Maji that were standing underneath the hole were knocked off from their feet when the ground rose upward. "Quickly...I don't think I can manage it any longer." Hasuma and the other quickly speed up their motorcycle and drove across the hole on the newly raised ground. The Majis that were chasing after them immediately fell downward when Cody lowered his power, causing the ground to collapse downward. They quickly got off the ramp and made a quick turned to the left when they found the Majis waiting to their right.


"Now," said Izzy when he saw a swarm of Majis appearing from everywhere. He tapped his computer and a blue shield appeared around them. "Hasuma!"


"I know," said Hasuma as she formed a huge energy ball in her hand. She tossed it out to the group of Majis in front of them, killing fifty of them in an instant. Tai, Kari, and Davis started to throw their energy ball out to the Maji to help her out. Mimi and the other helped her with the slaughter as they shot down the bunch of Maji. Screaming in frustration and pain, some of the Maji retreated away from the slaughter while many stayed behind, in hope to catch at least one of them. By the time the five minutes where over, the city floor was covered with piled of dead Maji's bodies.


"Oh damn," said Davis when he noticed the shield is weakening. "There are still a lot of them." They knew it was true when they saw the Maji's rising from their hiding place. Knowing that their shield has diminished, they started to swarm on the team in full force.


"Hold on," said Hasuma. "We are almost at the end of this city. After we pass this city, all we need to do is to pass the bridge that connect this city to the forest and then we will be fine."


"As for now, lets just worry about the current situation," said Yolie when she saw them being surrounded by Maji. "I am hoping that we survive this part."


"We will," said Davis reassuring her.


"Everyone, I have a plan," said Hasuma. "Follow me." Taking a ramp on her right, she proceeded to climb upward from the original path. Predicting that they might take this path, Majis were already position there to ambushed them as they jumped from the ramp and on to the side of a fallen building.


"This isn't working," TK said as more Majis started to pop out from the ground.


"Just trust me," said Hasuma. "Jump!" They raised their motorcycle and jumped across the gap that is between the building and the city wall. The Majis follow immediately and continued to pursue them in rapid speed.


"It's a dead end," said Matt when he saw a bunch of Maji waiting at the end of the wall. He looked downward and frowned when he saw how high they are in.


"Not yet." Hasuma tilted her motorcycle slightly to the right. The others follow her but they started to feel uneasy when they saw they are heading straight to the edge.


"Hasuma," Izzy said nervously.


"Don't worry." Their worry increased when they reached closed to the edge. "Break and turn your wheel to the left!" They quickly follow her but to their horror they were not able to stop themselves fast enough. As they tumbled off the edge, Hasuma quickly order them to press on their gas. They followed her order and to their surprise, they managed to hit a narrow ledge that is located four feet right below the city wall. Before, TK and the others could get through their shock, they saw Hasuma speed through a hidden tunnel that is located on the left of the ledge. Screeches from the frustrating and angry Majis have managed to snap them back to the current situation. Speeding their motorcycle to follow her, they enter through the tunnel as it spiral downward. To their surprise, they started to plunge downward when the tunnel ended in mid-air. They dropped downward for six feet before they hit soft ground.


"We did it," said Sora in daze when she realized they are at the outside of the city wall.


"Don't be so glad," Matt grumbled. "Look ahead." Everyone looked ahead and to their horror, a huge ravine is located right in front of them.


"Where is the bridge," asked Mimi while scanning the area.


"It is on the other side," said Hasuma. "But we don't have anytime to go back. We just have to jump."


"Are you nuts," screamed Davis. "There is no way we can jump such a long distance."


"Yes we could," said Izzy. "Just press the button that is located on the right side of your dash board." They all followed his direction and to their surprise, two engines sprouted from the side of the pedals. With a blaring noise, the engines started to levitate their motorcycles and contracted the wheels. "Amazing isn't it," said Izzy with a smile when they looked at their flying motorcycle.


"No time to be dazzle with your invention, Izzy," said Joe. "We got bigger problem." They looked backward and to their annoyance, the Majis were pouncing over the city wall and hot on their trail. Increasing the speed of their motorcycle, they approached the edge of the ravine and quickly flew pass it. Once they reached to the other side, they turned back their motorcycle and looked at the ranting Majis.


"I guess this is it, huh," said Cody tiredly. He turned to look at Izzy. "Why didn't you tell us about the flying modem earlier. It is much more faster than the regular mode."


"It is because it expend a lot of our gasoline so I am not going to activate it until we necessarily need to," Izzy replied.


"Well, the game ain't over yet," said Matt. "See for yourself." They all groaned when they saw some of the Majis sprouting wings from their back while the other diligently scaled down the wall. "Let's get out of here!" With that said, they turned their motorcycle toward the direction of the forest and started to speed away. Within a few minutes, the Majis are already in hot pursuit.


"Don't they know when to give up," said Davis when he almost rammed into a tree.


"I don't know but we should be glad we didn't actually went to the bridge," said Sora. "Because if we did, I got a feeling we would be facing more Maji than we are right now."


"If they continue to attack like this, I don't know how we could manage to survive for the next day," said Kari.


"Don't give up now," said Ken. He shot down two Majis as they made a grab for him. "Hey Izzy! How is the shield doing?"


"Fine," said Izzy. "Why did you ask?"


"Then do you mind activating it," Tai growled. Izzy flushed from embarrassment and quickly activated the shield. Dropping their tired arms by their side, everyone rested while Hasuma does the slaughtering. Within two minutes, all of the flying Majis have been slaughtered. They quicken up their speed in order to gain as much distance before the rest of the Majis on the ground could catch up to them. For hours, they weaved through the forest in hope to throw the Majis off their tracks. By nighttime, they finally got off their motorcycle and slumped down on the ground. No Majis were present since Hasuma had last killed the aerial Majis and the whole forest seems to be in peace.


"Let's rest for a while before we continue," Izzy said. He rubbed his eyes and squinted at his laptop screen. "I don't think I could handle more of this."


"We'll rest for a few minutes," said Tai. "But after that, we better start moving. We don't want them to get us in the dark." Everyone groaned but they knew that is the best choice. When fifteen minutes of peace have passed by, Tai picked up the tired Sora in his arms and placed her in front of him so that she could rest while he drove. Yolie switched placed with Davis while he held on to her and plopped his head on her back with his eyes closed. Ken sighed when he saw Cody snoring by his side. With a shake of his head, he picked him up and placed him in front of him on the motorcycle. Kari laid her head on TK while he adjusted his seat and Joe took over for Izzy so that he could rest his eyes.


"Do you want me to take over," asked Mimi.


Matt looked at her coldly and shook his head. "Sleep, priestess. I can manage it." He jumped on his seat and Mimi sat behind him. She gently wrapped her arms around his waist to prevent her from falling.


"I'll keep watch," Mimi said as she took out her gun.


"Whatever," Matt replied flatly. He looked at TK and quickly looked away when TK smiled at him and rose up one of his thumb.


"Shall we go," Hasuma said tiredly as she settled down on her motorcycle. For that whole night, they drove in silence while trying to not fall asleep. Tai was trying to stop himself from yawning and frowned when he saw Sora's peaceful face.


"I wish I was in her position," he thought to himself. He looked at his watch and smiled slightly. "Good. Only a two more hours till dawn." He sighed and continued to concentrate on his driving. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Matt constantly looking at his brother.


"I hope he doesn't collapse," Matt thought to himself.


"He'll be fine." Matt jolted from surprise when he heard Mimi's voice. He turned slightly to look behind him and is shock to see her looking out to the forest. "He is strong." She turned to look at him. "You don't have to worry about him."


"It's none of your business," said Matt. For a moment, they sat in silence. Matt shifted uncomfortably and frowned when he felt Mimi loosening her grip. "Don't tell me you are going to faint on me right now."


"I am just trying to give you some space." She looked at him in surprise when he took her hand and wrapped it tightly around his waist. Mimi smiles sadly and laid her head softly on his back. "Ten million dollars...that is what I am." When Matt didn't say anything, she closed her eyes softly.


"Joe activate the shield now!" Every one of them where jolted from their sleepy state when Hasuma screamed into the communicators The early sight in the morning was not pleasant especially when they saw a bunch of Majis waiting eagerly for them at the edge of the city's barrier. Joe quickly activated the shield and with everyone awake, they started to make their way through by sheer force. Majis fell down dead from their position as they jumped on the repelling shield from the top of the trees and try to break it while, Matt and the others were shooting them down one by one. In a matter of ten second, Ken and the rest of the team members were able to reach into the safety of the city's barrier and away from the Maji. They tiredly watched the Maji as they were prancing around madly outside the barrier. Having no strength or rather to taunt them, they all plopped down on the floor and closed their eyes for a well deserving slumber.


By the time that they all woke up, it was already five o'clock in the afternoon. Sluggishly, they all rose from the floor and stretched their cramped up body. "What time is it," Davis asked with a yawn. "And where are we?"


"We're inside Teria's boarder, remember," Izzy answered with a grumble. He started to walk back to his motorcycle to get his watch but he accidentally stumbled and landed on Sora in an awkward position. Izzy quickly snapped wide-awake when he felt his face landed right on Sora's chest. Least to say, she was not please. Before Izzy could pull back away from her, Sora gave him a hard shoved that send him sprawling on the floor.


"What the heck do you think you are doing," Sora asked in anger.


"I'm sorry," Izzy stuttered as he looked at the angry girl. "I stumble on you by accident."


"By accident," Sora growled. "Like I am going to believe that!"


Izzy quickly jumped up on his feet with anger flashing through his eyes. "Are you accusing me for sexual harassment?!"


Before Sora can say anything, Hasuma and Tai stepped between them before they can actually start a fight. "Sora, calm down," said Hasuma. "I know Izzy would not do something like this." She patted the angry girl at her shoulder to calm her down. "You aren't usually like this, Sora. You usually don't jump into conclusion like this. It must be because we are all stress out." Sora sighed and looked at Izzy. She walked up to him and bowed slightly.


"I'm sorry," she said. "I guess I was just stress out."


"It's alright," said Izzy. He raised his hand to touch Sora on her shoulder but quickly pulled back when he remembered what just happen. "I forgive you." Sora raised her head and smiled slightly to him.


"Good," Hasuma said tiredly. "Now that we settle this, can we start moving now?"


"Huh," said Joe. "Aren't we there yet?"


"Well, not exactly," said Kari. "Teria is actually located outside this forest. This barrier is bigger than the other city's barriers. For what reason...I don't really remember."


"It is because this forest is a sacred ground," Hasuma answered. She turned to look at Soar, Yolie, and Mimi, while the other got on their motorcycles and drove off toward Teria. "Do you guys remember why?"


"I remember hearing it but...," Sora left her sentence trailing as she shook her head. Yolie shrugged her tired shoulder and shook her head.


"Don't ask me," she said. "I'm too tired to think properly." She quickly turned to Davis. "Don't even think about it."


"Don't worry," Davis muttered. "I am not going to waste my energy on you." He rubbed his stomach softly and frowned. "Can we eat yet?"


"Can't you keep your mind off of your stomach for once," said Ken. He blushed from embarrassment when his stomach rumbled out loud.


"Speak for yourself," said Davis. They all stop tiredly and looked up to the sky.


"We still have some more hours before dark but I'm ready to call the day," said Tai. He looked at Sora as she leaned her tired head, unconsciously on his chest. He turned to look around him and pointed at a little clearing. "Why don't we spend our night over there?" Everyone agreed with is decision and in a few minutes, the sleeping bags and luggage were unloaded. While everyone sat on the floor happily, Hasuma stood up and started to walk into the forest.


"Where are you going," asked Mimi.


"I'm going to gather some firewood," said Hasuma. "Why don't you come along? I have something to ask you." Mimi nodded her head and walked toward her. Before they walked away, Izzy bid them good luck while TK and Kari help brought out the food. Matt watched them as they disappeared into the forest. He unconsciously stood up but Tai stopped him.


"Let them be alone," said Tai. "Hasuma must have something important to talk to Mimi. Beside, Hasuma is far more better fighter than us both."


"Shut up, Tai" said Matt. "Stop bossing me around." Tai shrugged his shoulder at Matt's comment and secretly smiled when Matt sat back down right next to him.


As the other settle things for camp, Hasuma and Mimi wanders off to the forest as they tried to look for dried branches. For twenty-five minutes, they walked in silence as they tried to find firewood for their camp. Mimi smiled when they finally found some after walking ten more minutes. As they gathered the firewood in their hands, Hasuma started to speak to Mimi.


"So...you still haven't answer my question," said Hasuma. "Why is this forest sacred?"


"Huh," exclaimed Mimi as she looked up at Hasuma in surprise. "You called me over here to ask me this question?" Hasuma nodded her head. "Well, the answer is...." Mimi paused when she suddenly realize she don't know the answer. "That's weird...I thought I knew the answer to this question but...now I can't remember. What is the answer to this question, Hasuma?"


"Hard to admit it, but...I can't seem to remember the answer too," Hasuma said sheepishly. "I thought you might know the answer." Mimi gave her a puzzling look while Hasuma went back to pick up some more wood. By the time that they finished, the sky was already dim.


"Is it me or are those black clouds," asked Mimi.


"It is not you," said Hasuma when heavy rain suddenly poured on them. "Are we lucky or what?!" They started to run toward the camp through the heavy rain but after a few minutes they looked around them in confusion. "Damn! It is raining so hard that I can't even see where is the right path!"


"What should we do," asked Mimi. "Should we wait until the rain stops before we start moving?"


"We can't just stand here and catch pneumonia," Hasuma screamed when the wind started to roar around them. "Let's try to find some hiding!" She took Mimi's arm and started to run in the heavy rain. Five minutes later, Mimi tugged Hasuma's hand slightly when she saw a little cave. Not wasting anytime, they quickly ran into the cave to avoid the raging weather. Drenched and cold, they quickly made it to the back of the cave.


"I'm just glad that it is empty over here," said Mimi. She shivered as she settled down on a rock.


"Take off your clothes," said Hasuma while taking out some woods from her coat. "These are still dry. We could start a fire and keep ourselves warm. In a few minutes, the two girls huddled near the fire while their outer garments are hung up to dry.


"I wonder how the other are doing," Mimi asked.


"I don't know, but they must be dry. They have all the supply that they need. Oh yeah...come to think of it." Hasuma walked up to her coat and searched her lower pocket. She quickly tossed a wrapped pastry to Mimi and settled down with an energy bar. "I always keep some ration with me. You never know what situation you will run up to." She looked around her and smiled sheepishly. "See what I mean? Anyways, if you are hungry, I still have some more energy bars."


"I'm fine. Do you want...." She stopped asking when Hasuma shook her head. Taking a bit in her pastry, she silently looked outside the pouring rain.


*Camp*


"Where have they been," asked Matt impatiently. "They have been gone for more than two hours and it is dark already!"


"They are taking a long time," said Izzy. "Should we go out and look for them?"


"No," said Tai. "It is dark outside and we don't know our way. Hasuma knows the way so it is better to have her find us rather than to have us find her. We can't afford to get lost in the dark."


"Then are you just saying that we should sit around and do nothing," Matt growled.


"I am saying this is the most rational action," Tai said calmly.


"He's right," said Yolie. "They might be resting at somewhere else because they don't want to wander around in the dark. So, we shouldn't worry about them. Beside, Mimi is with Hasuma. She couldn't be in better hands than her."


"So what about us," said Joe when Matt finally calmed down. He waved his flashlight in the dark. "Don't you think, we should get some wood and build a fire?"


"How about some water," asked Sora. She looked up at the clear night sky. "It doesn't seem like it is going to rain, so where can we get some water?"


"We still have enough water to last us for a few days," said Cody. "So we could wait until then but we need firewood. I will go and gather some."


"I'll go with you," said Ken. They disappeared into the forest and to everyone's surprise, they came back within ten minutes with an armful of woods.


"That was fast," said Kari.


"Yeah," said Ken. "There was a bunch of woods lying right outside."


"Then that is weird," said TK. "Why did it took Hasuma and Mimi so long to look for firewood yet, it took you guys so less time?"


"Because they went in a different direction, TB," Davis answered. "Now lets just get the fire started already. It is freezing." For the rest of the night, they huddled near the fire and ate their dinner in silence. Unaware to all of them, neither one of them actually sleep peacefully as they wonder about the missing priestess and her guardian. By the time daybreak, they slowly woke up and cooked their breakfast. Eating their breakfast slowly, they solemnly wait for Mimi and Hasuma to show up.


"This isn't good," said Yolie while breaking the silence. "It's ten already and they still haven't show up. Something is definitely wrong over here."


"Do you think they were kidnapped," asked TK.


"It's impossible, TK," answered Kari. "No one could capture them, especially Hasuma."


"Then where could they possibly be," asked Davis.


"That is what we are trying to find out," answered Cody. "But we aren't going to solve anything by just sitting here. We need to search for them."


"Hmmp...I'm glad someone finally see it my way," Matt answered. "If only..."


"If we would have went out in the dark, we might have been worst off than right now," Tai interrupted. He ignored the defiant look that Matt was giving him and continued on with his speech. "But Cody and Matt does have the right idea. Instead of just sitting over here and wonder what is going on, it is best that we go and search for them." He looked around the camp and scratched his head. "Let's see...how about this? Kari, TK, Matt, Davis, and I are going to look for them. The rest of you stay behind. Izzy?" Izzy looked up at him as he waited for his instruction. "Try tracking for them with your laptop. They still have Ken's communicators with them so you will be able to track them down."


"If that is true, then I would have been able to track them since last night," said Izzy. "But I can't. Somehow their communicators are not working."


"If we could have located them earlier, then we wouldn't have need this search party at all," Matt said impatiently while he stood up and started to walk down the path that Hasuma and Mimi have disappeared from. "But since we can't, we would have to look for them, instead of wasting our time over here."


"Wait," said TK. He quickly ran after his brother with Kari following right behind.


"Damn him," Tai muttered under his breath. "Why does he have to be so irrational all the time." He headed toward Matt's direction with Davis, but before he went he told the others to be alert for danger. Joe and the others watched in silence as they waited for future news.


*Hasuma and Mimi*


Stretching herself outside of the cave, Hasuma yawned and looked up to the cloudy sky. "It doesn't look good."


"What doesn't," asked Mimi as she stepped out of the cave to join her. She looked around her to see that the forest was covered with a hazy fog. "You could hardly see in this forest."


"Yeah, no kidding. The clouds are also blocking the sun so it is making the forest dimmer than it is suppose to be."


"Do you know the way back to the camp," asked Mimi. She looked anxiously at Hasuma when she shook her head.


"I can't say that I know because, well...I didn't explore this area when I came here ten years ago. I don't know this place at all. Beside, even if I do know, it will be hard to find my place around here with such a thick fog."


"But we can't just stand here the whole day. I know that Sora and the others would be worried by now." She looked at her watch and sighed. "It is already ten o'clock. If we don't get back there, they will probably have to look for us."


"Great...just what we need. I hope they aren't as stupid as you said they are because if they are going to go into a place that they are not familiar with and in this kind of fog, they will end up as lost as we are," said Hasuma. "But you are right. We better start moving or else they might end up searching for us." With that said, she took Mimi's hand in her hand and they started to walk through the forest slowly. "I think I remember where we came from. I might be able to lead us back to camp. Do you trust me, Mimi?"


"Yes, I do," Mimi replied.


"Then follow me."


*Davis*


"Darn sun," muttered Davis as he looked up at the sky. "I thought the forest is suppose to be cooler because of the trees but it is sunny over here and hot too." He fanned himself to keep himself cool. Looking around him, he silently sighed and trotted slowly ahead. "I wonder how Tai and the others are doing?" After ten minutes of searching together in the forest, they managed to fine Mimi and Hasuma's communicators lying on the ground. Thinking that they might not be far from that area, they each split up to look for them. It had been a half an hour since they have split up and yet, Davis saw no sign of them. "Where could they..." He paused when he though he hears some noises coming from the direction from his right. Taking his sword out, he proceeded carefully toward that direction. To his surprise, there was nothing there. Instead, he managed to stumble into a clearing with a beautiful lake located in the middle. He let out a sigh or relief and lowered his sword downward. "I guess we don't have to look for water now."


"I guess you are right." Davis quickly turned around to face the mysterious voice with his weapon in his arm. To his surprise and great relief, Kari was standing there with a smile on her face.


"It's just you," said Davis with a laugh. "I thought it was some kind of monster or something." He sheepishly grinned when Kari walked up shyly toward him. "I totally forgot that we are in the barrier. Hehehe...I guess I am just jumpy."


"Are you," asked Kari in a low voice. Davis looked at her in surprise when she reached him. She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck and looked deeply in his eyes. "I can help you relax."


"Kari, what are you..." Davis never did finish his sentence when the girl of his dream kissed him softly on the lip. He backed up in alarm and stepped back in shock.


"What is it, Davis? Don't you like me?"


"I...I...," Davis stuttered. He closed his eyes and breath deeply so he could calm his racing heart. As much as he likes to hold Kari in his arms, he knew that he would never do something that would end up hurting TK. He at least values their friendship to that certain level. Before he knew it, Kari walked up next to him and kissed him again. To her annoyance, he pulled back away from her and frowned at her action.


"I love you," Kari said. Before Davis could react, he heard a noise coming from the forest. To his surprised, he saw TK running away from them.


"Wait, TK," called out Davis as he tried to pursue the unhappy boy. "I can.."


"Don't go," said Kari as she tried to stop him. "Just let him..." She stopped speaking when Davis turned around rapidly and placed his sword right at her throat.


"Who the heck are you," he asked coldly. "What have you done to Kari?"


"I am Kari. Can't you..." She quickly shut up when Davis pushed the blade closer to her throat.


"The Kari that I know will never hurt TK like this," Davis said harshly. "Tell me what you have done to her or I will kill you."


"Oh really?" To his surprise, Kari walked right into his sword. Davis watched in shock when she turned transparent and walked through his sword like a ghost. He dropped his sword in shock and before he could recover, Kari appeared back to him in a solid form and smiled at him. "Good night guardian." She punched him right at the stomach and knocked the wind out of him. Clutching his stomach in pain, Davis fell on the floor unconsciously.


*TK*


By the time that he has reached back to camp, Tai and Matt were already there. Sensing something is wrong with his brother, Matt walked up to TK and touched him softly on the shoulder.


"What happen," asked Matt.


"Nothing," TK murmured softly. He unconsciously shrugged off Matt's hand from his shoulder and sat down on a rock. Unconscious of the look that everyone was giving to him, he silently pondered about what he had just seen. "She loves him," he thought to himself. "She...Kari, how can you do this to me. After what you have said to me..." He closed his eyes to block out the tears that are threatening to spill out. Taking two deep breaths to calm his swirling emotion, he finally opened his eyes when he came up with a conclusion. "No matter how Kari treats me, I still respect how she feel. If she loves Davis, then...then I will just have to be the one to break up with her. I can't bring myself to tell everyone that she was two-timing on me and Davis because I still love her."


"TK," asked Tai with concern.


"I'm fine," TK answered in a steady tone. He looked up at everyone and shook his head. "I wasn't able to find Mimi and I guess you guys don't have that much of the luck either."


"Let's just hope that Kari and Davis find them," said Cody. He quickly regretted his words when he saw the sadness in TK's eyes. Matt glared at Cody when he saw that his younger brother has sink into a more depress state.


"Did you guys find Mimi and Hasuma?" They all looked at Kari as she stepped through the forest. She looked around them puzzling as they all stood there, staring right at her. "What?"


"Nothing," said Sora. Kari looked at each one of them in confusion before she sat next to TK. When TK didn't react toward her, she slipped her hand into his hand and asked him what was the problem. To her surprise, TK slipped his hand away from her and turned to look at her sadly.


"I'm sorry, Kari," said TK solemnly. "I think we should break up." Kari sat there stunned by his words while everyone looked at TK in shock.


"Why," Kari asked softly in disbelief. "TK...why?"


"I...I," TK stuttered when he saw the sadness in Kari's face. It almost made him believe that she still loves him. But he can't deny the fact that she have kissed Davis and told him that she loved him. With that painful memory in his mind, he turned away from her so that she could not see the pain that he was feeling. "It's because I don't love you anymore!" Tears stream down his face as he lied to her about his feeling. "I don't want to be with you anymore."


"TK," Kari whispered. Before anyone could stop her, she ran into the forest with tears in her eyes. Fuming with anger, Tai stalked up to TK and grabbed him by the front of his shirt.


"What the heck is wrong with you," Tai screamed at the miserable boy. "What did you just do to Kari?!" Tai shook him when TK didn't answer him. Before Tai can do anymore damage, Matt walked up to him and shoved him away from his brother.


"Grow up, Tai," Matt said coolly. "Love comes and go. If my brother don't like Kari anymore than that is that."


"If that is the reason, I wouldn't be as mad as right now," Tai growled at Matt. "But look at him." He pointed angrily at TK. "Does he look like he really mean what he said? If he don't love Kari anymore he should not be crying like he is right now!" Least to say, he was correct because tears were falling from TK's face as he desperately tried to remain expressionless about his decision. Matt took one looked at his brother and frowned when he saw how TK is suffering.


"Then that means that Kari isn't the only victim over here," Matt retorted. "Because it is obviously that she must have done something to cause my brother to act this way. If you have any problem, go and ask your sister first before you start yapping at my brother." Tai was about to punch Matt across the face if Sora hasn't run up to him and pulled him back.


"Forget about TK for now," said Sora to Tai. "If you are really worry about Kari, I think you should go and look for her first." Tai pulled away from her in anger and glared at her. However, he knew that she was right. Before he walked into the forest, he turned to look at TK one last time.


"If anything happen to Kari," warned Tai. "I am not going to forgive you." He turned away angrily and ran into the forest while calling out for Kari. For a moment, everyone remain silent as they let the whole situation settle in.


"TK," said Yolie in a serious tone. "I don't know what happen in the forest but I do know one thing. What you did to Kari is irrational and uncalled for. She will never hurt you because I know that she loves you. You were wrong to doubt her feelings."


"I never did question how Kari felt for me," TK lied. "I broke up with her because..."


"What do you think I am," Yolie interrupted TK angrily. "I am not stupid! From the way you acted and from all of the things that have been going on, I can basically guess what is going on." She walked up to TK and glared at him. "If I were you, I will go and look for Kari right now instead of mopping around and doing nothing because I can swear that you are going to regret what you just did in the future." TK looked at her silently but still he didn't move. "Damn you," Yolie screamed in frustration. "I can't believe that Kari will actually like you. After knowing her for all these years, don't you know what kind of person Kari is? Don't you even trust her anymore?" When TK didn't answer her, she turned away from him and walked up to Izzy. "Where the heck is Davis?! Can you track him down?"


"I'll try," said Izzy. He typed into his computer and to his surprise, he couldn't find Davis anywhere. "That's impossible. I can't find him!"


"Great," Yolie said sarcastically. She started to head out to the forest but Ken stopped her.


"Where are you going," Ken asked her.


"Where else do you think?" She glanced at TK and shook her head. "If he isn't going to tell us what the heck just happen in the forest, I am going to get it from Davis instead. It is obvious that Davis is somehow involved in this situation."


"I'll go with." She looked at Ken in surprise when he volunteered to go with her.


"Me too," said Cody. "I think it is best that we travel together." He looked at Joe. "Can you handle things over here?"


"I hope," said Joe.


"Alright," said Yolie. "In that case..." She looked at Sora and nodded her head. "You stay here and just in case Mimi and Hasuma showed up, okay?" Sora nodded her head. With that said and done, Yolie, Ken, and Cody disappeared into the forest. Just right after they have walked away, TK snapped out from his depression as he pondered over what Yolie had just told him.


"She is right," he murmured as he thought back to what Hasuma had told him in the past. "I forgot about her advice." Without wasting another second, he jammed right into the forest while calling out Kari's name. Worried about his brother, Matt ran right after him leaving Sora, Joe, and Izzy behind.


"This is great," said Joe. "Can things get any worst that this?"


"Don't say that," warned Izzy. "Because it usually does."


"I hope not," Sora said in a worried tone. She looked up at the sky and sighed. "Where the heck are you, Mimi?"


As Sora wondered about Mimi and Hasuma's whereabouts, Kari is running through the forest with tears flowing down her face. She could hear Tai calling out for her name in a distance but she ignored him because she wanted to be alone. She finally paused when her legs couldn't take her any further. Collapsing down on the floor, she started to sob and cried out TK's name softly over and over again. Focused on her sorrow and depression, she didn't notice a person walking toward her.


"What are you crying about?" Kari looked up at the voice and pulled back in shock. In front of her was a girl that look exactly like her and leaning heavily on her shoulders is Davis unconscious body.


"What are you...," said Kari as she faced up to look at the girl. She looked at that girl and then back at Davis. "Who are you? Why do you look like me?"


"Hmmm...why do I look like you?" The girl asked while scratching her head slightly. "I guess because I want to." She smiled slyly at Kari. "But I can't have you here. No...I can't. Not when the game had just started." Before Kari could react, the girl dropped Davis on the ground and in a blur, she ran up to Kari and punched her in the stomach, thereby, knocking her out. "Two down, a few more to go."


*TK*


"Kari! Kari!" TK collapsed tiredly on the floor as he continued to search for Kari. He lost Matt and Tai in the forest a few minutes ago when he heard some sound coming from the direction of his left. However, when he reached there, he found nothing over there. "Where are you, Kari." TK looked desperately as he continued to scan the forest. "I should have trusted you. I should have let you explain." He stumbled into a clearing and stared out at the cliff. Terrified that Kari might have fallen down there, he rushed to the edge of the cliff and looked downward. To his relief it was only four feet deep and Kari's body is not located down there. As he observed the bottom of the cliff, a person started to approach him slowly. However, TK heard him and turned around to look at the intruder. To his relief, it was only Tai. He ran up to Tai to asked him about Kari when Tai suddenly took out his sword and swung at him. TK managed evade his blow but it still caught some part of his coat. "Tai...what are you doing?"


"Repaying for what you did to Kari," said Tai. TK quickly took out his sword and raised it to his right to block another swing made by Tai.


"Wait," said TK when Tai made another deadly blow at him. TK evaded to the left and pointed his sword at Tai. "You're...you're not Tai, are you?" When Tai continued to walk toward him with his sword dangerously in front of him, TK knew the answer to his question. "What have you done to him," TK asked in anger.


"Wait and you will see," said Tai. In a burst of speed, he rushed forward to TK while TK stood there with his sword ready to defend himself. Sounds of their swords clashing could be heard through the silent forest.


*Matt*


"Where could TK be," Matt wondered as he wandered around the forest. He continued to walk around the forest and before he knew it, he could hear swords clashing nearby. He quickly turned toward the noise and rush toward the battle. When he reached there, he found himself at the bottom of the cliff with Tai and TK battling each other up on the cliff. Matt watched in horror when Tai pushed TK neared the cliff. "TK!!!" Matt screamed out his brother name, when Tai struck TK's sword and kicked him off the cliff. Flying quickly to his brother, he tried to catch TK but missed him by an inch. TK hit the floor with a thud and lay there motionless. Matt flew to this brother and lifted him gently in his arms. "TK?" TK's eyes fluttered open as he looked at his brother.


"Tai," TK said softly. "It's not..." He fainted in his arms. Frighten for his brother's life, Matt quickly flew toward the camp. When he reached there, Joe, Izzy, and Sora rushed toward him and took TK from his hands.


"Heal him, Joe," Matt said harshly. "Now!" Joe nodded his head and quickly exerted his healing energy into TK's body.


"What happen," asked Izzy. Matt face twitched in anger as he clutched his hands tightly.


"Where is...," Matt didn't finished his sentence when he saw Tai emerging from the forest. In a burst of speed, he ran up to Tai and punched him squarely on the face. Tai fell backward from the assault and before Matt could attack Tai any further, Sora and Izzy quickly jumped on him to hold him back.


"What the heck is wrong with you," Tai screamed when he saw Matt glaring at him. He stood up quickly to face the angry boy.


"What is wrong with me," Matt hissed. "What is wrong with you!" He struggled in Izzy and Sora's hands as they desperately tried to hold on to him. "Look what you did to TK!" Sora, Izzy, Joe, and Tai looked at Matt in shock when they heard his accusation.


"TK," Tai asked in confusion. He walked up to TK and was sad to see that he is in a bad condition. "What happen to him?"


"What happen," Matt spat in anger. "You should know because you were the one that attacked him!"


"Me?!" Tai stepped back in shock while Izzy, Joe, and Sora looked at him in shock. "What are you saying?! I would never do this to TK! Don't you even trust me?"


"Are you saying that I am accusing you for something that you didn't do?"


"Exactly." Tai looked at TK and bent downward to touch him. However, before he could even laid a finger at him, Matt burst away from Izzy and Sora's grip and pushed Tai away from TK.


"Don't touch him," screamed Matt. He picked up his brother and placed him on a motorcycle.


"Wait Matt," said Joe. "I haven't heal him fully yet." He run up to Matt but Matt pushed him away.


"Get away from me," Matt scowled. He took out his gun and pointed right at them. "I don't need any of your help or anyone of you! For all I care, I am through with this journey."


"Wait Yamato," said Sora when Matt started his motorcycle. "Can you please just calm down and talk this through?"


"Calm down," Matt laughed bitterly. "The longer that I stay here, the more I am willing to kill Tai for what he did to my brother."


"Wait," said Joe but Matt didn't listen to him. Unable to stop him, they watched him as he drove off with TK.


"There goes one part of my hovercraft," Izzy muttered. Joe and Sora looked at him in disbelief. "I was just kidding. By the way, we should look at Tai...he doesn't look that good." They all looked at him as he trembled in anger.


"Tai," said Sora. She touched him lightly on his shoulder. He abruptly turned to look at her in anger. Sora backed up a little bit in fear but her concern for him overwhelms them. "Are you alright?"


"No," Tai scowled.


"Uhmmm...Tai," asked Joe. "What exactly happen between you and..."


"How the heck should I know," Tai interrupted him. "What? Do you think I did that to TK too?"


"No," Izzy said with confidence. "We know that you aren't that kind of person."


"But Matt doesn't believe in me," Tai said in frustration. He shook his head and headed into the wood. "Don't follow me. I want sometime alone." Not bothering to stop him, Joe, Izzy, and Sora looked at each other in silent.


"You were saying that it can't be worst," said Izzy. "You were really wrong."


"No kidding," said Joe. They sat there in silence for a moment as they ponder about the things that happen for the whole day. After an hour of walking around idly and waiting for the others to come back, Sora finally stood up and headed into the direction right after Tai.


"I'll look for Tai," said Sora. Izzy and Joe nodded their heads as they continued to look at Izzy's laptop, trying to locate the others.


Sora sighed inwardly as she tried to look for Tai. "Where did he go?"


"I think he went that way." Sora looked behind her to find Izzy following right behind her. He caught up to her as they walked in silent toward the direction Izzy pointed toward to.


"How come you are over here," asked Sora. "I thought you and Joe are looking for the other's whereabouts?"


"Joe is looking for them," Izzy said. He swatted some branches that are hitting his face. "So I decided to find you."


"Okay," said Sora. After walking for a few minutes, Sora suddenly felt something is not right. "Izzy? If Tai went here, there should be at least some sign that the ground and the trees are disturbed. But instead, the ground seems like no one have walked on it for ages and the branches are still intact." She turned to look at Izzy but to her surprise, an electrical shock whet through her body, paralyzing her. Her eyes widen in shock when Izzy wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her softly on her face.


"I've always been infatuated with you," said Izzy. He caressed her face softly while Sora glared at him in anger and frustration. "What is it, Sora? Don't you know that I liked you for a long time? I did tripped on your on purpose you know?" He kissed her softly on the lips again. "But right now is not the right time." He placed her softly on the floor. "Until the right time come, I believe that you will end up liking me." He left her lying on the floor as he walked away from her. When Sora could move again, she stood up in anger and ran back straight to the camp. She saw Izzy and Joe looking at his computer screen. Without even thinking, she took out her gun and fired right at Izzy. Her shot flew right next to Izzy's head and missed him by an inch. Izzy and Joe looked up in surprise and stood up to face the angry girl.


"What were you thinking," asked Izzy in anger. "Are you mad?!"


"You damn right I am," Sora growled with her gun flashed right at them.


"I think he means are you crazy," Joe said, hoping to lower the tension. Unfortunately, the two of them ignored him as they stared at each other in anger. He walked up to Sora slowly but before he could reach her, she pointed her gun at him.


"Don't come near me," said Sora.


"What happen," asked Joe. "Why did you suddenly attack us?"


"Ask him," said Sora.


"Ask me what," said Izzy. "What did I do?"


"What did you do," Sora said with fury. "You sexual harassed me and almost raped me!"


"WHAT!!!!" Joe looked at Izzy with disbelief while Izzy looked at her like she was mad. "Are you crazy," said Izzy. "I didn't touch you at all."


"And what about yesterday, huh?"


"Hey," Izzy protested. "I said it was an accident! I didn't fall on your on purpose!"


"That's not what you said in the forest," said Sora.


"What DID I said in the forest?"


"Don't lie to me, Izzy," Sora said while trembling with anger and embarrassment. "You...you know what you did to me. You paralyzed me with your attack and then you sexually harassed me!"


"But that is impossible," said Joe. "Izzy was with me the whole time. There is no way he could have gone and done that to you."


"Are you saying that I am lying," asked Sora with her gun pointed at Joe.


"I am saying that something is not right over here," said Joe. "Let's just sit down and think this all over instead of acting so irrational."


"Sit down with him," Sora said with disgust. "I rather die." She lowered her gun and walked up to her motorcycle. Slinging her luggage over her shoulder, she went and walked back into the forest. Before she went, she gave one last glare at Izzy. "Don't ever let me see you again!"


Joe watched in silence when she disappeared. He scanned the empty campsite and sighed. "Izzy?" When Izzy didn't answer him, Joe shook him slightly on the shoulder. "Izzy, calm down."


"CALM DOWN," screamed Izzy. "CALM DOWN. I just got accused for rape and sexual harassment! Let's see you calm down after that!"


"Whoa Izzy," said Joe to the furious boy. "I know that you are wrongly accused by Sora but being angry is not going to help us figure out what is going around over here. Don't you feel that something is just so fishy?"


"What do you mean?"


"Come on, Izzy. Think! How can there be two of you? I mean, Sora is very certain that it was you she saw in the forest but you have been here with me the whole time."


"And Tai," said Izzy as he started to catch on. "Matt said that Tai attacked his brother but we all know that Tai would never do that."


"You're right," Joe agreed. "And we can't ignored the fact that Mimi and Hasuma have been gone for such a long time and well, do you realized all these things start happening once Hasuma was gone?" Izzy nodded his head. "We can't even contact them either. Isn't it weird? We have two Izzy running around and two Tai running around. Could what Sora and Matt saw was just an illusion?" Joe stopped his pondering when he suddenly realized what was going on. "Izzy!"


"I got you," said Izzy as he started to type rapidly in his computer. "If your deduction is right, then I'll say we failed this one miserably."


*Tai*


The water quivers when a rock plunged into the lake, sending ripples through the whole lake. "Darn," Tai grumbled when the second rock sank down to the bottom of the lake. He picked up another rock in attempt to skip it across the lake, however, he didn't throw it. Instead he looked at it and shook his head. "Come on Tai," he thought to himself. "Why the heck am I wasting my time over here instead of staying with my team?" He sighed and clutches the rock tightly in his hand. "It's because of Matt!" He angrily tossed it and to his dismay, it skipped successfully across the whole lake. "I can't believe that he would think that I would do this to TK! For goddess sake, I've known him for such a long time and he still don't know my personality. Why won't he believe me?! Don't he trust me?!" Tai froze when he suddenly remember something. "Trust," Tai said out loud. "Where did I hear that before."


*Flashback*


"Once we are in the city, I need you guys to trust in me no matter what I do. Even if some of my actions might seem to be irrational and are putting you guys at risk, I need you guys to remember that I would NEVER do anything that would not end up hurting any of my team members. I need you guys to trust me with your lives just as I trust you with mine. If you don't, then there is no way we could get past this city and finish our journey."


*End of Flashback*


"That's right," said Tai. "She said that, but why am I remembering it right now?" When his mind came up with a blank, he hit his head softly. "Come on, Tai! Think! Why is this important?!" He sighed and hit a tree in frustration. He quickly draws his sword when he heard noises in the forest. "Who is it," he called out. When no one answered, he walked toward the noise. To his surprise, he saw an angry Sora hurrying through the forest. "Wait, Sora!" Sora turned to look at the direction where the voice came from. When she saw it was Tai, she turned away from him and continued to walk in a quicker speed. "Wait!" When his attempt to stop her is ignored, Tai ran toward her in a burst of speed and grabbed her hand. Before he knew it, Sora quickly turned and grabbed his arm. "What the..." He hit the floor when Sora tossed him easily over her shoulder.


"Don't ever touch me, creep," Sora warned while slugging her luggage back on her shoulder.


"Why are you calling me creep," Tai asked while he stood up painfully.


"It's because you all are," Sora snapped.


"Wait," said Tai when she attempted to walk away from him again. After the past experiment, he ran up in front of her and blocked her path. She tried to step past him but he diligently blocked her from proceeding. She scowled when she realized there is no way she could escape him.


"What do you want?"


"Finally you are willing to talk to me," said Tai. "Now can you tell me what is going on? Why are you in such a hurry? Why did you call me a creep?"


"It's because the followers act accordingly to the leader and if the follower is bad then that reflect the characteristic of the leader as well."


"Can you say that in plain English?"


"Plain English is this...Izzy try to rape me and since he is your follower, his behavior reflects what kind of person that you are. Since Izzy is a creep, so are you."


"What?!" Tai looked at her in disbelief. "What kind of stupid reasoning is that?! Does Yolie act like Hasuma? Does she?" Although she didn't answer him directly, she flushed in embarrassment when she realized the faultiness of her reasoning. "Beside, who said that Izzy try to rape you? What the heck is that?"


"What the heck is that?? I'll tell you!" Tai listen to her attentively when Sora told him what happen in the forest. When she was done telling it, she found Tai nodding his head seriously.


"And what did Izzy said when you confronted him," asked Tai.


"Ha! He call me mad and deny his actions!"


"Is that so?"


"Huh?" She looked at him in confusion as he continued to nod his head slightly. "What do you mean by that?" When Tai didn't answer her, she pushed him lightly on the arm to catch his attention. Tai quickly snapped from his trance and looked at her blankly. "Tai."


"I'm here." Taking two steps forward to Sora while continue to keep his eyes on her face, he sighed and nodded his head to confirm his theory. "You were telling the truth." He quickly raised his hand upward just in time to block Sora's punch. Before she could pull off another assault, he started to explain himself. "I was trying to see whether you are the real Sora or not." Sora pulled her hand away from him and pushed him away from her path. "Wait, Sora. Let me explain!" She continued to walk speedily down the path with him following closely behind. "Sora...listen to me."


"Stop bothering me," Sora muttered.


"I can't," said Tai. When she broke into a run, he cursed and chased after her. "Sora!" He growled when she speed up. Unable to catch up to her, Tai stopped and gasped for air. "FOR GODDESS SAKE, SORA! THE TRIAL!! THE TRIAL!" Sora stopped on her track and turned to look at him.


"What do you mean by that," Sora asked cautiously. She walked back up to him, as Tai tiredly sat on the floor.


"If I knew that this could stop you, I would have said it earlier," Tai muttered. He looked up at her and saw the seriousness in her eyes. "Sit down, Sora. Aren't you tired?" She silently sat down next to him.


"What do you mean by that," she repeated herself.


"Before I answer your question, tell me this thing first. Why is the forest sacred to Teria?"


"I told you before that I don't know."


Tai sighed. "Then can you at least tell me whether this forest is related to the shrine?"


"How should I...wait." Sora looked up in astonishment and snapped her fingers. "That's right," she said in wonderment. "Now I remember." Tai looked at her as she stood up excitedly with a smile. "The original shrine of Teria was located in this forest! That is why this forest is protected by the barrier and is consider to be sacred."


"Then that explains it all," said Tai. Brushing off the dirt from his pants, Tai stood up quickly and took her by the hand. "Come on."


"Wait," said Sora, while Tai dragged her toward their camp. "What do you mean when you said it explains all?"


"Haven't you figured it out yet?" When she shook her head, he sighed inwardly. "Maybe I see it because I know Matt and Izzy's personality more than you. Okay, let's start at the beginning. Do you notice that everything start to happen once Hasuma and Mimi were gone?"


"Yeah, so..." Sora trailed off.


"Well, connect this with another knowledge that you know about Hasuma. Besides her power, what make her different from all of us?" When Sora's face remained blank, he shook his head. "She has PAST experience. Do you get it now?"


"I...oh." Sora looked up at him in wonderment when she finally realized what he was implying. "I get it. Hasuma disappeared with Mimi because she knew that we are going to be tested in this forest and she knew it because of what happen in the past."


"That's right," said Tai. "And can you tell me what we are being tested on?" She shook her head. "The answer is trust. Do you remember what Hasuma said to us before we entered the city? She was telling us what kind of test that we are going to encounter this time. She did the exact same thing before we entered the trial back in Cita."


"I see...I see," Sora muttered. "It also makes sense too. TK suddenly breakup with Kari because he saw something in the forest, that made him doubt his relationship with Kari. And Matt saw you hurting TK because he doesn't believe in your personality." Sora froze when she suddenly thought of something. "Then what happen between Izzy and me..."


"Yep," Tai affirmed. "It was just another test. When you told me what Izzy did to you, I knew it couldn't be true. I know Izzy will never do that because I know his personality." He smiled at her. "I believe he would rather face his computer than to face you."


"Are you saying that I am not attractive," Sora teased him, while pretending to be offended.


"Of course not," Tai protested quickly. "In fact, I think you are quite attractive." To his surprise, she started to laugh out loud.


"I'm sorry," laughed Sora. "I was just teasing you." Tai frowned but quickly laughed with her. As quick as their laughter come, it disappeared just as fast. "I guess I have to say sorry to Izzy now, huh," Sora said solemnly. "If only I believe him at first, then we wouldn't have that misunderstanding."


"That's is not what I am worry about," Tai said seriously. "What I am worry about is Matt. The other ones I am not that worry about because I know they can pull through the test but Matt is a different story. He had already given up on the trial." Sora nodded her head and they continued to walk back to the camp silently. When they reached there, Izzy and Joe were pacing around impatiently. They looked up eagerly when they heard Tai and Sora approaching them. Sora quickly winced when she saw the glare that Izzy was sending to her. Ignoring them, Joe quickly rushed to Tai's side.


"Tai," said Joe. "We just found out what is going on over here."


"We know," Tai interrupted. "We know what is going on."


"Izzy," said Sora. She walked up to him and bowed her head. "I am..."


"It's alright," Izzy interrupted. "We all messed up on this one. As long as you don't think I am a pervert anymore then I am happy." He smiled at her softly.


"Hey, Izzy," said Tai. "Are you able to locate the others?"


"Nope." Izzy walked up to his laptop and tapped one of the key. "See...the screen is blank...wait." He peered at it and pulled back slowly.


"What is it, Izzy," asked Joe.


"You see these four dots?" They all crowded at his screen to see what he was pointing at. "Those four...Joe, get your hand off my head!" Joe quickly lifted his hand sheepishly off Izzy's head. "As I was saying, those four dots weren't here before you and Sora came back. But now they are."


"And what do those dots represent," asked Tai. Izzy, Joe, and Sora looked at him in disbelief as Tai stared clueless at the screen.


"I guess you are smart in something but clueless on other things," Sora muttered under her breath. "Those dots represent us, Tai."


"Oh," Tai exclaimed. "Then I guess that means we could not locate the others until they finished their own trials."


"That's true," said Izzy.


"Then what should we do now," asked Sora.


"Just wait," said Joe. He sat down and rumbled through his luggage. "Or in this case.." He took out some sandwiches and tossed some to them. "We could just sit here and eat, because I am starving." He bit into his sandwich and gulped down some water. Shrugging their shoulders, Sora, Tai, and Izzy sat down on the floor and follow in Joe's lead.


*Yolie, Cody, and Ken*


"How long have we been walking," asked Ken. He looked around the forest and fanned himself in the heat.


"More than an hour," Cody replied.


"For goddess sake," Yolie screamed out loud in fustration. "Where could Davis be?"


"I have no idea," said Ken. "But he shouldn't be far. He is not on a motorcycle or anything, so he couldn't have travel that far." He turned to look at Yolie as she looked for Davis. "By the way, why are you so determined to look for Davis."


"It's because I want to know what is going on with TK and Kari," Yolie replied while pushing a branch away from her face.


"But what does that have to do with Davis," Ken asked in confusion.


"Because when Cody mention Davis and Kari's name, TK's expression changed. Therefore, whatever happened in the forest must somehow be related to Davis. But..."


"But what," said Cody.


"There is something odd, don't you think," Yolie asked. "Okay, from what we see from TK, you could basically guess what happen. TK must have saw Davis and Kari in some awkward situation in the forest, but he doesn't want us to know about it. That is why he broke up with Kari. However, this is where it starts to get a little bit weird. First of all, as much as I argue with Davis, I know that he is not the kind of person that would do something to hurt TK."


"That's true," said Ken. "Davis respects TK even though he always make fun of him. And he knows that Kari loves TK a lot, so he won't do anything to hurt them."


"Second of all, after that incident, Davis never returned. He seems to disappear into thin air. And third, if something really happen between Kari and Davis, Kari wouldn't have been clueless about what had happen. She shouldn't be so upset when TK broke up with her. It is obvious that she still loves him."


"You've brought up some good point," Ken said thoughtfully. "But...I can't think of any explanations for them."


"Talk about weird," said Cody, while pointing at a pile of rocks. "Didn't we pass that pile of rocks before? I swear we walked pass them a few times ago."


"Impossible," said Yolie as she approached the piles of rock. "But...it does look familiar." She looked at in carefully and touched the huge spherical rock located in the middle of the pile. Little jagged holes were drilled on different area of the surface. "That's weird," said Yolie when she saw the other rocks forming a perfect circle around the middle rock. Cody and Ken crowded around her as they try to solve the puzzle of the rock. Yolie picked up one of the small rocks and examined it. To her surprise, a certain pattern was embedded on the bottom of the rock. "Look!" Yolie handed over to them the little rock she was looking at and picked up another one. Exactly like she suspected, another pattern was embedded on this one.


"What does it mean," asked Cody.


"It might have to do with this middle rock," said Ken. He took the little rock from Cody's hand and examines the holes on the middle rock. Shifting his head back and forth between the holes and the rock he hold, he tried to find some similarity between them. He finally paused on one of the holes and inserted the little rock in it. Cody and Yolie watched in surprise when it fit into the hole perfectly. Without wasting anymore of their time, they started to pick up the little rocks and inserting them into the holes. Within a few minutes they managed to fit in almost all of the pieces.


"This is the last one," said Yolie. She inserted it into the final hole and to their annoyance, a huge white light flashed from the puzzle, blinding them all. Taking a few seconds to wait for the flashes to fade away from their eyes, they finally opened their eyes and look at the glowing rock. Two symbols were embedded from where the holes used to be. "The symbol of reliability and friendship," Yolie exclaimed astonish. In another flash, the symbols disappear.


"They should cut it with the light show," Ken mumbled as another wave of colors come flashing through his eyes. "Yolie, can you tell us what those symbols mean."


"Gladly," Yolie replies. "And I got a feeling it will clear everything up for us." She stood up and stretched. "Okay, do you guys remember that Hasuma once asked us why this forest is sacred and neither one of us knew the answer?" Cody and Ken nodded their heads. "Well, come to think of it, I can't believe that I could have forgotten about it. Let's talk while we walk or else we will never find Davis like this." While moving down the path they were following before they saw the puzzle, Cody and Ken listen attentively as Yolie told them about Teria's past. "You both know that there are five main shrines that are located on Gaia, right?"


"Right," affirmed Cody.


"Well, the original shrine of Teria used to be located in this forest," explained Yolie. "However, it was destroyed by humans during the war against digimons. The rock that we just encounter was the original holy monument that is located in the main chamber. Originally, the stone monument doesn't have the symbol of reliability and friendship embedded within it. It was only added later when the shrine was destroyed by someone who the digimons have trusted with their lives."


"Someone they trusted," asked Ken.


"Yep. Although the war was fought between digimons and humans, there are some who actually wanted peace instead of war. During the beginning of the war, both side would often sent ambassador to each other side to conduct peace talk. It was on one of those visit when Teria's shrine was destroyed." Yolie sighed and look sadly around her. "In the war, the digimon build their main fortress around the shrine. That way, they could protect the shrine from being damaged by us. However, on that particular visit, one of the team members from our military group disguised themselves as one of the peace talker and went to Teria to talk to the main leader of the digimons. He took with him, some of his team members in disguise with him. Once they have reached into the main city and saw the leader, they attacked him and killed him. The whole city of Teria was then ransacked and the shrine was level down and destroyed."


"Then the shrine that is in Teria right now is not the original one," Ken stated. Yolie silently nodded her head.


"Before our goddess went to her eternal sleep, she choose Teria for one of the main city to hold the trial for the future shrine priest. After rebuilding the shrine with the people of Teria, she gave the symbol of reliability and friendship to the shrine to remind everyone of what happen to Teria. She said that Teria was destroyed because the digimons trusted the friendship they have with the peace talker. They hope that they could rely on their relationship to help bring Gaia to peace. Unexpectedly, their hopes were betrayed by the people that they trusted. She hopes by giving them the symbols of reliability and friendship, people will learn to value these two qualities."


"Then all that have been happening to us must be due to the trial," exclaimed Ken.


"That's right," said Yolie. "TK saw something in the forest that made him mistrust his relationship with Kari. If you connect that fact with what we know about the shrine, then it seems logical enough. TK was being tested for his friendship with Davis and the strength of his relationship with Kari. If he believe he knew Kari as much as he think he do, he would not have fallen into the trap in the first place."


"So whatever, that TK saw in the forest is just a figure of his imagination," said Cody. "That sounds like the first trial to me."


"Exactly," Yolie said with a smile. They paused from where they were when they noticed they are approaching a clearing. Looking at each other, they proceeded through the forest and saw a cave located right in the middle of the little grassland. "I think we are going to find who we are looking for in there." Least to say, Yolie was right. They found Davis and Kari lying on the floor unconscious on the back of the cave. Ken and Cody quickly rushed toward Davis and try to wake him up, while Yolie picked up Kari gently in her arms.


"Davis," called out Ken when Davis started to stir. With a yawn, Davis stretched himself and rubbed his sleepy eyes.


"Ken," he murmured. "Why did you wake me up? What time is it?"


"I don't know," Ken replied. "But you have been missing for quite a while."


"Missing?" Davis quickly snapped forward when he remember what happen in the forest. Grabbing his weapon in his hand, he quickly stood up and looked at the others. "Who are you," he asked cautiously.


"Who do you think we are," Yolie said, a little bit annoyed. "Come and help me revive Kari." When Ken and Cody walked up to help Yolie, Davis stopped them.


"Wait," warned Davis. "She isn't Kari."


"What do you mean," asked Cody.


"This girl might look like Kari but she isn't Kari," said Davis in frustration. "I mean...I know it might sound weird but she just isn't Kari."


Yolie examined Kari carefully before nodding her head. "We understand exactly what you mean, Davis but this is really Kari. I just know it is her." She shook Kari slightly. Groaning, Kari slowly opened her eyes and looked at Yolie.


"What happen, Yolie," asked Kari. She looked around her and found Ken, Cody, and Davis eyeing her with suspicion. "Where are we?"


"You should know," accused Davis, while pointing his sword at her. "You were the one who brought me here."


"I...I have no idea what you are talking about," said Kari. "I just remember that TK...TK..." She started to cry uncontrollably when she remember that TK had just recently broke up with her. Yolie patted Kari's shoulder sympathetically and gave Davis a deadly glare.


"It's alright Kari," Yolie said soothingly. "TK didn't really mean what he said." Kari slowly lifted up her head and looked at her hopefully.


"He didn't?'


"No, he didn't. He just wasn't thinking right at that time. And....DAVIS! TAKE YOUR STUPID SWORD AWAY FROM MY FACE," Yolie growled when she saw Davis's sword still pointing toward their direction.


"Not until I start getting some information," Davis demanded, while glaring at them. "Don't think that your little act can work on me, girl, because I know you are not Kari." He glared at Kari as she looked up to him clueless of what he was talking about. "Who are you and what have to done with Kari?"


"I am her," Kari replied in confusion. "But...I saw another girl that looked exactly like me when I was in the forest, and she was carrying you."


"Then that must mean that she is the imposter," said Cody. He started to explain to them about what is going on when he saw the confusion in Kari and Davis's eyes. By the time that he finished, Kari and Davis are nodding their heads with understanding.


"Wait," said Davis. He started to look at all of them with suspicion. "How can I know that you guys are actually the real Yolie, Ken, Cody, or Kari. You could be fake for all I know."


"You idiot," Yolie fumed. "If we are your illusion, we wouldn't have told you that you were being tested in the first place!" Davis looked at her, while circling around her. "WHAT?!"


"You have her looks and her attitude," Davis answered nonchalantly. "However...YOLIE, THERE IS A SNAKE RIGHT NEXT TO YOU!" Kari and Cody backed off from the area where Davis has pointed, and Yolie jumped into Ken's arm as she screamed her head off.


"Where?! Where?!" Ken flushed from embarrassment when she clutched on to him tightly. They all looked around the floor for the snake but they couldn't find it.


"Great," said Davis as he sat down tiredly. He looked down and raised one of his hands to massage his neck. "You really are Ogermon because she is the only person that I know is terrified of snake." He smiled sheepishly. "I guess you really are Yolie, huh?" He looked up and to his surprise, Ken, Cody, and Kari was desperately holding the raging Yolie back as she struggled against them in order to punch the living daylight out of Davis.


*Mimi and Hasuma*


"This isn't working," Mimi said tiredly. "We have been walking forever and the fog seems to be getting worst. Are you sure you know where you are going, Hasuma."


"I sure," Hasuma replied. "It should be this way."


"But we have been walking for hours and according to the distance that we covered from yesterday, we shouldn't be that far off from the camp."


"Yeah, I know, but in case you haven't notice, we are moving very slow." Mimi looked around her and frowned when the fog became much more denser than before. Squinting her eyes at the environment around her, she pulled Hasuma to a halt.


"I think we should go that way," said Mimi, while pointing to her right. "I think we came from there, yesterday."


"No, that is the wrong way," said Hasuma. "If you go that way, it will bring you deeper into the forest." She tugged Mimi's hand softly toward the direction they were heading. "Come on, Mimi. I know this is the right path. If we continue on this path, we can reach our camp in no time."


"But I am quite sure that is the right path," insisted Mimi. She pulled Hasuma toward that path. "I am sure we came from there."


"Don't you trust me, Mimi?"


"It's not that I don't trust you but..."


"But what," asked Hasuma. "I might not know the whole forest but I still am familiar with it more than you."


"I know," Mimi said frustrated. "But...but if you really do know the path, we could have been back at the camp already. Why don't we just try my path instead." Mimi looked at her path for a second and then turned back to look at Hasuma. To her astonishment, when she looked back at Hasuma, she was covered entirely by fog. The only clue that allowed Mimi to know that she was there was by the linkage of their hands. "Hasuma? I can't see you."


"I'm here," said Hasuma softly. "I'll always be here, Mimi. But as long as you don't trust in me, there is no way we could get out of this forest. We will be lost in this forest, forever."


"I always believe in you."


"Then why are you doubting me right now?"


"I..." Mimi paused and thought over what Hasuma had said to her. She looked up in alarm when she felt Hasuma's hand slipping away from her. She quickly held on to her hand tighter.


"I'm going to lead you now, Mimi. Don't let go." She pulled Mimi lightly and they started to walk through the blinding fog. Mimi looked cautiously around her but all she couldn't see anything that is more than an inch away from her face. After walking for a few minutes, she could feel water seeping through her feet. It didn't take her long to notice they are walking through some water area.


"Hasuma," asked Mimi uncertainly as the water level rose up her legs.


"Just trust me," said Hasuma calmly. Mimi clutched her hand tighter when the water rose up to her waist. She almost ran into Hasuma when she stopped suddenly. "Mimi," Hasuma said softly. "There are times when people must rely on others in order to succeed. I am not saying that you should follow them like blind faith and ignore other logical or contradictory evidence against them. I am just saying that you have to learn to trust another person with your life just like they trust you with theirs." She walked up Mimi and whispered in her ears. "I will never hurt you. Remember that."


Mimi pondered about what Hasuma said as they continued to walk. She held on to Hasuma's hand tighter when the water level rose up toward her chest. "Hasuma...," started Mimi but stopped herself from continue on. She slowly released her hand from Hasuma's hand and held it lightly in hers. Waters are coming up from her chest to her throat but she no longer felt scared anymore. "I'm following," said Mimi. "I know you would never hurt me because I just do."


"Good," said Hasuma with a smile. She snapped her fingers and to Mimi's surprise, the fog was gone and so were the water she was standing in. "You almost drown you know."


"I almost drown," Mimi asked in confusion.


"If you continued to doubt me, then you would have just walked into the water and drowned." Hasuma quickly threw her arms around Mimi happily and gave her a huge hug. "I'm glad you were able to think things through or else you would have been dead already." She pulled back from Mimi. "In case you haven't figure it out yet, you have just passed the trial of Teria."


"The trial?"


"Umm..hmm." Hasuma nodded her head. "The trial of Teria is always held within this forest because of what happen in the past. Do you remember what it is now?"


"Yes," Mimi replied with a smile. "It's because of the ruin shrine that was located in this forest. How come I wasn't able to thought of this before?"


"It's because your memory for that information was being suppress," Hasuma answered. "And so were the others."


"Hasuma?" She looked at Mimi and found her staring at something at her back. She turned around only to find her staring at the cave. "Isn't that where we started this morning?"


"Uhmmm...yeah," Hasuma said sheepishly. "I guess I was leading us around a circle. However, I did it on purpose. Come on." She took Mimi's hand and they walked to the cave quickly. To Mimi's surprise, she heard noises coming out from the cave.


"Crazy woman on the loose!!!" Mimi and Hasuma quickly stepped back when Davis come bursting out of the cave. He slammed into Hasuma and they both felled down on the floor. Mimi was trying to help them up when Yolie came storming out of there screaming for Davis. She froze when she saw Mimi.


"Mimi!!!" Yolie ran up to Mimi and hugged her. Ken, Cody, and Kari came out of the cave exhausted right after and before Mimi knew it, Kari threw her arms around her. For a while, they stood there telling each other what have been going on, and they listen attentively when Hasuma told them about her dream. Yolie glared at Hasuma when Mimi told them that she almost drowned.


"Hey don't blame me," said Hasuma raising her hands to defend herself from Yolie's anger. "All of the shrine priests have to go through that trial. I just happen to be the one that is testing her. You should be glad that I agree to it or else Mimi would have been dead already."


"Why's that," asked Davis.


"It's because Hasuma have been dropping hints to Mimi," explained Cody. "If she hadn't, Mimi would not have figure out what was going..."


"TK!" They all turned to look at Kari when she screamed out TK's name. Before anyone could ask her what is going on, she ran straight into the forest. Not wasting anytime, they all followed her quickly. A few feet away from them were Yamato and TK. Matt was standing there and looking around him, while TK remained lying on the motorcycle unconscious. Matt quickly turned to look at them when he heard Kari's voice. Before Kari could reach him, he took out his gun and pointed it at them. Kari and the others froze when they saw Matt coldly aim for them.


"Don't touch him," Matt warned. Kari took one step forward but quickly stopped when Matt charged up his gun.


"What happen, Matt," asked Kari. "What happen to TK?"


"Ask your brother."


"Tai," exclaimed Kari. The others raised their eyebrows in surprise when they heard what Matt said. "But why would he do that? It isn't possible."


"Hold it!" Mimi froze when he pointed his gun at her direction. "Where do you think you are going?"


"I'm going to look at TK, Yamato," said Mimi. "He doesn't look that good." She took one step forward and winced when Matt fired a shot right at her. It missed her by and inch and hit the tree that was behind her.


"I wouldn't move if I were you," warned Matt. "And I don't need your help either."


"I don't think so," said Hasuma. "If you don't let Mimi and Kari heal TK right now, he might end up dead before you reach Teria." Matt looked at his brother and saw him breathing painfully. "So...what is your decision? Your damn pride or your brother's life?" Matt lowered his gun and Kari and Mimi ran up to TK to heal him. "Now, Yamato. Can you tell us what the heck is going on over here?"


"Ask Tai when you get back to the camp. As for now, I just want to know how to get out of this damn forest," Matt growled. "I have been driving for more than an hour, and I kept on going around in a circle." He glared at Yolie when she laughed.


"I guess the trial is playing a trick on you," Yolie said with a smile.


"What the heck are you talking about," Matt demanded.


"Believe it or not, Matt," said Davis. "We have been going through the trial since Hasuma and Mimi disappeared from us." He quickly told Matt about his incident with TK and Kari. "You see," said Davis when he was done. "The Kari that TC saw that was with me was just an illusion that the trial had set up for him to see. They wanted to test the strength of his relationship with Kari."


"Then...," Matt started. He quickly shook his head. "Impossible. I saw it with my own eye."


"Saw what with your own eye," asked Kari. She was taken aback when he angrily glared at her.


"I saw Tai trying to killed TK."


"That can't be," said Ken. "Tai would never do that."


"He's correct," said Mimi. "Although I haven't known Tai for that long, I at least know that he would not do such an awful thing. Even if TK did break Kari's heart, he still wouldn't do that."


"Tell that to the judge," Matt murmured. He looked at TK and found him practically almost healed from all of his wounds.


"She is," said Hasuma. "If you calmly think for once, you should have already tied in Davis's story with your experience with Tai."


"I only believed in what I saw," said Matt, while getting on his motorcycle.


"Where are you going," asked Mimi.


"Where else do you think," Matt asked coldly. "I'm going to Teria."


"But you can't," said Mimi. "You can't just walk out of your team mates like this."


"Yea...," started Yolie but Hasuma stopped her.


"Let Mimi take care of it," said Hasuma. Ken, Cody, Davis, and Yolie nodded their heads and remained silent.


"Let's see if I can," said Matt. He was about to start the motorcycle but Mimi grabbed his key from the keyhole. "Give it back," he growled. Mimi stepped backward, forcing Matt to get off his motorcycle in order to reach her.


"No," Mimi said defiantly as she held the keys behind her. "Why are you doing this, Yamato? Why do you have to walk away when you know that you are wrong?"


"I don't know what you are talking about." Matt reached out behind her but she moved away from him.


"You know perfectly well what I am talking about! Tai would never hurt your brother and you know it. Why are you so stubborn? Why do you always want to believe in the worst in people?"


"It's none of your damn business, priestess." His fury flared up when Mimi evaded him again. "Give me back my key before I have to hurt you."


"I can't believe you, Yamato," said Mimi, while ignoring his fury. "How come you don't trust Tai after all of the years that you have known him?"


"Because I don't give a damn about him," Matt roared. "Look at TK! Look!!" He walked up to TK and pushed Kari away from him. "This is what happen to him because he follow you and believe in your stupid trial!" He stalked up to her and looked down at her. "He was injured because your stupid trial. And for all I care, I don't give a damn for this trial or for anything. I don't care if that Tai was real or not. He hurt my brother and that's that! He could die and rot in the gutter..." His head snapped to his right when Mimi slapped him hard across the face. He turned to look at Mimi coldly.


"I can't believe you," Mimi whispered. Tears steams down her face as she looked at him with disappointment. "I can't believe you would think that Tai would do such a horrible thing." Matt grabbed her roughly by the neck of her coat and looked at face to face.


"Listen, priestess," Matt hissed. "Don't ever touch me again, you get that?" He shook her slightly. "Just because you are the shrine priestess, don't think that you can get away with everything." He released her with a shoved. "I'll let this one pass because you helped me in the first trial, but if you ever laid your hand on me, I won't let you get off this easily. I've warned you." He turned around to walk toward his motorcycle. His anger flared up when Mimi tossed his key at him and hit him right on the back. He turned around in anger and glared at her as she looked back at him with hurt and disappointment.


"Go ahead. Run away, you coward! Go and run back to where you belong to Yamato Ishida! Go back to the little dark cave that you belong to and never come back! You blame us for what have happen to TK, but you are wrong. If you should blame someone for TK's injury, you should blame yourself!" Matt froze when he heard what Mimi said. "This wouldn't have happen if you didn't trust Tai! Because you believe that Tai will hurt your brother, the trial used your doubt to create what you saw! So this whole thing wouldn't have happen if you have trusted in your friendship with Tai." Matt stumbled a little bit backward when Mimi's words hit home. "You've never trust anyone. Not even your closest friends. You've managed to lock yourself in a closet and isolated yourself from others. How can you expect to love someone if you can't even trust them?!"


"Matt?" They all turned to look at TK as he opened his eyes. Matt walked up to him and took one of his hands. "It wasn't Tai," TK said weakly.


"I...I know," Matt said softly. Kari walked up to TK and took his second hand. She looked at him tenderly.


"Kari," TK said softly. "I'm so..."


"It's alright," said Kari. "I'm here with you."


"I've heard some of the things that you guys were talking about," TK said weakly. "And I just want to say that I am not leaving this journey."


"TK," Matt started.


"I have chosen my path brother," TK interrupted. "And I will walk the path that I've chosen." Matt sighed in defeat. He took hold of the motorcycle and turned it toward their camp.


"Let's go before they start to send a search party for us," said Matt. He walked down the path with Mimi walking silently beside him. TK was leaning on the motorcycle, while holding Kari's hand. Cody, Ken, Davis, Yolie, and Hasuma followed right behind them.


"Hasuma," asked Yolie. "Why did you stop us when we were about to help Mimi?"


"It's because Mimi is the leader," answered Cody.


"Yep," Hasuma confirmed. "Tai and I might be the one that are ordering you guys around but Mimi is the one that is holding us all together. If Mimi weren't here, we wouldn't have been together. She has to gain our respect in order for us to believe in the path she is striving for."


"I see," said Yolie.


"Are you sure," taunted Davis. "I'm amazed that you could actually get something through your thick skull, Ogermon."


"Why you!!!" Hasuma, Ken, and Cody sighed deeply as Yolie chased Davis around in anger. While there is a huge commotion in the back of the group, Matt and Mimi continued to walk in silence. Mimi finally looked up at him and broke the uncomfortable air that is hovering over them.


"I'm sorry," said Mimi.


"What now," Matt asked in irritation.


"I...I shouldn't have said those things to you. I didn't mean to say them, but they all just came out before I can stop them. I didn't mean to be so rude to you. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me, Yamato?"


Matt looked at her in disbelief. He exhaled deeply and shook his head. "What kind of person are you," he muttered.


"Huh?"


"Never mind."


When they reached back to the camp, they were surprise to find Sora, Tai, Izzy, and Joe cooking a huge feast for them. "Welcome back," said Joe as Sora ran up to Mimi and hugged her. "We knew that you guys passed the trial so we decided to do some little celebration. Now who is starving?"


"I am," said Davis eagerly. He quickly pounced on the food with Yolie right behind him. Izzy watched them as they fought against each other for a meat bun.


"There is plenty of food over there, you know," said Izzy.


"Just ignore about them," said Ken with a smile. "It has become their habit." Kari helped TK off the motorcycle and placed him gently on the ground. Sora pulled Mimi and Hasuma to a little corner and they talked about what happen.


"Hey, Tai." Tai looked over his shoulder to find Matt standing right behind him.


"What's up, Matt?"


"I'm sorry," Matt blurted out quickly. "If you want to punch me then go ahead."


"It's alright," said Tai. He patted Matt on the shoulder. "Just forget it, okay? Beside, right now, I am starving. I don't have the strength to punch you." He shoved a hotdog to Matt and grabbed one on his own. While the others are partying, Sora is pondering over what Mimi and Hasuma have told her.


"There's something I don't get," said Sora. "Why wasn't Yamato able to get out of the forest? I mean, he practically gave up on this mission."


"Because he is lucky," Hasuma answered. "He was taking an unwilling passenger with him. If TK had given up on the mission, he wouldn't be circling around the forest like he was lost."


Sora and Mimi nodded their head in understanding. Night falls and they quickly went to sleep to prepare for tomorrow's event. On the next day, they managed to reach Teria by noon. They would have reached Teria earlier if only Matt hadn't forgot to pick up the key to his motorcycle when Mimi tossed it to him in the forest. Izzy almost killed Matt when he heard that they have lost the key in the forest. Luckily, Hasuma was able to teleport back over there and managed to find the key, before Izzy could grab Matt by the throat. Checking in at a hotel, they all tossed down their luggage and prepared themselves before they go and visit the shrine. They reached the shrine by five and were presented to the shrine priest of the shrine. The young man looked at them and bow his head.


"Welcome, shrine priestess and her guardian," said the young man. "My name is Genai."


"Genai," said Cody. "Isn't that the same name for the priest in Cita?"


"Yes it is," said Genai. "The person that you met must be my grandfather. Don't be surprise to see some more people looking like me in your future journey because my family have a lot of relative that look exactly like me."


"Then I can't think how it is when you have a family gathering," said Yolie.


"It's a headache, I can tell you that." Genai laughed happily. He took them to the main chamber and opened the metal doors to the main chamber. They entered it slowly and to their surprise, a ghostly figure is already waiting for them. He was clad in a green robe with leaves woven into his white long hair. His blue eyes twinkled with kindness as he bade the group to enter. In his hand, he held a staff that contains the crest of reliability and friendship in them.


"Welcome guardians and shrine priestess," said the spirit when Mimi and the other kneeled before him. "I am glad that you have passed the test. Oh...forgive me for my rudeness. I forgot to introduce myself. I am Gia, the guardian spirit of this shrine."


"It is our honor to meet you Gia," said Mimi politely.


"The honor is mine too," said Gia. He reached for his staff and took out the crests of reliability and friendship. "Since you all have passed the test, it is my duty to give the shrine priestess the key to enter the next trial." He placed those two crested in Mimi's hand. "Remember priestess and her guardians of the lesson you have learn through this trial. If you don't rely on each other's ability and believe in your friendship, you will not succeed in your future trials. Keep that in your heart. I wish you luck." With that said, he disappeared, leaving them all alone in the main chamber. With the two crests in her hand, Mimi and the others walked out of the shrine to go to their next journey.




Author's note:


Yikes...I know it have been a long time since I have last updated...and well, I know this isn't as good as the first chapter. It seems to be droning on and on...like the energizer bunny...it keep on going and going...around the same contents. However, I can gurantee that the next chapter will be more exciting. However, it won't be updated unti for a long time....like two or three months. I hope you will be patience with me because I just have too much school work to do. Sorry and I hope you are enjoying this story.