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He should have known it couldn't last forever.
The funny thing was that Tai hadn't actually believed he had made it home in the first place. Based on his experiences with the Digital World up to this point, the idea that some evil Digimon had created a version of Odaiba to trap him in seemed like the more believable situation. After all, he and his friends' most recent misadventure had ended with an Elvis-impersonating monkey busting his way out of an upside-down pyramid to fight a cyborg dinosaur.
Still, Tai's suspicions turned out to be completely unfounded. He had in fact been transported back to the actual Odaiba, a couple of blocks away from his own apartment no less. Granted, Tai had apparently missed the window for being reunited with his parents, but Kari had been there to greet him in their place. The fact that his little sister seemed to recognize Koromon did throw him for a loop, but he was able to push that to the back of his mind as he enjoyed a boring day at home.
Then he turned on the TV.
Digimon were invading the Real World. They were invading and no one except for him and Kari seemed to notice. Whether they had followed him from the Digital World or had been on their way anyway, he couldn't tell, and he wouldn't get a chance to think on it either.
His shock was by Izzy, somehow sending him a message from the Digital World to the Kamiya's home computer. The message was garbled, but three words came through loud and clear:
"Don't come back."
That could have been the end of the whole thing. Izzy wasn't one for reverse psychology. If he had meant anything except for his exact words, he would have come out and said it. Tai kept telling himself this as he and Koromon ran out of the apartment to confront the newest Digimon to appear.
Ultimately, however, it was Ogremon who made his decision for him. He had stood there, waiting amongst an unknowing crowd for a chance to strike. Tai had had to move fast to save Kari, who had followed against his wishes.
Koromon sprung into action soon after, leading Ogremon away. With a portal opening above Odaiba, the little guy took his shot. Digivolving back into Agumon, a well placed "Pepper Breath" blasted Ogremon upward and back into the vortex.
Unfortunately, Tai knew that it couldn't end there. Even with Agumon's assurance that he could return to the Digital World on his own, Tai had already made up his mind.
He hesitated one final time when Kari asked him to stay. As he pointed his Digivice skyward, in the hope that the little gizmo would show him how to get back to his friends, Kari latched onto his free hand. He tried his best to reassure her that he would be back before letting go, knowing it was what he had to do.
Looking down at Odaiba as he floated upward, Tai thought of Agumon, who he knew would rush headfirst into danger with or without him. The two of them were a team, and Tai knew he could never let his partner fight alone.
He thought of TK, who despite being the youngest of them, still seemed like he had been put through the most. Even with his older brother there to protect him, Tai felt like it was his job to look after the youngest Digidestined.
He thought of Joe, who had made it his responsibility to take care of everyone else. With that responsibility, however, came overthinking and anxiety, and the need for someone who could watch his back once and a while.
He thought of Mimi, who had come to represent the team's spirit. She had had the toughest time adjusting to life in the Digital World but kept on going anyway, and Tai knew he couldn't do any less than that.
He thought of Izzy, whose insight and curiosity had basically been carrying them throughout their battles. Tai knew Izzy could hold his own in a fight, but given how they would likely need his brains going forward, Tai knew he needed to fill their ranks while Izzy problem-solved.
He thought of Matt, who he had had the most disagreements with since landing on File Island. Tai knew Matt only did what he thought was best for the group, however, and the two of them were at their best when they worked together.
He thought of Sora, his oldest friend who always put everyone else before her. They had almost lost her thanks to Tai's mistake, and while he had helped save her, he knew things wouldn't truly be put right until he saw her again and actually apologized.
Lastly, he thought of Kari, who had just been attacked by an evil Digimon. If going back to the Digital World accomplished nothing else, it would be to protect her and his family.
Tai should have known that this moment of peace couldn't last forever, but it wasn't supposed to. It was a motivator, to remind him what he was fighting for, and this was a fight that Tai refused to lose.
Author's Note:
Last Odaiba Memorial Day, I marked the occasion by starting a "30 Day Digimon Challenge" on Tumblr. This was completed in the form of quick little blog posts, though part of me wished I had done it in fanfic form. Today, I'm pulling the trigger on that wish.
(Also, to clarify, the prompt for this entry was "How old were you when you first discovered Digimon?". Given there isn't much to write about there, this chapter became me adapting the first episode I remember watching. Specifically, what I thought might have been going through Tai's mind in the episode's closing moments.)
As for expectations moving forward, here are the parameters I am working with:
1. These short stories are not tied to the continuity of my other stories. They are based around the actual canon of the franchise, with maybe one or two exceptions that will fall into the "crack" category.
2. Each entry should be quick and concise, something I can write in one sitting. I'm sure I will break this rule at least once.
3. I am not going to even attempt to actually complete this project in 30 days. I'm shooting for one or two updates a week, but that's not a promise.
TL;DR – This is just meant to be a fun writing exercise, and I hope you enjoy it. Leave a review if you feel up to it and I'll talk at you guys later.