They were scattered. Kari stood with Joe, Gomamon, Palmon, Mimi and Mr. Nishijima. They were standing on the beach right next to the crevasse Tai had disappeared into. Right next to the darkness. The digimon were standing in front of the humans and Kari looked at the crack next to them. She felt the darkness but stepped closer to joe hoping to hold it off for a few more minutes. She focused on the sky taking deep breaths.
"Izzy's coming." Mimi broke the silence and Kari's head lowered and she could see Izzy making his towards them. He paused once he got to the group. He was catching his breath.
"Jeeze Izzy maybe you need to join a gym." Palmon commented. Kari smirked at the digimons comment. Izzy frowned and then stood tall.
"I have the portal. Kari you were right, the energy is strongest right here." Kari swallowed the lump in her throat but tried to look strong. Joe put a hand on Kari's shoulder,
"You sure you want to do this?" He asked and Kari frowned. She was sick of people asking her that. She clenched her fists.
"I'm ready." She closed her eyes and allowed the darkness to consume her.
It was dark but she could see a darker shadow in the distance. It spoke and Kari felt the shards of glass move through her mind.
"What do you want Light?" Dark gennai's voices surrounded her.
"You." She managed to choke out. Laughter rose from the dark Gennai and Kari cringed. She could see a grey light slowly trying to smooth the shards of glass.
"You're weak. But you're rather amusing." Kari didn't falter though she wanted to curl up.
"You took my brother. You took my parents. You brought darkness into this world. I'm ready to face you. So why don't you face me. Instead of hiding here. Come out and face us!" She yelled. It was quiet and Kari felt her heart pounding. A low laugh started building. The laughter got louder and louder and Kari felt her strength waiver. Dark Gennai continued laughing and then inhaled,
"I very much look forward to personally squeezing the life force out of you and the rest of the digidestined. See you soon light." He continued to laugh. Kari then saw the grey light grow and the darkness was gone.
"Kari?" Kari gasped and sat up quickly. Joe had her resting on his lap.
"Are you okay? I don't think I did a good job. You were screaming." Joe said with a pale look on his face. Kari shook her head and eased herself into a sitting position.
"No, joe you did great." She put a hand to her head and looked to Izzy.
"They're coming." Izzy nodded and opened his laptop.
"MEI!" Kari heard TK yell and could see Mei standing on the other side of the beach.
"Mei! Get back!" Mimi yelled and Kari's lips parted. She went wide eyed.
"They're here." She whispered and the dark clouds parted as Meikracmon and Ophanimon descended. She could see Metalgarrurumon and Hououmon hovering.
"You childish fools. You think you'll win." Kari and the others turned and could see cherrymon behind them surrounded by fog. She stepped back towards Izzy. Gomamon and Palmon growled as they moved so they were between Cherrymon and the humans.
"Time to go!" Gomamon announced and Kari looked at Mr. Nishijima. He looked hesitant. Kari didn't want to waste anytime she grabbed Mr. Nishijima's sleeve and turned him to face Izzy and his laptop. She could see fog encircling herself and the teacher. She took a breath and closed her eyes.
She could hear water lapping the shore. Kari opened her eyes and was standing on the beach of the dark world. She looked next to her and saw Mr. Nishijima wide eyed looking from his right to his left.
"This place..." he shuddered and Kari nodded.
"Save your breath." She whispered feeling the thin air of the dark world. The two began trudging along the sand slowly worried there might be more dark creatures lurking in the shadows. They walked in silence for a few minutes. Kari felt her breath shake.
Kari gasped for air. It was so hard to breathe in the dark world. She tried to remain calm but struggled as her throat became tighter.
"This place is awful." Mr. Nishijima stated and Kari nodded. They moved along the beach. It was hard to see in the dark and Kari felt light headed from a lack of oxygen.
"What is that thing?" Kari looked at Mr. Nishijima who was pointing ahead of them. She followed his outstretched hand to see something moving in the distant. There was flick and Kari knew what she was looking at.
"It's Gatomon! That's her tail!" Kari pushed herself into a run. Gatomon came into view and Kari could see her partner huddled in the sand.
"Gatomon! I'm here!" She lowered herself to her partner. Suddenly Gatomon screamed and swiped at Kari.
"No! Stay away! Wizardmon help!" Kari fell backwards into the sand.
Gatomon had her claws out but looked fearful at Kari.
"Myotismon I will find them! I will find the eighth child and destroy them!" Gatomon still looked terrified but spoke with determination. Kari gasped,
"Gatomon, no." She stopped shocked. Her partner was imagining she was still working for Myotismon.
"HELP!" Kari looked away from her partner and out into the water.
"It's Maki!" Mr. Nishijima yelled. Kari looked to the teacher and saw him inching his way into the water. She could see Maki screaming at nothing standing waist deep in the dark ocean. Kari was unsure if Mr. Nishijima should enter the water.
"It's you! You belong to Myotismon!" Gatomon yelled and pounced onto Kari. The girl yelped and Gatomon was ontop of her.
"Gatomon! Please it's me!" She pleaded as her partner flexed her claws and slowly moved her razor sharp paws towards Kari's neck.
"Help!" She could still hear Maki screaming.
"MAKI!" Mr. Nishijima yelled and Kari knew she was on her own. She focused on Gatomon.
"Gatomon! Please it's me Kari!" Kari felt tears roll down her cheeks.
"You belong to the darkness. Myotismon is your master." Gatomon spoke almost robotically. She then snarled and Kari gasped,
"NO!" Kari quickly put her arm up and Gatomon violently slashed her claws across Kari's forearm.
"Ah!" Kari screamed in pain. Gatomon moved off of Kari and Kari rolled onto her side clutching her bleeding arm.
Kari breathed through the pain but her throats tightened and she began to cough gasping for air.
"Help me Gatomon." Kari gasped and her eyes started to close. She felt woozy and like everything was growing quiet. Her vision darkened but something in her chest warmed. Suddenly Kari could breathe. She sat up clutching her chest feeling air move into lungs. She opened her eyes and could see Gatomon staring stunned at Kari.
"Kari?" Gatomon whispered and Kari quickly threw her arms around her partner.
"Gatomon! You're okay!" Gatomon embraced Kari and Kari could feel tears coming from her partner. Kari squeezed her partner tighter and then winced,
"Ah." She lightly pulled her injured arm away from Gatomon. Kari put a hand over the cuts feeling blood ooze out.
"Kari, I hurt you." Gatomon stated and her words shook as tears continued to fall.
Kari pulled Gatomon into a one armed hug.
"You didn't mean too." She soothed. She released her partner and stood. She looked out into the water and could see Mr. Nishijima was shaking Maki. The two were pretty far from the shore and Kari could see them flickering.
"Were running out of time. We need to find Tai." Kari looked down at Gatomon who still looked hurt.
"You alright Gatomon?" Gatomon gave a soft nod.
"I'll be alright. Let's find Tai." Kari wanted to help her partner but knew they needed to find her brother. She reluctantly moved from the beach away from Maki and Mr. Nishijima. She closed her eyes thinking only of Tai. A faded orange hue enveloped her mind and Kari opened her eyes and gasped.
"Tai." She whispered and she moved her feet quicker. Gatomon was right at her side as she followed the orange glow. She could see a darker aura forming around something. Kari ran seeing that something was Tai.
"Tai!" She yelled and she crashed into him. He was hard as stone and Kari shivered as she pulled her arms away from her brother.
"Tai?" He had his legs pulled into his chest and buried his head into them.
"I'm a failure. I'm a failure." Tai repeated and Kari tried to shake Tai's shoulders.
"Tai please it's me." She pleaded but Tai continued to chant.
"Failure. I'm a failure." Kari then got cross. She growled and yelled,
"TAI KAMIYA! Our friends are in danger and all you can do is pity yourself?! We need you Tai!" Tai stopped and looked at Kari. His eyes were still lost. Kari looked at her partner.
"Gatomon! I need you to knock some sense into my brother!" Gatomon hesitated but then clenched her paws.
"Anything for you Kari!" She then wound her arm back and punched Tai across the face. Tai was knocked to the side and Kari worried he was unconscious. She waited, holding her breath. Tai slowly moved and Kari exhaled.
"Kari?" Tai's voice was scratchy. Kari felt tears flow and she launched herself at her brother.
"Tai!" She squealed as she held her brother tightly. Tai wrapped his arms around her and squeezed.
"Kari? You're okay!" Kari buried her face into her brothers shoulder.
"Don't- ever- leave- me- again!" She chocked out between sobs. Tai held her closer.
"I won't. I promise. I'm here." He soothed and Kari didn't ever want to let go. She had been holding it together but she had never been more afraid in her life when Tai disappeared. She needed him. Tai slowly pushed Kari away.
"Come on Kar. Deep breathes." Kari listened and removed her arms from around Tai. She then stood allowing space for her brother to stand.
"Gatomon?" Tai addressed Kari's partner and Kari could see Gatomon looking a little shy.
"Sorry I hit you." She said and Tai smirked and ruffled Gatomons fur.
"Thank you." He said genuinely. Kari looked back towards the beach.
"Maki and Mr. Nishijima. They're here. We need to help them." Tai stood next to his sister.
"We will. First I think there's something we need to check out." Kari looked at her brother quizzically. He turned and Kari saw the dark aura that was surrounding him had disappeared. He lead her and gatomon further away from the beach. Soon they came across a large black cave.
"Tai, we shouldn't go in there. Last time I was here, a cave just like that is where these dark digimon were hiding." She shivered at the memory. Tai shook his head.
"Something's in here." He stepped forward and Kari reluctantly followed him into the cave. As they entered, Kari could see people hanging from the walls. They were held up by shackles and chains. Tai then gasped
"Davis!" Kari went wide eyed and her head felt woozy.
"Tai." She reached out to her brother but could see through her double vision, he was woozy as well. Her legs buckled and she collapsed onto her knees.
"Holy shit. They were-" Tai stopped to catch his breath and Kari finished his sentence.
"Erased, forgotten. That was the plan. To capture all of us so we would forget, so the world would forget." Kari looked up at her forgotten friends.
"Yolie, Cody. I'm so sorry." She whispered and she tried to pull herself onto her feet.
"We need to rescue them." Tai spoke evenly and Kari could see he was standing strong. Kari nodded and walked over to Yolie.
"Please be okay." She whispered and she closed her eyes as she touched her friend. Light luminated from Kari and slowly Yolie's eyes opened.
"Kari?" Her friend whispered and Kari nodded.
"It's okay. You're safe now. Close your eyes and think of something nice." Kari instructed and her friend did so. Kari then felt the light slowly push Yolie out of the dark world and back to earth. Once yolie was gone Kari looked over and saw Tai doing the same thing with his courage to Davis. Davis slowly disappeared and Kari moved to Cody. Cody didn't wake up like Yolie had but he easily moved from the dark world into the light and vanished. Tai and Kari both stood in front of Ken.
"He's see through." Tai commented. Kari nodded,
"We remembered him. We thought the dark gennai was Ken gone bad. He's only partially here." Tai nodded and stepped towards Ken. Kari stepped back allowing her brother to push Ken away from the dark world. Once Ken was gone, the cave disappeared and Kari found her, her brother and Gatomon standing on the beach. Kari looked into the water and saw Mr. Nishijima walking towards them carrying something. The ground started shaking and Kari lost her balance. She landed on her back side and looked up,
"It's unstable! Tai we have to go!" She yelled and Tai nodded. Gatomon held onto Kari and Kari watched her brother run into the water.
"Hurry!" He yelled and Kari could make out that Mr. Nishijima was carrying Maki.
"Tai!" Kari yelled as another earthquake started. She held Gatomon tightly and begged for Mr. Nishijima to pick up the pace. Kari wasn't going to let Tai down. She was going to save them. She clenched her teeth and stood. She looked out into the water and clenched her hands into fists. The darkness would not win. She rolled her shoulders back as light radiated from her. It enveloped herself, Gatomon, Mr. Nishijima and Maki. She was standing and then she was falling.