Part 3 - A Surprise for Gennai
"Matt," I looked up to see Tai shaking me up, "are you awake." "Now I am." "Good, come on, get up." I looked around to find everyone sleeping. I let go of Mimi’s light grip on my hand and stood up. *What time is it?* I looked at my watch and saw it was eight o’clock. "What’s up Tai?" He looked up at me. "Matt, is there anything else you need to get off your chest?" "Actually, for once, there isn’t anything besides the freaky voices." "Are they back yet?" "No," I said looking at Mimi, "but they will return if I’m gone from Mimi too long." "Oh." Tai said, a bit disappointed, "I thought something was up because yesterday when we were at the hotel you seemed a bit upset." "Oh that. I was a bit upset." "Why?" Tai asked a bit anxious, "Is it what I said to you?" "You mean about trusting T.K?" "Yeah." I nodded. "You know how I am, I can’t help it. I mean I never want him to make the same mistake I did last year or last night... I mean last year." I said blushing. Tai laughed. "Matt, don’t tell me we’ll go what we went through last year. I thought you might have learned not to do that again." I scowled, "Tai, be quiet. You don’t understand. I did it last night because Mimi and I thought we were both going to die!" Tai suddenly became worried faced again, "Why did you think you were going to die?" I looked at him. "These voices, they were screaming into my head and I felt that if I didn’t have Mimi right there and then, I was going to die. The voices were so intense, it drove me crazy!" "I wonder what these voices mean, and why they only affect you and Mimi?" "I wonder that too, Tai," Izzy agreed, walking over to Tai and I. "Should we get everyone up and try to locate Gennai?" I asked, looking at the sleeping faces of the Digidestined. "Oh, you and Mimi were asleep when I realized that the lake down there, not the closer one, but the farther is where Gennai lives." Izzy said proudly. "Oh, thanks for telling me sooner." "Sorry Matt," Tai said walking past me and towards Sora. I walked over to T.K first and started to shake him lightly, "T.K., wake up." He opened his eyes briefly and then suddenly opened them fast and wide eyes. "What’s wrong Matt? Are the voices back?" "No, no. We’re just about to head out for Gennai’s." "Oh, you scare me to death." "T.K.," Kari said stretching, "You’re beginning to turn into your brother." "Oh thanks!" T.K. and I said in unison. I stood up and walked over to Mimi, who surprisingly, still hasn’t waken up from all the noise. I leaned over her and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. She opened her eyes and stared at me. "Oh, so you did decide to wake up?" I teased helping her stand up. "You actually thought I was asleep!" Mimi said laughing and kissed me quick on the lips. "I was up when you woke up and had your little guy talk with Tai." I frowned. "You heard us?" "Not too much, but enough to know we’re not that far from Gennai’s and how concerned Tai is about us." "You guys ready to go?" Asked Tai. "Yeah we are Tai," Mimi yelled back. We reached the lake an hour later. "Maybe I should try what I did last year?" Mimi said approaching the crystal blue lake. "Yeah, go for it." Izzy replied, looking a bit embarrassed from last years incident. Mimi leaned over the water and swayed her hand back and forth. Nothing happened. "Here, let me try," Kari said reaching down and doing what Mimi did. Still, nothing. "Maybe a guy needs to try." I reached down and did what Kari and Mimi were doing. Soon, all eight of us tried individually placing our hands in and as a group as well. We sat back. "Maybe he’s not home," Tai joked. I laughed, "Maybe he’s out on a date." Mimi laughed along with Tai and I and then began to take off her shorts. "May I ask what you’re doing?" I asked suddenly serious. "I have on my bikini bottom on, so I may as well take a swim." She jumped in and popped her head, completely soaked. "I forgot how deep this lake is. Come on guys, join me. Sora, I know you’re wearing your bikini as well." Tai suddenly jumped forward, and looked as though he was going to take a swim, but then pushed me in and said, "Join your girlfriend, Matt!" Everyone laughed at a completely soaked me. "You couldn’t at least let me take off my shirt?" Everyone stopped laughing as a rumble began to shake the water. "Sincere Friendship!" The water split into two and made a path to the familiar white with pink trimming house. "Wow! You two did it! Did anyone else hear that Sincere Friendship?" Joe asked. "Yeah, I sure did!" T.K. yelled out. "I’m cold now!" Mimi whined. "I wish we were back at the hotel eating some breakfast." "I do too. This was definitely not in the brochure." I said rubbing my wet arms for warmth. "Lets walk down the path before it decides to close," Tai said, leading the way. "Should we knock or should Mimi just yell again to get his attention?" I asked. "Mimi!" Everyone said in unison. "Fine!" Mimi said taking a deep breath in. "Gennai! Gennai! Gennai!" We waited for an awkward four minutes. "Maybe he’s dead," I said half joking, but really hoping that that wasn’t true. The door opened and we were facing the old, balded man who had his eyes closed as usual. "Who needs a doorbell with such loud Mimi," Gennai said frustrated, motioning us to follow him inside. We sat down on the four couches again, like last year, and faced Gennai who sat in a massive armchair. "So, why are we here?" Joe asked, braking the silence. "I was about to ask you kids the same thing. Why did you come here?" Gennai asked, just as surprised as the rest of us. "You mean you don’t know either?" Asked Sora. "No, I didn’t think the Digital World is in any sort of trouble. It has been peaceful as a lamb here." "Then why are we here?" Mimi asked. "I think it might have something to do with you two," Izzy said pointing at Mimi and I. "Why?" Gennai asked. Izzy was about to begin, but I cut him off. "Mimi and I have been hearing strange voices in our head that have been torturing us by saying Sincere Friendship. It’s also hard to stay apart for too long, or else the voices get worse." Gennai looked at us anxiously, but then said, "I’m not sure what that means. You children can stay here and share rooms or have your own, it doesn’t matter." He quickly got up and left the room. I stared at him hard. "Does anybody else get the feeling he knows what’s wrong, but won’t tell us?" "Yeah, I think so too," Tai said standing up. "I don’t know about you guys, but I didn’t get a very good sleep. Who wants to go for morning naps?" T.K. asked taking Kari by the hand. "I’m with you, T.K." I said taking Mimi’s hand and leading her upstairs quickly. "Whoa Matt, why are you in such as rush?" Mimi asked. "I can’t shake off the feeling that Gennai knows something, but won’t cough up. Maybe this is more serious then we thought." "Well Matt, there is nothing we can do, but hope for the best."
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Part 4 - Reasons "Hello Children," Gennai greeted, walking into the kitchen. "Actually, I’m an adult," Joe said pushing his glasses in the right position. "Yes, I can see your point. I sometimes forget you are older then you were when I first met you. I also forget some of the children have done things that are meant for adults," Gennai said clearing his throat as he looked directly at Mimi and I. To change the subject I asked, "Did you find anything about the voices?" Gennai shook his head. "Remember, it will take at least a week for the answer to come and you have only been here for a day." I nodded and then looked at the my empty plate. As it was last year, the plates that were placed in front of us were colored by our crests and had what we wanted. Of coarse, this is a dream anyone could wish, but I took advantage of it and didn’t wish for anything. "Aren’t you hungry?" Gennai asked. I shook my head. "I think I’ll go lay down." I stood up and walked past the stunned faced Digidestined and ran upstairs. "Well, it isn’t obvious that boy’s upset," Gennai concluded, walking into the living room. Knock, knock. Knock, knock! I got up and went to the door of Mimi and mine’s bedroom. I opened up to see T.K standing there. "Can I come in?" T.K. pleaded. "Yeah, of course." He went and sat down on the edge of my bed. "Matt, I’m worried about you." "I know, I’m worried about myself too. I feel like I’ve lost it." "Matt, Gennai knows something. I can feel it. Something that’s not good. While you were up here, he mentioned that there are no prophecies to help us. For once, I want a prophecy. At least it would be comforting knowing that there was something we can do, instead of being trapped in this house." I nodded and stared at the floor. *What’s wrong with me? Wait a second, my heart feels funny. My head wasn’t hurting this much a minute ago. The last time my head and heart hurt was when I was apart from Mimi for too long.* ~Sincere Friendship will be lost, forever. Forever! Sincere Friendship! Sincere Friendship!~ I could feel T.K. trying to pull my hands off my ears. I felt a bunch of other people bump into the room I looked up to find Mimi being carried in by Tai and Sora. Tai set down Mimi next to me and I managed to pull my hands off my head and wrap my arms around her shaking body. She was sobbing so hard as the voices seem to grow louder this time. ~Sincere Friendship! Sincere Friendship! You will die with both worlds!~ The voices were suddenly gone. I could feel my self lose consciousness. I stirred a bit as my head told me to wake up. I opened my eyes to find peaceful silence. I looked at the digital clock next to me. Seven fifty six a.m. I could feel my hand forced against Mimi’s. Our hands were bounded with tape. *Probably Tai’s idea.* I took the tape off, half hoping Mimi would stay asleep the other half hoping she would wake up. She stirred for a moment and then lay her head back on my chest. *How come my shirt’s off?* I looked at Mimi who was fully clothed and myself, sleeping in uncomfortable blue jeans. I sat up, softly picking up Mimi’s head and laying it back down on a pillow and looked around. T.K. was at the edge of my bed, Kari holding his hand as both of their heads were at the edge of the beds. Sora and Joe were sleeping somewhat near each other. *Where’s Tai and Izzy?* I stood up and let go of Mimi’s hand. I looked over at the clock and decided I would time myself, that way I could come back sooner to hold her hand. I grabbed my tight white shirt and pulled it on. I opened the door silently and closed it like that too, fearing it would wake everyone up. I raced downstairs and saw Tai and Izzy in the kitchen. They looked up at me wide eyed. "Morning guys," I said grabbing a cup off the table and poured myself a glass of orange juice. "You’re up," Tai stuttered. "Ah yeah," I said looking at the confused boys. "Why wouldn’t I be?" "Because Matt," Izzy answered quietly, "you and Mimi have been unconscious for eight days." I dropped my glass on the floor and it shattered into millions of transparent orange pieces. "You’re joking right?" "No, of course not," Izzy replied trembling. "After you and Mimi, I’m guessing the voices did this, encountered you, you fell unconscious," Tai said pulling out a chair for me to sit on. I sat down. "I guess that would explain why everyone’s in my room." The three guys nodded. Gennai broke the silence, "Get everyone down. I have important news to share." I ran upstairs to find everyone up in Mimi and mine’s room. "Are you okay Matt?" T.K. asked walking over to me. "I thought I heard a shatter of a glass." "No, I’m not okay!" I said practically shouting. "I have been asleep for eight days and I found out that Gennai has important news. How could I be asleep for eight days?" Sora motioned Joe, T.K., and half asleep Kari out of the room. "Meet you guys downstairs?" It was more of a question than a statement. I looked over to the bewildered face of Mimi. "Are you serious? Have we been asleep for eight days?" I nodded. "Come on, we better go see what news Gennai has." We quickly ran downstairs and found no one in the kitchen. We walked through the kitchen and found the other Digidestined waiting eagerly for us on the couches. Without letting go of Mimi’s hand, we sat on the couch. "What news so you have?" Gennai looked at me. "You should be indeed scared Matt Ishida." I stared at him, shocked that he actually knew my last name. "We indeed have a problem, Digidestined. Matt and Mimi are in deep trouble. Those voices are evil, but are giving them a fair warning. Sincere Friendship is to do with the two of you, but I still am not sure what it means." "Oh that’s helpful!" I said yelling at him, "You might as well say we should give up and just pretend that we can’t hear the voices screaming at us!" "Matt, calm down," Mimi said giving a tight squeeze with her hand. "Don’t you dare raise your voice with me young man!" Gennai yelled back. "I don’t have time for your problems, but only to warn you about them." "Real helpful!" I said sarcastically, more frustrated then before. "I’m trying to give you two a few pointers to help make the voices go away. Listen up," Gennai said to the already waiting faces, "the only way to make these voices go away is if you fight them." "We already are. They seem to go away when Matt and I hold hands or are together," Mimi inquired. "That is the problem. You think that it helps, but it doesn’t. It actually enhances the voices more, making them stronger. Have you noticed that the voices seem to get much more louder on each visit?" Mimi and I nodded. "That makes sense." Izzy pointed out, "That’s why the two of them fell unconscious for eight days, it was too much to bare and they’re getting stronger." Gennai looked directly at me and said, "The worse thing you can do is feed the temptation. It’s tempting to kiss and hold, but you must restrain yourself and fight it any way you can. Run the other way or just stay away, but never kiss, hold hands, or make love. Please say, you didn’t have sex the first time you heard those voices." I looked at Gennai, feeling my temper take control. I let go of Mimi’s hand and stood up. "You know, you should have given us a fair warning! How were we supposed to know that these voices feed off of our love? How can you do that to us?" I ran out of the room with Mimi not too far behind me. "Matt, wait up." I stopped and fell on my knees. "This isn’t fair!" "I know, I know," Mimi said soothingly, hugging me tightly.
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Part 5 - Bad News *Where’s Mimi? I can’t feel her hands in mine. I need her, without her I will crumble like I used to. I need her now!* I opened my eyes and looked next to me. Empty, nobody smiling back at me. It feels like my heart, empty. I remember Mimi managed to help me back into the house after the incident yesterday morning. The other Digidestined sat in awe, too scared to make me crack anymore. Tai followed Mimi and I up the stairs and began to take my stuff out of Mimi’s room. The only things he needed to bring were my crest and Digivice to the room between Kari’s and T.K.’s and Sora’s and Tai’s. Mimi’s room was down the hall, closer to Joe’s and Izzy’s separate rooms. I was forced to be apart from her. I had no choice. Knock, knock. "Come in," I mumbled. "Hey Matt," Tai said walking into my new bedroom. "Want something to eat?" I shook my head. "I just want to be with Mimi and have a normal vacation in our world with no responsibilities to save the world or whatever." "Come on Matt, you and Mimi probably wouldn’t be together if you weren’t a Digidestined. Plus, we get to have special friends who would do anything for us." "I guess you’re right about that." "Now please have something to eat. My head hurts thinking you haven’t eaten in practically a week." He was right, I haven’t had anything to eat since the real world. I got here, went to Gennai’s, fell unconscious for eight days, and haven’t eaten all day yesterday. "All right Tai, pass me some breakfast." "Well come downstairs and ask for whatever you want." My stomach turned for food and the fact that I would face everyone of the Digidestined. "Actually, I think I’ll stay upstairs." "Matt!" "Well Tai, what do you expect?" I asked, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "I can’t have a relationship with Mimi because these stupid voices won’t leave me alone and then Gennai tells me I have been making it ten times worse because I couldn’t keep my tongue in my mouth. Seriously, the nerve of the guy!" "Look Matt, I know how you feel and I know it’s hard, but things will get better." "How can you possibly know how I feel? Stop acting like a jerk and don’t think you know how I feel because you have no idea. You have no idea how bad I feel about sleeping with my girlfriend and how much trouble I caused last year. You don’t even know what it feels like to sleep with someone, let alone how I feel." Tai looked up at me, I expected him to react with a punch in the face like when we were younger, but instead, he got up and walked to my closed door and opened it. He looked back and said, "No Matt, you think you know how I feel and think you’re the only experienced one, but you’re wrong." He shut the door quietly.
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"So, is my brother going to join us for breakfast?" T.K. asked hopefully. I shook my head and took a seat by Sora. Everyone began to eat what they wished was on their plate. For the first time in a long time, I wasn’t hungry. I looked toward Sora who was enjoying scrambled eggs with ketchup, talking with Joe and Izzy. Kari looked like she was trying to cheer up the anxious face of T.K., and Mimi, who was sitting straight across from me, was sitting there silent, with no food on her plate and staring right at me. I gave her a quizzical look and she responded by banging her head on the table and crying. Everyone stopped talking and stared at her. I could feel Sora brush past me and walk over to the opposite side of the table. Mimi looked up at me and cried harder. "What’s wrong Mimi?" Sora asked trying to coax Mimi into telling her. "I’m sor-r-y," I stuttered out and ran upstairs. I ran past Matt’s door and into the silent room of mine, the only two sounds were the cries from Mimi downstairs and the vibration from the slam of my door.
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"I have called you six down because I forgot to put you guys on watch. Since Matt and Mimi are separate, they need someone to watch them and make sure the voices don’t make them do things they are not supposed to. Who wants to start tonight?" "I do," I said standing up, "I want to watch Matt." "T.K., please let me go tonight?" Tai said staring at me with pleading eyes, "Let me watch Matt tonight. You can do it tomorrow." "Sure Tai," I said sitting back down. "Fine, since Tai’s doing tonight, I’ll watch Mimi," Sora said, "And why doesn’t T.K. and Kari do tomorrow night and Joe and Izzy the next night?" Everyone nodded in agreement, including Gennai. "If Matt or Mimi have the voices trying to make them do things they are not supposed to, hit them over the head with a lamp or something." We all stared at Gennai with horrified expressions on our faces. "Are you serious?" Gennai looked at me. "Of course not T.K. If you need help, just holler. You and Kari sleep next door to Matt, so you’ll hear Tai’s pleas and Joe and Izzy will hear if Sora needs help." I left the room and followed the rest of the Digidestined up the stairs. "Tai?" I asked as he was knocking on Matt’s door, "Please take care of him." Tai nodded and smiled, "Of course T.K. You go get some sleep."
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It was a little past midnight when it started. "Tai?" I woke up from my half troubled sleep. "What is it Matt?" "The voices are here. I can’t take it any more! They won’t stop. For an hour they have been torturing me, quietly because they are starting to get weaker, but now it’s loud again." I went to Matt’s bedside and turned on the lamp. I took his blue crest and slipped it over his head and he responded by lifting his head, allowing me to slip it on. "Your crest will hopefully give you strength." Matt looked up at me. "I’m sorry Tai." "For what?" "For snapping at you today. I don’t feel like myself," Matt admitted. "It’s okay Matt, I’m here for Mimi and you." "Thanks," Matt said closing his eyes into a troubled sleep. *I wonder what happened to the voices? How could Matt go to sleep if the voices started again? Did the same thing happen to Mimi? Who’s doing this? I think I should see Sora. It couldn’t hurt if I were to be gone for a minute.* I quickly opened the door and closed it. I ran down the hall and around the corner to where Matt’s former room used to be. *Of coarse he picked the room farthest from ours.* I knocked quietly and opened up. Sora looked up at me and sighed in relief. "Oh, it’s just you." "Oh thanks," I said coming close to her. I kissed her softly on the lips before I remembered I left Matt alone. "Did Mimi just wake up and say she heard the voices?" Sora nodded and replied, "I’m guessing Matt went through the same thing. The strangest part is she was able to fall back asleep. I mean a couple of days ago, she couldn’t stand it for twenty seconds, but she said she had been going through it for a steady hour. I didn’t even know." "It’s because they’re weaker without the two of them together. Matt also said they were bothering him for an hour, but didn’t tell me. I’m surprised he went to sleep." I looked at the open door, "I should head back, I’ll see you in the morning." She nodded standing up and following me to the door. Sora kissed me on the lips and said her goodbyes as I raced down the halls. "Tai, wake up," Izzy said shaking me. "You fell asleep." "Matt!" I cried out bolting upright into a sitting position. "He’s fine, still sleeping I suspect. Gennai said to come downstairs, he has something to tell us." I got up and walked downstairs to find the others sitting at the kitchen table. I took a seat by Sora who seemed a bit anxious. Suddenly the eyes went passed me to the opening in the doorway. I turned around to see Gennai walking past me to a small stool at the end of the table. He climbed on the stool and said, "Can I have your attention?" I almost laughed at the thought of him thinking he didn’t have our attention already. "My hypothesis has been confirmed." "What hypothesis?" I asked. "While you were upstairs asleep, Gennai came up with a hypothesis suggesting that Matt and Mimi are in a coma," Joe replied. "As I was saying, Matt and Mimi are indeed in a coma. There is nothing you can do, but hope for the best." "Why are they in a coma?" I asked. "The voices in there head brought them into one. It seems they’ll make the temptation stronger. We better hope they realize their actions before they do it."
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