Tai stopped walking after what felt like an hour. He turned to look at Joe, Mimi and TK. "I don't get it. Where are all the digimon?" He asked and Mimi put a hand to her chest, "it's like everything has been deserted." She commented. Tai agreed and looked past his friends trying to see something, anything. Other than plants and trees. "Agumon!" Tai yelled and he was greeted with silence. "We haven't found Matt or Sora and Izzy yet either." TK chimed in and Tai frowned. "I don't get it, why are we here?" He asked mostly to himself. "I need to use the bushes, don't leave without me." Joe said and the oldest digidestined went into the trees and out of sight. Mimi frowned, "I'm getting pretty hungry." She commented and Tai sighed, "yeah we should find somewhere to rest. Get some food build a fire." TK and Mimi nodded. "Uhh guys?!" Tai snapped his head towards the trees and saw Joe standing there. "Come here I think I found something." Tai and the others moved towards Joe. They followed the oldest boy through the trees and Tai's eyes bugged out. They were standing in front of a house. A massive mansion to be more correct. "It looks-" Tai started and TK finished, "like Devimons house." Tai nodded and looked to Joe and Mimi and TK. "What should we do?" Mimi asked and Joe stepped forward. "If it's got a toilet I say we go in there." Tai put a hand out stopping Joe. "Hang on Joe, remember last time? This was an illusion." Joe pondered Tai's words, "you're right, but, what should we do?" He asked and Tai was silent a moment trying to think. A part of him wanted to go inside. There could be food or the others. Another part of him hesitated, not wanting to be tricked again. "Devimons gone though right?" Mimi said slowly. TK growled, "he should be." Tai then made up his mind. "What's better, possibly freezing to death in reality or taking our chances in an illusion?" He asked the group. Joe sighed, "I'm all for being cautious, but I've really got to pee." Tai then looked to Mimi and TK. Mimi seemed apprehensive but Tai knew it would be TK who would make the final call. He didn't want to push the boy remembering what had happened in the past. TK sighed, "come on, maybe the others are in there or our digimon." Tai nodded and pushed Joe, "go on Joe, you first." He smiled and Joe stomped forward, "oh sure let me go first." Tai chuckled, "you're the one who needs the bathroom so badly." Joe rolled his eyes but led the group into the mansion.
Once inside the group stayed together, that is until Joe found a bathroom, "don't leave!" He yelled as he went into the restroom. Tai chuckled and looked around. It didn't look the exact same as Devimons mansion. There were no paintings on the wall and there was a staircase to the side of the front entrance. Mimi started going up while TK made his way towards the back of the house "hang on guys! We should stay together." Tai called and Mimi sighed, "fine, TK come with me." TK stopped walking and turned to face Mimi, "Mimi I don't think that's what Tai meant." Mimi frowned, "oh come on I want to explore. This way Tai can wait for Joe." TK shrugged and followed the older girl. Tai sighed, "If something attack's you I'm not saving you." Tai commented and Mimi scoffed, "give up a chance to be a hero? Yeah right Tai." Tai pursed his lips and watched TK chuckle and follow Mimi up the staircase to the second floor. Tai stood and waited for Joe. The house grew quiet and Tai didn't like it. He felt a chill and rolled his shoulders back trying to rid himself from the uncomfortable feeling. He felt his pocket and pulled out his digivice. The screen was blank and Tai sighed wishing it would work and show him where Agumon was "Tai?" Tai stopped and turned around. He heard someone call him, "Joe? TK?" He asked, "Tai help!" Tai recognized that voice. It was Agumon. Tai started to move from the front entrance. He could feel someone calling him. He made his way to a large living room. There was a fireplace and Tai moved towards it, "I need you Tai." Agumon whispered and Tai stood in front of the fire place. "Agumon? Where are you?" There was a draft of cold air and Tai shivered, "Tai we need you! Tai!" "Tai!" Tai jumped and turned seeing Joe standing behind him. "You okay?" Tai took a minute and then looked back at the fireplace. He could no longer hear his partner calling him. "Fine, uhm, did you hear something?" He asked and Joe shook his head, "where are Mimi and TK?" Tai stood up straighter, "uh, upstairs." Joe then motioned his head, "should we go find them?" He asked and Tai quickly nodded, "yeah, yes. Absolutely." He agreed and he briskly walked past Joe towards the entrance hall. Tai was trying to understand what had just happened was I really hearing Agumon? He thought and then he heard the sound of pounding footsteps "Tai! I think Kari's hurt!" Tai looked up and saw TK running down the stairs Mimi trailing behind him. Tai stepped forward "what?" He asked confused and TK ran towards him, "we saw them! Matt and Kari! We could see them through the upstairs window! Matt was carrying her!" TK then bolted through the front door and Tai quickly turned and followed "Matt!" TK yelled and Tai stood outside with the young blond. "Wait so you saw Matt and Kari?" Tai asked trying to clarify what TK had been saying. "TK?!" Tai heard Matt and quickly both him and TK started running towards the sound of Matts voice. "Matt we're coming!" TK yelled and Tai heard another voice "TK! Where are the others?" He recognised Sora and then he saw her, "Sora!" He yelled and Sora put a hand to her chest. She then flung her arms around Tai's neck "thank goodness we found you!" She backed away and Tai saw Izzy come into view. "Izzy! You guys okay?" He asked his friends. Both Sora and Izzy nodded and Tai looked past them to see TK talking with Matt. Tai walked towards the brothers, "she's okay Tai." Sora commented and Tai didn't understand what Sora was talking about. He then saw his sister on Matts back and his body was flooded with guilt, "Kari?!" He ran to her and ignored Matt and TK as he went to pull his sister off Matt's back. Kari slipped off of Matt's back and Tai held her upright, "what happened?" He asked and he could see she was holding a blood soaked bandana to her head. "Let me see." He said not letting Kari answer. He then pulled the cloth away and Kari winced. "Jesus, how'd this happen?" He asked and Kari tried to pull away from her brother, "I uhh hit my head when I got here." She lied and Tai growled. He grabbed her forearm aggressively, "don't lie!" He spat and Kari tried to rip her hand from his grip, "Tai you're hurting me!" She exclaimed and she took a step back from her brother. Tai went wide eyed and let go of her arm. Kari then lost her balance and fell backwards. "Kari!" TK yelled and he quickly ran to help his friend up. "Kari, I..." Tai stopped stunned, Kari looked afraid of him. TK brought Kari to her feet and Kari wouldn't meet Tai's eyes, "Let's go inside TK." Kari mumbled and TK didn't hesitate as he held her close and moved her past Tai towards the mansion. Tai was frozen, Sora then stepped in front of him, "you want to explain what just happened?" She asked and Tai looked down, "I hurt her." Tai said softly. He was in disbelief. He had told her he'd never hurt her and just now he had put his hands on her. Matt gently grabbed Sora's hand, "Sora I think Tai and I need to talk." Tai watched Sora's eyes dart between his own and Matt's. She then sighed and let go of Matt's hand. "Come on Izzy." She said quietly and the two left Matt and Tai on their own. "I found her with that gash. Any idea where it came from?" Tai sighed, "I don't think it was the digital world." He concluded and he hung his head a moment. "I didn't mean to." "I know." Matt said stopping Tai from explaining. Tai closed his mouth. He then opened it, "she's just been lying to me. I got-" "scared." Matt finished and Tai nodded, "what's wrong with me?" Tai whispered and Matt put a hand on his shoulder. "You two should talk. But there's a lot going on now. Have you found the digimon?" Matts question snapped Tai's thinking away from his sister and he focused on their present situation. "No, Mimi, Joe, TK and I have been looking for over an hour. We just found this house." Matt nodded, "alright, let's get inside. I'll brainstorm with the others about a plan. I think you and Kari should take a minute to talk." Tai nodded, "if she'll let me." He mumbled and Matt put a hand on Tai's shoulder. "She knows you love her." Tai nodded and Matt removed his hand, "let's go." He instructed and Tai followed his friend back into the mansion.
Kari sat on the edge of the tub. TK was running Izzy's bandana under water. "I should get Joe." TK commented and he turned the tap off. "No, don't bother him." Kari said quietly. TK brought the now wet cloth to Kari. He crouched down in front of her and lightly pressed the cloth to her forehead, "so how'd this happen? Same door that caught your hand this morning?" Kari blew out a breath, "something like that." She mumbled and she relaxed her face allowing TK to clean the wound. "So you wanna talk about it?" Kari sighed gently placing her hand over top of TK's stopping him from cleaning her cut. "TK I'm okay. I overreacted with Tai. I should apologize." She whispered the last part and TK took the cloth away from her head. "So you're not gonna tell me what's going on?" He sounded angry. Kari looked at him knowing she wouldn't be truthful with him. "TK I'm sorry but it's no big deal." TK then growled and threw the cloth onto the floor "no wonder Tai is pissed with you!" He erupted and Kari was shocked at how angry he was, "TK..." she stopped and TK glared at her, "if it's anything but the truth, save it Kar." There was a knock on the bathroom door and Kari looked into her shoulder to mask the tears that were starting to fall. "Kari?" Kari looked up seeing her brother. She quickly wiped her cheeks and caught a glimpse of TK staring at her. He looked hurt and worried. Kari quickly looked back at her shoulder. She didn't understand how quickly she had upset the two most important people in her life. She felt ashamed. She heard the door shut but knew she wasn't alone. "Kari, I am so sorry." Tai said his voice pleading. Kari looked up at her brother "why are you sorry?" She asked sniffling. Tai sat next to his sister. "Today's been weird. But the digital world can wait I can't tell you how awful I feel right now. The way you looked at me... it was the same way you looked at dad. The same fear in your eyes. And I was the one causing it." He ran a hand through his hair and looked down at his feet. "I promised I wouldn't hurt you." Kari then turned and frowned, "you didn't I'm the one being stupid! You were right you knew I was lying! You caught me and I was being a jerk." Tai shook his head, "so let's continue with the honesty. What happened this morning? Why did you lie to me?" Kari wiped her cheek and blew out a shaky breath, "I didn't want to make you mad." She then shook her head, "or upset I just didn't want you to have to worry anymore. I feel like I'm overreacting or something." She mumbled the last bit and felt Tai's eyes on her. "Well I'm already pretty pissed at you and worried so, just tell me what happened." Kari looked at her brother. She wanted to be strong. Her shoulders shook and she started to cry. "Dad, he uhmm..." she sniffled and took a breath, "he knocked me over this morning. He was telling me how you hated me and didn't want a sister. He knocked me over and then stomped on my hand." Kari gripped the hand her father had stomped on and she shook. "I uhh got into an argument just before we came here. Told him to stop being so hard on Mom. He pushed me and I hit my head. That's how I got this." She shakily pointed to her forehead. She suddenly felt very venerable. She felt exposed and she hated it. Tai quickly hugged her and Kari pressed her face into his chest. "I didn't know what to do." She admitted and Tai held her close, "I wish you had told me that this morning. I would have never left. I wouldn't have yelled at you." Kari shook her head, "stop Tai. Please don't blame yourself. I have control over my life. It just happened and I'm fine." Tai sighed and rubbed his sisters back, "no you're not. And neither am I. I didn't want to admit it." Kari removed her head from her brothers chest. She could feel what he wanted to say. So she said it for him, "cause admitting it means it's real." She whispered now looking into her brothers eyes. Tai nodded, "something like that." He put both his hands on her face and inspected her forehead, "it's not bleeding." Kari nodded, "yeah and TK cleaned it." Tai nodded, "can you do me a favour Kar? Especially now that we are here." Kari raised her eyebrow. "What's that." Tai still held her face making sure she was looking at him. "Promise me you'll let people help you. No more lying and no more keeping things bottled inside. Let me and TK and anyone else help you. We do it cause we love you Kar." Kari nodded and felt her heart warm. Tears poured down her face and Tai kissed her forehead. "I love you too Tai." Tai then embraced her and Kari breathed in his scent. The smell of safety the smell of her brother, the smell of home. She squeezed him back feeling safe.