Chapter Eleven of "Tai's Downfall" by Melinda-chan
Note: This chapter contains scenes of violence and a little profanity. There'll be nothing too graphic, but reader discretion is advised for some readers.
Now that is done with, let this chapter begin!
Agumon had to hold his breath as Tai parked the car in the hospital parking lot.
"Do you know the visiting hours?" Agumon inquired.
"This won't take long," Tai said. He then went out of the car. Agumon of course followed him.
'When did Tai became so evil?' Agumon thought. 'Was it that day when we saw Matt and Sora together? Or was it there, lurking, until the weakness in Tai became too much and it overcame him one day?' Agumon then looked up at him. 'Who is he now? Can I get to the real Tai before it's too late?'
"Excuse me, but do you know where Matt Ishida is?" Tai asked a woman at the information desk.
"May I ask who is this?" the woman asked as she typed on the computer.
"Tai Kamiya," Tai said. She checked on the computer.
"You know that Matt Ishida is in a coma, do you?" the woman said.
"I know that" Tai said. "I only intend to stay for a short time."
"Matt Ishida is in the trauma section," the woman said. "Do you need assistance on getting there? There is a sign in the lobby."
"No thanks then," Tai said. He then looked at Agumon. "Come on, Agumon. Let's go." Agumon did what he told him.
"Let's see…" Tai said, looking at the sign in the lobby. "The trauma section is at the right, so we should go up the hallway." Agumon nervously looked at the two security guards. He knew that Tai may not have an actual weapon, but he could get in a lot of trouble if anyone caught them in the act.
Not that Agumon would want that to occur if that would stop Tai from this foolishness.
"Excuse me, but may I ask where Matt Ishida is?" Tai asked the lady at the desk in the trauma section.
"Matt Ishida…" the woman said as she checked her computer. "A nurse is attending to him at this moment. Can you wait for a few minutes?"
"Sure," Tai said. So he and Agumon sat down.
'I wonder what Tai is thinking now?' the Reptile Digimon thought. 'If he is really going through with this, how will he be able to get away with it? Surely, since Tai would be the last person to see Matt alive, he would be the prime suspect!' Agumon then saw Tai's right pocket, where the tube of acid rests. 'What exactly is in that thing? How is Tai going to dispose of it?' All of a sudden, Agumon heard footsteps.
"Are you waiting for Matt Ishida?" the nurse asked Tai.
"Yes. How is his condition now?' Tai asked her.
"I'm afraid that he's still in critical condition," the nurse said. "But you can visit him for a short period. I'm not sure what you can do but you can at least talk to him. I've heard of people waking up when someone they heard before was talking to them."
"Ah thank you Nurse," Tai said. "May you show us his room?"
"Of course," the nurse said. "Be very careful when talking to him. Even if he's still in a coma, his brain may still be able to pick something up from the outside world. So don't say anything that you wouldn't say to him if he was conscious."
"Oh you don't have to worry about that," Tai said. Agumon didn't like the way he was looking at her.
The nurse didn't seem to mind (maybe she was used to all sorts of people by now) and led them to room 320- Matt's room.
"Don't be in too long," the nurse said.
"This wouldn't take too long, trust me," Tai said. At that, he and Agumon entered the room.
In the meantime, Ken and Wormmon entered the hospital.
"I wonder if it's a little too late," Wormmon said.
"They'll tell us if that's the case," Ken said. He then looked around.
"What's wrong, Ken? You do know where the trauma section is, right?" Wormmon asked him.
"Actually, I am looking for the bathroom," Ken said.
"I see," Wormmon said.
"Ah! There it is!" Ken said, when he saw the signs. "I really have to go, so will you stay put until I come back?"
"Oh yes!" Wormmon said. So Ken went to the bathroom while Wormmon waited for him, unaware that Tai and Agumon were in Matt's room already.
As for Tai and Agumon, the Reptile Digimon was having serious second thoughts about everything.
"Tai, this is a public place," Agumon said. "If anyone comes in and sees you like this-"
"This shouldn't take too long," Tai said. He then took out the tube and shook it. "Now I need to make sure the door is closed, Agumon."
"Yes, Tai," Agumon said with a wary tone. He then went to the door and shut it.
"Yamato Ishida…" Tai said as he walked toward Matt's bed. "How long have I waited for this moment! Hahahaha!" He then took out the tube and a needle. "Now how do I work this thing?" Agumon fell down in shock.
As for Ken, he and Wormmon were now walking toward the trauma section.
"Ken… do you think Matt will ever recover?" Wormmon asked him.
"I don't know" Ken said. He then saw a nurse. "Excuse me, but do you know anything on Yamato Ishida's condition?"
"I'm not responsible for that patient," the nurse said. "But I do know that one person and a Digimon is with him now."
"A person and a Digimon?" Ken said.
"Yes" the nurse said. Ken then went to the receptionist.
"Excuse me, but does Yamato Ishida have a visitor?" Ken asked her.
"Oh yes!" she answered.
"Do you know who it might be?" Ken questioned.
"I didn't get his name," the woman said. "But I did notice that he had an Agumon with him."
'An Agumon-' Ken thought, his eyes widened in horror. 'It has to be Tai!' He then turned to Wormmon. "Wormmon, did you hear that?" Wormmon nodded.
"It has to be Tai!" Wormmon said. "Let's go and find out what he's up to!"
"I hope nothing has happened yet!" Ken said. He then ran to Matt's door. He took a deep breath as he took hold of the doorknob. He didn't want to confront Tai in a hospital room but if there was no other choice-
Ken opened the door.
He saw Tai hunched over Matt's bed. At once, Ken went right to him and put his right hand on his shoulder.
"I don't think so, Tai, or whatever the hell you are now," Ken said. Tai looked back at him. He had the needle in his hand.
"What the hell are you doing?" Ken yelled. Tai looked back at him but didn't reply.
"I don't know what you're doing, but this is a hospital," Ken said. He then went closer to Tai. "Or do you not care anymore?"
"You know everything, do you?" Tai said, still not looking at him.
"I don't know what you're planning to do, but I'm sure that the nurses wouldn't approve of you poking a hole in Matt's skin" Ken said. At that, Tai looked up at him.
"You really do know everything, do you?" Tai asked.
"What do you mean 'everything?' What else have you tried to do to Matt?" Ken said. He then narrowed his eyes. "Or are you finally going to confess?"
"You know too much already!" Tai said. Ken let go of him just in time to dodge Tai's punch.
"Tai, give it up," Ken said. "Even I wasn't here and you killed Matt, all the people here know that you were the last one here, so you would be the first suspect. And if the police figure out that you tampered with Matt's car-" Ken was stopped when Tai turned around and tried to attack him again. Fortunately, Ken was too fast for him.
"You did it, didn't you?" Ken said. "I don't know why you are doing this, but you got to stop it before you really-" Ken then had to dodge another attack by Tai.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! YOU DON'T FUCKING UNDERSTAND!" Tai yelled. He then moved forward at him, but Ken went back.
"I don't know your exact reasons for this, but you mustn't allow yourself to be consumed by evil!" Ken said. At that, Tai's eyes widened.
'Do I really want to do this?' Tai thought. 'Ken had already seen me, so how am I suppose to continue this way?'
'Let me take over, Tai,' a voice answered. 'You're too weak to do this.'
'What are you going to do?' Tai thought.
'If you won't do it, then I shall do it for you' the voice replied.
'No wait!' Tai thought. But he was too late to prevent his dark thoughts from taking over. The dark Tai smirked.
'I felt something change,' Ken thought. 'This must be his other personality. If I can restrain it-'
"You know too much, Ken Ichijouji," 'Tai' said. "Perhaps I should get rid of you too." He then attacked him with the needle in his hand.
"Ken!" Wormmon yelled.
"Are you insane, Tai?" Agumon yelled. 'Tai' looked back in mid-flight.
"Leave yourself out of this, Agumon!" Tai yelled back.
'He left an opening,' Ken thought. He then jumped up and kicked 'Tai' in the chest. Without hesitating, Ken then went down on him, trying to restrain him.
"You forgot," Ken said. "I know self-defense." He put his hands onto 'Tai's' own hands. 'Now to disarm him,' he thought.
"Maybe you do," 'Tai' said. "But you can't restrain all of me." Ken became puzzled until he felt a sharp jab in his left leg. Ken let go momentarily, which was enough for 'Tai' to get up from below him.
'Dammit!' Ken thought. 'I didn't hold on to his legs hard enough! But I can't let his hands get at me!' Ken then ran toward him.
"Wormmon, get security!" Ken shouted.
"How, Ken?" Wormmon asked.
"There should be a red button on the left side of the bed," Ken replied. "Or you can use the button that is on the yellow cord that is connected to Matt! Just do it!"
"Ken!" Wormmon shouted. Ken turned at him.
"DO IT WORMMON!" Ken yelled.
"You turned away from me! Bad mistake!" 'Tai' said. Ken turned back at him just as he attacked him. At first, Ken managed to hold him off, but then his eyes widened and he then slumped on the floor. On his left hip was the needle- 'Tai' had switched hands in mid-flight and stabbed him when Ken was looking up at 'Tai's' face.
"KEN! YOU-" Wormmon shouted. He then hit 'Tai' with all his full force against Matt's bed. 'Tai' fell down onto the floor, knocked out cold by the blow.
"TAI!" Agumon shouted, but he didn't retaliate.
"Agumon, get help for Ken!" Wormmon demanded.
"Ah yes!" Agumon said, without hesitation. He then went out the door. Wormmon looked at Ken. He had to put him on his side since he was convulsing.
'I hope that Agumon can get help quickly!' Wormmon thought. 'Ken, hang in there!'
End of Chapter Eleven
This is the climax of the story, so I hope to end this in a few chapters. I like to thank all of you that are still reading this. It was a big challenge to write a fic without any major original characters, and writing an angst fic was also challenging. Will Ken be okay? In his mind, will Tai be able to defeat his dark self? Will he get professional help? How will the others react? Will Matt awake? Will he be okay? Will Tai be able to face Sora and get over his obsessive love for her? Digimon was created by Toei Animation. Please don't forget to review!