Just being in the same place as before was enough to set Matt on edge, though with the addition of another of their group, he was much more certain that there would be no more touches, no more whispers, no more pain. Izzy had stumbled the last few yards, leaning heavily on Gabumon and Agumon to support him. Tai continued to babble at him, sounding much like TK from just those few short days ago that Matt had reemerged onto the beach at the amusement park.
Matt had told him to be quiet and let the boy rest, but, strangely enough, the brunette's chattering seemed to help recall the words or letters or whatever it was that he had lost.
Once again, the air was chilly and there was nothing to make a fire. Izzy huddled gratefully against Gabumon and his warm pelt. He nibbled a few cakes, splitting them with Motimon as attempted to carefully explain in partially-silenced Japanese what had happened to him.
"I was imp-iso-d i- a- adju-ct wo-ld a-d I was co-c-d i-to givi-g up my cu-iosity. I sp-t mo-ths m-ditati-g o-ly to b-com- -othi-g-ss a-d throw away my C-st and Digivic-. Motimo- -scu-d my soul a-d us-d th- pow-r of my C-st to Digivolv- to M-gaKabut-imo-."
He pulled the tag from his shirt, revealing the soft purple glow that illuminated his pale face.
"That's awesome, Iz!" Tai cheered. "Welcome to the club!"
"Ah, th- oth-s hav- al-ady obtai-d th- pow- of th-i- C-sts?"
"Not... Not everyone." Matt looked away.
"Yeah," TK said. "Matt still hasn't gotten his to be all glowy, even though he was gone for so long."
"TK," Matt hushed, blushing.
"How fasci-ati-g." Izzy brushed the crumbs from Motimon's face as he curled up to sleep. "Now I can -xami- th- diff-c-s b-tw- a C-st that has achi-ved it's st-gth a-d o- that still has it's pot-tial."
"Sure, whatever."
Izzy bit his lip. He was beginning to understand Matt's expressions and that one was a definite "leave it alone", so he continued with, "I am, i- fact, cu-ious as to how you ma-ag-d to find m-. I hav- b- livi-g u-d-g-ou-d fo- some tim-, -ow."
Tai held out his Digivice. showing the blipping red dots. "We came to a split at the mountain and we followed your dot."
"And now that trail is blocked off," Matt reminded him. "We can't go the other way to get whoever else it was."
"Th- was a-oth- child i- th- sam- vici-ity?"
"Eh, kind of. They were on the other side of the mountain." Tai rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Man, I wish Sora was here. Then we could just ride Birdramon across the mountain.
"If you will allow us th- day to -st, th- Kabut-imo- will be mo- tha- suited fo- that v-y task," Izzy responded helpfully. "That should cut dow- on th- amou-t of t-av-l imm-s-ly, -sp-cially co-sid-i-g ou- o-ly ways off this mou-tai- t-ail hav- appa-ntly b- cut off."
"Wonderful!" Tai cheered and Matt noticed Izzy's cheeks redden slightly. The redhead quickly turned his attention to Motimon, readjusting the creature as he snored. Matt could see that same warm sparkle in his eyes that Joe used to get in the dead of night. Matt furrowed his eyebrows and thought to himself.
I never knew that Izzy was... Like Joe. For that matter, I didn't know Tai was, either. Or me. I... I barely know anything about my so-called friends... He reached out to pull TK close, ignoring how he fussed, and began smoothing his bangs. No wonder I just up and left him there. I'm the worst...
"Matt," TK whined. "Stop it..."
"It is just my opi-ion," Izzy said quietly to Tai, "but do-sn't Matt s-m a little too involv-d with TK's w-lfa-e? As compar-d to befor- we s-parated, anyway?"
"Yeah, he's been a butt-head lately." Tai put his chin in his palm, pouting. "I was hoping I could get him to relax a bit, but he's so... cold. Colder than normal." He brightened suddenly, smiling with full brilliance at Izzy. "You feeling any better? I think your 'N's came back."
"I hav- notic-d that, and I am f-ling b-tt-r." Izzy bowed his head gently, mostly to hide his cheeks. "Thank you fo- allowing m- to -st." He gave Gabumon a grateful smile, knowing the Digimon would keep their conversation a secret.
Motimon gave a snort in his sleep, blinking awake, as a warm yellow glow surrounded him, and Tentomon crawled out of Izzy's lap.
"I am certainly feeling better," he said with a yawn. "Did I hear correctly that I am to ferry you across the mountain?"
"If you don't mind," TK said, rolling away from Matt. He grabbed Patamon in a hug and dragged him over to the ladybug Digimon. "Could you, please, Tentomon?"
"I believe I am up to the task." He flittered his wings experimentally. "Shall we go on?"
"Let's do it," Tai smiled, helping haul Izzy to his feet. "Hey, Matt! Get over here, let's go!"
Matt gave them a sullen glare, but joined up with them anyway. Gabumon hurried over to stand next to him, shifting worriedly from foot to foot.
"Tentomon Digivolve to... Kabuterimon!"
The dark blue beetle stretched his wings and gnashed his teeth. It had been a while since he'd evolved without the need to fight. He put a hand on the ground and rumbled deeply, "All aboard!"
The wind whipped through Matt's hair, and despite how tightly he clung to Kabuterimon, all he could think of was letting go and falling to the ground far below. He'd risked a glance long ago, before his stomach had churned and he almost passed out from vertigo, and had watched the ground change from rocky steppes to the warm green fields he'd seen before. The same brush of fluffy trees, only a few dotting the ground at first, slowly gathering into thicker and thicker bunches until a full forest emerged, only a few downed from the previous day's earthquake. There was a trickle of river, partially blocked by a rumble of loosened rocks, that slowly wound and stretched wider and wider to a babble of river.
"Hey, I'm getting a signal again!" Tai yelled over the humming of Kabuterimon's wingbeats.
"How int-sting!" Izzy cried, not quite as loud. "I b-li-v- my Digivic- is also -acting!" He looked at the small device clasped to his shoulder strap. The red dot bliped steadily in his ear. "It looks as though it is pointing in that vicinity!" He pointed over to a...
Castle?
"It's like a fairy tale!" TK shouted, cuddling into Patamon's ears. "I wonder if there's a princess!"
"Who-v- do-s inhabit that castl-, su-ly th-y can h-lp us out! Kabut-imon!"
"I'm on it."
The ground approached rapidly, the leaves in the trees rustling and replacing the heart-vibrating hum of wings. Carefully, Kabuterimon helped the children step down before shrinking down to his manageable ladybug size.
The castle loomed before them, deep gray stones spiraling into tall, blue tipped towers. There were glass windows through which they could see fluffy pink curtains, and the wooden drawbridge was lowered to reveal a bright red door.
"C'mon, let's go!" Tai ran up to the door, pushing open the surprisingly heavy door with all his weight.
Inside, it was surprisingly bright and... festive. Glittery streamers hung in low dips and fresh, sloppy pink paint dripped down the walls. There were new red carpets running in bright streams, leading up sparkling white stairs that vanished beyond light, way curtains. Running around, shouting about something involving dresses and cheeseburgers and the like, were small blue tadpoles and green frogs with horns wrapped around their shoulders.
"What's going on in here?" Agumon asked. Suddenly, all the Digimon stopped and stared with wide, desperately-crazy eyes.
"It's the deliverers!" one frog cried, pointing. "You brought the Princess her triple-decker fudge sundae!"
"No way!" Now that the silence had been broken, all the Digimon were screaming at them. "They brought the Princess her salad with extra carrots and vinaigrette on the side!"
"My tail! She wanted her lavender and pink pumps! By the way, who can tell me what a pump is?"
"Woah, man," Tai laughed. "Whoever this Princess is sure sounds demanding."
"Obviously s-lfish," Izzy added.
"More spoiled than me," TK continued.
"It's Mimi," Matt said, pointing to the staircase.
Sure enough, at the edge of the staircase, the honey-brunette was standing in a fluffy white and pink dress, glaring at the group from behind a feathery fan. All the tadpoles and frogs were bowing, scraping their foreheads against the ground, yelping apologies for their particular deliveries not coming in. She twisted her lips, and sneered, "And just who are you all calling 'demanding' and 'selfish' and 'spoiled'?"
"You, obviously," Tai told her without a hint of tact. "Now, get off that ridiculous thing and let's get moving."
"'Ridiculous'?" Mimi gasped. She fluttered her fan like a southern belle about to faint. "This is my royal outfit – there is nothing ridiculous about it."
"You look like a used cottonball." Tai glared. "Now, stop playing pretend, Mimi, we have to go find the others."
"No way, Tai!" she shrieked. The amphibians all round her covered their ear-areas, glaring at the intruders. "First, you get sucked into a black hole and leave us alone, and now you want me to just abandon my royal duties to... to... galvanize around the world with you again?!"
"'Gallivant'," Izzy corrected and Mimi screamed, stamping her foot.
"Jeeze, Mimi, calm down." Tai sighed and turned to the other kids as Mimi fumed. "What are we going to do? She's going crazy here."
"What w- n-d is a voic- of -ason," Izzy said.
"I wonder where Palmon is," Patamon said.
"She's always been reasonable," Gabumon added softly.
"Did someone say Palmon?" came the gentle voice over Mimi's flailing. The green plant poked her flowered head over the railing, using her vines to hold herself up.
"Thank goodness," Agumon said with a relieved sigh. "Palmon, help us tell Mimi we need to leave this castle."
"Why would I do that?" She dropped to the floor and happily skipped over to her Tamer, wearing the same frilly white and pink dress. "It's fun here."
"Not you too!" Tai yelped. He made a grumbling noise under his breath.
"What are you going to do?" Matt hissed as the brunette began storming towards Mimi.
"We're leaving," Tai snapped. He grabbed Mimi by the wrist and tugged. "Either change now or you're wandering around naked."
Mimi took a deep breath and screamed, a shrill noise that practically made Tai's goggles crack.
"Off with their heads!"
"W-what?!"
A sudden swarm of tadpoles and frogs descended upon the children and their Digimon, rope appearing from no where to bind their hands (and paws and pincers) behind their backs.
"Mimi..." they heard Palmon whine as they were marched past the stairs and down a hidden corridor.
The brightness and the temperature dropped suddenly, sending a chill down their spines. The frogs tossed them roughly into stone cells, slamming the rusty bars closed, TK and Izzy in one cell, Matt and Tai in another, and all the Digimon in a third.
"What did she mean, 'off with their heads'?" TK sniffled, clinging to Izzy. The redhead cringed, awkwardly patting him on the top of the head. "Is Mimi gonna kill us?"
"Don't worry about it," one of the tadpoles said sadly. "Eventually she'll get mad at something else and forget that you guys are down here. We'll come back in a day or so, ok?"
"Wait a minute!" Tai flung himself against the bars, yelling after the saddened Digimon slowly meandering out of the dungeon. "What's happening here? What happened to Mimi?!"
The deep thud of a heavy door closing was his only response. He cried out, trying to shake the bars to no avail. Matt huddled against the stone wall of the cell, pressing against it and knowing TK was on the other side, crying.
"Way to go, Tai," he spat. "If you hadn't gotten all grabby, we wouldn't be in this mess."
"Hey, at least I did something! What about you?" Tai glared. "I seem to recall you did nothing to convince Mimi to come with us."
"Well maybe you were too busy getting us all trapped down here!"
"Big brother!" TK sobbed, his voice echoing sadly. "Please, just stop!"
"Tai, is it count-productiv- to fight with one of our own," Izzy chastised. "W- n-d to find a calm, rational argum-nt that will p-rsuad- Mimi to r-join us."
Tai grit his teeth, fists shaking at his sides. Matt glared sullenly, knowing that if they did fight, he wouldn't be able to stop punching until his fears were gone. The brunette spat just outside his cell, flopping on the ground opposite Matt. The stone floor had a dusting of dirty straw, probably as some sort of useless insulation in the swiftly approaching winter. The sound of Izzy clacking on his keyboard filled the dank space, inter spaced by a trio of Digivices bliping in sync. There was a warm yellow-lavender light spilling out of the younger boys' cell, mingling with the orange glow of Tai's crest in the darkness. Matt bit his tongue, ignoring the world around him as he absently reached up to thumb the tag that was hidden under his shirt.
"So what's the deal?" Tai said softly after a while. Matt took a moment before he realized he was being spoken to. "So far everyone else we've seen has had their Crest glow."
"Well maybe I'm just a late bloomer?" Matt sneered. "Not everyone can just make their Crest glow on command like you."
"Woah, dude, I didn't mean it like that." Tai scratched the tip of his nose. "I was just trying to find out how these things work."
"Then talk to Izzy about it. He's be more than happy to discuss it with you." He couldn't shake that lost-puppy look Izzy had from his mind. The one Joe used to have whenever they closed the restaurant together.
Tai just shrugged, leaning against the cold stone. "Izzy probably just thinks I'm retarded. I'm sure he has better things to do than try and explain smart stuff to stupid guys like me..."
"You're not..." Matt paused, unsure if he wanted to continue. But Tai blinked at him and he blushed, looking away. "You're not stupid. Just brash. And thoughtless."
"Gee, thanks man." Tai gave a twisted grin.
"It's not bad, it's just...You. And there are people that like that kind of personality."
"Yeah." That damned look darkened Tai's eyes and Matt shuddered. "There are, aren't there?"
The blonde swallowed hard as Tai crawled across the floor, pressing hot lips eagerly against Matt's. Blue eyes screwed shut as a hand silently ran over his chest, toying with the hem of his shirt.
'Damnit,' Matt thought desperately. 'Why? Why do you do this to me? What would Izzy think of you...?'
Teeth were just nipping at his lips, trying to encourage them to part when the sound of a heavy swish echoed as the main door opened. There was a flurry of movement as Tai flung himself back to his side of the cell just as Palmon poked her head around, looking at them with watery jade eyes.
"I'm sorry about Mimi," she sniffled, tears dripping down the front of her dress. "I don't know what's gotten into her lately."
"Palmon," Izzy called from his cell. "Is th-r- anything you can inform us about this castl-? Who are all those amphibious Digimon and how have th-y mad- Mimi their Princ-ss?"
Palmon wiped her eyes with a purple vine and snifflingly explained how the pair had followed a bat Digimon who had promised them a soft bed and warm food. The Digimon in the castle, Otamamon tadpoles and Gekomon frogs, instantly welcomed them, letting them relax in a warm bath while they washed Mimi's clothes. Mimi had been so happy, she'd began to sing as she soaked and, when they finally were refreshed enough, the Gekomon had descended on them. At first, she'd been terrified and Palmon had been ready to Digivolve and attack, but the Gekomon told them that their master was in a deep sleep and only a voice like Mimi's could wake him.
The girl had been terrified as the horde of Digimon led her away to the back of the castle, the darkness becoming overwhelming and she'd only just realized that her Digivice had been left with her dress in the bathroom. Palmon had been determined to protect Mimi from any harm just as they emerged into a room with a huge stage and a large red statue. The Otamamon had told the duo about their master ShogenGekomon who had fallen into a deep sleep after loosing a singing contest and only the fairest of all voices could pull him back to life. Mimi had been encouraged up on stage, the music wrapping her in a comforting and familiar warmth. But that fear had still lingered. She had been scared that once ShogenGekomon was awoken, there would be no use for her and she would be killed. So she faltered and forgot and pretended to need more encouragement.
"But now she's actually become selfish," Palmon pouted, blowing what must have been her nose in the hem of her dress. "I barely recognize my Tamer anymore. She just wants to stay here and be a Princess forever, but... But I really want to see everyone again!" She wailed loudly.
"Palmon!" Agumon cried, covering his ears. "It'll be ok, you just have to free us so we can help!"
"You'll really help me out?" Palmon beamed sweetly, a look she must have learned from Mimi.
"Of course," Tentomon agreed. "You are our friends, no matter how many dungeons we get thrown into!"
"You guys are just so... so..." Palmon have a huge hiccuping sob. "Just so wonderful!" She pulled a set of keys from the frills around her hips. "Come on, I'll show you where the stage is."
"So this is the big guy, huh?" Tai scratched the back of his head. He looked around at the stage, looking at Mimi's signature streamers and even the huge mirror ball she'd had installed. The red statue that was ShogenGekomon was almost completely covered in glitter and tissue paper confetti. "He sure is a fatass."
"Tai!" Matt hissed, nodding pointedly at TK.
"He's heard me say worse," the brunette shrugged.
"I don't b-li-v- that is the r-spons- Matt was int-nding to h-ar," Izzy told Tai as Matt glowered.
"Don't worry, big brother," TK said, fidgeting as Matt held his hand again. "I know not to repeat the dumb stuff Tai tells me, unlike Gomamon."
The other kids shared a laugh at the memory of Joe almost having a heart attack upon the small seal's newfound love of the phrase "cocksucking motherfucker" but Matt just bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood. He wished desperately that he was back in that greasy diner, wasting away the days with the taller boy. That he'd never left him behind along with a chunk of his heart and soul. He had a brief thought, that he could run away now and be at the diner before sunrise, back with the boy he loved. Then TK tugged him forward and he knew he could never abandon his brother again, not for any selfish want of his own.
"So what do we have to do now?" Tai asked, oblivious to Matt's sudden and swirling depression.
Palmon pointed to the stage. "There's a microphone and a boombox. The Gekomon have it set up to play the song he lost to, but they said we can sing whatever as long is it's beautiful." She blinked. "But how are you going to get Mimi to sing? She still thinks you guys are in the dungeon."
"Who said we were gonna ask Mimi?" Tai grinned and slapped himself on the chest. "I'm gonna do it!" The other kids made faces and even the Digimon looked uneasy. "What? It's the perfect plan! Once I wake Monsieur Lardass, Mimi'll have no choice but to come with us!"
There was no change in any expression except for worry to deepen their frowns.
"Not to b- discourt-ous, Tai," Izzy said carefully. "But... W-'ve all h-ard you sing b-for-. And, well, how to put this d-licat-ly..." He tapped his chin, thinking of the easiest way to let the brunette down.
"You sound like a cat getting run over by a clown car. Repeatedly," TK finished, just as tactlessly as Tai would have put it.
"What?" Tai squawked. "No way. C'mon, Matt, back me up here!" Tai gave him an easy going smile, revealing his lack of offense.
Matt quickly turned his attention to readjusting TK's hat.
"Well, whatever," Tai laughed. "I'll just prove all you guys wrong with my angelic as hell voice."
Tai clambered up onto the stage, snatching the microphone from it's stand with a squeal of feedback that made everyone flinch. He made a face and rubbed the ringing from his ear. "A minor set back. Now, let's get this party started!" He reached over and pressed the 'play' button, bobbing his head out of beat with the lilting, breezy music.
"I'll turn my courage into wings / And fly away soon / No matter when / I always believe in you!"
As it was, Tai's voice did sound like a cat getting run over by a clown car. The more he sang, the more cats he seemed to crush carelessly beneath his tiny tires.
Tai looked over his shoulder and pouted. "Looks like Fatty-McFatigan just has bad taste in music."
"Maybe he's not waking up because you keep insulting him!" Matt cried.
"Oh yeah?" Tai glared. "I'd like to see you do any better!"
"Fine!" Matt shoved TK at Izzy, storming up to the stage. Tai fumed at him as he passed the microphone over. There was a brief moment where Tai give a small smile, a warm expression to reveal his joke, before he jumped from the stage, leaving Matt in the bright spotlight. His stomach was churning and the music was still playing.
"You can do it, big brother!" TK cheered.
He tried to look out to the other children, blinded by the slowly spinning mirror ball. He remembered a long time ago, his father heard him sing-songing along to the radio. He'd praised Matt, telling him he had a natural musical talent, and singing lessons were cheaper than therapy. He licked his lips, the music skipping once, twice, then repeating from the beginning. The song he knew was nowhere near as warm as light as the melody pouring out of the speakers, but it was the one he knew the best.
"We're not ready yet, just look / If I'm right and we really get crushed / Then what's the point?"
He felt the stage rumble, just barely. One glance at Palmon and he knew she didn't see the shadow of ShogenGekomon's tail just barely lift like he did. This was it. If he kept going, they would be able to re-add another Child to their ranks.
"Well, if you want to I can't stop you / Just because you're passionate about it / Doesn't make it right."
"His voice his beautiful," he heard one of them say just above the sound of the music. "I think we have a shot at this."
"Beautiful," Joe said softly, so as not to wake Gomamon. They were tired and sweaty, but Matt was happily curled against his chest. He wanted to stay awake and bask in this warmth as long as he could.
"I'm not beautiful," Matt whispered. "Just... used."
"Don't say that." Joe shook his head, placing a soft kiss on Matt's cheek. "I love you, and that makes you the most beautiful thing in the world."
"You... You love me?" Matt blushed, more embarrassed now than when they had been in the throws of passion.
"W-well, of course!" Joe yelped and the Digimon stirred, much to his embarrassment. "I mean, I've loved you for a long time now, and this is the first time I've been able to... you know... with you. I mean, I understand if you don't, and if that's the case I'll shut my mouth and I won't say anything like that again and -"
Matt cut him off with a kiss. "I... I love you too. And I think, if we stay together, we have a shot at this."
Matt dropped the microphone with a great scream of feedback and covered his mouth as his stomach churned. His vision danced around him and he fell to one knee, swaying dizzily. He was aware, distantly, of the others calling his name, and Gabumon suddenly had his arms wrapped around him for the first time in days. There was an outpouring of warmth and love into his very soul, concern washing over him and he couldn't help himself.
He vomited all over the stage, splattering the edges of Tai's sneakers.
"Ew!" TK yelped, stepping back. "What happened, Matt?" He sniffled, squeezing Patamon tightly around the waist. "Are you gonna be ok?"
"He'll be fine," Tai reassured uneasily. "Won't you?"
Matt just groaned as another heave shook his frail form.
"It must be -xhaustion," Izzy rationalized. He sounded incredibly calm and Matt appreciated it. "I notic-d that h- has b-n -ating and r-sting l-ss than the r-st of us. And this stag- is very hot and bright, h- must have just had a dizzy sp-ll that took a turn for the worst."
"Palmon," Tai asked the plant Digimon who was swishing her skirt out of the bile on the ground, "is there anywhere we can get Matt to rest for a minute?"
"Y-yeah." She still wasn't used to the sight of humans expelling internal juices, despite Mimi's original reaction to being told she had thick legs long, long ago. "I'll tell the Gekomon to keep Mimi in her room and we can use the one next to it." She ran to the hallway where a handful of Otamamon had gathered to eavesdrop.
Matt felt himself being hauled carefully off the stage, groaning as another wave of nausea struck him to the core. Gabumon kept his paws on him the whole time, not wanting to release his Tamer for anything now that he'd finally reconnected to him. The nearly-empty hole in his soul where their bond had faded to almost nothing was no longer as painful. There was a moment of confusion as he was pulled to his feet, swaying and spitting a mouthful of bile almost on his shoes.
"Come on, man, get it together. We just gotta follow Palmon, then you can rest."
Matt didn't want to be near Tai's voice, so he tried to pull away, almost collapsing on Izzy had his partner not been holding onto his belt loops.
"Matt, it is imp-rative that you r-cuperat- as much as you can. We n-ed you and Gabumon at your fullest strength in order to find the remainders of our group." Izzy was gently cradling his elbow and he took an unsteady step forward. Anything to be away from the brunette who was gripping his upper arm so tightly it was sure to bruise.
"Palmon," Agumon was saying. "We'd better hurry up. I think Matt's gonna pass out soon."
"It's not too far – Mimi didn't want to walk up a bunch of stairs to get to bed."
Matt felt himself flung onto a mattress that felt more like a cloud covered in down, and he whimpered. His eyes were shut tight against the horrific vision of his mother laying him down the same way, and he was terrified of the secondary weight that was sure to join him soon.
"It's unhealthy for a boy of his size to be so underweight," he could hear Izzy saying, no matter how softly he whispered. He didn't want to be taken by surprise should Tai decided to climb on top of him.
"Like you said, he hasn't been eating enough." There was a noise as Tai shifted his weight and Matt tensed. "He's just so... spooked."
"Have you formed an opinion as to why he is currently so exacerbated? Especially concerning TK?"
"He was gone for a really long time. He left me and Patamon alone for months," TK said with a worried whine. He was still squeezing Patamon hard enough to make the hamster monster wheeze.
"Yeah, when me and TK were gonna go looking for him, he showed up on the beach and said he'd been attacked by some bad Digimon."
"Normally when we've been attacked, the Digimon have done nothing but try and kill or eat us." Tentomon. "I wonder what would have made this experience so different."
Matt felt a warm claw on his ankle and he shifted away. He was slowly starting to come back to himself and he could remember that he didn't want Gabumon to realize how rotten he was on the inside.
"Perhaps it is because he was on his own. An acute fear of the same thing happening to TK possibly pushed him over the edge, so to speak, and upon his escape and consequent regrouping with you two he still cannot forget what could have happened."
Leave it to Izzy to hit it not-quite on the head. He groaned as though he were just waking up and fluttered his eyes. He was graciously alone under the pink canopy that enveloped the equally pink mattress. "What happened?"
Palmon hushed him gingerly. "Be quiet – Mimi's room is on the other side of that wall." She pointed and Matt could see a rumple in the floral wallpaper. "There's a big hole right there and if Mimi's quiet she can hear us in here."
"So what are we going to do?" Matt whispered.
"You," Tai said pointedly, helping TK slip off his backpack and setting it next to Matt. "Are going to eat until you puke again. We are going to figure out what to do about Mimi and Señior Beached Whamon in the back." Matt made a face that made Tai sigh. He reached into TK's backpack and pulled out a journey cake, shoving it under Matt's nose. "Eat it, dude."
Matt pursed his lips, glaring, but this was one fight Tai wasn't going to back down from. So the blond huffed and took the cake, nibbling tentatively at it.
"Well," Agumon said once Matt was chewing carefully. "We know that Mimi's the only one out of all of us that can do it. But Palmon said she won't sing and give all this up."
"Could we record her singing, maybe?" Patamon asked, wriggling just a little so he could breathe again.
"What, just have Palmon ask her to sing in her room for no reason?" Tentomon shook his head. "I doubt even she would fall for it."
"We might not have to have her sing," Izzy said suddenly. He pulled his laptop from it's straps and clicked it to life. "I have a music composition program on here that I can use. If we can get Mimi to speak, even at her normal rate and pitch, I might be able to manipulate the soundwaves into something resembling singing."
"Will that really work?" Palmon clasped her vines together. "Because I really miss you guys, and I know Mimi does, too, deep inside."
"It's the best shot he have." Tai looked at Matt and he quickly grabbed another cake. "Get it all set up, Iz." He placed a hand on Izzy's shoulder and Matt saw the redhead glow warmly. Inside, buried under his own self loathing and fear, he hoped Tai would see what a great guy Izzy was turning out to be.
"I'll go get Mimi!" Palmon hurried to the door, silently sliding it open and disappearing.
Izzy clicked away, Tai and TK peering over his shoulders, and Matt sat up a bit straighter. He was feeling much better after eating, though he wasn't sure how much longer he wanted to go on. They were getting closer and closer to recruiting the last Children and then, what? What would Joe have to say about his abandonment? Would he say anything, or just take all the blame like usual and leave Matt free? Matt could count on Gomamon to say something snarky enough to hurt, but not enough to accuse.
It was completely possible that Matt himself would break soon, and confess his own sins before Joe even had the chance to open his mouth.
Izzy had just set up his telemarketer-style headset next to the hole in the wall when Palmon's voice drifted through, clear as a bell.
"Mimi? Can I talk to you?"
"What is it Palmon?" Izzy clicked something on his program and little green lines began to spike with every word. "Can't you see I'm a little busy?"
"I just wanted to ask about the others. Why would you throw them in the dungeon?"
"Why wouldn't I?" There was the sound of her standing and walking around. "They want to take me away from here, to tell me to stop being a princess. Palmon, don't you understand that this is the easiest we've ever had it since I came to summer camp? No more fighting, no more life-or-death, no more icky monsters, no more apples that taste like hot dogs! The Gekomon give us real food and baths and everything!"
"But they're your friends, Mimi. Couldn't you have just talked to them?"
"You heard what they called me. Spoiled. Demanding. Selfish. They didn't want to talk to me, they wanted to make fun of me." A sniffle. Tai looked like he was about to puke as much as Matt had. "Well, not in my castle, they won't! I won't have anyone make fun of me ever again!"
"But Mimi..."
"What, Palmon?" More movement.
"It... It's not your castle. It's ShogenGekomon's castle. Do you really think they'll let you stay here forever?"
"Palmon?! How could you?! I can stay here as long as I want, especially if this-!" A white gloved hand burst through the wallpaper like an alien out of a chest, grabbing the headset and crushing it with a strength that none of the shocked Children had expected. "- never makes it to the Gekomon!"
The paper rattled, and Mimi's honey gold eyes glared through the hole in the wall. "Just what do you all think you're doing in there?!"
"Mimi! Mimi!"
"Stay out of it Palmon! Guards! Guards!" The whole floor shook as a horde of Gekomon and Otamamon emerged into both rooms. "The prisoners escaped and turned Palmon against the throne! Send them all to the dungeons – I want their heads gone by morning!"
"Oh, come on!" Tai cried as he was tied up again. "Mimi! Stop being a selfish brat! Do you really think you can keep this up forever?! And what about Palmon?!"
They could see her eyes sparkle with tears before she pulled away from the wall. "I don't care! None of you are my friends – none! If you were you wouldn't force me to do something I never wanted to do!"
Matt was feeling ill again as he was jostled harshly. Tai was still growling, "Friendship is doing what you hate because you want to do it for others! It's not just rolling over and giving up at the first spat!"
They could hear Mimi give a sob as they were dragged, once again, to the dungeons.
Tai was flung into the cell, face-first. He screamed and shouted, screeching all the curse words he'd taught Gomamon and more that he'd kept in reserve. He yelled himself hoarse, coughing and grumbling until he was finally out of things to repeat. He fell to his knees and rested his head against the same stone wall Matt had originally curled against.
"They could have at least untied us..."
Matt lowered himself as far from Tai as he could. He still remembered the promise Tai had made, to force himself on Matt again, and he was certain no rope or dark cell was going to stop him this time. He could hear Palmon sobbing in the cell with the rest of the Digimon. There were comforting murmurs being whispered at her, but she just cried and cried. There was a rustle of fabric and her dress was thrown out into the hallway.
"I don't care – I'll never be a Princess again!" She fell into low hiccups and murmurs. "Mimi... M-Mimi..."
The cells were freezing, and they knew the sun had set. The small amount of straw did nothing to warm them, and even then Matt refused to budge from the safety of his corner. He heard Izzy and TK curl up against each other, and Tai, apparently too tired from his tirade for sex, passed out against the wall. As much as he wanted to, Matt refused to let sleep take him. He was bound, alone, and he refused to let anything happen to his brother. He had to be the first one awake when the guards came for them – hopefully he could convince them to spare TK in exchange for him.
The night dragged, and Matt blinked heavily to keep from nodding off. Exhaustion was beginning to play tricks on his eyes and at one point he swore he saw a human form dart across his vision. He shook his head clear, crawling across on his knees to try and get a better look when the dungeon door opened. With a great clattering of noise an ungodly amount of Gekomon and Otamamon filled the stone passageway. Tai snorted himself awake, blinking angrily. He opened his mouth to start screaming again, only a dry rumble of a wheeze passing his lips, when he was pulled to his feet gently. The ropes were cut and all the creatures looked saddened.
"Come with us," said a Gekomon who couldn't look up from his feet. "The Princess said she would leave with you tonight."
"Yeah," sighed an Otamamon. "She's ready to go and... and..." He burst into a wailing sob.
"We'll just have to wait for the next voice," explained another tadpole. "No matter how many more sets of three hundred years it takes."
Slowly, wearily, the Children and their Digimon were led into the main hallway. Palmon looked around excitedly, despite her initial anger with her Tamer, and frowned. "I don't see Mimi anywhere..."
"That's odd. The Princess said to meet her here." The Gekomon and Otamamon looked around. They were just as confused.
"Mimi's not gonna go all, like, Carrie on us is she?" TK asked, for once sidling up to Matt on his own. The elder blonde wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
"I hope not." He glanced down at TK. "And how do you know Carrie?"
"Come quick, come quick!" A Gekomon bust into the hallway, his horn making a tinny wheezing noise as he bent over to catch his breath. "The Princess agreed to sing for us!"
"She did?"
"I thought she couldn't remember."
"This is wonderful!"
"Our master will awake once more!"
"Hail to the Princess!"
"This I gotta see," Tai mumbled, rubbing his throat.
The mirror ball in front of the stage was stilled, the lights dimmed just enough to show Mimi, back in her pink dress, standing alone in front of the microphone. Her cheeks were glistening with tears as she looked up.
"I'm so glad you guys came..." She dragged her glove across her nose. "I hoped you wouldn't abandon me like I... tried to do to you."
Tai smiled, saying as loud as his spent throat would allow, "We'd never abandon our friends, Mimi. You know that."
Matt felt light headed again. He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood and pull his spinning world into focus. Tai needed to learn when to shut up.
The music started and Mimi sang, a beautiful melody that matched the lilting notes perfectly. The tail of ShogenGekomon rose easily and it was mere moments before he gave a great yawn and stretched.
"Master!"
"You're awake!"
"Thank you! Thank you, Princess!"
"What is happening here?!" came the earth-shaking voice of ShogenGekomon. "I was finally getting a good nap in and all this ruckus woke me up!"
The confusion was instantaneous. The Gekomon and Otamamon tried to placate their master, but he was going to have none of it. He screamed, the pipes on his back magnifying the noise into physical destruction, and Tai quickly swooped in to grab Mimi off the stage before it collapsed under her. He hissed for their escape, Matt dragging TK desperately behind him as Agumon evolved into MetalGremon and Gabumon into Garurumon. The castle was falling all around them, great chunks of stone crashing into the floor and shattering, sending shrapnel of rock every which way. The drawbridge had collapsed, leaving the Children trapped within the crumbling castle. Garurumon was blasted into the main hall with them, weakened from the lack of connection with his Tamer, and he reverted with great embarrassment to Gabumon.
Palmon cried out in rage, turning into Togemon to help MetalGreymon hold the giant red frog back. Tentomon evolved into Kabuterimon, loading the children onto his back. He flew over the bridge, hovering momentarily as MetalGreymon's Giga Blaster collapsed a whole section of roof onto ShogenGekomon, burying him under gray stone and red tiles.
"Palmon!" Mimi sobbed, searching the rubble. The light green glow of her crest gave her a sickly look. "Oh, Palmon! I'm sorry!"
Kabuterimon flittered from section to section as Tai and Mimi called for their partners. There was no more movement from ShogenGekomon, thankfully, so when the tired rookies did emerge it was easy enough to pick them up and escape into the night air.