Tai put a hand to his face. He felt woozy. He stopped walking and tried to stop the forest floor from
moving.
"Tai? You alright?" Tai felt Sora put her hand on his back. Tai nodded still determined to keep walking.
"Fine." He said in a low voice. He felt Sora remove her hand.
"Tai!" Tai turned hearing Agumons voice.
"Agumon. I'm coming." Tai spoke and he started walking the opposite direction.
"Wait Tai!" He heard Sora call but Tai knew his partner needed him. He swayed and he stepped to the side to stop himself from falling. He needed to get to Agumon. He tried to step forward. He was acutely aware that Sora was still yelling at him. He felt his body sway and knew he would hit the ground soon. In his delirium, he saw a purple glow pull him upright. Visions of Agumon ceased and Tai came to the awareness that he was laying on his back.
"Tai look at me." Tai did as he was asked and the purple light faded. Izzy's face appeared and Tai shut his eyes and then reopened them.
"Izzy?" Izzy frowned and squeezed his shoulder.
"You fell over." His friend informed him and Tai suddenly couldn't remember where he was.
"Did you find where Pythmon took TK?" Tai watched Izzy's eyes go round. He looked away and Tai moved his head and saw that Izzy was looking at a concerned Sora. Tai started to sit up. He looked around noticing trees.
"What? Why aren't we in the factory?" Izzy stood and shook his head.
"You left. You said we needed to leave! You walked away and started calling for Kari." Tai was confused he stood and shook his head,
"I left? Why would I leave?" Izzy frowned
"There is something strange going on Tai. You were covered in darkness." Tai was shocked. The last thing he could remember was Izzy studying the symbols on the wall.
"I don't understand..." Tai trailed off and Sora stepped towards him.
"You said Agumon needed you. Do you remember that?" Tai thought back to the massive house they stayed in. He remembered hearing Agumons voice. He then remembered Pythmon showing him his partner beaten. He cringed and looked at Izzy and then Sora.
"No, I mean. I remember Pythmon but I definitely don't remember leaving the factory." Sora bit her lip and looked to Izzy.
"How do you feel now Tai?" Izzy asked and Tai ran a hand through his hair.
"Fine I mean I don't feel strange. I just feel confused." Izzy nodded. Sora gasped and pointed,
"Gatomon!" She yelled and Tai turned around and saw his sisters partner lurking through the trees.
"Digidestined." She purred darkly. Tai clenched his fists.
"Gatomon it's me Tai!" He called to her but she continued advancing towards them.
"You foolish humans. You think you are going to win. Pythmon is ten times the digimon Myotismon was. He wants your powers and he always gets what he wants." Her eyes narrowed and Tai quickly pushed Izzy out of the way
"Cats Eye!" She cried and Tai and Izzy narrowly missed the red beam. Tai turned over and saw Sora step towards the digimon.
"Gatomon! Look at us! We're your friends!" Sora cried. Gatomon hissed.
"I could never be friends with murderers like you!" She clenched her paw and yelled
"Lightning Paw!" Tai was still on the ground. He quickly got to his knees and launched himself towards Sora. He knocked her to the ground. She hit her chin hard and Tai winced seeing blood.
"Fine you digibrats want to play? Let's play. Flymon! Attack!" Tai got to his feet and could see a swarm of giant wasps descending towards them.
"Run!" Izzy yelled and Tai grabbed Sora's arm and hauled her to her feet. The three friends started running.
"Deadly Sting!" The Flymon attacked and Tai tried to move his legs faster. A Flymon stung a tree as Tai passed it. It was too close for comfort and Tai wasn't sure how long his luck would last. A hand gripped his forearm and pulled. Tai out of instinct grabbed the back of Sora's shirt. She saw her grab onto Izzy's jacket and the three were pulled into a tree.
"Ah!" Tai, Sora and Izzy yelled and the three crashed into one another inside the tree.
"Shh!" Tai steadied his body and went wide eyed.
"Joe?! How'd you-" Tai was stopped when Joe thrusted his hand over Tai's mouth.
"Hush!" Joe hissed and Tai closed his mouth. The group listened to the Flymon buzz by their hiding spot. Tai looked at Joe as the noise died down. He cringed seeing Joe holding his shoulder.
"You okay?" Tai whispered and Joe shook his head.
"My shoulder. I think I dislocated it when Pythmon separated us. Tai snapped his finger,
"Hey I've done that in soccer before. I can help you." He reached towards Joe when suddenly both Izzy and Sora grabbed him.
"No Tai don't!" They yelled and Tai stepped back. He stepped on someone's foot and suddenly Izzy Tai and Sora all fell backwards out of the hiding tree.
"Tai!" Sora berated and Tai quickly rolled off of his friends. Joe came out of the hiding tree and scowled at Tai.
"I'm training to be a doctor and even I wouldn't try to pop my shoulder back into place! You think I'd let you?!" He yelled and Tai shrugged,
"I was just trying to help." He stood up as Sora and Izzy did the same. Sora shook her head.
"Come on boys. Let's move Gatomon and those Flymon could hear us." The group nodded and started moving away from the hiding tree. They walked over an hour and soon found a roaring river beside a grassy field.
"This should be good. No one can hear us." Izzy called over the water. Tai frowned,
"Yeah but we can't hear anyone either." He countered. Sora started untying her ribbon that was apart of her uniform. She held it out and frowned.
"It's not long enough for a sling." She informed and Joe shook his head,
"I'm fine Sora." Joe said but Tai could see him holding his arm. It looked out of place. Tai cringed and then stepped towards his friend.
"Joe. Don't move." Joe's eyes went wide and Tai quickly put a hand on his friends back and then pushed his injured arm. Joe yelled and Tai heard it pop. He smiled and Joe slowly caught his breath.
"You asshole!" He yelled and Tai smirked,
"I fixed it didn't I?" Tai asked and Joe puffed out his cheeks. He then rotated his shoulder and he frowned.
"You're a reckless jerk." Joe spat and Tai beamed.
"Just trying to help- ow!" Tai gripped his arm and sneered at Sora. Sora put her hands on her hips,
"Joe's right Tai. You could have really hurt him!" She said shaking her head. Tai shrugged and tried to give Sora a goofy grin. Sora flared her nostrils and walked over and put a hand on Joe. The two then turned away from Tai. Tai dropped his shoulders,
"Jeeze normally works on Kar." He thought out loud.
"Tai! I think I saw something." Tai turned and walked over to Izzy,
"What is it Iz?" Izzy pointed to some trees,
"I swear I saw something move." Tai stepped forward and then quickly turned to address the group.
"Joe, Sora! Come here." The two came over to Tai and Izzy. Tai then looked at Izzy.
"You think it was Gatomon?" He asked and Izzy shook his head.
"It was taller. It looked human." Sora then stepped forward,
"What if it's Matt?" She asked and she looked wide eyed at the trees. Tai looked at Sora and sighed,
"Joe can you clean up Sora's chin?" Joe nodded and Sora put a finger to her chin. She then quickly pulled it away and winced. Tai gave Sora a grin,
"Don't touch it you dope." He told Sora with a small laugh. Sora blushed and then turned so Joe could inspect her injury. Tai then faced the trees,
"Alright, I'll go check it out." He started walking and then stopped when Izzy called out,
"Wait Tai, I'll come with you." Tai didn't like leaving Joe and Sora but figured now that Joe's shoulder was healed, they would be alright. He gave a nod to Izzy and the two made their way towards the trees.
They entered the forest and Tai put a finger to his lips. Izzy nodded and then Tai pointed at himself and then to the right. He then pointed to the left. Izzy slowly made his way to the left and Tai crept to the right. He pushed through some bushes. He heard footsteps ahead of him. He stopped. His heart was beating fast. He worried Pythmon was near. He could see someone and Tai breathed in and stepped out of the bushes. His eyes went wide when he saw someone with their back to him. He saw a couple of deep slashes on their back that cut through the fabric of the persons shirt. Tai then quickly stepped towards them
"Kari!" Kari turned and dropped some berries on the ground. Her eyes welled up and she quickly launched herself at Tai. Tai caught her in his arms and held her close.
"You're okay. I'm right here." He soothed and Kari buried her face into his chest. Tai was careful not to touch her back where the scratches were. He then slowly pushed his sister back to look at her. She rubbed her nose and Tai could see her cut on her forehead from their father. She looked pale and other then her back and forehead, she looked okay. He rubbed her arms and looked over her head.
"Are you by yourself?" Tai asked and Kari stepped back,
"No. Matt and Mimi." Tai then watched his sister gasp. She gripped the front of Tai's shirt.
"Mimi's hurt! Tai please you have to help her!" She exclaimed. Tai started shushing his sister,
"Shh. Kari don't work yourself up. Where are they?" He asked in a calm voice.
"TAI!" Tai turned hearing Izzy.
"Izzy?!" Tai called now worried Izzy was hurt. He removed his sisters hands from his shirt. He didn't hear Izzy reply and he got worried. Tai put a hand out keeping his sister behind him. He didn't know if they were about to be attacked.
"Tai!" Tai heard Izzy and this time he quickly scanned the trees with his eyes desperately trying to get a glimpse of his friend.
"Izzy! I'm here!" Tai called and to his relief, he saw his red headed friend emerge between two trees.
"I found Matt and Mimi!" Izzy called and Tai let out a breath.
"We're coming!" He yelled and he glanced back at his sister. She looked worried so Tai stuck his hand out and quickly felt his sister grab his hand. He then led her through the trees towards Izzy.
"Tai." Tai stopped and quickly yanked his hand free from his sisters. He pushed her back and stood protectively in front of her
"Gabumon!" Tai yelled at the digimon. Tai clenched his fists ready for Gabumon to attack.
"Gabumon you should walk away." Tai threatened and he prepared himself to fight. He thought about how much time him and Kari would have to run away if he kicked Gabumon.
"Tai no!" Kari yelled and she grabbed his arm. Tai growled annoyed his sister would want to protect Gabumon when he was under Pythmons control.
"Don't you dare Kamiya!" Matt was in front of Gabumon and Tai backed up surprised.
"Matt watch out!" Tai yelled and Matt pushed Tai back.
"He's not under Pythmons control!" Matt yelled and Tai took a minute to understand.
"That's what I was trying to tell you!" Kari berated and Tai looked from Kari to Matt and then to Gabumon.
"Gabumon, you're okay?" He asked and the digimon nodded. Matt lowered his shoulders
"Did you find the others?" Matt asked and Tai nodded. He looked at his friend and frowned,
"You look like hell." Tai said bluntly. Matt nodded,
"Your sister saved my life." Tai looked back at Kari who looked slightly embarrassed she then walked past the boys and Gabumon,
"I'm gonna go check on Mimi." She mumbled and Tai focused on Matt.
"What happened to you?" Tai asked. He couldn't get over how beat up Matt looked. He had bruises all over his face, his hair was a mess and his clothes were torn in parts. Matt put a hand on Tai's shoulder,
"Let's get Mimi and Izzy. I'll tell you everything."