please read A/N at end cause yeah

TK

TK pushes around the dark circles floating in the milk in his bowl. He should eat least some of his breakfast, but cannot find the energy to do so. His mind is far from the thought so his cereal becomes soggy as it sits. All that consumes TK thoughts are of Kari and the digital world. It was only a few days ago when they brought her home, unconscious. TK cannot get the image of her so small and weak in Yolei's arms out of his head. He hopes she is alright. He doesn't want to bug her parents but he hopes they call soon.

The other thing playing in his mind is the battle they had. TK nearly forgot all about dark evolutions until that happen. Ladydevimon is a scary sight to see. But what really sends a chill down his whatever she did. A rip in the world that has stayed intact. Or at least, lasted a long time. It could be gone by now but that is yet to be seen. No one has gone back to check yet to recover and gather their thoughts.

TK pushes away his breakfast and leans back in his chair. Everything is gonna be okay, TK. We will figure out what those rips are and how to stop them. Kari will wake up and we can see if she will talk to us. Even if not, at least she is out of the Digital World and not causing trouble. We've figured things out before, we can do it.

TK looks at the clock on the wall. 9am. No use in sitting around and doing nothing. Davis will just have to deal with him being early. During these days of waiting Izzy has set up open gates on everyone's computer so it was not so isolated.

"C'mon, Patamon. We're gonna head off."

Patamon jumps up from his spot on the table and flies over to his partner, taking a seat on his head. TK grabs his bag and heads off. It will take some time to get to Davis' home. Kari's house is on the way there. Should he? It's been days now. He's worried. But she still might be recovering or her family just wants to be left alone with their only child at the moment. Damn it.

"You should go see her," Patamon says. Always good at sensing his emotions.

"You know it's not that easy, bud," TK replies.

"I know but I know you are worried. You can just stop by and ask her mom and dad and then be on your way. I don't think they will mind you checking up on her."

TK takes a deep breath and exhales. Patamon is right. It will kill time also and Davis won't get annoyed at being woken up too early. He makes a turn towards Kari's apartment complex. A knot twists in his stomach as he draws closer. It tightens as he ascends the steps.

He pauses at the door. He can do this. He just needs relax. TK lifts up his finger and presses it down on the doorbell. The buzzing sound seeps through the door before stopping when he lets go of the button. Moments seem to last forever. TK is about to move on and head towards Davis' home when he hears the sound of the door unlocking. He takes a small step back.

"Oh, TK!" Mrs. Kamiya stands in the doorway. She looks far better than before. Stronger but sadness still in her eyes. "How are you? What are you doing here?"

"I'm fine. I...just wanted to see how Kari is doing. Sorry if I am intruding. I just wanted to make sure she is alright."

"Right. Sorry for not calling sooner or telling you anything. It's just...She's fine...for the most part…"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know how to explain it. She seems like a zombie for the most part, only getting up when needed before going back to her room and to bed. I don't know what is going on but at night I've hear to mumble things to herself, saying 'sorry' a lot. Salamon thinks she is trying to work things out within herself. She said she has been through a lot."

"She's not wrong. When we finally got to her she was a mess. Maybe she is trying find herself again because that wasn't the Kari I knew."

"We can only hope. I still cannot thank you and everyone else enough for bringing her home. Once we figure things out and once she comes to I promise to call you."

"It's not a problem. Just as long as she is safe and sound, that's all that matters. Well, I gotta get going. I hope you have a nice rest of your day."

"You too TK."

Yuuko slowly shuts the door. TK hears the locks clicking behind it. He lingers for a moment, taking in everything that just occurred. He hopes that Salamon is right. That maybe she is fighting an unseen battle at the moment that only she can wake herself up from. But if it is not, then what could it be?

TK shakes his head. He can figure that out later. As much as he wants to think about it, right now he knows that she is safe and out of the digital world. That problem can be dealt with later. Right now, the focus needs to be on what to do about what she did..

Finally, he leaves. Neither he nor Patamon say much as they walk to Davis' house. There is not much to say that hasn't already been spoken about. After a few minutes of walking, the two arrive at the his house. He doesn't have to wait long for Davis to open the door.

"You're up early," TK states as he walks in.

"Hey, I want to figure out what is going on. Been awake for a while now. I really hope that the others get here soon."

TK watches Davis' pace around, Demiveemon right at his heels. TK can feel his pain but doesn't join him. He stays off to the side and waits for the others. They show up in no time at all, everyone is anxious to figure out what is going on.

Without saying much, everyone heads off to the digital world. In the time they were gone, things seem to be relatively okay. Rips appear and disappear like before, dark towers stand tall and peak over the skyline. An eerie silence fills the air, more than usual. No one spots any digimon while walking, not even controlled ones. Odd.

Finally, the group of friends return to the last battle ground. TK's heart sinks when he sees that the rips that Ladydevimon created are still there. The only hope that he can take away from this is that now they can properly investigate what in the world that grey area is.

No one is going to go too far. The land is still unknown, but a peak into it, a quick look around, will still yield some answers...as well as questions. Either way, it is something and they have to act on it if anyone is to figure out what is going on and what Kari had been planning.

"You guys ready?" TK asks.

"Honestly? No. Just looking at that place gives me the chills," Yolei says. "But better to get it over with now rather than later."

"I agree. I don't like that place but I am ready to go," Cody adds on.

"Right. Let's go see what the heck these things finally are," Davis says. Without any hesitation, he is the first to jump through the rip. Veemon follows.

One by one, everyone and their digimon enter into the mysterious world. Everything becomes grey and an icy feeling creeps over them. TK feels goosebumps raise all over his skin. He makes a mental note to bring a jacket with him.

Looking around, he sees that the have stepped foot near a beach. His nose is filled with the scent of rotten fish. TK nearly gags and starting breathing through his mouth to help. Looking around more, he sees in the distant the outline of a town. Too far to walk to right now. Maybe the next time they come they can search that area. First thing first, get a feel of the area.

Everyone starts to explore the area. Not much around to look at. The signs hung up on the wooden walls near the path are written in some unknown language or is either so worn away or scribbled so poorly, it is illegible. Davis, Cody, Veemon, and Armadillomon flip over rocks they find in false hope of trying to find something.

Nothing. Not a signal clue can be found anywhere. The place is just as devoid of life as it is with its secrets. TK starts to think about leaving and coming back later to search some more when Ken shouts that he has found something. TK quickly heads over to his friend.

It is a cave. Looking in from the outside, there is not much. But they can only see so far in. With some lights and more gear, who knows what they can find inside. Better than nothing. However, Davis has other plans. He begins to walk into the cave, not caring that anything that can be in there.

"What are you doing?" TK asks, a hint of anger in his voice. He pauses for a moment, not knowing where that came from.

"Going to explore, what else?" Davis retorts. "What, do you just want us to stand around here and do nothing?"

"I don't want anyone getting hurt. We have no idea what is in there and we only came here to look around right now. Not go and get ourselves killed!"

"Yeah but all we have been doing as of late is just sitting around and doing nothing. We can't do that anymore when anything can be happening! Aren't you supposed to be the leader of this group?"

A low growl comes from TK. Their voices raised and body tense, they stare each other down. Before either of them can get any closer, Yolei and Ken holds them back.

"Both of you calm down. What the hell has gotten into you?" Yolei asks.

"There is no need to fight. We don't need that," Ken adds on.

Davis' and TK's bodies relax and their faces soften.

"Sorry. I just don't want anyone else getting hurt," TK says.

"Sorry also. Maybe I was getting ahead of myself anything," Davis replies.

"I think we've seen enough. We found something so today is not a total lost," Cody says. "I don't like the feeling of this place. I think we should go home."

He's right. The place feels off. A dark feeling sits on his chest. TK makes a mental note about the cave and where it is before he and everyone else heads off back into the digital world. The second he steps foot back into the colorful world, the heavy feeling leaves his chest.

There is still some time to go about taking down towers and freeing other digimon. It is all anyone does for the next couple of days. Any attempts to go back to the dark world brings back the dark feelings and spats. They can barely get into the cave without someone getting angry.

No one wants to go back there if it keeps happening. Whatever that world is, it is not a great place. TK knows they are going to have to go back there eventually. However, his other thoughts are on his mind just as well.

First and foremost, is Kairi. She still hasn't woken but is starting to show some signs of coming to full consciousness. That is good. Hopefully it won't be much longer until she comes too. Maybe she will know what the world is, if she will help or listen to anyone.

The other thing that is on his mind. August first is coming up. The day he and the old gang first went into the digital world. That, and August third, the day Tai died. One happy, one sad. TK debates about asking others if they wanted to come.

"We can always catch up later if you want," Cody says when asked about it.

"You sure?" TK replies. "I mean you guess are digidestines also."

"Yeah but we weren't there and I think you should go talk with the others first about everything. See if they have anything to say and how they feel about everything. You haven't really talked to them after everything, right?" Ken asks.

"No, I haven't."

TK has talked a bit to Matt about everything that occurred with Kari but in detail. Been to hard. He has no idea how much the others know. There is a lot to catch up on. "Alright. Thanks guys."

August 1st arrives. It takes forever for him to crawl is way out of bed and to the meeting place. TK sits and waits at the park. Slowly, everyone starts to arrive. First, Matt. The brothers greet each other, hugging, and talk as they wait for the others.

Joe arrives shortly after, then Sora and Izzy, and then to TK's surprised, Mimi.

"You didn't think I wouldn't come here, did you?" Mimi says, a small smile on her face.

"It's so nice to see you!" TK replies. "How long are you planning on staying for?"

"Couple of weeks. I heard that you have a lot to talk about."

"Yeah. A lot. Come on."

They talk as they walk. Tk tells them everyone about what occurred not to long ago. About how Kairi caused a dark evolution of Gatomon. Everyone is shocked to hear this. Despite everything that has happened over the past three years and how much Kairi have changed, no one expected that she would do something like that.

What concerns everyone the most is when TK tells them about the rips in the digital world, especially the ones that Ladydevimon created. If they are still lingering around, anything can come out of them. What is worse is when TK talks about going into the world and the odd feelings he got from it.

"So there is another dimension in the digital world that is much darker," Izzy says to himself. He then turns his attention to TK. "So wait. You said you started to see them more after Kairi stayed in the digital world right?" TK nods. "That is when she started to put up more of those dark towers."

"I didn't even think about that. No wonder why she went crazy with them. I'm still trying to figure out what she was, or still is who knows, planning," TK says.

"How is Kari doing anyway?" Sora asks.

"Last I heard, she was only semi conscious. I don't know what is going on but I am just hoping she will wake up soon. Maybe then we can finally get some answers."

Silence fills the air has the group heads to the site of the final battle. The place the fought their hardest battle against Venommyotismon. The place they last saw Tai alive. After visiting the site they head off to spend the rest of the day together. They spend the next couple of days together actually.

TK goes back and forth working with Davis, Ken, Yolei, and Cody and trying to figure what is going on in the digital world and relaying the information he finds out to the others. He waits for word on Kari but hears nothing. Not until the day after Tai's death anniversary does he get any idea about her when there is a knock on his door and her standing behind it with Gatomon in her arms.

HEY I AM NOT DEAD!

Okay before y'all do anything, please just hear me out. A) I am gonna say this flat out, this chapter isn't my best. I lost a lot of steam and I was stuck on it for a long long while. I finally just was like "screw it I am just gonna give what I have so I can keep going". I do try my best not to make thing not great and this one really took a punch because I just couldn't but I was NOT moving forward being stuck on this so I just...had to. I do PROMISE to make the others better as i do feel the block lifted a bit.

B) sorry I missed the deadlines. Life. Anxiety and dysthymia sucks tho I do my best with it but it can make writing hard and just jobs and personal shit yadda yadda. Yeah so just life delayed it + the block (and I lost my notebook with the notes for this so :v) which brings me to

C) I don't really have anything queued. So rn, I am shooting for an update once a MONTH. Sorry. I will work on trying to queue stuff and if I can get stuff out faster I will. But yeah. I will def try for once a month at the very least. But I will say this. I will FINISH this fic because I know people enjoy it. I know people like it and it makes me keep going. So yeah. All I ask is just patience (and I also need to say I know I said i wanted to do like intermissions or whatever but life made me forget about that WHOOPS! But I guess I'll make those side stories later on if I can find my notebook)

but yeah. Sorry for the delay but this will get done, I promise!