Kari crept through a dark tunnel. There were pipes running along the ceiling above her. She moved slowly trying to make sure she didn't make any noise that would attract any unwanted attention. She felt her breath catch as the air got colder. She knew she was close. Darkness was creeping towards her and while she felt uncomfortable, she knew that meant she was close. She stopped walking as she heard movement. She felt her heart rate pick up. Something was coming towards her. She could hear footsteps. She quickly moved next to the wall and tried to hide by pinning her back against the dark wall. She put a hand over her mouth to quiet her breath. She heard the footsteps get closer.
"Two of them are this way." A voice said and Kari prayed they wouldn't see her. She could now see two gotsumon walking together down the hallway. Their rock steps echoed off the walls and Kari pushed her back tighter to the wall.
"He won't last much longer." One of them said and Kari felt her stomach tighten. They passed and Kari quickly moved into the hallway and sprinted away. She came into a large room and quickly stopped. She then saw someone lying on the floor.
"TK!" Kari whispered and she quickly got onto her knees next to him. She lowered her head to his face. He looked weak and in the darkness Kari could see makes all over his face.
"TK." Kari whispered and TK moved his head. He slowly opened his eyes and Kari let out a breath of relief.
"Oh thank god." Kari whispered and she put her hands onto TK's face. TK closed his eyes and Kari shook her head,
"No, no, no. TK look at me stay awake." TK opened his eyes and smirked.
"You're beautiful." He whispered and then he slowly closed his eyes.
"No! TK stay with me!" Kari pleaded and TK's head drooped. Kari held TK's face and then she heard footsteps. Someone was coming. Kari then looked at TK and in a moment of desperation. She crashed her lips against his. She felt TK kiss her back and knew he was conscious.
"Please TK. Wake up." Kari asked in a soft voice. TK's eyes opened and he slowly moved his head up and then down. Kari stood removing her hands from TK's face. She then pulled him to his feet. TK swayed but stood and Kari quickly wrapped one of his arms around her shoulders.
"Okay just 10 more steps. Just 10 more steps." Kari soothed and she took on most of TK's weight. She could hear the footsteps grow near.
"9." She said as she forced TK to move.
"8." She said and TK grunted,
"You should leave me Kar." TK mumbled and Kari clenched her jaw.
"7. I'm not leaving you." Kari said sternly.
"You promised me TK. You promised you would stay by my side. You promised you'd always protect me. Now I'm gonna promise you. I'm not leaving you. We stick together." Kari spoke with conviction. She moved TK another step.
"6." She said. She heard TK growl and felt him try to stand on his own. Kari looked at him and then looked down the hall. She could see someone coming.
"5." She said. A dark laugh started to build and Kari gasped.
"You want him light?" Kari could hear a voice speaking. She moved TK another step and tried to ignore the voice.
"You're going to have to play the game if you want him." The voice chuckled and Kari pulled TK along.
"4." She said. She gasped as something dripped onto her cheek. Kari looked up and then her scream got caught in her throat. Yellow eyes stared at her.
"Hello Light." Pythmon snarled. Kari tried to move her and TK but Pythmon stuck out a boney hand and wrapped it around Kari's neck. Kari released her hold on TK as Pythmon squeezed the air out of her. He started to lift her and Kari kicked her legs out desperate for air.
"Kari!" TK yelled and Kari suddenly gasped for air. She hit the ground and Pythmon released his hold on her. Kari inhaled and rolled onto her side. TK fell next to her and Kari scrambled towards him.
"TK?" She asked shaking him. TK threw his arm across Kari's body and Kari got onto her back and looked up at Pythmon.
"So Hope and Light together again." Pythmon mused. Kari looked at TK. He looked weak but he was trying to protect her. Kari knew they couldn't win. They were defenceless.
"What do you want?" Kari asked clenching her teeth.
"To know how far you both are willing to go to protect those you love?" Kari sat up trying to ready herself to run. TK kept his arm across Kari's front.
"It's a curious thing. You digidestined. You're weakness has always been your fondness for one another. Look at you hope. You're wasting your energy just to protect her a little longer." TK growled and Kari felt darkness from Pythmon. She gritted her teeth,
"Just get to the point." She spat and Pythmon laughed.
"How far would you go? For instance, I can give you Patamon." Kari looked to TK his arm started to drop.
"I can give you your partner. But you must do something for me." TK coughed,
"What?" He asked. Kari grabbed his arm.
"I need your digivice." Kari looked at TK quickly.
"You've had TK all this time. Why haven't you taken it yet?" Kari asked confused. Pythmon let out a huff.
"Cause he couldn't." TK spurted out and Kari didn't understand.
"So let me try again. You give me your digivice. I'll give you Patamon." Kari could feel TK consider Pythmons offer as he stood.
"TK don't!" Kari yelled and she stood up.
"What about me Pythmon! What do you want from me?!" She yelled and she heard TK cough.
"To know who you would rather protect. Him." Pythmon pointed at TK.
"Or your brother?" Kari's lips parted. She clenched her hands into fists.
"Don't touch them." Kari said darkly. TK moved but Kari stared hard at Pythmon.
"You're not to lay another hand on TK. I won't let you touch my brother." Kari yelled and she felt something bubble inside of her.
"Kari no!" TK grabbed her and she fell to her knees. TK wrapped his arms around her and suddenly Kari's eyes went wide. Pythmon growled.
"Hope, hand it over." He sounded pained and Kari wasn't sure what had just happened.
"Fat chance Pythmon. You're not getting your hands on my digivice." He sounded stronger. Kari closed her eyes. She could see TK's faded yellow light. She focused on it.
"STOP THAT!" Pythmon yelled and Kari felt TK's grip grow stronger. She squeezed her eyes closed and focused more on TK's crest. She opened her eyes and Pythmon reached out to touch her. Kari shook her head and Pythmon recoiled his hand and moaned in pain.
"You can't hurt him." Kari said feeling her light grow stronger. Pythmon stepped back and Kari smirked,
"You can't hurt any of them." Kari said and Pythmon let out a cry of pain.
"I'll be back." He threatened and Pythmon vanished.
"Holy shit. Kari are you okay?!" TK's voice sounded strong. Kari felt light headed and she collapsed into TK's arms.
"What did I do?" Kari asked and TK kissed her on the mouth. Kari inhaled and TK removed his lips from her own.
"You were dark. You were covered in darkness and then you changed. Your light I could feel it. It was making me stronger. It was protecting us." TK told her. Kari nodded and tried to sit up.
"I wasn't gonna let him hurt you." Kari told TK. TK hugged her.
"You healed me." He breathed into her neck and Kari squeezed her arms around him.
"We need to move." She told him and TK stood. Kari stood next to him and the two looked around.
"Tai's probably freaking out." Kari said as she grabbed TK's hand. TK nodded and the two of them moved to a door. Kari used her shoulder and pushed the door open. She lead TK along a dark hallway and she saw a ladder to the left.
"Up here." She told him and even though it wasn't the same way she came in, she figured this was an exit. She pushed on the door above her head and then slowly made her way up and out. The outside was light out. Kari squinted as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. She looked to TK and could see his face was bruised and cut up.
"You really feel better?" She asked worried about TK. TK grabbed her hand and nodded,
"I'm fine. You've got a bruise on your cheek. You alright?" He placed a gentle hand on her cheek. Kari sighed and opened her mouth to speak. Suddenly TK dropped his hand and let go of her hand
"MATT!" He yelled and Kari watched TK run to his brother. Matt bear hugged TK and Kari smiled at the brothers reunion. Kari walked over to the brothers and then stopped. Tai wasn't there. She looked around for her brother.
"Matt?" Kari asked as she pivoted on the spot.
"where's Tai?" She asked. Matt released TK and looked at Kari. He pointed behind her and Kari spun around. She felt a wave of relief wash over her as she saw Tai and Hank waking towards them.
"Oh thank god." She breathed and she ran and hugged her brother. Tai wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
"I see you found TK. Good job kiddo." Tai told her and Kari breathed in her brothers scent.
"Where'd you and Hank come from?" She asked. Tai released his hold on her.
"Trying to find a way in." Tai admitted and Kari rolled her eyes.
"Didn't you have a faith in me?" Kari asked with a smirk. Tai ruffled her hair.
"Come on. The others are this way." Tai waved Matt and TK over and he turned and started leading them back into the woods. Kari allowed her brother to walk ahead and she hung back and waited to walk with TK. Matt had his arm draped across TK's shoulders.
"I'm gonna kill Pythmon. What he did to you Teeks..." Matt trailed off and TK shook his head.
"We'll get him Matt, together." TK smiled at his older brother. Kari looked ahead at her brother and Hank.
"Who's the guy in the robe?" TK asked and Kari slide her hand into TK's.
"We'll explain." Kari told him and she saw the hiding tree come into view.
"Welcome to our hide out Squirt." Kari let go of TK's hand as her brother and Hank entered the hiding tree. Kari stepped aside allowing Matt and TK to go inside. Kari stopped she looked back to where they had come from. She saw Gatomon. She stared at her partner. Her lips parted.
"Are you really here?" She asked and her partner shook her head,
"Don't let the darkness win." Gatomon warned. Kari blinked and her partner was gone. Her hallucinations of her digimon were becoming more vivid. She turned and went into the hiding tree.