"So where exactly are we headed?" Davis asked, "My feet are killing me!" The four were walking along the hot sandy desert that appeared out of no where. They were headed into a large patch of forest that looked like it was grown by magic.
"Relax squidgit," Zowie said leading the group down the grassy path. "Wherever we're heading we'll get there soon."
"I'm not squidgit, Missy!" Davis said stubbornly.
"Cool it Davis," Izzy pulled him back "Just because she looks your age doesn't mean she is."
"Sorry," Davis sighed "I just can't help it. You all just look soo…"
"So Zowie is it?" Tai cut Davis off, "Where are you from?"
"I live nearby," She smiled, "I go to private school but I don't live to far from Aubrey's foster home."
"And what can you tell me about what happened back there?"
"You mean Tara?" Tai nodded, "All I know is we each have were given something a long time ago, it was connected to a secret truth within each of us and honestly we never thought we'd experience that again."
"When was this?"
"Years ago…do you hear that?"
"No." Davis said flatly.
"Wait," Izzy glanced around "Does this place look familiar to anyone else other then me?"
"Looks like a bunch of trees to me." Zowie said plainly. A humming came from behind the shrubs just ahead.
"Someone's over there." Tai said leading the rest over to the thick brush. Slowly, so not to make a sound, Tai pushed the branched out of the way and peered out into an odd clearing where an army of Mikamon surrounded an angry digimon and two obvious captives.
"What do you see Tai?" Agumon asked with extreme curiosity.
"Shh! I'm trying to listen." Tai whispered. The mumbling hum faintly became clear.
"Well done Mikamon. With these two, the keys of skill and imagination will come to me!" The large digimon slightly laughed at his own words. But he still looked angry and evil.
"No problem Master Ottomon." One of the digimon bowed happily. "What would you like me too…"
"Ottomon?" One of the captive digimon, the dog like one, shouted in slight humor. "What kind of a Mon are you?"
"You stay silent!" A Mikamon jumped up prepared to punish the digimon.
"Back off!" The fox like digimon snapped, as the other growled bearing his teeth angrily.
"Miamon?" Zowie gasped, she had been silently looking over Tai's shoulder. This sudden gasped made Tai jump.
"What?" Tai gaped at her "You know that digimon?" Zowie hesitantly stepped back.
"Yes," She said questionably.
"How?" Davis asked in pure shock, Zowie slowly shook off her fear.
"It… Doesn't matter how," She said quickly "Right now we have to save Miamon and Danemon. Or that things going to hurt them."
"Your right!" Demiveemon said "And I have a plan!"
"Since when do you start coming up with plans?" Davis asked stubbornly.
"Since I started watching late night war specials." Demiveemon smiled widely.
"Okay, then let's have it." Izzy urged.
"All we need is a tank and machine guns and..." Davis threw a rock at the little digimon.
"We don't even have a water pistol!" He whispered forcefully. Zowie picked up the rock Davis had just thrown and a smile spread across her face.
"We have something close," She said as a purple slingshot materialized in the palm of her hand. "I'll take care of the Mikamon you guys go after Ottomon." Not quite recovering from the slight bit of shock, Tai nodded, to show Zowie he agreed and she disappeared into the trees.
"Alright Agumon." Tai choked. "Ready?" Agumon nodded Agumon Digivolve too………… ………….Greymon!
"Now all we have to do is wait for our cue." Tai said.
"Um, excuse me Izzy, but shouldn't I digivolve?" Tentomon asked
"That would be a good idea." Izzy said Tentomon Digivolve too…………………Gabutarimon!
"Look!" Davis pointed out to the clearing, where the conversation between the evil digimon, just as a small purple light flew through the air and pegged a Mikamon in the back. The digimon cried out in pain as his joints stiffened and he faded away into data. The frightened Mikamon spun around toward the shuffling bushes. Ottomon ordered then to catch whatever it was and they all charged into the trees.
"What kind of a rock was that?" Davis asked, Tai and Izzy's mouths were open in shock.
"Now Tai?" Greymon asked, Tai snapped back into reality.
"Now is good." Tai agreed
"Let's go Gabutarimon!" Greymon shouted. Together they pushed through the trees.
Novablast! Elector-Shocker! The two surprised digimon starred as the attacks hit Ottomon launching him into the air. The evil digimon laughed and dodged the next few attacks. And released his own.
Tornado Winds! a black tornado hit the two champion digimon. Tai Davis and Izzy ran to the two captives.
"It's okay we're here to help you." Davis assured them
"Greymon, Digivolve again!" Tai shouted
"NO!" Danemon shouted.
"Why not?" Izzy asked but it was too late.
Greymon digivolve too…uh? Coramon?
"Coramon?" Tai gasped and watched in awe as the light from Coramon turned dark and surrounded Ottomon as he transformed into Greymon.
"That's why," Danemon sighed, Miamon pulled herself the rest of the way free and ran toward Coramon with Tai close behind.
"You okay?" Miamon asked.
"Ya," Coramon said looking dazed "What happened?" Tai picked him up.
"The same thing that happened to Veemon. But don't worry I'll keep you safe." Tai said
"Gabuterimon," Izzy shouted, "It's up to you now!"
"Whatever you do, don't digivolve!" Danemon shouted up to the sky.
"Okay," Gabuterimon nodded back.
"I'm not going to waist anymore time on you!" Ottomon/Greymon stated "You humans are…"
"We'll I'm sorry but I'm afraid you'll have to was some time on us!" Davis shouted
Electro-Shocker! The attack faded away before it even left.
Novablast! Ottomon shot Gabuterimon out of the sky.
"Gabuterimon!" Izzy shouted.
"Let's try fire against Fire!" Miamon shouted, springing into the air Comet Blast! But nothing happened,
Sora, TK, Mike, Jay, and Kari stood exhausted on a barren cliff. "Are we lost?" Patamon asked from the top of TK's head.
"No, we just don't know where we are." TK smiled up at him.
"Oh good at least we're not lost." Patamon smiled back. Sounds of a fight below rose up to their ears.
"What's that?" Sora asked looking out across the trees "Sounds like a fight!"
"Looks like one too!" Kari pointed out toward the horizon where smoke could be seen rising into the air.
"Who is it?" Jay asked
"It's way to far away to tell," Mike stated.
"Someone's in trouble and we need to help, Biomon!" Sora looked at her digimon.
"I'm way ahead of you Sora!" Biomon cried back Biomon digivolve too… … ... … … Birdramon
"Patamon, Armordigivolve!" TK shouted excitedly Patamon armordigivolve too… … … … … Pegassismon
"Gatomon, lets go!" Kari smiled Gatomon armordigiovolve too… … … … …Nefatarimon
"Oh, so that's what Davis was TRYING to do." Jay nodded.
"Kari!" Sora shouted "Take Jay and Find Yolei and Mimi! There back in that direction."
"Okay!" Kari said pulling Jay onto Nefatarimon's back.
"Come on Mike!" TK laughed "You can ride with me!"
Pepper Blaster! Danemon attacked
"Take cover guys!" Davis shouted to Tai, Izzy, and the digimon. They turned and made a mad dash for the woods, Greymon attached close behind.
"Your gonna have to move faster then that!" Davis yelled again from the brush.
Star Shower
"We thought it was you!" Sora said as Birdramon set her down and launched back into the sky. Gabuterimon joined her.
"That's not Greymon." He said to them weakly "Attack him!"
"Whatever you say." Pegasismon said.
"I don't mean to destroy the party," Ottomon said with a laugh "But I've got more important things to attend to, I'll destroy you later after I have all I need. Got to fly!" He transformed into a long ugly dragon and flew away.
"Chicken!" Davis shouted from inside his bush. Birdramon landed and so did Pegasismon, TK and Mike dropped to the ground and the three digimon de-digivolved.
"So Tai, who started the fight?" Sora asked with a smile.
"He did!" Tai insisted
"Actually," Izzy stepped in "He was asking for it, he had two digimon tied in chains, and…"
"What digimon?" TK asked, they glanced around but no other digimon were anywhere to be seen.
"Well isn't that nice," Davis said angrily "We risk our necks for them and they run off without an explanation or even a thank you."
"Maybe they'll send you a card?" TK suggested.
"They don't need to thank YOU!" Zowie said appearing from behind a tree "you didn't do anything!"
"I did SO!" Davis said "Well I untied one of them."
"This way Tai!" TK waved as he turned into the trees, everyone followed.
Matt stood on one side of the clearing and Russ stood on the other, starring at each other. Cody and Joe sat in the center starring at the dirt. "Aren't we supposed to be looking for something?" Cody asked. Nicki leaned up agents a tree, arms folded in disgust.
'Tara you'd better be awake and kicking' Nicki thought
"No worries friend!" Tara spoke coming out of the trees followed by everyone else "The army, air force, and dogcatchers are here!"
"Don't you just mean the Calvary?" Kari asked. Nicki and Tara glanced at each other and laughed.
"NO!" they said in unison.
"Russ!" Aubrey ran up to him and jumped straight into his face "What did you say? I'll be right back I recall. Why didn't you comeback when you said you would…"
"Brey," Russ clamped his hand over her mouth "Thank you!"
"So," Tara whispered into Nicki's ear "How bad has it been?"
"Well you know that time when they changed Early Edition to a new TV station that I didn't have and I thought the world was going to end?" Tara nodded at the very unpleasant event, "Almost as bad as that!"
"Yikes!"
"So Russ," Robie leaned up against the tree beside him "Who's winning?" Russ and Matt continued to glare at each other from across the clearing.
"I've got him on the run." Russ stated, Robie looked at the ground and smothered his laughter in his shirt.
"What do you mean winning?" Palmon asked
"Ya! It's not like a boxing match." Mimi stated joining the group witnessing the battle.
"No, but I have a feeling it could turn into one really fast." Gabumon said
"Huh? What do you mean?" Mimi asked
"Wait. How'd you guys find us?" Joe asked
"Oh, way to change the subject!" Mimi said placing her hands on her hips in disgust.
"Sorry," Joe shrugged "I was just wondering."
"Kari and Jay came back and got us." Luke answered. "Said there was some sort of fighting going on in this direction."
"Fight?" Matt snapped back into reality "What fight?"
"I'm not sure but Sora and TK went to help." Jay said to Nicki looking way up "Hum, Has anyone found out how to make us older again my neck is beginning to hurt."
"Mine too." Kari agreed
"Mine three!" TK shouted entering the clearing. Startling practically everyone, heads jerked up to see the Tai, Izzy, Zowie, Sora, Mike, and TK join them, with their tired digimon.
"Coramon?" Kari gasped "Tai what happened to Agumon?"
"His names Ottomon." Tai said "And he's no ordinary digimon."
"tiss you got that right," Tara muttered under her breath.
"Was that what the fight was all about?" Jay asked curiously. They all nodded slowly.
"He captured two digimon," Zowie said making eye contact with Luke. He didn't understand at first but soon his mouth dropped open. Frustrated he ran his fingers through his hair and turned his shocked expression away from the crowd.
"We just had to help them." Davis said, "So we jumped into action."
"When you say we," Izzy stepping in "You mean everyone BUT you, Right?" Davis lowered his head.
"I … I at least untied the fox looking one." He said. Tara gaped and her head shot up from the back of the crowd. She pushed her way thought to where Davis was standing.
"Fox?" She said trying to sound casual.
"Ya a fox," Davis repeated unconfidently as Tara gulped and starred off in Nicki's direction. "Well it kind of had a curly look and…"
"Hey Tara?" Izzy smiled at her, while waving his hand in front of her face. "You awake?" Tara slightly smiled back.
"Wait," Gatomon suddenly springing to all fours, "Was the fox red and silver?"
"Ya I think so," Tai nodded "Why?"
"It's the same digimon!" She said thoughtfully
"The same digimon what?" Kari asked
"The same digimon that showed up when we tried to rescue Tigramon!" Gatomon stated, Izzy immediately dropped to the ground and propped open his computer.
"That's right!" Agumon said "She's the one that told Tigramon to jump through the portal! Why didn't I recognize her before?"
"What are you two loony's talking about?" Mimi asked "I don't remember any fox."
"When we lost your paper," Cody pointed out "The other digimon that joined the fighting half way through…"
"I think Mimi was covering her eyes by that time." TK stated as Kari elbowed him in the ribs.
"Miamon," Izzy shouted out of the blue. Tara jolted back into reality and spun around to face Izzy. "Rookie stage, Comet Blast Attack that will fry anything in its path."
"That's her," Tara sighed to herself
"What's that around her neck?" Sora asked peering over Izzy's shoulder
"It's a silver band with a lock on it," Gabumon explained "She can't digivolve without the key."
"How'd you know that?" Matt asked
"Because Tigramon has the same thing," Gabumon said, all the original Digi-destined crowded around the small laptop to see this new digimon. Izzy zoomed in on the silver band.
"Well would you look at that," he said "So these keys are actually to Digimon, is that why this Ottomon is them?"
"What's that symbol?" Palmon asked
"Looks like a crest to me." Armadillamon shrugged. "But I don't know what it means."
"So we have the digi-destined of strength that Merlockmon said he wanted," Cody stated, "That means this ones his next target, how many keys are there?"
"Eight," Russ sighed crossing his arms but Nicki was the only one that heard him. Putting her hand on his bicept she cautouned him to stay quiet. "They need to know the facts,"
"But we're not sure of them ourselves, lets just wait and see what plays out."
"You realize that's a stupid idea."
"Yes I know."
"Where exactly are you going with this?" TK asked
"I thought a crest was supposed to help amplify your tie to your partner digimon not keep it from digivolving all together." Cody asked
"Still not following." TK said.
"Why aren't you guys saying anything?" Tai motioned over to Nicki who bit back her lip, "You are the digidestined of strength aren't you?"
"Hold up! Did I miss something?" Matt asked
"You mean everyone figured it out before YOU? That's just wonderful." Russ rolled while Matt shot him a glare but quickly watched the expressions on Nicki's face.
Nicki regained her composure and shrugged. "I think we'd best wait for JIZ to explain, I'll just make it sound more complicating and have to repeat myself."
"You're going have too," Russ laughed "If he hadn't figured it out yet then he may never."
"What are you implying RUSS! That I'm not smart enough to figure it out myself?" Matt balled his hands into fists and held them firmly at his sides.
"Well you must be a little smarter then I thought because you sure picked up on that one pretty quick." Russ shot back, growing tense himself.
"Okay guys that's enough." Nicki stepped between the two red faced boys. "This isn't a hockey game!"
"Oh no it's defiantly not a hockey game!" Luke said, as he and Tai took front row seats and watched eagerly eating a bag of popcorn.
"Oh ya, It's much better!" Tai finished
"Where'd you get that?" Jay asked motioning to the bag of hot popcorn clinched in Luke's hands.
"Who cares…its Free!" They said in unison.
"Listen wise guy…" Matt continued ignoring the commotion outside his and Russ's little world. "You really think…"
"Ohh, wait one minute. Let's just get one thing straight," Russ interrupted "I don't think, I KNOW."
"Oh really?" Matt smirked "If you're so smart then you probably can tell us why you're so ugly!"
"Hey wait one second!" Russ shouted back
"Did I mention he was adopted?" Tara stated slipping between Tai and Luke, and stuffing a handful of popcorn into her mouth.
"UGH! WILL YOU ALL JUST STOP!!!!" Nicki shouted angrily stomping her foot. Her anklet shinned white and the ground shook. Everyone stumbled about, by the time the ground stopped moving, everyone was on the ground.
"Nicki you know how much I hate that." Mike said picking himself off the ground.
"Sorry, But these two rock brains left me no choice." She stated
"She means you," Russ and Matt said in unison.
"Mimi am I going crazy?" Joe asked "Or is there a lot of non human like things going on with these people?"
"I'd say you'd gone crazy long before you think you did, Joey." Zowie said putting a sarcastic, sympathetic hand on his shoulder.
"I'm with the doctor!" Sora gazed suspiciously towards Nicki and the others "It's almost like there…"
"Digimon?" Gatomon finished for her. Silence fell over everyone, they all starred at each other, Russ and Luke exchanged confused glances, but no one spoke a word.
Nicki could tell what they all were thinking, and it was making her a little jittery. Suddenly a slight snicker that came from behind Izzy broke the silence. Cody sat on a stump, by himself, near the fork in the road. And for some odd reason he broke into laughter.
"Cody?" Yolei scolded placing her hands on her hips. "What's so funny?"
"Cody, this isn't a laughing matter." Joe chimed in disapprovingly.
"I….I know," Cody gasped between giggles "I'm sorry! Really, But Gasp I was trying to picture it!"
"Picture what?" Aubrey asked curiously
"Ni…Nickimon." Cody choked out. "And Russmon!" The mood all round seemed to be changing, Russ snorted and Nicki smiled. Tara, Tai, and Luke began eating their bag of popcorn. And Davis totally lost it and began to laugh hysterically hard.
"Um… Davis," TK said starring at him "It really wasn't THAT funny." Davis stopped and stood up instantly and casually rubbing his head "I know." He said in and embarrassed manner. Demiveemon sighed and hid his face.
Izzy let out a frustrated shout and pulled at his hair "Why is this not making any since?"
"Maybe it's because your 10 year old mind can't take all the pressure?" Tai suggested.
"It never failed me before!" Izzy said.
"AGE! Now that's something!" Palmon exclaimed.
"Ya," Luke smiled "I noticed this before. Everyone's back at the same age they were when they first arrived in the digital world. Even Davis, Cody, and Yolei!"
"Go, Luke! Go Luke!" Aubrey cheered.
"I'm impressed Lu-Lu! You've gotten smarter since we last talked." Zowie laughed.
"Lu-Lu?" Kari giggled "So Lu-Lu, how'd you know we were the same age?"
"Good question." Luke now trying to sound likes a professional psychiatrist. "I just remembered how old I was when Miodismon attacked. And the rest of you kind of fell into place."
"Miodismon?" TK looked suspiciously at Nicki "Someone didn't happen to jog you memory? Did she?"
"Who Nicki?" Luke caught on to TK's intentions "Ya she told me."
"Actually we were all on Instant Messenger before it happened." Mike said. Confused looks again began to circulate around the group.
"So… you all have…known we were the digi-destined?" Tai asked slowly from the ground.
"Well we didn't know people specifically…Well, Not all of us knew people specifically." Aubrey shrugged, Nicki guilty shifted her eyes to the ground, and Matt's mouth dropped open.
"You KNEW? You mean, you knew before you came and tortured me?" He said in disbelief. Nicki slowly nodded and tried to avoid eye contact. But Matt threw his hands up into the air, "I'm lost!"
"So are we," Jay stated "Just ask more questions and maybe we can figure this all out."
"When?" Mimi asked, "When did you guys first know about digi-destined and digimon?"
"Well, that's a tough question," Robe said.
"She means them," Nicki clarified, "I found out about a month after I left for America."
"You were in America when Miodismon attack?" Matt asked
"And I only knew when Tara told me about in an e-mail." All focus was removed from Nicki and shifted to Tara. Who was silently, sitting between Luke and Tai munching on popcorn. Her eyes slowly shifted among the waiting faces. Then through a mouth full of buttered popcorn,
"She asked me to give her a weekly up date." Said Tara and Tai didn't wait a spilt second he swiped the popcorn from her.
"How did you find out?" He asked forcefully. Tara slowly gulped down her last bit of popcorn. She looked around trying to find a reason to change the subject. Then her eyes settled on Izzy who was practically bagging for answers. So with a heavy sigh of defeat she started.
"Well, I actually knew before the Miodismon incident,"
"Oh no," Matt whined out loud.
"Whether you like it of not Matt there's going to be a flashback." Sora stated bluntly.