taichi and hikari ended up having to walk home with the three digimon with them as hikari said "no taxi will stop to give us a ride" and as taichi said "this is weird even fir the subway"
They sneaked into their house a little after dawn and got to there room.
Taichi spoke quietly "I'll put wizarmon in my bed and sleep on the floor, tailmon is there anything we can do for him?" she shook her head. Taichi removed his cloak hat shoes and gloves to try and make him more comfortable
"picodevimon's darts can make a digimon very sick they're fatal to humans, wizarmon was so weak…" she couldn't continue her voice broke and a tear slid down her face
"he was weak from coming back wasn't he?"
"and vamdemon…vamdemon drank his blood"
"he did what!" exclaimed taichi
"it drained any energy he'd built up" the three of them looked down worriedly at the unconscious digimon
"coming across the barrier wont have helped" said hikari
"helped more than leaving him in the digital world" said taichi with a shrug "we should all get some sleep…"
***
Taichi awoke the next morning and stretched it took a couple of moments to take in where he was and remember what had happened. Looking out the window he realised they had over slept a little, which was understandable. He stood up and padded into the kitchen where he found a note from his parents
Taichi, hikari
Me and your father have gone out to do some errands we will be back this evening
Love mum
"taichi what's going on?"
"oh hi agumon, my parents have gone out that's all, hikari up?"
"no, nor wizarmon. Tailmon's up somewhere though I think"
"right I'll start making something to eat, its probably good mum and dad aren't here"
Taichi made some breakfast food then carried the plates into the bedroom
"hikari" he shuck her gently
"huh? Taichi…" hikari sat up "how's wizarmon?"
"no change, do you want some breakfast? Mum and dad'll be back this evening"
"yes please, that's probably good"
"that's what I thought, it means you can rest for as long as you want"
"what about you?"
"I need to go see koushiro but I'll be back soon"
"what about me? I can come"
"you're exhausted and one of us should stay here encase wizarmon wakes up"
She nodded "what are you guys going to be doing"
"he said he's going to try and set up a tracking system for vamdemon and his henchmen it
would mean we could avoid them if we needed I'm going to see if I can help"
"okay…." he's not going to like that
***
"tailmon?"
"oh hikari" tailmon turned she was out on the balcony sitting staring into space "I didn't see you there" her voice sounded strained to hikari who crouched down in front of her putting her arms around her
"tailmon, it's okay"
"no its not" tailmon looked at the floor "he got hit by an attack meant for me again, he was back and now…now he might go again and it's all my fault again. And on top of that I was so awful to him before"
"you had no choice on that if vamdemon thought that we knew he was on our side there's no telling what he'd have done"
Tailmon nodded unconvinced
"hikari do you mind if I stay out here by myself for a little while I'll be in in a bit"
Hikari nodded and went back in side, she didn't know what she could do.
***
The light was blinding as he opened his eyes but it seemed he was wrapped in warmth and comfort as his eye's adjusted he could pick out a shape
"hikari…?" she started
"oh wizarmon, thank god" she knelt on the floor next to him. She noticed that in the absence of the material normally hiding his face he had pulled the blanket to cover his face, possibly subconsciously. "how are you feeling?"
His breathing was short and laboured
"I…"
"wait I must get tailmon"
"no!" she looked back quizzically
He shut his eyes looking pained "I'll go now" he said quietly
"wait-"
He got up suddenly "I must lea-" his eyes glazed and he started seeing black he fell forwards and hikari caught him before he hit the ground "I'm sorry…"
Hikari looked down at the digimon "why would you need to leave?"
"tailmon…" wizarmon shut his eyes to try and prevent tears but failed he blushed ashamed he was trying to regain his footing but found he had to cling to hikari, who was still supporting him, to stay up right
"wizarmon…tailmon didn't mean what she said, she just said that to make sure vamdemon didn't do anything to you, she's still your friend wizarmon…" his legs gave again and hikari nearly fell but regained her footing in time.
"lie down you idiot"
"tailmon?"
"yes me, stop hurting yourself lie down"
"yes" he said meekly, hikari guided him back over to the bed and he sat down tailmon jumped onto the bed pulling his arm which forced him to lie down. She put a paw gently on his shoulder
"get some rest, picodevimon's dart will have poisoned you and with everything else you've been through it's…" her voice broke "I'll still be here when you wake up" she finished slightly stronger "always"
He smiled at her "always" he repeated before his eyes flickered shut in exhaustion.
***
"I'll make some food" said hikari "we could all use some"
Tailmon nodded "shall I keep an eye on him?"
"good idea, I'll just ring taichi and tell him the good news" she dialled "hmm…strange no answer, I know I'll try yamatto"
"hello?"
"takeru?"
"yes, is that you hikari"
"yep I'm trying to track down my brother"
"he's not here I'll ask yamatto if he's seen him" there was a couple of moment muffled talk
"he says he hasn't, is there anything wrong?"
"no, in fact it's good news. Wizarmon's come round"
"that's excellent!"
"I know, I wanted to tell taichi the good news too, he said he was going to koushiro's"
"hey, could I come over?"
"yeah sure good plan"
"I'll stop in at koushiro's on the way over"
"thanks"
They hung up
"tailmon, takeru's coming over"
"ok, I'll set an extra place for lunch"
"thanks"
***
A few minute's later takeru rang the door bell
"hi, come in"
"thank you"
Takeru removed his shoes as he stepped inside "smells delicious I didn't know you were about to have lunch I'm sorry"
"oh no we've set a place for you come on through"
"wow! Thanks, there's no one at koushiro's I'm afraid"
"hmm…I'm sure they'll show up sooner or later, they can't have got far can they?"
"they'd need a D3 to open a gate if that's what you mean"
Hikari laughed "I suppose you're right" she then called into the bedroom "tailmon! Food's ready, is wizarmon up? Shall I bring him something?"
"he says may he eat with us"
"well of course"
***
"y-your cooking is very nice hikari"
"thank you wizarmon" she said smiling, it was the first thing he'd said she'd noticed that while shy when his face was covered by his hat and cloak he was painfully so when not wearing them she would mention to him later where they were she decided
"it's fantastic" agreed takeru
"I'm back!" called a voice from the hall "do I smell food, koushiro's here too"
"taichi where the hell have you been!"
"been to get stuff the koushiro needed"
"right"
"answer the question about food" he said entering the room
"I made lunch, you weren't here so I didn't make you any"
"aw! Hikari!!" moaned taichi "glad you're okay wizarmon" he added
"if there wasn't the issue of food he'd be taking more of an interest" muttered tailmon
"I heard that" said taichi with a grin
"she's right though" said koushiro entering the room as well
"thanks for the support"
"I'll see if we've got enough" sighed hikari getting up and going out into the kitchen
***
Takeru picked up his plate and got up to take it out, wizarmon copied him but immediately started to sway when he got up
"ah! be careful!" takeru steadied him and caught the plate that was slipping from his hands
"I'll take it" he said with a smile
"sorry"
"please sit down"
Wizarmon sat
"you need to be careful" taichi said "I don't know exactly what those darts do but…"
"I do" said koushiro
"surprising" yelled takeru from the kitchen
"I did some research, I think it must work something like a virus" The 5 digimon looked at him confused "hmm…it would be a different meaning to the one you give it, not as the attribute"
"what?"
"taichi you should know this" said koushiro exasperated "a digimon is one of three attributes virus data or vaccine"
"oh right, vamdemon he's virus"
"and picodevimon, they have a slight advantage over data digimon of the same level. Data digimon in their turn have the same over vaccine digimon and vaccine over virus, its like rock paper scissors"
"okay…"
"anyway what I mean is, picodevimon's poison effects you somewhat like a computer virus"
"what's that?" asked patamon
"well if my computer got a virus it could stop it working or make it very slow moving, its not making up become a virus digimon unless you are already of course"
"I'm data"
"okay right well then your attribute stays the same but as your body is controlled digitally the virus would be able to attack your data causing it to malfunction"
"you mean he's ill?" said taichi
"in simple terms yes, I'm not sure this is right though tailmon what does it do to humans?"
"its fatal"
"that's what I thought, that means there must be another part to it"
Tailmon nodded "you must be right, I'm sorry I don't know what that could be, we never got round to discussing the merits of our attacks" she said with a shaky smile
"no I guess not" said koushiro laughing "but you've seen it used, did digimon recover?"
"it depended"
"on?"
"there level…how strong they were at the time…" she glanced at her friend
"I'm…" he looked down "I didn't gain much strength"
"I know…"
"it seems worse than before"
"what!? He's done this to you before?"
Wizarmon nodded "you were away and…"
"he never liked you but that's low" she was seething
"please, it's okay"
"no its not"
"it might be a good thing I might have some resistance"
"he's right" agreed koushiro "you were very weak when you got hit by the attack, you had more chance of not waking up than doing so" everyone looked at him "well of course I didn't say that at the time, I think it will just take you a while to recover now you have awoken"
"that's good I guess" said tailmon "I still don't like your argument for it's a good thing he's attacked you before" she said to wizarmon
"er…"
"why didn't you tell me?"
Wizarmon glanced around feeling embarrassed tailmon noticed his discomfort
"do you mind if we're excused?" she asked
"go ahead" said hikari coming back into the room
***
"so tell me"
"I…I was okay by the time you were back there was no point"
"no point? I know I wasn't the best friend to you during that tim-"
He cut her off "don't say that!" he exclaimed "you have always been my friend, I'm sorry to interrupt you"
"I didn't remember you were my friend how could I have been"
"I told you, my life wouldn't have any meaning if you weren't my friend"
"wizarmon…I…I'm so sorry that's what I was telling you at the TV station before you…I'm sorry for all that time when I wasn't there for you as you were for me"
"that is in no way your fault, being near to you was enough"
"I'm sorry"
"you didn't remember me or anything because of vamdemon"
"another thing I can never forgive him for"
He stepped forward hesitantly putting his arms around her and she returned the hug
"its all okay….its all going to be okay"
"how can it every time we think we've got him he comes back stronger than before"
"I know"
"the only thing that's okay in anyway is I have you back now"
"and me you" he replied
"you were always my favourite of vamdemons servants you know I could never understand why"
He laughed "with the competition I'm not sure that's a compliment"
She laughed too "you're right but between you and picodevimon I'd choose you every time"
"thank you I think"
"I'm so glad you're back wizarmon"
"I'm glad too"
"I feel bad for that, you've been hurt constantly since you came back but I still want you to be here"
"I want to be here too, even if I am getting hurt"
"wizarmon, tailmon may I come in?"
"yep" said tailmon happily, hikari entered
"hi, sorry to interupt but we've called a meeting of all of us to discuss what to do"
"good plan"
"don't think we'll actually have much to discuss but we might think of something. Wizarmon I meant to ask you earlier, here's your cloak and hat if you would like them"
"is it okay?"
"of course" she smiled "you're more comfortable like that right?" he nodded
"I should have thought of that" said tailmon "and you could have said you know"
"I thought it would be rude"
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