Tai left Kari a block away from the junior high. TK had walked with them and Tai was suspicious of the young teen and his sister. They seemed to be oddly quiet yet every time Tai looked at them they were smiling. Tai shook it off after giving Kari a tight hug and telling her sternly to call him if she starts to get tired or has another nose bleed or for any number of reasons Tai spent a full minute listing. He started jogging towards his high school. He kind of hoped he'd get there with time to kick the soccer ball around for a few minutes before class started. He stepped onto the school grounds when a red blur came crashing into him.
"Tai! Are you okay?!" Tai was stunned and kept his arms at his side,
"erm? Yes?" He replied cautiously. He then understood the person wrapped around his neck was Sora. He gently hugged her back still confused why she was so panicked.
"Uh, Sora? What gives?" He asked and Sora unraveled her arms from around his neck.
"I'm sorry. I just, I mean Joe called Izzy who called Mimi who called me right away and then I called Matt and tried to call you! But your mom said you were in bed and I can't imagine what TK will do if he finds out and Oh! Your poor sister! I mean is Kari okay?! How's your mother?!" Tai tried to follow Sora's spastic jumble of questions and explanations. He slowly pieced the words together and put a hand on Sora's shoulder,
"I'm okay." Sora's shoulders eased and she let out a breath,
"I just, I don't know what to say." Tai was quick to comfort her,
"Sora it's okay. They caught it early, she's gonna be okay." He still wasn't sure he believed it himself but he said it to try and calm Sora down. Sora nodded,
"I guess then, I don't know..." she gazed off into the distance and Tai wanted to know what she was going to say.
"What Sor?" Sora met his gaze but looked guilty.
"I don't mean it, how it's going to sound I mean. I guess it might be good that, everything in the digital world went the way it did. It would be overwhelming for everyone but especially you, concentrating on our digimon and restoring peace while Kari's sick. Not to mention Kari would well, you know Kari. She wouldn't be idle that's for sure." Tai clenched his fists. He wasn't mad at what Sora said, he just felt angry. He was angry that Sora seemed to give up on the digital world. He wanted to fight to go back, find some way to see their partners. He also knew she was right, he wouldn't be able to do both. Kari came first. He hung his head feeling lost. He was feeling like he was abandoning Agumon. He flexed his hands out slowly and then looked up at Sora.
"We should go in." He mumbled and Sora put her hand to her necklace. Tai figured she was feeling bad but didn't feel like being upbeat. He walked past her and then stopped. He saw Mimi, Mei, Izzy and Matt walking towards him. He stared at the group as they approached and he quietly spoke to Sora,
"so everyone knows then?" Sora walked next to him,
"yeah, sorry. I mean except for TK but yes they all know." Tai sighed, and decided to just let whatever happens next, happen. Mimi got to Tai first and just like Sora she flung her arms around Tai.
"I know! I know! We're being ridiculous but I am not! I am not letting you sabotage our friendship because you want to handle this by yourself." She stepped back and pointed a finger in his face,
"you listen here Tai Kamiya, yours and Matts egos have nearly cost us our lives, our sanity and some very expensive clothes. This is not a battle that you are to face on your own. We do this together, as a team. Got it?" Mimi was stern and her cheeks were red. Tai was flabbergasted and slowly his shock turned into laughter. He didn't know where it came from but suddenly he was keeled over laughing.
"Uh, Tai?" He heard Izzy question him but Tai looked up and saw Mimi's angry and shocked face and burst out laughing some more. Sora patted his back,
"er...there, there?" Her words were unsure but Tai ignored them. He stood tall and slowly sobered. He smiled at Mimi a moment and then stepped forward and hugged her,
"Mimi, don't ever change." He said and then he stepped back and addressed the others.
"I know, how I am. I know that I am reckless and don't always stop to think. I mean I found out last night and rode to Joes with no shoes on. I am well aware that when it comes to most things especially my sister, my impulse control turns off and I become erratic and angry." The group was silent and Tai surveyed their faces. He saw the shock but also the agreeable nods they gave his words. He eyed Mei a moment and saw she was keeping to herself. He didn't expect her to have an opinion on the matter. He then wondered if she even knew what they were talking about. Tai ignored his thoughts on Mei and focused on the others. He continued
"I'm thankful Joe called Izzy and thank you guys for keeping each other in the loop. Mimi's right, if there's one thing we've learned it's we can't do anything by ourselves. We do it together. I want your help, in fact, I am formally asking for your help on this one. There is no way I am going to be able to do this without you guys. And there is no way Kari can do this without us." Tai was surprised to see Matt step forward.
"Always man. We stick together." Tai was grateful for his best friend. Matt kept his hand on Tai's shoulder and then gestured his head to the school.
"Come on bells gonna ring. We need to distract ourselves with algebra." Tai smirked as he joined the group as they walked towards the entrance.
"You know what? After everything that's happened in the last 24 hours, I am actually looking forward to algebra." The group laughed and Tai shook his head wondering how on earth he managed to get such a great group of friends.
Morning classes dragged on. Tai was over the moon when the bell rang signaling the start of lunch. He made his way to the cafeteria and once seated, savagely attacked his meal.
"Have you been on a hunger strike? Slow down man." Matt sat next to Tai and Tai slurpped up his noodles before acknowledging his friend.
"Where's everyone else?" He asked ignoring Matts previous comment. Matt opened his lunch and shrugged,
"I think they're coming. Mei and Izzy and Sora were all in a panic running to the computer lab." Tai pushed his mouth to the side and then relaxed his face,
"do you think we'll have a quiz in Bio?" Matt popped a sushi roll in his mouth and chewed a moment before replying,
"probably. Always do every Monday." Tai frowned and looked back at his noodles. He dropped his chop sticks and dug in his pocket for his phone. He grabbed the device and composed a message to his sister. He pressed send and watched waiting to hear a reply.
"Are you trying to reach Joe?" Matt asked and Tai shook his head,
"Kari." Matt then grabbed the mobile out of Tais hand and Tai got angry.
"Hey!" Matt held the phone behind his back.
"Focus on eating. Kari is fine if you haven't heard from her, there's no need to text her. You'll just panic yourself when she doesn't reply." Tai reached for his cell,
"but what if she's hurt and she can't reply." Matt was very calm as he responded,
"then the school will call or TK will." Tai stopped and looked at Matt,
"why would TK call?" He asked and Matt paused,
"Cause him and Kari are attached at the hip..." Tai didn't get it,
"no they aren't." Matt frowned, and slowly placed the cell phone on the table,
"Tai, the two of them are always together. Even you and your bushy hair must see what's going on between them." Tai had no clue what Matt was inferring
"I don't. They are friends I know but attached at the hip?" Matt looked unimpressed,
"oh come on Tai they like each other. Even you're not that thick." Matt took a sip of water and Tai was not amused,
"no they don't they're kids." Matt nearly spat out his drink at Tai's words
"Tai they are fourteen! They are teenagers. Kari's not a kid anymore." Tai became sour. He didn't like this topic.
"Let's talk about something else. This topic is going to put me cardiac arrest." Matt chuckled and capped his water bottle,
"whatever man the sooner you see how in love they are the better." Tai narrowed his gaze,
"Matt if I thought for one second your brother was into my sister, I think you would be saying the words "had a brother."" Matt rolled his eyes,
"poor Kari hasn't got a chance does she?" Tai sat tall,
"I know what's best and boys are not what's best." Matt nodded sarcastically,
"only you?" Tai looked appalled,
"are you kidding me?! I'm the worst! But that's what I'm saying. If I don't even consider myself good enough for my sister no guy in all of Japan has a shot at being good enough for her." Matt rolled his eyes,
"sure, Tai whatever helps you sleep at night."