When I caught my breath, my clothes returned to normal. Believing the battle was finally over, I walked over to Izzy, who was regaining consciousness.
"Izzy, are you all right," I asked.
"My head is still pounding," Izzy said, slowly getting up.
"I hope this skirmish taught you to open up your feelings first rather than bubbling it all inside you. I understand that I may not be the ideal leader that everyone wants me to be, but blatantly attacking what I'm trying to improve won't benefit me in improving myself."
"What do you mean I was harshly criticizing and badmouthing you? If anything, you were the one belittling me, telling me I was never going to find social or romantic success if I continued to hide behind computers and technology. Just because they are not my core focus at this time does not mean I am not striving for balance between my social and educational goals."
"When did I ever target your private life so negativity?"
"It was during our battle. Don't tell me you have conveniently forgotten."
None of what we were discussing was adding up. What was happening? Before I could process my thoughts, Teddie reappeared from the screen.
"And the winner for this first round goes to Tai! You burned down the competition, huh," Teddie jeered at us.
"Okay, Teddie, this game is over. Now, hurry up and let us out," I demanded.
"You're always in a rush, Tai. This tournament isn't even close to being completed. You still have a long way to go before you even consider escaping here. This tournament will conclude once there is one clear winner. Until then, no one escapes!"
"What is the point of all of this fighting? What are you trying to get here?"
"You'll find out soon enough. Until then, continue to struggle for me!"
Before I could say anything back, the TV turned off.
Episode 3
During my state of confusion, Agumon and the student council president, who was carrying Tentomon, rushed over to Izzy and me.
"Tai, are you okay," the student council president asked.
"I'm fine. Thank you," I replied.
"Izzy, you're back to normal now," Agumon said, jumping around Izzy.
"Wait, that's right, we were fighting with our Digimon. Tentomon, are you okay," Izzy asked, taking Tentomon from the student council president's arms.
"I'm fine, but I have one question: where are we exactly," Tentomon asked.
"You don't remember entering the TV World," Agumon questioned Tentomon.
"Is that where this is? Looks very realistic to me," Tentomon responded.
"Thank you for taking care of Tentomon for me," Izzy told the student council president.
"No worries; I didn't do much. However, I'm still confused about what happened. You two seem like good friends, right? Why were you fighting each other," the student council president asked.
"That's right. Izzy, do you remember informing me about my lack of urgency as a detriment to my leadership skills or my failures in making decisions during critical moments," I asked.
"Why would I say that? I understand we are doing something complicated and how much you shoulder the burden of protecting our world. However, no matter your decision, I will respect and honor it because I know you try to save as many people as possible," Izzy explained.
"That's the Izzy I know. In return, I promise I will say nothing about your work deterring you from having a social life. I know you are juggling multiple responsibilities behind the scenes, whether in the Digital World or the Real World. I cannot express how much I appreciate your work ethic to make our journeys safer and easier," I told him.
"If I may interject, I did notice something odd about the banter between you two. Call me crazy, but it looked like you two were having different conversations with each other. The way the two of you talked, your response, your facial expressions, and your body language were all over the place and didn't match any flow or rhythm," the student council president commented.
"I noticed it, too, which is why I was confused when Tentomon attacked us without warning," Agumon replied.
"If I recall, I remembered Tai stating he was going to do something terrible to the bystander standing next to Agumon and ordered Agumon to attack her. We tried to save her, but she managed to escape," Tentomon explained.
"Are you referring to me? This little guy never did anything to harm me," the student council president clarified.
"Yeah, Miss President is a nice person. Why would I do terrible things to her," Agumon added.
"I guess it's true that we were having different conversations, enough so that we would eventually fight each other over it. Why were we having such conflicting discussions," I questioned.
"Perhaps someone or something is purposefully altering our dialogue to anger us and cause doubt within our friendship," Izzy replied.
"Who would do such a thing? Is it Teddie, the person thrown into the TV World, or someone else?"
"I'm not sure, but either way, our best course of action is to get more information. There's still so much we don't know about this world and how different it is from our previous encounters."
"But the student council president and Agumon are the only ones who can travel freely in this space. In theory, Tentomon can leave, but it is in no condition to. I assume you and I are in between those invisible walls."
"Where's the student council president now?"
"That's me. I haven't properly introduced myself to you yet. I'm the student council president of this school. It's nice to meet you," the student council president replied.
"She's a strong and nice person. You will get along with her well," Agumon said.
"Thanks, Agumon, you sure know the right words to say," the student council president said, patting Agumon's head.
"I would like to introduce myself as well, but these circumstances are less than ideal," Tentomon replied.
"That's okay; you deserve a good rest after that battle. We do have a nurse's office if you'd like to go there to recover," the student council president suggested.
"Tai, a word with you," Izzy said.
"What's the matter," I asked.
"Did you hear what she just said?"
"Yeah, she's the student council president. What about it?"
"Don't you get it? We're in the TV World, which means this school doesn't exist. However, she genuinely thinks this school is the real deal."
"So, you think she's the one who created this world?"
"There's a very high possibility for it."
"What seems to be the problem," the student council president asked, walking towards us.
"This may sound strange, but do you recall anyone throwing you inside a TV," I asked.
"What kind of silly question is that? Why would anyone try to knock me against a TV screen," the student council president questioned, agitated.
"No, that's not what I meant. How about a Persona? Do you have a Persona like Yu and the others," I continued.
"I'm not sure I'm following," the student council president answered, confused.
"Tai is trying to ask if any strange occurrences have been happening as of late, such as a kidnapping or mysterious deaths," Izzy explained.
"I don't recall anything that severe. What are you trying to get at," the student council president asked.
"Maybe she doesn't know anything. Then, how did she get in here," I asked Izzy.
"She's not lying, nor does she sound like she's hiding something. I'll try to look into it from my side. In the meantime, watch over her in case something happens," Izzy replied.
"I already told you I can't leave here," I said.
"I'm sure you can since you defeated me in our match. Why don't you try it," Izzy said.
"I guess it's better than nothing. Miss President, you said something about Teddie and Rise possibly doing everything in the Announcement Room. Can you lead me there," I asked.
"Sure, I've been meaning to investigate this whole mess. If we both have the same goal, I don't see why you can't tag along," the student council president replied.
"But aren't you going to bump your head into nothing again," Agumon asked me.
"Well, there's only one way to find out. Let's keep moving forward," I said.
I took a deep breath and followed the student council president and Agumon down the hallway. Surprisingly, I made it through.
"Hey, it worked. Don't worry, Izzy. I'll try to finish this tournament as soon as possible so we can all return home quickly," I replied.
We continued our walk around the school in silence. The stillness of everything was bringing my mood down. I wanted to say something to break this awkward silence.
"So, you two aren't from around here," the student council president finally asked.
"No, I just graduated recently. I'm in college now," I responded.
"So, you're a former student."
"Not necessarily, but I did have friends here, and we would visit occasionally."
"How did you get permission to be a part of this weird mess if you aren't even former students?"
"It's hard to explain, but our friend Teddie, the one you saw on the TV screen, is an eccentric person. He often does things on a whim without our input."
"I wouldn't consider someone forcing you to face your comrades a friend."
"Yes, but my team thinks something is wrong with him, and we wanted to meet up with him as soon as possible to get some clarification out of him. Someone signed me into this against my will. I never wanted to be a part of this in the first place."
"Well, you sound genuine, so I'll believe you for now. However, if you turn back on your word, I'll do more than send you to the station, you hear me?"
"After seeing you manage yourself against all those students, I wouldn't want to get on your bad side."
Suddenly, we heard a loud noise coming from the other end of the hallway.
"What was that," Agumon asked.
"It sounded like it came from the music room. Let's hurry," the student council president said.
As we ran towards the odd noise, the student council president opened the door to the music room and walked inside. Although the room was neater than the hallways, it had a bizarre charm. Sheet music spelled out "D1 GP" on the blackboard. The portraits of musical composers had glowing eyes. The instruments and music stands were arranged in a circle, creating a ring in the center of the room. The student council president, Agumon, and I continued to examine our surroundings.
"This place gives me chills. Those photos look like they are staring at us," Agumon stated.
"I'm surprised the students even had time to do this. The design of this place looks deliberate," I commented.
"Is anyone here? We're here to help you," the student council president called out.
Instead of a student, the TV turned on, revealing a familiar face.
"I'm surprised you found time to date, Tai. Shouldn't you be focusing on beating your friends to a pulp," Teddie laughed.
"Teddie, are you tampering with our senses to make us talk and hear different things? If so, I will not forgive you," I said sternly.
"You need to relax, Tai. You're wasting your energy on trivial things. Just follow your instincts and get on with the fight," Teddie responded.
"So, you're Teddie, right? You have some nerve pulling a stunt like this without student council permission. As student council president, I order you to cancel this competition immediately and let the contestants go," the student council president declared.
"What gives you the right to tell me what to do? Liars should remain silent and do as they are told," Teddie scoffed.
I noticed the student council president's anger boiling. I calmed her down and took a step forward.
"Teddie, that's not something you would say, especially to a pretty girl like her. Are you a fake as well? Where is the real Teddie, and what have you done to him?"
"The time for this useless banter is over. Bring out the next contestant," Teddie shouted.
Before I could gain more information, the TV went blank, and the room filled with white smoke, like my encounter with Izzy. These events could only mean someone would appear before me, but who? I waited for the smoke to clear before surveying my surroundings.
"Tai, Agumon, I'm glad you're both okay," Sora said from the smoke.
"Sora, are my words getting through to you? Do you understand me," I asked.
"Of course, I can understand you. What's wrong, Tai? You seem on edge."
"It's nothing."
I was worried that there might be another incident where our words wouldn't match what we were saying. I was glad that was not the case.
"By the way, who's standing next to Agumon," Sora asked.
"Oh, that's the student council president. Izzy and I think she might be related to the mysterious events happening in the TV world," I explained.
"In other words, she's a nobody."
"What are you talking about?"
"Well, you're always the type to get dragged into unnecessary situations. If you stayed in your lane, you wouldn't have to shoulder all that unnecessary burden and continue normally with your day. However, that is the kind of person you are, so who am I to complain?"
"Sora, you don't mean that, do you?"
"I'm saying this for your good. You always act like a leader at the most inopportune time, harming the team. Shouldn't you get your priorities straight and focus on the people in front of you rather than the bystanders surrounding you? You should toss that piece of junk and focus on living things like me."
"Sora, snap out of it and stop talking like that. You just met Miss President. You shouldn't talk about her like that."
"Why do you care so much about that piece of scrap metal? Is she that important to you? There's no way she will be able to satisfy you. Let me take the lead, and I'll show you what it means to have a good time."
I was about to storm towards Sora, but the student council president held me back.
"You two are having two different conversations again. It's not your friend's fault. Please don't be upset," the student council president told me.
"Thanks, I needed that," I told her.
"Are you done talking to your new girlfriend? It doesn't matter. The sooner I beat you, the faster you'll come to our side and forget that temptress," Sora said.
"Is it just me, or are things starting to heat up here? Let's kick the temperature up to full blast and sweat it out in the battle to the death between two exes," Rise announced from the TV screen.
"Rise is also saying terrible things. Are her words also controlled by someone else," I questioned.
"Unless you're daydreaming about me, you should wipe that dumb look off your face. I'll make sure the only person you'll pay attention to is me. Persona," Sora shouted.
Sora shattered the card before her, donning a new attire and summoning a familiar friend.
"It's Biyomon. Hi, Biyomon," Agumon said, waving his hands.
Biyomon quickly Digivolved into Birdramon and spewed flames from its out. We moved out of the way so we wouldn't get caught in the heat.
"Birdramon is attacking us, too? This moment is just like the Tentomon incident all over again," Agumon said.
"Sorry, buddy, but you have to fight again. Miss President, take cover somewhere safe," I said.
"I understand. Be careful, Tai. Don't hurt her too much," the student council president replied, concerned.
"Don't worry, I'll figure it out. Trust me," I reassured.
The student council president stepped away as I turned my attention to Sora.
"You're distracted, Tai. Didn't I tell you to focus on me," Sora questioned.
When I noticed what she was talking about, Sora swung her naginata at me. I barely moved out of the way as I saw the blade swing down directly in front of me.
"What are you doing? That's dangerous," I said, taking a step back.
"Didn't you hear Rise say this is a battle to the death? How else was this supposed to go? If you stop moving and let me cleanly cut you down, I can finish you off in one stroke instead of continuing the pain," Sora replied.
"Do you truly believe I would await my death like that? Agumon, we're going to have to defend ourselves again. Are you ready," I asked.
"I'm always ready, Tai. I want Birdramon and Sora to wake up soon," Agumon responded.
I shattered the card before me, donning my new attire and granting Agumon the ability to Digivolve into Greymon. Birdramon and Greymon released giant flames from their mouths at each other. Their attacks met in the middle. They were on equal ground until the two flames created an explosion of smoke.
"Talon Tear," Birdramon shouted.
As Greymon surveyed the scene through the smoke, Birdramon swooped down to strike Greymon with its sharp talons. Greymon used its shell head to defend itself as Birdramon continuously dived down to it. Meanwhile, Sora continued to swing her naginata at me as I weaved back and forth.
"Sora, stop this madness. You'll seriously injure someone if you keep swinging that blade around like that," I replied.
"Why does it matter to you? Isn't your specialty thinking before you act? What happened to the old leader who didn't care about people's opinions and just did what he wanted to do? I'm not trying to cut you physically. I'm trying to strike down that pathetic side of you and get the real Tai out of you," Sora explained.
"You're not thinking straight. Your feelings and emotions are all over the place."
"At least I am true to myself. You continuously question everything, sometimes overbearingly too long. Honestly, it can get stressful just watching you make decisions."
Even though I knew someone else was making me hear those words, they pained me. As I kept dodging Sora's attacks, I bumped my back up against a school desk.
"Are you only going to defend yourself? You won't win if you don't strike first unless you are afraid to hit a woman," Sora stated.
Sora readied her naginata and prepared to strike down. I moved out of the way in time to dodge the attack. The blade was stuck on the desk, and Sora had difficulty pulling it out. Using this opportunity, I kicked the ball to the back of her head. Sora's head recoiled from the edge of the desk, and she blacked out on the ground.
"Horn Spiral," Greymon shouted.
Instead of defending the blow, Greymon stepped back as Birdramon flew down. Once Birdramon crashed to the ground, Greymon caught it with its horns. Greymon spun Birdramon around while running towards a wall. Eventually, Greymon smashed Birdramon against the wall, and Birdramon reverted to its Rookie state.
Meanwhile, I ran towards Sora as her clothes returned to normal.
"Sora, are you all right," I asked.
"My head feels like it is splitting open," Sora replied.
"You sound fine, so all is well."
"What does it matter to you?"
"Did I say something that made you uncomfortable?"
"Yes, you did. Don't tell me you don't remember?"
"Unfortunately, I don't, but I still want to apologize for what my fake said. It seems like our real enemy is toying with our speech and emotions and incentivizing our fight. It's a disgusting tactic."
"When you say it like that, the things I experienced so far make sense. Before I met you, I encountered Kari, who didn't act like her usual self."
"Is she okay? What did she say?"
"It's rather uncomfortable. Kari kept accusing me that I was taking you away from her even though I had Matt and made derogatory remarks about me and my appearance. You replied similarly, talking about how unfeminine I was and using my gender to take advantage of other people. Your words stabbed me."
"I'm sorry you had to experience that. I will never look down on you or treat you that way. I've always seen you as an equal and hope you forgive Kari and me for your troubling encounters."
"It's okay. Thinking back, I should have known that something was amiss. I'm glad we were able to clear things up. Thank you for that."
Sora and I shared a tender moment until the TV screen popped up once again.
"The winner of this round is Tai. What an obvious outcome. I knew Sora's first win was a fluke. She's never won the battle of life," Rise heckled.
"But it's not the ending that makes a match exciting. It is the journey. Seeing former friends pour their souls out while beating each other to a pulp is the true essence of the D1 Grand Prix. The action, excitement, and betrayal make even the dullest matches enticing," Teddie reminded.
Although Sora and I wanted to say something, the student council president was the first to speak up.
"How can you find joy in all of this? These guys are friends. Why do you continue to push buttons and make them fight each other? It's inhumane, wrong, and suffocating," the student council president yelled.
Even though we've just met, seeing the student council president genuinely care about us warmed my heart.
"I don't know what your end goal is, but it will never come to fruition. A fight won't sever the bonds my friends and I have made. Whether you are Teddie or an imposter, I will find you, and I will demand answers," I told Teddie.
"Do what you wish," Teddie said dejectedly.
The screen turned off, which was followed by a deafening silence.
"Thanks for sticking up for us," I informed the student council president.
"Well, I didn't like what he said. Even if you aren't students here, it's my responsibility as student council president to make sure this mess gets cleaned up," the student council president replied.
"I've been meaning to ask this, but who is this person, Tai," Sora asked.
"She's the student council president, and she's a very nice person," Agumon answered, carrying Biyomon on his shoulder.
"Biyomon, are you okay," Sora asked, running towards them.
"I'm okay, Sora, but I need some rest," Biyomon replied.
"What matters is your safety," Sora said, hugging Biyomon.
"I can't imagine someone like her picking fights and hurting people," the student council president told me.
"It's going to take a lot more to get us to quarrel with each other," I replied.
"Thank you, Miss President. It's a pleasure to meet you," Sora said.
"It's nice to meet you, too. I was curious about these creatures that you have around you. What are they exactly," the student council president asked.
"You didn't explain what was going on with her," Sora asked me.
"Hey, I had a lot on my plate. I didn't know where to start," I replied.
Sora and I explained our situation to the student council president. We gave her a quick summary of our journey as DigiDestined and our travels in the Digital World. We also briefly discussed the Midnight Channel incident last year and our encounter with Yu and his friends. The student council president slowly took in this information. Initially, she looked troubled and puzzled. After seeing our fight and interacting with Agumon and Biyomon, she warmed up to our story.
"That's what you meant when you asked whether I remember getting thrown into the TV," the student council president said.
"I bet he asked that question without context. For a leader, you have a terrible way with words," Sora informed me.
"How was I supposed to ask without sounding strange," I questioned.
"There's a good chance that your inner thoughts created this school. Tell me, did you have any negative experiences in school? Perhaps you have a strong desire to visit your school but encountered various setbacks," Sora told the student council president.
"It's hard to say. I can't recall anything like that. Then again, I'm not sure," the student council president answered.
"We're throwing a lot at you. It's okay if you feel confused. By the way, Tai, if Izzy's theory is correct, and she is the one who created this world, where is her Shadow? Normally, when we enter a new world, the Shadow is the first person we meet. What makes this scenario different," Sora asked.
"I'm not entirely sure, but I think there's a chance we may have met her Shadow this whole time without realizing it," I answered.
"What do you mean," Sora questioned.
"If the enemy can alter our voice and hearing, it wouldn't be out of line to believe that they have the power to alter our sight," I explained.
"So, you think the main suspect for her Shadow is," Sora said.
"There's a good chance whoever is performing as Teddie is the Shadow. Unfortunately, the only way to get to him is to go through all these trials until we can make it to the Announcement Room. Since Miss President knows the school better than anyone else, she's been guiding me around the school," I continued.
"I'm not that great, but we share a common goal. It'd make more sense if we stuck together, especially since you guys have more knowledge about what's happening than I do," the student council president explained.
"We're glad you understand," Sora said.
"You know, talking to you guys made me feel comfortable. I wonder why that is," the student council president questioned.
"It's because you're starting to see us as friends, and I'd be honored to be your friend," Sora said.
"I want to be friends, too," Agumon said.
"Me too," Biyomon replied.
"Thank you, all of you," the student council president said, smiling.
"Miss President, since we're friends, I was wondering if I could ask for your name," Sora said.
"Oh, sure, my name is," the student council president began.
I thought it was a simple question, but the student council president's reaction said otherwise.
"That's funny. I can't remember what my name is. How strange," the student council president said, feeling lost.
"Miss President, are you all right," Sora asked.
"Why can't I remember my name," the student council president questioned, dejected.
"Well, I'm sure it'll come to you eventually. Come, time waits for no one. We need to get to the Announcement Room quickly to put this whole tournament to rest. Shall we go on ahead," I asked.
"Okay, I've wanted to say a few words to Teddie the next time I see him," the student council president replied.
"Take care of yourself, Sora and Biyomon," Agumon said, waving away.
As the three of us walked away, Sora pulled me to the side.
"Hey, Tai, did I say anything that bothered her," Sora asked me.
"I'm not sure. I think you said normal things," I replied.
"But, when I had her recall her name, she seemed mortified. Is it possible she has amnesia?"
"Well, like you said, we are in odd circumstances. Maybe Miss President's Shadow also manipulated her memories, too."
"If that's true, we're dealing with a powerful enemy here. I despise that all I can do is wait here while you tackle a dangerous situation."
"Don't worry. Memories or not, the student council president is our friend. That won't change."
"I understand. I know if anyone can be there to help Miss President, it's you. Be careful out there. No matter what Teddie says, stay strong and true to yourself."
"No matter what the student council president's Shadow does to us, I'll be there with her every step of the way. Until then, take care of Biyomon. If we need help, your aid will be appreciated."
"Thank you, Tai, and stay safe."
The three of us continued to walk down the hall in silence. It was tough to figure out what to say after all the events between the student council president and us.
"Don't worry about your name too much. I bet it's so amazing that everyone would swoon just by hearing it," I replied.
"I appreciate what you're trying to do, Tai, but I can't seem to shake this feeling off. I'd never thought about my name until Sora asked me about it. I can't even remember what I did yesterday or a few minutes ago before I met you and Agumon. It's scary," the student council president explained.
"I'm not sure this is the answer you are looking for, but I bet it has something to do with this world's effect on you."
"You mentioned that this world may have come from me. If so, why can't I remember something as simple as my name?"
"I'm sorry. I don't have the answer to that at this time."
"I know. I'm sorry for putting you on the spot. I feel bad leaving Sora on bad terms. I hope she can forgive me."
"I'm sure Sora understands you meant no harm. She wanted to apologize for her sudden question and hoped that you two could still be friends."
"Thanks, Tai. Your kindness is appreciated. You know, you have amazing friends. I can tell from your interactions with Izzy and Sora that you genuinely care about each other. It makes me wonder why I can't remember my friends if I had any. My memory is still hazy."
"You have friends," Agumon assured her.
"I do," the student council president asked, confused.
"That's right. You have Tai, Sora, Izzy, Tentomon, Biyomon, and me. We're all your friends."
"Thanks, Agumon. You know the right things to say to make people happy."
"You'll be happier once you meet the rest of our friends. They're all good people who will accept you with open arms."
"That's good to hear. Do you think I'll get my own Persona or Digimon while I'm inside this world?"
"I bet you'll get a strong and beautiful persona, just like you."
"That's reassuring. Thanks, Agumon."
It was good to see the student council president and Agumon getting along well. As I was following them from behind, a large blue elevator door appeared before me. I looked over to the side of the wall. The student council president and Agumon continued to talk to each other, ignoring the mysterious entryway before me. Something about the door felt familiar. Taking a deep breath, I went inside.
I found myself inside that familiar blue room where the same elevator attendant waited for me.
"Are you surprised? It's not every day that I get to do the actual summoning of the door. I'm personally stunned that I still have that power to begin with. I'm pretty proud of that accomplishment. Shower me with praise," the attendant said.
"I thought you guys weren't allowed to interfere with fate," I questioned.
"Who said I was doing such? I wanted to congratulate you. It seems you are halfway through your journey, and some things have cleared up for you."
"You are talking about imposter Teddie and his ability to manipulate our senses or our theory that the shadow is impersonating Teddie. However, I have never met her before. Why would her shadow want to target our group or Yu's group? We haven't done anything to her, not to my knowledge."
"This is a tricky situation. While I cannot comment on your speculation, I will say this. If your theory holds, you must step back and allow your friend to face their fate. Just like how you have overcome your ordeals, she must do the same, or she will not learn of her purpose in that world."
"Does that mean the student council president is the one who created the school and the fighting tournament?"
"You're pretty good at this. Perhaps I have spoken too much, but that doesn't cause me much concern. Struggle, fight, win, and carve your path. May the light that shines at the end of the path guide you to the correct course of action. Well then, it appears we have talked too much. I best be on my way. I have my duties to address as one whom the web of fate caught. I bid you farewell."
A bright light blinded me before I could get a proper answer from her.
*To be continued*