Kari, T.K., Patamon, Gatomon, Agumon, Tentomon, Palmon, Biyomon, Gabumon, and Gomamon watched the entertaining struggle with smiles on their faces.
"Well, it looks like they'll be awhile, so why not go for a swim without them?" Gomamon suggested, and the others automatically agreed.
"Yeah, we'll be with you, and wouldn't dare let anything happen, so why not?" Gatomon and Patamon reassured the two youngsters.
"Okay!" (T.K.'s learned to swim by now, as has Joe. Also, they're on the dock.) T.K. grabbed Kari's hand and they took a running start into the ocean.
"One, two, go!!" They shouted as they leaped headlong into the beautiful, waters, the Digimon jumping in simultaneously. Almost immediately after, Tai and Matt followed, trying desperately to get away from their pursuers, but Mimi and Sora went right in after them. Lucky for the boys, the calming waters had put out their fiery tempers, so to speak, and they all relaxed, Tentomon having to drag his partner (Izzy) and Joe from their habitual hobbies and drop them into the water from the air. (Izzy Duh, his laptop, and Joe…practicing being a doctor, or something? Caring for injured Digimon? Not too sure about him…)
"Tentomon, I highly doubt that was necessary, but I understand that you would never have gotten me away had you not forced me against me will, so it's completely all right." Izzy and his Digimon laughed.
"Hey, Izzy…?" Said boy turned to the one who'd called him, and smiled at the second youngest of the Digidestined. She glanced at him, and then looked away as the computer genius looked at her imploringly.
"Yeah? What is it, Kari?" She smiled up at him shyly and replied meekly.
"Well…no, it's nothing I-important. Never mind." However, the boy wouldn't take that kind of answer, and grinned caringly.
"I feel that whatever my friends think is important. You can tell me. Or, if you feel more comfortable talking to your brother, you may converse with him." He offered, moving to the side to allow her passage to her older brother if she wished it. She gently shook her head.
"Actually, I think it would be better if I talked it over with you and Joe, it that's okay."
"Of course it is! Hey, Joe, could you come over here for a second?" The eldest of the group swam over, a cheery grin on his face.
"Hey guys, what do you need?"
"Kari needs to talk to us about something, something that she feels she can't with Tai." Izzy explained. Joe frowned in concern, and was about to speak when Kari interrupted him.
"Come over here." She swam back to the other side of the dock, seeing as they had drifted towards the sea a bit, and the boys followed. When they stopped, Joe finally asked with a gentle, reassuring smile on his face,
"What could be so bad that you couldn't talk to Tai about it, Kari? You know how much he loves you. He would never judge you."
"Yeah, but..." She sighed. "It's because he loves me so much, and vice versa, that I can't tell him about this. I…I couldn't stand to hurt him again!" He voice grew very quiet and heavy tears threatened to fall from her eyes. She then felt two hands on her shoulders, and peered up to find that they belonged to her two companions. The boys stare at her very worriedly.
"You have to tell us what's wrong, Kari." Joe told her gently, but sternly.
"Please. All we want to do is help you, but to do that, you have to tell us what's going on…all right? We simply want to protect you, Kari. You have to understand that." Izzy smiled positively at her. The distraught girl sniffed as she wiped her eyes, and then began her hurt-filled tale.
"Well, Izzy, you remember when Tai told you about how I almost died when I was little because he made me play soccer with him while I was sick, right?"
"Yeah…" Izzy answered sadly. "I'd never seen him so…broken before... He completely fell apart, into nothing like the Tai I knew. He was so helpless and vulnerable then…it was really frightening. I knew that I never wanted to see him like that ever again…"
"I'm afraid…that's the reason I won't tell him about this."
"What…what do you mean, Kari? I thought your immune system was up to speed with any other child's nowadays." Izzy asked, confused.
"I…don't think so. If anything…" She couldn't finish, and had to take a few deep breaths before continuing. "I think it might be…well, I don't know…worse."
"But, if that's true, then-?!" The boys cut themselves off, now terrified for their friend's sister's safety.
"You could be in real danger…" Izzy added quietly, his voice very low in worry and fear.
"You know…" Joe started. "There is the possibility that it was simply taking a break all this time, and letting your white blood cells rejuvenate themselves, Kari, thus making the doctors feel as though your immune system was up to speed, when it was and is actually weaker than before! If that is the case, then no scanner or doctor in the world could have detected it! No wonder you're so frightened…" He stared at her solemnly, his eyes shining brightly with grief and a newfound pain.
"Actually, Joe…that's not exactly it," She stared down at the blue waters of the ocean as she continued on. "I don't need scanners to tell me that my immune system is severely weaker than before, because I can feel it, deep within me, deep within my soul. That's all I can tell you right now, and has been all along. I don't know what I'm supposed to do…the next cold I catch, or case of measles that I contract could kill me, and I won't be prepared for that! I'm sorry I got you into this, but please…please don't tell Tai. It'll crush him if he finds out that his sister could die from a common cold! I don't want to hurt him again, not after what memories continue to haunt him even after he's grown up so much, even after we've grown so. I didn't mean to involve you guys, but…I didn't know what else to do, w-who to turn to…I'm so scared!" She leaped the few centimeters it was to reach the two and wrapped her arms around them in a much-needed embrace, as she cried out her beautiful heart.
The boys hugged her back on reflex, tears in their own eyes that threatened to fall; they wouldn't hear of allowing them to, though. They had to be strong for the eight-year-old in front of them that was clenching them so tightly; they couldn't let her see they were terrified for her as well. It would only make things worse…
Unbeknownst to the three, someone, a small little boy with hopeful blue eyes and blond hair that was always covered with a hat, had been watching them, listening in on their supposed 'private' conversation. He spun around to lean against the think dock pole he'd been hiding behind, his eyes wide with horror as he breathed heavily from shock and panic.
'That can't happen to Kari! I won't let it! I'll protect her; I have to! That's it! I promise to stay by her side always, through everything life has to offer, if it'll keep her safe from harm! Don't worry, Kari, I'll be with you the whole way, I promise! Nothing's gonna stop Takeru Takashi, not when it's about protecting someone I care about!' He peered back at the hysterical girl, and vowed that he would always keep that promise.