Kari was crouched down her head writhing in pain. She couldn't stop the darkness creeping into the pours of her brain. It moved around like shards of glass.
"Stop. Stop." She begged as she clutched her head. Someone had their arms wrapped around her. For a moment she only wished for her brother. And then for gatomon.
"Stop. Ah!" She shook through the pain.
"Shh, Kari. We are right here." A soft melody of a voice whispered in her ear. Kari felt a warm glow come from the person comforting her. She started to relax and could see a soft red hue as she closed her eyes.
"Deep breath Kari." Kari slowly opened her eyes and lowered her hands. The red hue blanketed the caverns in her head making the darkness slip through smoothly. It was still there but she was protected some how. Kari looked up and gazed appreciatively at Sora. Her mouth opened to speak but she closed it realising there was something important going on in front of her. TK stood directly in front of Kari and Sora. Kari tilted her head and saw the rest standing in front of TK hands clenched with their partners. A low hanging fog surrounded them and someone was facing the group.
"Mr. Nisijima?" Kari whispered. She looked to Sora who looked to her right then left.
" he's gone." Sora whispered back.
"Then..." Kari stopped her inquiry about the figure standing before them. She felt a pang in her head and cringed. Sora tightened her grip and Kari was grateful.
"One by one the digi-dominoes will all fall down." Kari knew that voice and she opened her eyes. Her brother stepped forwards and was nearly nose to nose with Peidmon. Kari didn't like how close Tai was. She moved and Sora helped her stand. Kari tried to step forward but Sora held her,
"Just wait." She hissed and Kari felt afraid. She really wanted Tai to step back, allow agumon to stand in front! Kari was so afraid for her brother, and suddenly she started to feel her head grow foggy.
Tai was furious, all these evil digimon were popping up but they weren't the key to restoring the digital world to its balance. He was annoyed with Peidmon. He felt like this was a wrong turn on their path to freeing meicoomon and the digital world. He waved a fist in front of his face determined to show Peidmon that his clown tricks weren't going to stop the digidestined.
"Mark my words Peidmon, we mopped the floor with you once and we can do it again!" He said threateningly and he took a step towards the clown. The clown laughed and Tai glowered.
"I do believe we have a message from one of my sponsors." The clown digimon remarked and he pointed past Tai. Tai turned confused. He couldn't see anything. Other than Mei, Joe, Tk and Kari and Sora there was nothing there. It was thick fog beyond the last two digidestined. He was about to turn back when his sister stood tall and this caught his eye. He watched her a moment and he realized, she didn't look right.
"Digidestined, enough. Your world has been temporarily put on hold. You have all been brought here, a halfway place. It is here you will surrender your efforts to restore the balance and your partners so you can return to your world." Kari spoke but Tai knew instantly that was not his sister.
"What do you mean surrender?! Our friends, our partners are in danger! We are the digidestined! Our destiny is to protect the worlds and our partners! We won't surrender!" Tai shouted.
"Who exactly are you? Why would you tell us to stop?" Mimi demanded and the voice spoke through Kari.
"I am the balance. I am the true defender of the digital world. Your efforts mean nothing and will only cause more damage. You continue, you will all perish."
"You can't be! The defender of the digital world would be doing exactly what we are! You're an imposter!" Joe accused and Tai agreed.
"If you can not heed my advice then Peidmon you shall start the executions. The weakest shall go first. This body will be done with once I'm through. You can dispose of it as a warning." Tai's eyes bulged and he heard the others gasp. He whipped around and pointed a strong finger at Peidmon.
"Don't you dare touch my sister!" He ordered and Peidmon laughed.
"Then surrender." The voice spoke and Tai turned to face his sister. Her eyes started to close and she fell. TK and Sora caught her and TK gave a menacing look to Peidmon. Tai looked at the evil digimon and mirrored TK's look.
"You touch her or anyone else here, wargreymon is going to slice you like an onion." He spat and Peidmon smiled.
"No, no. I've thought of a better use for you nine and your digimon." He snapped his fingers and the ground at their feet disappeared.
"Ah!" The group screamed as they fell. Tai braced himself for the impact as the bottom came fast. He landed on his stomach and banged his chin on a rock. He rolled over and a body crashed onto his stomach. He wrapped his arms around the person to try to absorb the impact. He heard another two bodies fall beside
him and saw Matt and Joe land face down side by side. Tai then eased the person off him. He realised it was Mei as he shifted and she quickly looked apologetic
At him.
"Oh! Tai! I'm sorry!" She squeaked and Tai gently moved her and got her to her feet.
"You okay?" He asked her and she nodded. Tai gave her a nod then looked to Joe and Matt.
"We're fine." Matt reported. Tai looked to his left and saw Izzy pull Mimi to her feet. He saw Sora and TK stand Kari up and Tai was relieved to see she was awake.
"Kari?" Tai called to his sister. She looked weak but otherwise unharmed. She gave Tai a thumbs up and then leaned heavily onto TK. Tai, satisfied felt his stomach drop.
"The digimon!" He cried and Peidmons laugh filled the space they were standing in.
"Here is what we are going to do. I'm going to let you each try to save your digimon. If you succeed, I'll kill you quickly. If you fail, you get to watch me kill your partner and then Ill kill you! Doesn't it sound marvellous?" Peidmon appeared before the group and Tai seethed seeing the clown smiling from ear to ear. The clown then clapped his hands and the space lit up. There was Palmon and Patamon tied together hanging up like a piñata. Gomamon and Biyomon were tied on a tight rope suspended above the group. Tentomon had something wrapped around him and he was pinned to a wall. And finally, Tai saw his own partner and Matts were each pinned in the centre of a giant wheel that was slowly spinning.
"This, this can't be real." Tai chocked out. He didn't believe that this was happening.
"This is demented!" Izzy exclaimed agreeing with Tai's disbelief.
"We need to do something!" Matt said angrily. Tai got angry and turned to face his friend,
"What so we do Matt? We're stuck! We either sit back and watch our friends die or-" TK surprisingly then cut him off,
"Or possibly kill them trying to help! Matt we lose either way!" Tai watched Matt close his mouth and
Silently stew. The leader was grateful for TK's outburst however he wasn't expecting it.
"I agree with Matt. We need to do something. I think we need to play." Tai was shocked to hear joe speak and Mimi and Sora's gasps were affirming that what he said was not what was on everyone's mind.
"There's 9 of us." Mei said and Tai looked at her.
"Tick Tock digidestined! You play now or don't play at all." Peidmons voice broke through the group and Tai growled at the digimon. He then turned back to the group.
"Mei? What do you have in mind?" Mei moved towards the others and the group circled around her.
"Me and Kari, we don't have our digimon. We can maybe help somehow." Tai was unsure with Mei's plan. For one he wasn't sure what any of them would have to do to rescue their partners. And for another thing, he wasn't sure he wanted Kari pushing herself.
"Mei that's a good idea. I can help." Kari said softly but with gust. Tai sighed knowing she'd fight him if he suggested she hang back. Tai then made the decision
"Alright, Mei, Kari, move to the back. Everyone else. Let's do this." Tai then turned and addressed Peidmon,
"We're ready."