Dreams and Reality
Story By Tigertae
Sora didn't get the chance to clarify her feelings. "SO, DIGI-DESTINED, IT SEEMS YOUR LEADER STILL LIVES." Myotismon boomed, startling everyone awake.
"Digivolving time!" Agumon yelled.
"Agumon digivolve to: Greymon!"
"Gabumon digivolve to: Garurumon!"
"Tentomon digivolve to: Kabuterimon!"
"Biyomon digivolve to: Birdramon!"
"Gomamon digivolve to: Ikkakumon!"
"Palmon digivolve to: Togemon!"
"Grisly Wing!" Myotismon yelled. The stream of bats swooped towards the digimon.
"Needle Spray!"
"Meteor Wing!"
The bats fell, either scorched or stabbed. The others pressed on their attacks.
"Nova Blast!"
"Harpoon Torpedo!"
"Howling Blaster!"
"Electro-Shocker!"
"Boom Bubble! POW!"
"Meteor Wing!"
"Needle Spray!"
Myotismon was apparently still feeling the effects of the last battle, since this time, the attacks had some effect on him. Greymon reared his head back for another Nova Blast.
Tai watched his friends battling. The fire pain in his veins was rapidly increasing. "Sora…I'll always love you. Please don't forget me," His body sank back to the ground.
Greymon shrank back to Agumon, then to Koromon. Sora stared, then it clicked. "Tai! Oh no!" She ran back to where she had left Tai. She frantically searched for a pulse, or breathing, but could find nothing. Nothing. He's gone. Sora thought miserably. And I never told him how I felt.
"TAI!" Sora screamed again, anguished. She broke down sobbing over his lifeless body.
"Tai's dead?" Somehow, it wasn't registering with anyone else.
"GARURUMON DIGIVOLVE TO: WEREGARURUMON!"
"KABUTERIMON DIGIVOLVED TO: MEGAKABUTERIMON!"
"BIRDRAMON DIGIVOLVE TO: GARUDAMON!"
"Mega Claw!
"Horn Blaster!"
"Wing Blade!"
Myotismon retreated from the barrage. "YOUR LEADER DIDN'T HOLD OUT AFTER ALL. ONE DOWN, SIX TO GO!" Myotismon disappeared, laughing.
Izzy looked over at Sora, who was still crying. "I believe it would be wise to let her deal with her grief before disturbing her. Even you, Yokomon."
Only Mimi and Sora were crying. No one else could bring himself to believe that it was true. This was Tai, after all. He was their leader, their friend. He couldn't just die. T.K. picked up Koromon and carried him to the fire. Nobody said anything, but sat staring into the fire until one by one, they fell asleep. Towards dawn, Sora fell asleep too, drained from crying.
"Do you want to bring Tai back?" A voice asked in her dream.
"How can I?" The dream version of Sora answered.
"Simple. Join me. I have the power." The voice materialized into Myotismon.
"No!" Sora shrank back, to afraid to do anything else.
"You claim you love him. Or are you so selfish that you would rather keep him dead, so that you don't have to share?"
"I'm not selfish! Tai wouldn't want me to follow you just so he could live. He would prefer to stay dead, and I'd rather die and join him."
"As you wish. Prepare to join him!" Myotismon bared his fangs and moved forward. Sora stood her ground, thinking If I'm going to die, I'm going to do so fighting. A bright light suddenly flashed, sending Myotismon back. Angemon hovered there.
"The girl is not yours, Myotismon. Leave her be."
"Next time, little one." Myotismon disappeared. Sora looked up at Angemon.
"There is another way to bring Tai back to life, but you must discover it yourself." Angemon faded.
Sora slowly opened her eyes. She found herself lying against Tai's body, her head resting on his bandaged chest. Was that just a dream? Or was it real? Even if it was just a dream, that doesn't mean it wasn't telling me something. Another way,it's possible to bring him back. Sora sat up. Something glimmered in the sand next to her. The object turned out to be her Crest. Humph. The Crest of Love. Lot of good it did. A memory forced itself to the front of Sora's mind.
"I felt something, Sora. It must have been your love shining through." Tai had said. Tai was the only one that felt it. Why didn't I see it then? Her Crest suddenly began to glow. Could it be that her Crest could bring him back? Please, let this work Sora thought as she laid her Crest over Tai's heart. It began to glow even brighter and spread light over Tai's lifeless body. C'mon, c'mon…It's not working…It's not strong enough by itself. Tai's Crest began to glow as well. Tai's Crest of Courage. Yes, he demonstrated courage simply by telling me how he felt. The light from the Crest joined with the light from Sora's Crest. Tai began to stir and finally opened his eyes.
"Sor-ra?" Tai managed feebly.
"Tai! You're alive! It worked!" Sora hugged him. Confused, Tai struggled to sit up. Sora helped him and let him lean against the rock. She picked up her Crest from where it had fallen and slipped it back over her head. "How do you feel?" Sora asked, still unable to believe he was back.
She's acting like I never told her I loved her. I did tell her, didn't I? So hard to remember...not thinking clearly yet...
"Tai?" Sora's plaintive question made him look up.
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I feel okay. A little weak." Really weak...but I don't want her to worry. Tai's vision finally came into focus. She looks like she's been crying for three days straight. Wait a minute...I died, I know I did. Could she have been crying for me? "Um, Sora?"
"Yes?"
"Did I tell you..." I can't go through with it! I have to. I have to know if she has any feelings for me. "That I-I love you?" I can't look at her. Tai dropped his chin to his chest.