Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in Digimon. I am only using them for this fanfic. Please do not sue me.

Acknowledgement: I will have to leave this empty for now, since I am trying to finish this story by the end of this year. I do want to say, I thank everyone for your support. And thank you for being patience while I am busy with my life. This story will be finish—that I can assure you. I just don't know when. Please try to understand. With this chapter done, only two more chapters with an epilogue and this story will be done.

The End and the Beginning

There was a time when everything stood still and reality shifted away when a hard shock or blunt truth appeared suddenly in a person's life. As Mimi and the others stood on top of the platform looking at the woman—their companion—who happened to be sitting on the bed casually, they couldn't help but feel the floor under them had abruptly pulled away from them and had left them sprawling in an open space. Shocked and bewildered at the changes, disbelief settled in their hearts.

"Goddess," Davis whispered softly under his breath. "Hasuma?"

His words were uttered softly but with the silence that had settled around the room, the words seemed to blare out like a loud trumpet. Smiling at him, Hasuma nodded her head.

"Both," she answered as she shifted her position from the bed. Slowly she rose to her feet and her silky ivory gown seemed to illuminate her figure. "But for now, I will appear to you as who you have known." Her appearance shifted and she don on her old attire. Her face discarded the wisdom and rejuvenated back her youth. In a blink of an eye, the goddess disappeared only to be replaced by the old Hasuma that they all knew.

"Hasuma," asked Mimi. Now that Hasuma was back to her old appearance, the disbelief, the feeling of surrealism had disappeared. Now that they were facing something they were familiar with, the shock slowly ebbed away from their body. Questions began to rise.

"Didn't I already answer this question already," reply Hasuma jokingly.

"You did, but you didn't tell us that you are the goddess," said Izzy. He paused when he realized what he had acknowledged. "Did I just say you are the goddess?"

"I believe that you did," Yolie dryly answered.

"Can we get back on topic," snapped Matt. He glared at Hasuma. "What is going on over here? Why are you the goddess? What the heck is going over here!" Before Hasuma could reply, Ken spoke.

"Do you know you just repeated yourself," Ken pointed out. A glare from Matt caused him to immediately close his mouth.

"It is because we all are still nervous and we still need time to process this information," Joe answered. He was right to hit the point. With the state they were now, an intelligent and informative conversation will most likely not take place. None of them except Hasuma seemed to be able to gather their thoughts together.

"In that case," said Hasuma. "I will leave you alone." As her changes hadn't surprised them enough, she teleported away from them and reappeared below the stairs. She looked up at them and quickly notified them of her position when they continued to stare at her original spot with a blank expression. "From your reactions," she jokingly told them. "It is like you never seen me teleport before."

"Are you trying to run away," asked Tai as he started down the stairs toward her. "Matt is right. We need answers."

"I am not running away. Joe pointed out an important point; you are not in the right state of mind to listen to me now." She lifted her left arm and one of her fingers quickly pointed at a plain white wooden door that was embedded on the wall at the west side of this castle. "Come to see me when you have calmed down. I will be waiting behind that door." With that said, she disappeared again, leaving them alone in the vacant room.

Without wasting a breath, Kari sank down onto the floor and sat there in silence. Concern about her, TK immediately kneeled down next to her. Matt on the other hand immediately started to storm down the stairs. He was halfway down the stairs when he noticed neither one of them was following him. Instead, some had stationed themselves on the platform.

"What are all of you waiting for," Matt demanded. "Don't you want some answers to what is going on?"

"We all do," Tai replied. "But until we get our thought together, we won't process what Ha…I mean the goddess will tell us." A frown appeared on his face. "She really is the goddess, isn't she? Damn…I am still getting use to this idea."

"Who would have thought," said Cody. He shook his head. "Actually, it is impossible to come to this conclusion."

Izzy sighed. "All of my calculations couldn't even arrive to this answer."

"That is why we need to see her," Matt exclaimed. "If she is the goddess, why didn't she tell us in the first place? Why did she need us to go through all those trials?"

"Maybe she didn't know she is the goddess," Davis muttered unconsciously.

"What do you mean," asked Sora, turning her attention immediate toward him.

"Huh?" Davis looked around him in confusion. The thought just appeared into his mind, and he just spit it out. He didn't expect to see all of them staring at him, waiting for his answer. Nervously, he just waved his hand in front of him in a defensive way. "Whoa…hold on. I don't know what I was saying. That just came to my mind."

"But it doesn't seem like you are on the wrong track," Izzy said thoughtfully. He stood up. "Remember what Val, the holographic figure in Xatha, has said to us? The goddess is sleeping but yet she is not. Instead, she has been aiding us in our journey."

"Yeah, so?"

Izzy turned to Matt's direction to answer his question. "You still don't see the possibility or the reason behind this logic." He turned to Mimi. "In a sense, the goddess have been sleeping and not sleeping. Think about it. Hasuma is the goddess. There is no point in denying this."

"And she has been helping us on this journey since Guardina," Cody muttered as he caught on to what Izzy was indicating. "This fulfills the part where Val has said the goddess has been aiding us."

"And yet Hasuma doesn't know that she is the goddess," said Ken. "In a sense, that fulfills the part where Val said the goddess is sleeping."

"So you are saying that Hasuma is the goddess but she doesn't know that she is because she is sleeping," said Yolie. "And…the goddess has been aiding us but in a sense she doesn't know that she is aiding us." She shook her head. "Am I making any sense to anyone of you because I am definitely having some difficulty understanding what I have said?"

Unable to resist himself, or maybe it was due to habit, Davis muttered softly to himself. "Since when are you never confused?" A sharp pain jolted through his arm when Yolie punched him on his arm. "What are you doing, Ogermon?"

"I heard what you've said." She returned Davis's glare with a glare of her own. A laughter emitted from Joe caused some of them to jump and gain all of their attention.

"Thank goodness we have Davis and Yolie," Joe smile as he started down the stairs. "Seeing them fight with each other is starting to make everything seem normal again." He turned back to look at Yolie. "But you are right about what you have said. It sounds confusing because the whole situation is confusing. I can't help but feel we are in some darkness, trying to grasp some sense of stability by making all of these information that is given to us to some logical sense."

"Why not asks the lady herself," said Izzy.

"About time," said Matt. He took two steps downward and immediately halted as if he has remembered something suddenly. He turned around and his gaze locked on to Mimi, who is still standing on top of the platform while the rest of the members have proceeded down the stairs. "Are you coming priestess?"

Mimi took a deep breath and nodded her head. "I am coming." She lightly pounced down the stairs and in a matter of seconds she reached Matt, who was waiting for her. Standing close to her, they walked down the stairs together. It was not very often he would stay so close to her. Matt understood, behind her serene face, laid a turmoil mind. As if the shock Xatha has provided her was not enough, the truth about Hasuma's identity—a girl who Mimi found to be like an older sister of her—was enough to shake the fragile stability Mimi has managed to build up after her visit to Xatha. Understanding Matt's unspoken intention when he stayed so closely by her side brought a grateful smile on her face when she turned her face upward to him.

Matt saw her smile and slowly relaxed a little bit. He was surprise to realize he was a little bit tense when he waited for Mimi to show any sign of stress or fear. Her smile reassured him of her strength and he stepped away from her now that he knew his unconscious support was not needed. Nonetheless, he still stayed near her just incase something were to happen to her.

"Well, this is it," said Tai as they stood before the white wooden door. That time they were too far away to see the drawing but engraved on the door was a sideway picture of Greymon with his face turning toward the right side of the door. Lined behind and beside him were other digimons that were bowing to the figure to the right. On the right side of the door, was the drawing of the goddess. In her hand was a digimon egg and below her, sitting next to her leg, is Koromon.

Tai whistled slightly. "I guess the rumor is true. The first digimon the goddess ever created is Koromon." A sense of pride filled Tai when he touched the symbol on his left arm. He was about to examine the door much more closely when a blue light, coming from behind him, struck the door, causing Tai to jumped back in surprise.

"Don't worry," said Izzy as he typed in his laptop. "I am just scanning this into my computer. This is…after all, a part of our history that we have lost." When the blue light vanished, Izzy stood up from the floor and closed the top of his laptop. "Prodigious. The picture came out fine."

"I am glad to hear this," said Matt as he stepped forward. "But at the rate that we are going, it will be next year when I finally get to hear what I want to know." Without waiting for them, he pushed open the wooden door. The door easily gave way as each side swing outward from Matt. To their surprise, the door lead them straight back out to the garden they have passed when they entered into this realm. A pathway, made from plain dirt, spans from the doorway and into the garden. With Tai in the lead, followed by Mimi and Sora, they slowly walked into the garden. Grasses filled field span from as far as they can see. Exotic flowers from different region decorated the garden.

"It's beautiful over here," Sora whispered as she glanced around her.

"No time to enjoy the scenery," said Tai as they approached an alcove that appeared at the end of the path. Standing near the alcove was the goddess herself. She turned around when they approached her and smile at them. Before anyone of them could speak, she began to speak softly.

"There are so many things I want to tell you but I don't know where to begin." She waved her hand toward the wooden benches that decorated the circular alcove. "But first of all, please call me Hasuma for now. It lessens the confusion."

"You can start off by answering our questions," said Matt. He remained standing when the rest of the group sat down on the benches obediently.

"This is what we came up with," said Izzy. He received a sharp gaze from Matt, and Izzy sat up straighter. "Well, we got to let her know what we know already so she can confirm our deduction," he said defensively.

"What did you come up with," asked Hasuma. "It might be a good place to start off with."

"Before I start to tell you our hypothesis, I need to know whether you know that you are the goddess before you came here."

Hasuma smiled. "No…I don't know. I have no recollection I am the goddess until I get here." She paused. "I guess that explains my sudden black out when Daijou ask to talk to me in Xatha," she thought to herself.

"Then that confirm our hypothesis," Izzy nodded. "Val has told us that the goddess is sleeping and yet she isn't. She isn't sleeping because you are actively helping us go through all these trials. And yet, the goddess is sleeping because you do not know that you, yourself, are the goddess, herself."

"Yes," Hasuma agree. "That is the truth behind Val's words. Although she tried to hide the fact by referring to the barrier but I guess you are not tricked by her equivocation."

"It was Davis who gave me this hint," said Izzy. Cody silently raised his hand. Hasuma nodded her head toward his direction.

"Yes?"

"I want to know why you choose to aid us in this way," said Cody. "You con just fulfill the prophecy instead of choosing this method."

"Many people have died because of your choice," Mimi whispered suddenly. Startled, by her comment, everyone turned their gazed to her. Even Mimi seemed surprise by her words. "I'm sorry," she stuttered. "I am not blaming you for your choice…I mean." Her words left unspoken.

"Of course you are not," Hasuma said dryly.

"You know Mimi doesn't mean it that way," Sora snapped defensively when she caught Hasuma's tone. "You know her personality. She…"

"It was exactly what she means," Hasuma cut her off. "As much as Mimi wants to cover it, it is exactly what she meant." She turned a level gaze at Mimi. Mimi lowered her head shamefully, hiding the shade of red that covered her cheeks. Yolie opened her mouth to protest, but Hasuma raise her hand to stop her. "I can see through her heart and into her thoughts. I have not mistaken Mimi's purpose when she has spoken those words."

"I'm sorry," Mimi apologize softly. "I don't know why that thought come into my mind. I just…"

Hasuma patted Mimi lightly on the head, and she slowly raised her face to look at the goddess. "Do not worry, Mimi. It is human nature to blame others for the problem they face. At a moment of weakness, that is the safest way to protect you."

"But…"

"I am not saying that is the correct choice you've made. I am just telling you your reaction. And besides…" Mimi stared at Hasuma with a puzzled look on her face. "You have spoken the truth. Many deaths can be prevented if I did not choose this path. However, I choose this path because I need to pay for my sin."

"Your sin," TK asked in astonishment. Whatever they expect to hear, it was not this. "What sin?"

"The war between human and the digimon started because the human race decided they can be the sole ruler of this world. It only ended and began with a new war that sprouted with the rebellion of the Maji. Before either war can start, I have the power to prevent them, but I choose not to." She stepped back from them and turned her back to them. "That is my sin. By turning my face away from the ordeal, I committed a sin."

"But it was not your fault," said Davis. He rose from his seat and headed toward Hasuma. "It was our choice. We choose to fight. We choose to create those Maji. You cannot stop our thought even if you want to."

Hasuma turned around to face them and smile at Davis. "You are far more intelligent than what we all give you credit for. I think it is only Tai who sees this ability in you." She patted him on the arm. "But what you said is also true. I cannot stop the ambition that is in a human's heart. I can suppress it but I cannot wipe it away. But nonetheless there is something that I can do to help prevent the tragedy from happening."

"I still don't get what your sin has to do with your choice," said Kari.

"It has everything to do with it," said Hasuma. "For all of the wrongs we each have made, we must pay the consequences. I paid my consequences by losing my power and my memory. I have turned myself into a human, so that I can understand the nature—the thoughts—that drive your race toward destruction." She slowly removed her black coat and tossed it to the ground. Thrusting her naked left arm in front of them, she continued on. "To aid your race, I intentionally choose not to be reborn with a digimon symbol. I also gave my human form the capability to wield an unusual huge power that is not normal for a human who has no digimon symbol."

"Why did you do that," asked Cody.

"Her refusal to take on any digimon symbols is an indication she is not supporting any side," Izzy explained. "Her ability to wield an unimaginable power is to help aid us if we need help." Izzy nodded his head and turned his laptop around. "I just did a search with my laptop, and I discovered when a person without a symbol die, another one is born. Am I safe to assume that you are the one that is constantly being reborn?"

"Yes it is," said Hasuma. "The punishment that I have given to myself is that I will continue to be reborn as a human being, with those conditions that I have stated before, until the time the priestess/priest fulfill his or her duty." She sighed and smiled ruefully. "And because of this reason, I was persecuted for my power. Humans fear my power and seek to destroy it. When they can't they use me for experimentations. And finally, I am here to aid the priestess to fulfill her duty."

"Are you saying you did not choose to help Mimi willingly," asked Sora in disbelief.

"By no means do I mean what you just said. I choose to help Mimi because I wanted to. It has been the driving force that I am born with as a human. However, I am just pointing out that it did not take long for the human government to form an agreement with Daijou to allow me to live if I am willing to serve Mimi faithfully."

"The government," Ken choked.

"Yes, the government. They have issue an official law that all children born without a digimon symbol are to be brought to the government hall to be on trial and sentences. They justify their rulings by claiming that it is sacrilegious to have a child that is not recognized by their creator, the digimons. For this reason, they must eliminate these heretics."

"In actual facts," growled Izzy. "They just are afraid of your power."

"Exactly."

"Why haven't I ever heard this from Master before," asked Yolie as she stood up. "D..did master know about this?" Fear clutched her heart when she asked this.

"Yes," Hasuma replied steadily. "He was the one who brought me to the government." Yolie's face became pale and Davis immediately went toward her to help her back to the seat. Ken just watched them in silence.

"Then he…" Yolie trailed off. It was not something she wanted to hear. To think that her master would have turn an innocent child to the government just because she did not have a digimon symbol was unfathomable. It was a master she honored, and it shocked her to hear this.

"Do not jump to any conclusion, Yolie," Hasuma said quickly. "Master Daijou did not bring me to the government willingly. He brought me to the government after we both discuss the idea thoroughly. I want to serve the priest that was before Mimi but in order to do that, the government must approve of my position. If it weren't for Daijou's persuasion, I wouldn't be here."

Yolie sighed from relief.

"But you can still pay for your sin by helping us wipe out the Maji in the first place," Matt pointed out. "Why make us go through all the trouble."

"For this answer, I must ask you, why must I help you human clean something that you have created," asked Hasuma. "Why do I need to help you when you are the one who cause my children, the digimon, to extinction?"

"I don't have a good answer to that question," Matt replied truthfully. "But if you do not want to help us, you should have told us from the beginning. Why the heck did you have to go and make that stupid prophecy at the beginning?"

"To tell you the truth of the matter," Hasuma answered calmly. "Also, it is to teach you what this journey means." Matt opened his mouth to retort, but Hasuma silence him with another wave of her hand. "Let me starts off with the truth of the matter."

"Are you referring to the facts we have found in Xatha," asked Tai.

"That is only part of the truth," said Hasuma. "There are some things that are still hidden from you."

"I got a feeling I am not going to like what she is going to say," Davis muttered under his breath.

"Me either," thought Ken but he didn't voice out what he was thinking.

"What is it that you want us to see," asked Mimi.

"Something the government has been hiding from you," said Hasuma. With a snap of her fingers, she conjured a computer which has a huge monitor attached to it. "I will be showing you two video. The first video is the second to the last video that Dr. Frey has recorded. He has secretly recorded the meeting that is held before the human government has formed an agreement with the Digimon clan. The last video is a record from my memory."

"What is the importance of these video," Cody wondered.

As if reading his thought, Hasuma simply replied, "You'll see." The monitor suddenly gave off a brilliant white light and blinded them all temporary. A beeping noise can be heard from the computer as it started to transfer the information in its hard-drive and into the monitor. While Mimi and the others are still trying to blink away the blinding white light, Izzy's laptop easily recorded the scene that played before them. Whoever that was recording this, Dr. Frey as Hasuma has indicated, was sitting in a military room. He was sitting next to round redwood table, facing the map of the world that was hanging on the wall he was facing. Sitting across from him was an elderly man by the age of eighty. His shriveled up cheeks, crooked nose, and icy blue eyes are not hard to recognize. When the stars have disappeared from Izzy's eyes, he quickly recognized the man in question was none other than President Yural.

Sitting on Frey's right was another prominent figure. Robust, but healthy for his age, General Hol was rubbing his straightening up his red velvet uniform as he stared at Frey. His blond beard twitched along with his mouth as he regarded the information that Frey was exclaiming. To the President's right was his secretary, Kaily Vera.

She was a pretty and young woman. With her brunette hair tied tightly behind her head in a decorative bun, it showed off her high cheek bones and exotic green eyes. Many people will assumed that she was just a secretary, but those who worked with the internal affairs in the government knew she was an intellectual woman who manipulate the government behind the president. The president was only a puppet but was in disposable. Without his signature, nothing can be done. As she was waiting for the president to croak so she can take his position, she was currently his lover. Tragically, she died a day before the president passed away.

While Kaily was idly scribbling some notes in her portable notebook, the atmosphere in that room was by no mean relax. In fact, the anger in Dr. Frey's was unmistakingly there. The general seemed annoyed with whatever Frey was saying and the president seemed disinterested.

------------------

"Mr. President," pleaded Frey. "If we are to stop the Maji, we need to start to form an alliance with the Digimon clan. We cannot hope to win this war without their help! Haven't Xatha's massacre prove it to be so?"

"The soldiers in Xatha are just weaklings," snorted General Hol. "They deserve to die to such inferior beings."

"A few days ago, if I need to remind you, sir, you were calling those Maji our superior creations," Frey quietly pointed out. Redness from embarrassment and indignation flooded General Hol's face. He slammed his chubby fist on the table and angrily stood up to face Dr. Frey.

"Shut-up you laboratory rat! It is because of your failure we are stuck in this situation in the first place. If you know your place, you will keep your mouth shut. Better yet, you should have died with those worthless lives back in Xatha!"

"General, please," pleaded the president. "Please settle this affair peacefully."

"I will be peaceful if someone will remove this trash from this room," growled General Hol. He sat violently back onto his chair.

"I am not a trash," said Frey. "And neither are the lives that are lost to save your sorry fat ass are trash." General Hol was trembling with fury. "The metals that you have on your uniform are obtain not by your heroic act but by sacrificing thousands of human lives—those that you call trash—while you hide yourself like a coward you are."

In a roar of fury, General Hol pounced on his feet and was about to assault Frey when Kaily cleared her throat. Before General Hol could even laid on finger on Frey, two security guards had already seized General Hol by his arms to restrain him.

"General, please," Kaily drawled. "Watch your temper. He can sue you for assaulting him." As if goading him, her words only caused General Hol to struggle furiously against the guard's restrains.

"Sue me! Sue me! I will blast his head off before he can even sue me, you trash! And shut up wrench," he turned his anger to Kaily. "I don't need to listen to the words of a whore!"

Fury blazed in Kaily's eyes but her face remained impassionate. "Your language, sir." Her words were spoken very softly but with authority. It was a voice the demands obedience. "If you value your position," she added lightly.

Breathing heavily, General Hol finally stopped his struggle long enough to hear her threat. During the red mist of fury, he had forgotten the power Kaily wield within her hand. His offense against her would not be taken lightly, and the thought that he actually called her such vulgar names caused him to break out in cold sweat. "As you wish my lady," he murmured quickly. "I was not thinking."

"I understand, general." Like a lazy cat, her keen eyes watched General Hol as he slowly sank down on his seat. "Now, Frey," she turned her attention to the inventor. "I like what you suggested. I am referring to the suggestion in which you ask to form an alliance with the Digimon clan."

"Preposterous!"

"Not at all, general," Kaily interrupted. "We alone cannot defeat these monsters. Neither can the digimon defeat those monsters. Only by combining our powers do we have some hope in defeating those monsters. Isn't that right, Mr. President."

"Indeed," said the president. He sighed. "But with our past behavior, will they accept our alliance?"

"Don't worry, Mr. President," Kaily reassured him. "I am sure the digimon are smart enough to see they are in a very ugly position right now. They cannot hope to defeat the Maji with only their powers. They must see the reason behind this alliance."

"If so, who should we send as our ambassador," asked President Yural.

"I will go," Frey volunteered.

"You!" General Hol snorted. "You will just end up ruining the negotiation!" He stood up and patted his hand on his chest. "Let me go and ask those wretched Digimon to be our underling for this war against the Maji."

"I think, you will ruin the alliance rather than foster it," Frey pointed out. "Your pride blinds you, General Hol. And least to say, it is your kind that I despise the most." Before General Hol can angrily retort back to Frey's opinion, Frey continued. "Furthermore, what makes you think the digimon will welcome you easily into their realm when you attempt to assassin their wise leader in the past?"

"And will they accept the person who created these so called Maji so happily into their arms, Dr. Frey," General Hol snapped.

"I will pay for the sins I have committed with these two hands of mine."

"I think it is a wonderful idea," Kaily interjected. "I believe Dr. Frey will be the most optimal candidate to plead for an alliance. What do you think, Mr. President?"

"Sending the person who invented the Maji to the digimon clan is symbolically indicating he is atoning for his mistake. Not bad, if I must say so myself, Dr. Frey. That will surely help us form the alliance much more easily."

"That was not my intention, Mr. President," Frey's voice trembled. "I just want to apologize to the Digimon clan, directly, for creating the Maji." A hand cover over the camera and darkness filled the screen. "I'll take my leave then." The sound of a chair being pulled back could be heard. "Good-bye Mr. President. General Hol. Lady Vera." With those words said, the hand that was covering the camera was removed. The camera was now placed on the headrest of the chair Frey was sitting and it still recorded the expression of the three people who remained in the room. The sound of the door shutting could be heard.

"The insolence of that trash," growled General Hol. "Why did you listen to him, sister?"

"Sister?" The president looked at the two that were sitting across from each other.

"More like step-sister," Kaily quickly told the president. Her emerald green eyes shot General Hol a warning. "We did not know of our relationship until recently."

"I see," said President Yural cheerfully, masking his doubt with a smile.

Kaily was unconvinced of his behavior but decided to let it slide. "As for Dr. Frey…it is true we do not have the power to defeat the Maji by ourselves. We need the help of those Digimon to accomplish the task."

"The help of those barbarians!"

"Don't act like that, brother. Besides, with the help of those digimon we have a higher chance of winning the war against these Maji. Furthermore," Kaily smiled sweetly. "It might play to our advantage."

"What do you mean, my dear?"

Kaily patted the elderly man on his hand before she answered his question. "The alliance requires that we aid the digimon with their fight against the Maji. With our combine power, I am sure we can win this battle. But instead of just wiping out only the Maji, won't it be beneficial for us if the digimons are wiped out as well?"

"How sister? Do you have a plan?" General Hol leaned eagerly forward to listen.

"We will aid the digimon clan until we can be sure the battle is won," said Kaily. "When the battle is tipped heavily on our favor, withdraw our men, General Hol. Let the digimon and Maji kill each other until there is hardly anyone of them left. Then…General Hol, you know what to do."

"Slaughter those barbarians and monsters together." He smiled with glee. "Then the world will be under our rule."

"Exactly."

"It is a good plan you have there, Kaily," said the president. "General Hol, will you be able to pull this plan through?"

"Yes, I will," General Hol assured. He stood up and saluted the President.

"Then order your men to follow through with that plan," ordered the President.

"As you command."

A gleeful laughter suddenly erupted from Kaily. She cast a pitiful look at the direction where Frey was sitting. "The poor fool cannot cut the strings which ties him to his puppet masters. His will to atone for his sin will just foster another one." She giggled with delight. "I can't wait to see his pathetic expression when he realizes the truth behind our alliance."

-------------

The screen blacked out as it reached the end of the video. Silence filled the alcove as all of them, besides the goddess, tried to process what they have seen.

"The digimon," Yolie said with an empty tone.

"Did we…did we really," Cody stuttered.

"Yes you did," Hasuma answered him. "The Digimon race was already sparse with the prolong war and their population declined rapidly after the creation of the Maji. They poured their whole troop into the final battle and got wiped out because the human abandon them."

Hasuma sat lightly on top of the computer. "The final battle, as most of you know, lasted two hours. The first hour was a stalemate, in which, neither side was advancing. By the end of the first hour, under the wise leadership of Wargreymon, the digimon managed to obtain an upper hand for their team by driving the Maji into a ravine that three Digmons had created. In the next forty-five minutes, the human and the digimons managed to cause the Maji troops to dwindle down to only a few hundreds. It was then, when the human retreated rapidly from the battle, abandoning their technology in the field. Thus leaving only the Digimon to face the battle on their own. With the human intentionally leaving their weapon behind, the Digimon race not only have to battle the Maji's enhanced wit, agility, and strength, they also have to defend themselves from the weapon the humans had left to aid the digimon. The Maji made good use with the weapon and destroyed the digimon clan within a matter of minutes."

"Thinking that they have managed to finally destroy the digimon clan, General Hol brought his troop forward once again to fight the Maji group. He believed he can easily defeat them, not knowing that the technologies that they have left behind will be used against them. General Hol, lacking the intelligence those Maji had, caused his soldiers to panic and lose their position when they found their weapons used against them. The weapons that they have rigged to automatically self-destruct when General Hol pressed the button on the control had not done so. The Majis were smart enough and quick enough to dispose of the automatic self-destruct control. Because of this reason, the human troop was wiped out in the last five minutes of the battle."

"Those hypocritical bastards," growled Matt. "I always thought humans are disgusting but not to this extent." Mimi cringed when she heard his word but even then, she have nothing she could say to defend the crime her ancestors had committed.

"I think you are referring to the government," Joe pointed out. "Not all human beings are like that." He paused. "At least I hope so."

"Are we just pawns then," asked Davis. All eyes turned to him. "Are we just pawns for the government?" He stood up started to pace around the alcove. The dirt darted upward at each of his steps. "I can't help but think those higher ups in the government are using us." He pointed at Mimi. "And the priestess to achieve what they want." He gave all of them a level look. "Are we all pawns just so we can destroy the Maji? Just like they are using the digimons to destroy the Maji, are we…"

"If that is the case," Yolie murmured. "Then the beliefs we are holding are nothing but fabrications." She shuddered. "Then what is the purpose of our journey? To be their puppet?" She growled. "That thought makes me want to punch them." Davis nodded his head in agreement.

"I don't know either," said Mimi. "I don't know can I continue on like this." She smiled pitifully at them. "A few days ago, I thought I was on this journey to save humanity. Now…I know I am just a pawn to destroy another race that we have created and to cover the ugly truth that lies behind our past. All my dreams…my thoughts of this world are destroyed." She stood up wobbly and Matt has to support her or else she will collapse. "Am I wrong to hope I can help this world?"

"Mimi," Sora whispered.

"You are not wrong," said Hasuma.

"I don't think you are too," said Matt. His exclaim brought a few surprise look from some of his team-mates but he ignored their reactions. What…couldn't he say what he thought? "You are naïve; there is no doubt about it. But the dream that you have is not naïve. It takes a lot of courage to believe in that dream, and it takes an immense amount of courage to make that dream come true." It took him a long time to differentiate those two things.

"Whoa, Matt," Tai joked. "Never believe that you will say something like that."

"That is because you never inspired me to think that way," snapped Matt.

"So Mimi is your inspiration," teased Joe.

"Shut up," growled Matt. "It is just that she keeps on forcing on to us with her naïve thinking that I am starting to get a little bit sick of it. Damn it…naïve as it is, it is about time she sees the truth, and it is about time she do something to actually make her dream come true. Not…" He lost his train of thought then when a single tear escaped from Mimi's eyes. Whatever he had expected her action to be, it was not this. Maybe he shouldn't have denied her influence so viciously. Mimi never cried before and the sight of her crying shocks everyone in the room. "What the…"

"Yamato!" Yolie growled at him. "Look what you did! You insensitive jerk." Mimi started to cry even harder. This caused Matt to receive some nasty looks from a few of the members in the group. Without wasting any time, Sora, Kari, and Yolie had already pounced on their feet to wrap their arms around the crying priestess.

Matt remained silent and received the glares and the comments that were thrown at him. He did not know how to handle it when girls cry, and he did not want to make any venture forward that might cause Mimi to break out in tears again. However, a sense of indignation rose in his heart and he couldn't help but say, "I only stated the facts."

"Matt," warned Tai. It was not that he didn't agree with Matt's comment: he just didn't want Matt to dig himself deeper into his grave than what he already had.

"It's alright," Mimi choked as her tears subsided. Her voice was a little bit harsh from all her crying. "Yamato is right," she said firmly.

"Mimi," said Kari. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am," Mimi smiled reassuringly to Kari. "Yamato is correct." She stood up and took a deep breath. "I can't hide the fact I still believe that there is some good in humans. Even if I have to sacrifice my life for it, I still believe in this belief. I might be a pawn for the government, but if there is at least one hope that lives in our heart, I want to protect that hope." She sadly glanced around the alcove; her eyes stopping only momentarily on each of the members in the alcove and finally rested on Hasuma. "I think it is time I fulfill the prophecy, goddess." She walked slowly to Hasuma and bowed respectfully. "As the deal for saving this world, I will give my life to you so you can save our race."

"No," shouted Sora in disagreement. She started to rush toward Mimi but Mimi swirled around and raised her hand to stop Sora's action.

"It is my decision, Sora. Please don't stop me."

"But," Kari began to protest. To her surprise, and to everyone's surprise, Matt stepped forward and turned his body so he was facing the rest of the group. His hands rested firmly on his pistol. Without taking one glance at Mimi and Hasuma, who were standing behind him, he took out his gun from the holster and pointed it at the group.

"I understand, priestess," Matt said steadily. "I will shoot them if they try to stop you."

"Yamato," Mimi whispered.

"This is what you came here for," Matt answered. "It is what you wish for. I have no right to stop you. Nor does anyone of them have the right to stop you." He continued to watch the group with an icy expression, hiding the conflicting thoughts that were in his mind. "Although I disagree with your action," he thought. "I cannot stop you." For a moment there, he hated himself for not being able to stop her. It was a feeling that shared by his friend and fellow team-mates as well.

"Goddess," Mimi said when she turned to Hasuma.

Hasuma shook her head and gave her a smirk. "You still do not understand what I am trying to say over here." She shook her head. "Yamato, remove your position because I don't see why I should take Mimi's life to fulfill the prophecy."

"What?" Disbelief appeared on their faces as the goddess waved her hand nonchalantly.

"What do you mean," Matt demanded. "Do you mean that you can save this world without taking Mimi's life?" To TK's dismay, and like his prediction, Matt pointed his gun at Hasuma. "If you do know a different way, then why didn't you say so from the beginning?" His hand quivered as the urge to pull the trigger was too much for him. He ignored Mimi when she tried to tell him to put down the gun. "She made me worried for nothing," Matt thought furiously.

"I didn't say there is a different way to save this world," Hasuma simply answered. "Not that there isn't." She bravely smiled at Matt when he muttered a small curse. The only thing that was preventing him from firing the gun was the fact that Mimi was practically wrenching the gun away from his hand. "I am just saying that I find no reason to help the humans or the Maji."

"But the prophecy," Mimi reminded her. "The bargain."

"Are you going to back out of the bargain like the government have done in the past," Ken criticized her.

"Do you want Mimi to die," snapped Sora. "I don't know about you but I am relief with what Hasuma has said."

"I have to admit that all of us must feel the same," said Tai as he patted Sora softly on her hand before he turned to address Hasuma. "But I think all of us want to know what you mean by what you have said. I am referring to the point where you stated that we don't understand what you are trying to imply over here."

"And as for the reason to help us," said Davis. "I can give you plenty. For one thing, you can stop a lot of lives lost by helping us."

"And replace them with the body of the Maji," Hasuma pointed out. Davis immediately realized his err and blushed. "Why must I help the human and not the Maji?"

"No reason why you shouldn't help the Maji," Izzy said logically. When he received some glare from Kari, Cody, and Joe, Izzy shrugged his shoulder. "Hey, it's the truth."

"I have to agree," said Ken. "However, the world will be in a far worse state than it is if it is under the Maji's rule." He paused. "Haven't we talked about this in Xatha?"

"Yeah, we didn't," TK recollected. "But as far as I can tell, we are getting no where with our conversation right now." He pointed at Hasuma. "You are not going to help us without us providing you with a valid reason. So…does that mean we are back to step one?"

"Then what is the purpose of our journey," asked Matt. "Don't tell me this is your idea of fun?" His question was directed to Hasuma. His gun was temporary confiscated by Mimi.

"It is not my idea of fun. In fact, the journey that you have taken have proven to me that you have the heart and the right mind to follow the path I am about to show you." She patted Mimi softly on the head. "You have already headed toward the right path but with the wrong incentive."

"Is my incentive for saving my people wrong," Mimi asked incredulously.

"The method that you choose to use is wrong," Hasuma answered. "I will now show you the second video and I hope that you will learn what I am trying to imply by watching this video."

"Why are we always stuck watching video," Davis complained.

"Just shut up and watch it," Yolie snapped.

"Yes, Ogermon." He ignored the growl that emitted from Yolie's throat as he turned his eyes to the screen. Once again, they could hear Frey's voice coming from the screen.

Instead of the stuffy room that they saw in the first video, the second video took place near a grassy field filled with flowers and birds. Running across the field was a crystal clear river and standing near the river was none other than Wargreymon. Beside him stood the goddess and kneeling next to him was Frey.

---------

"You cannot accept the alliance," said Frey. "Haven't the video shown you the plan that General Hol and Secretary Vera have decided to use against your race?"

"I have seen it," said Wargreymon. "And I do know of the danger."

"Then why!" Frey stood up on his feet and waved his hand in anger. "Why are you willing to sign this alliance and risk the lives of your clan members? The government is going to betray your clan once they have a chance."

"I understand your concern," said Wargreymon. "And I am grateful for your concern. However, it is true that we cannot defeat the Maji by ourselves. We need to help of the humans to accomplish this task."

"I understand this fact," Frey said in frustration. "But why make the sacrifice. Why can't you just hide and let the human take care of the mess that we…no, I made."

"Do not blame yourself anymore, Dr. Frey," said the goddess.

"Dr. Frey," Wargreymon addressed.

"Yes."

"Have you seen the land that rest in the Maji's hand? The beautiful land that was once filled with majestic mountains and natural forests has turned into waste. If the Maji are not defeated, the world that we try to sustain will be no more. I am not doing this for you humans, but also for my clans as well."

"But…"

"For the safety of this world, even if it means that we have to give up our lives, we do not want to forsake this beautiful place we call home." Wargreymon shook his head. "If we have to leave this land to someone, we rather leave it to the humans."

Defeated, Frey could only bow his head sadly. The goddess slowly glided toward Wargreymon. "Is there anything I can do," the goddess offered. "I can stop this war if you want to. I can destroy the Maji without having your clan or any humans to shed their blood."

"You can do that," Frey said eagerly. "You can do that and then everything will be fine."

"And then what," Wargreymon demanded. "Afterward the humans and the digimons will continue to fight with each other because the human race cannot let go of their ambitions to wipe us out." He sighed. "And if the problems with the Maji are so easily solved, then what will the human thinks?" He turned to Frey. "Answer me human."

"We will create something far more devastating than the Maji," Frey answered quietly. "If the problem is so easily solved, then we will not learn our lessons. It is…our nature to rely on someone or something to help us solve the problem we have created. As long as that something or someone is there, we will continue to push our luck."

"It is the nature of us digimon as well," said Wargreymon. "I cannot accept your help, goddess."

"Even if many lives can be spare?"

"Even if many lives can be spare," Wargreymon said firmly. "The sins we have committed can only be clean by us. No one, not even you, can help us clean the wrongs we have committed. Only then can we learn from our mistake, goddess."

"Then I have sinned as well," said the goddess. "I have ignored this problem too long and caused pain for my children."

"How can you control the heart of your children," asked Wargreymon. "It is our heart and our desire that caused this destruction. There is nothing you can do to prevent it."

---------

A tear fell down from Kari's face as the video dwindle away. "They knew they are going to die," said Kari. "They knew that it was a trap and yet they still went with the plan."

"Just so they can protect the land that they call home," Cody said sadly. It pains them to watch this last clip and know that their ancestors have played a hand in destroying this noble race. The pain registered far deeper for Tai, whose digimon symbol is Agumon. Watching this video awakened the ancient blood that tied him with his creator.

Although the pain was there, he could not ignore the idea that was shown in the clip. He knew, immediately what Hasuma was trying to imply. When Hasuma's eyes landed on Tai, she nodded her head when she realized he had understood her intention. Now…they need to wait for Mimi to confirm the answer.

"Do you understand why I have shown you this clip," asked Hasuma. Davis opened his mouth to answer but Yolie punched him on the arm and shook her head violently.

Mimi slowly nodded her head. "I think I know what you are trying to say."

"Then do you remember what I have said to you before we started the journey," asked Hasuma. "Do you remember what I have told you when we are in the main chamber in Guardina?"

"You told me that every sins we have committed must be solved on our own," Mimi answered. "I remember that."

"Then why are you still relying on me to solve your problem," asked Hasuma. "By having me purge the Maji from this world, are you solving the problem yourself?"

The alcove was filled with silence as everyone waited for Mimi's answer. "No," she said finally. "I am not."

"Do you want me to use my power to help save Gaia?"

"No." This time, Yolie answered for her. "This time, we solve this problem using the correct method. If not, then we don't deserve to pass all those trials you set for us. Hiding behind your power is a cowardly way, and I got to say, we don't deserve the crest of courage if we don't even have the guts to face and defeat the Maji on our own."

"You are right," said Sora. "We didn't pass those trials for nothing."

"Those trials show us what our hearts are made up of," Kari agreed. "And I believe, it is those qualities that Mimi is fighting for."

"Yolie, Sora, and Kari. Thank you," said Mimi.

"I am glad to hear this," said Hasuma. She looked at the sky and realized that night is approaching. She saw the puzzle look on Izzy's face. As far as he could calculate, they couldn't have been her more than a few hours. "Time passes quicker over here than it does for the outside world."

"Why is that," asked Joe.

"For a purpose you will know tomorrow. But for tonight, I will bid you farewell as for now. Decide on the path you want to walk for your future." With that said, she disappeared, leaving them out in the forest.

"Well, now what," asked Cody. He shivered slightly. "I have no intention of freezing myself out here."

"Lets go back before we catch some cold," TK suggested. He stood up from the bench and began to head toward the path where they came from. To his surprise, it disappeared. "Uh…guys. The path is missing."

"What are you talking about TP," said Davis. "How can a dirt path suddenly disappear."

"In this world, it can," Joe confirmed. "Because I cannot see the path that lead us here."

"Where did it disappear off to," asked Ken. "Better yet, where did the computer go?"

"Along with the screen," added Cody. One moment it was there, and now it was gone. It was like they have grown legged and ran off and disappeared.

"Ah!" A yelp from Yolie caught their attention when the wooden bench she was sitting on suddenly turned into a hemlock made out of soft tree bark. In fact, the whole alcove was now encircled with hemlocks that appeared out of no where.

"Do you feel cold anymore, Cody," asked Izzy. Cody shook his head. "I see that the temperature of this place has changed to our comfort."

"Not only that," said Davis when a fire spontaneously burst from the center of the room. "Fire to keep us warm."

"More like it is use to cook our food," said Yolie when a table of food appeared behind Davis.

"How about if we want to take a bath," asked Sora.

"There is a river over there," said Izzy as he pointed to the right side of the field. "One that I didn't notice until now."

"It seems like this surrounding is moving according to our demand," Cody observed.

"Either way," said TK. "It does look like we are staying here for the night."

"I will do the cooking," said Mimi.

"I'll help out too," said Kari. Sora immediately volunteered to help out with the cooking, while Matt, Tai, TK, and Davis took a bath. Joe, Ken, and Cody helped out by setting the table. Izzy, on the other hand, was working with Yolie to organize the information he had learned today along with the information he had gather from Frey's diary and Daijou's diary.

When dinner was ready, they ate the meal heartily. After the meal was done and the food was put away, they sat around the fire in a circle. Kari leaned on TK as they stared at the fire in silence. Each of them was lost in their thoughts now that they had time to settle down.

"So…what do we do now," asked Yolie, breaking the silence. All eyes turned to her. "I will follow where you are going, Mimi."

Mimi remained silent as she thought of her future. It was all so clear a moment ago, before she met the goddess. Now that she could no longer rely on the goddess to save humanity, she will have to think of another way to solve this problem on her own. Sadly she thought of the times when Hasuma was there to listen to her worries. She was like an older sister of her and yet, after she was revealed to be the goddess, a distance developed between them. She couldn't help but felt a little bit lonely when she faced this important decision.

"Mimi," asked Sora. She reached out her hand to touch her friend. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am," said Mimi with a smile. "It is just that I am thinking." She paused.

"Knowing your personality," said Yolie as she added firewood to the fire. "We are going to find a way to destroy the Maji, aren't we."

"I cannot forget what Elder Wargreymon has said," said Mimi. "If the lands are to fall into the Maji's hand, the world will be left in decay. What I can do is to at least honor the elder's word and hope. He wanted to protect this land of his, and that is what I want to do." She paused. "I am fighting the Maji not because I want to save humanity. Instead, I am fighting them so I can preserve Gaia."

"So you finally acknowledge that humans are not worth saving," said Matt.

"No…that is not true," Mimi denied. "I still believe that there is hope and light in people. I want to protect that, but I do not want my purpose to be based on saving one particular race. I want to protect Gaia and honor elder's word. That is what I am fighting for now."

"So what are you suggesting," asked Yolie. "You want us to march up to the Maji's headquarter and fight to our death."

"I suppose…that is what we have to do," Mimi said softly.

"What," exclaimed Davis. "Are you nuts? There are thousands of Maji out there! What makes you think you have a chance?"

"We don't know if we don't try," said Kari. She smiled at Mimi. "If that is your decision, then I will follow you, Mimi."

"So will I," said Sora.

"With Hasuma gone, I guess I am the official leader right now," said Yolie. "I am not the kind of people who abandon my team-mates. And…I have sworn I will follow the priestess for the rest of my life. So…I'll be going with you."

"Then it is decided," said Mimi. She turned to Tai and bowed to him. "This is a pilgrimage that my guardians, and I have agreed upon. I have no right to ask you to follow us or give us your help. Therefore…"

"If you think I will just abandon you like this," Tai said evenly. "Then you have underestimated my character." Mimi looked slightly taken aback by Tai's tone.

"I'm sorry, I…"

"Besides, I need to watch over Kari and Sora," said Tai. Sora squeezed his hand. "There is no way am I going to abandon you." He turned to look at the rest of his team-mates. "But I can't say the same for the rest of my team." When Cody opened his mouth to protest, Tai shook his head. "I am not saying that you guys are cowards or anything. I just want all of you to know that this will be a far more dangerous journey than what we have agreed to. As your leader, I do not want to lead you to your death, and quite frankly, this might be the case."

"You will die without my technology," Izzy grunted. "Lets see you get to their headquarter in one piece without my hovercraft and my technology."

"And my driving skills too," Joe added. "Can't leave me out of it."

"Kari's presence is a good enough reason for me to continue," said TK. "I also want to help our world too."

"I will join in the battle too," said Ken. "Might as well make sure that Izzy's experiments don't explode on us again."

"Hey! I resent that comment. Why do you guys always remember the bad things about my experiments and not the good parts?"

"Because those are more life threatening," answered Cody. "I might as well go with all of you. Ken won't be enough to stop Izzy dangerous inventions."

"Next time," Izzy grumbled. "I'll make sure I throw you two out of the hovercraft when we are surrounded by Maji. Lets see how long you can last without my invention."

The group laughed. The only one left unanswered was Matt and Davis. Davis looked at them and sighed. "I don't want to go."

"Then you don't have to," said Mimi. "I thank you for your assistance up till this time."

"No, you don't understand," Davis whined. "I want to help. It is just that when I think of the months I need to spend in Ogermon's presence is enough to make me doubt my choice. Ouch!" Davis glared at Yolie as he rubbed his head, in particularly the area she hit him.

"I will be glad to get rid of you, you idiot," growled Yolie.

"Continue to talk like that and you are becoming more like Ogermon each day," Davis retorted.

"I'll kill you!" Yolie jumped on her feet and started to chase Davis around the campfire. Izzy quickly tucked his laptop to safety before they could trample it into pieces.

"Without Hasuma to stop them, I got a feeling their relationship is going to get worse at each growing second," Sora sighed.

"I can stop them," said Matt. He took out his gun and before anyone of them could stop him, he shot the near the ground where Yolie and Davis were wrestling with each other. They ignored his warning and Davis continued to squawk when Yolie had him in a head lock.

"I don't think that will work anymore, Matt," laughed Tai. The looked on Matt's face, when those two ignored him, was hilarious. His usual method had ceased to make any effect. He was about to take out both of his guns and covered Yolie and Davis with a round of explosion when TK interrupted his thought.

"So what is your decision?"

"What do you think," Matt snapped.

"You have no obligation," Mimi started.

"No obligation," Matt questioned. "Yeah right! The mayor is not going to pay me when the Maji are still roaming around. All the hard work I have done will be worth nothing. Might as well get my pays worth."

"Again," Sora frowned with disapproval. "You with your money."

"Thank you, Yamato," said Mimi. "Thank you everyone."

"Will someone just stop those two before I decide to blast them to smithereens," growled Matt

"No need," said Ken. "Davis lost, like usual."

"What is the record," asked Cody.

"I lost count."

After Yolie and Davis had tired themselves up, the rest of them leisurely went to their own hemlock and went to sleep. Tossing and turning in his hemlock, Matt turned to face the night sky. Although time passed quickly in this world, he was surprise to find his biological clock had adjusted to the time in this world.

"Matt," TK whispered. Matt turned his face to the right, and his eyes landed on his brother. "Can we talk?" Matt nodded his head before he rose from the hemlock and swing down from it.

"Lets go to the river," Matt suggested. In silence, they proceeded toward the river. It had been a while since they last took a walk together. Comfortable silence surrounded the brother as they walk down the grassy field and toward the churning water. The sound of the water splashing against the rock was a soothing sound to their ear. Matt took out his harmonica and started to play a note.

"It has been a long time since we sit together like this," said TK as they sat near the river bed. He did not speak anymore until Matt finished with his song.

"What do you want to talk about?"

"It is about your future," said TK. "I am worried about you."

Worried about him? As far as Matt could remember, it has always been him worrying about TK. What was there to be worried about? "I know what I am going to do with my future," said Matt.

"And it is to get as much money as you can so you can support me," said TK. TK exhaled a deep breath and turned to Matt. "But don't you see the problem in this idea that you have? I…"

"I cannot take care of you forever," Matt interrupted. "And now that you have Kari, it is your turn to protect someone that you care about." He ruffled TK's hair when TK stared at him in shock. "I know that."

"Then why do you still value money so much," asked TK.

"Because that is the only thing I have to fall back on," thought Matt. But he didn't' say it. He just shrugged his shoulder.

"It is about time you find something that you can fight for besides money," said TK. "I think it will benefit you."

"I know," said Matt. He gave TK a strong thump on his back. "Now go to sleep." TK nodded his head and stood up. As he turned to walk away, he couldn't help but say one last thing.

"I really think you should think about what I have said," said TK, and he stroll back to the camp.

Matt continued to sit near the riverbed, and he silently stare at the empty field. It seems that TK didn't understand what he meant. Sure, he valued money, and he can't deny it. But there was something there that had been bugging him since he had met the priestess. It was his duty to serve her, and it was his duty to protect her. "I want to protect her. I want to help her. I just don't know whether she is the goal TK is telling me to search for." Nor did he understand the feelings he had for the priestess he swore to protect.

-Next Day-

"We have decided on our path," Mimi told Hasuma as they stood in the grand hall of the castle. Matt, Izzy, Joe, and Tai were standing close behind Mimi, while the rest of the gangs were roaming around the room. In the back room, Davis was still talking about the shock that he had when he woke up this morning only to discover the garden that they were sleeping in had turned into the grand hall of the castle.

"I know," said Hasuma. "That is why I am here. There are some things I need to give to you. More like, there is something that you need to assist you on the rest of your journey."

"Assist us," asked Yolie.

"Come with me," said Hasuma as she headed toward the stair where her platform reign on top. As she approached it, it disappeared only to be replaced with another door.

"What is she up to now," wondered Tai as they followed Hasuma. She pushed open the ivory door and neither one of them were surprise to see the doorway leading into another garden. As they stepped into the garden, Izzy suddenly shouted with surprise.

"A Malibora," Izzy exclaimed when he picked up a leaf from a plant located near the dirt pathway they were standing on. "This is an extinct plant that has died out two-hundred years ago." He turned the purplish leaf in his hand. The plant was distinct in the fact that the veins of the plant were pinkish and will change to shades of orange at different time of the day. Without wasting anytime, Izzy started to input this data into his computer.

"Hey, Izzy," said TK. "Do you think you can do that later. We are in the middle of no where."

"Middle of no where," exclaimed Davis. "The door is just…" He stared at the place where they just came from. It disappeared only to be replaced with the rest of the garden. "I am starting to get use to things disappearing from me, and I can tell you that is not a good sign."

"We are in a different dimension," explained Hasuma.

"A different dimension," asked Mimi as she surveyed the garden that she was standing at. Trees were lightly scattered around the garden and the sound of a waterfall could be heard from some far distance away. "Why did you bring us to this dimension?"

"Ouch!" Tai yelped when something hard fell on his head. He rubbed his head as he looked upward to the tree he was standing under. "What kind of fruits does this tree have? They are as hard as a rock."

"Tai! Tai!"

"What," said Tai when he turned to look at his team-mates. All of their eyes were turned to him, but their gazes were not turned to his face. Instead, they were all staring in shock at his feet. Mimi looked pale, and Izzy surprisingly let his laptop slipped through his fingers and landed softly on the dirt floor. Even Matt, who usually held a stiff expression have turned slightly paled. His eyes met Tai's eyes, and Matt quickly led his eyes back to the ground. Tai slowly lowered his gaze and when he gaze met the ground level, he knew what had turned his team-mates into statue. Even he had a hard time believing what he saw.

Bouncing on the floor was a pink ball of something with two long ears. Its eyes filled a big portion of his face and his wide mouth was constantly calling out Tai's name.

"Tai! Tai! I finally get to meet you." The round pink ball bounced happily around Tai, while Tai was still trying to grasp the reality of what he was seeing.

"Izzy!"

"Mimi!"

So shocked were those two they did not hear their name being called. Izzy almost collapsed onto the floor when Tentomon collided with Izzy's chest, knocking the wind out of him. Mimi eyes widen when Palmon took hold of her leg, and happily waved to her. As like a whirlwind, sounds of rustled grasses could be heard when Gabumon, Gomamon, Veemon, Wormon, and Biyomon began to run toward their respective partner. While the creatures looked extremely happy, the humans on the other hand, were standing there in a daze.

"Digimons," echoed Joe weakly with Gomamon pranced happily around him. "Izzy, pinch me."

"There are only so many amount of shock a normal person can handle for a short amount of time," Izzy murmured. "And in this case, I am overloaded with too much information that it is jamming the system of my brain." At the corner of his eye, he saw Kari fainting when she saw Salamon for the first time.

--------

"Now…can you tell me what is going on," asked Tai with Koromon tucked in his arms. After the initial shock. Tai and the other finally realize they were not dreaming. In fact, their ears have been buzzing with all the shouting that the digimons were emitting when they met their respectful partners. By now, Matt was leaning on a tree with Gabumon standing beside him, meanwhile Tentomon had some electrodes attached to him while Izzy ran a deep analysis of the digimon with his laptop. Joe was sitting next to Ken, Davis, and Yolie as they play with their respective partner. Mimi, on the other hand, was standing next to Hasuma while holding Palmon in her arms.

"Well," asked Sora as she patted Biyomon on her head.

"The second video ended with the last word that Wargreymon have left me," explained Hasuma. "However, the conversation does not end there. Wargreymon, knowing that he might die from the war, has entrusted me with his children. In front of Frey, he has asked me to take care of the batch of eggs that are in the nursery. Before the war has started, I have taken them to my castle and have raised them since then. The digimons that you have in your arms are the ones that you are tied to since birth. The digimon symbols on your arm connect them to you."

"You mean their life span is longer than five hundred years," asked Kari.

"Nope. The first generation has already passed away. They are the ancestors of the digimons that you see today."

"Are they the only one left," asked Izzy.

"Of course not," answered Tentomon. "There are a lot of us now. They are just hiding."

"If what you say is true," said Ken. He blushed when he realized what he had just said. "I mean, since it is the truth, then that explains what happen in the forest."

"You mean the time when Matt, Joe, and Cody used their power to put out the fire in the forest," asked TK.

"Yeah, that time. Those powers are lost to us when we thought the digimon race has passed away, but now that we know that they haven't, then it explains why they can use it."

"Amazing," said Izzy. "But I have a question. Why didn't you tell us about the digimons existence until today? You could have told us yesterday."

"Because I do not know the direction you will be heading," Hasuma answered. "If you choose to go back and live a peaceful life, then there is no need for you to know about their existence. However, you have chosen to correct the wrongs your ancestors have made then you will need their assistance."

"The war that you are fighting with the Maji are not only your war, but their as well. Their will to save this planet has not changed for these few hundred years."

"Yeah, Tai," said Koromon. "We want to help out too. I have been waiting to meet you for such a long time."

"But Koromon," said Tai. "If we bring you back to the outside world, what will happen?"

"What do you mean what will happen," asked Palmon. "We will help you fight, that is all."

"He means the people reaction to them," said Matt. "They are supposed to be extinct."

"But why are we suppose to be extinct, Izzy," asked Tentomon. "Extinct means that a specific species no longer exist. However, we are still living."

"In our world," TK explained to Patamon. "Your species are no longer there. There is no digimon in the world that we are living."

"In this world, we didn't have any human either," said Wormon. "So does it means that human is extinct in our world."

Cody choked and Ken couldn't help but laugh at Wormon's reasoning. "You can say that."

"But by exposing them to our world again, wouldn't it put them in danger," asked Mimi.

"It is about time that we learn to bridge the relationship between human and digimon once again," Hasuma said firmly. "Your group will set the first example for building this new relationship." She waved her hand to indicate the garden they stood. "They cannot keep hiding in the darkness."

"And…I think it is a wonderful idea," said Yolie. "I know there might be a chance where history will repeat itself again, but I think that if we work together, we can prevent our past errors."

"Don't have to worry about the government that much," said Izzy. He patted his laptop fondly. "I promise Daijou I will reveal the truth. I am not going to back down from my words." He turned to Hasuma. "I also promised you."

"That is if the government doesn't eliminate you first," Joe pointed out. He slid one of his fingers across his throat. "Not a pretty sight."

"I'll make sure to include your name as one of the discoverer," Izzy told him. "That way they can give you the honor for revealing the truth." Joe couldn't help but choked when he heard Izzy's word.

"When are you planning to notify the world about the digimon's existence," asked Davis. "You can't just dump this fact on them."

"They will be gradually introduced," said Hasuma. "After, when you win the war against the Maji."

"Why after and not now," Davis asked again.

"It is because we don't want to give the government any opportunity to use the digimon as their tools like they did in the past," Yolie reasoned it out.

"Correct," Hasuma confirmed.

"Are we being used, Matt," asked Gabumon.

For a moment there, Matt didn't answer him. He finally shook his head. Yolie, on the other hand, caught on the important word that Gabumon had uttered.

"He called you Matt," she said flatly. "And we still have to call you Yamato. Are you playing favoritism or what?"

"Call me whatever you want," said Matt. "I don't give a damn about it." After all, he had finally acknowledged them as his team-mates. The final barrier that prevented him from being too close to them should be down if he were to work with them.

"Pigheaded."

"Temperamental."

"Lousy."

Matt immediately fired his gun at Davis, Tai, and Joe when they started to mouth off those names. "If you don't mind if I put a hole through your body." They were beginning to make him doubt his decision.

"Should have warned us," teased Tai. He turned to Gabumon. "Watch out with what you say over there, Gabumon. He might shoot you."

"Why would he shoot me?"

"Ignore him," Matt muttered. "Your intelligence might lower a bit if you talk to him."

"It will," asked Gabumon.

"Of course not," said Tentomon. "Logically, that does not seem possible."

"Speak for yourself," Davis joked. "Yolie must have spent her entire life with an Ogermon because she sure does look like one and thinks like one."

Fury raged on Yolie's face but she quickly suppressed it. To everyone's surprise, she stood up from the ground and headed toward Hasuma. Behind her, she could hear Koromon telling Tai he did not think Yolie looked anything at all like Ogermon. "If I may," Yolie bowed to Hasuma. "Can I strangle Davis?"

"You never needed my permission in the past," Hasuma smiled. "Why now."

"Because I do not want Veemon to lose his partner."

"In this case, you should ask Veemon the question instead of me."

With that said and done, Yolie did go to Veemon and posed her question. Confident that Veemon would say no, Davis was quite shock when Veemon answered yes to Yolie's question. Least to say, he quickly scrambled to his feet with Yolie following close behind him.

"Veemon! Why the heck did you say yes for?"

"What is "strangle," asked Veemon gave Ken a questionable look. Ken grimace and explained to Veemon in detail what it meant. This caused Veemon to turn quite pale before he ran after Yolie, exclaiming he wanted to take back his words.

"You don't even know what strangle means," Tai incredulously asked Koromon.

"No we don't," Koromon.

"Then what do you usually say when you playfully threatens your friend?"

"What does "threaten" means?" Tai groaned. There seemed to be a lot of things he need to teach his partner. From the corner of his eyes, he could also see Matt telling Gabumon to implant into his memory the meaning of "strangle" and "threaten" incase Davis circumstance was to happen to him.

"They are far more innocent than us," Joe said after he explained the meaning of threaten to Koromon. "Violent words don't seem to be part of their vocabulary."

"Tai," Koromon called out to him. "I got the answer to your question. Instead of saying str..strangle, we said I will fireball you or vine whip you."

Tai grimace. "I think I rather stick to our kind of threats." He turned to Joe. "And you said they are not violent. Who are you kidding?"

Their antics and the relaxing atmosphere that existed at this time managed to bring some sense of peace into Mimi's heart. Yesterday was comforting, but today she was able to joke with Hasuma once again. "It was like we were in the past," she thought to herself.

"But it won't be like that anymore," Hasuma said after reading her thoughts. She turned to Mimi and hugged her. "I am not going to go with you on the rest of your journey. I have already fulfilled my task. Now, it is all up to you."

"I got to admit," said Izzy. "Without your power, it puts us in a more difficult situation."

"You will always have my support, Izzy," said Hasuma. "Although I cannot journey with you, I will be watching over you." She turned to Mimi again. "There is a final gift I must give you. First of all, take off your coat."

Mimi immediately obeyed her. "The star symbol on your right arm marks that you are not only the priestess that I have acknowledge, but you are also the priestess that I will give my power to when you pass the trials and meet up with me." She touched Mimi on her birthmark and for a moment, the birthmark glowed in a bright white light before it disappeared and returned back to its original form. "I have given you the powers that I have when I was the human, Hasuma. Whether you can use the power or not depends on you."

"Thank you," said Mimi. A sense of sadness filled her heart. She did not have the confidence to wield such power, but she didn't voice her worry. She will have to train harder in order to be able to stand on her own and provide the group the help that they need.

"If you need any advice or guidance on your journey," said the goddess. "You can come back here and consult with me. Otherwise, it is time for you to go on your journey."

With that said, a light appeared below them as Mimi and the others were beginning to teleport away from this castle.

"Take care of the digimon," said the goddess as she waved them good-bye. "And as a last hint to you. There is a person who can help you start off your journey. He is none other than Frey, the one who invented the serum that is used to create the Maji. With his help, your chance for winning against the Maji will be easier."

"He is still alive," Matt asked in disbelief.

"No, Matt," Gabumon corrected him. "He is a ghost."

"That explains it," said Sora. "Where can we find him, goddess."

"You've met him before," answered the goddess. "He is none other than the old ghost that sleeps in Zelphir's shrine."

Izzy groaned. "It will take a miracle to keep that ghost awake." Kari and TK laughed at Izzy's remark. In a flash of blue light, they disappeared from the garden. The goddess lifted her palm to her chest and placed it flat over her heart. A light appeared around her and in a blink of an eye the light shot up into the sky and formed a ball of light.

"It is now time for me to fulfill my second promise."

Author Notes: I am sorry for the late update. A lot of things have been going on in my life, and I have been busy with my school work. I cannot guarantee when the next update will be up, but I will try to put it up as soon as I can. Thank you for your patience.

As a final note, I have already revise it…better revise it while I got to work properly. By revision, I finally added the missing pieces that I want to add. I do notice I forgot to indicate why time past quicker in the goddess realm. I will explain it in the next chapter.

As for fellow reviewers, I am sorry that I didn't email you about the update. I am having a huge problem with getting to work properly in my computer. I used Firefox and explorer and still the site only pops up once in a while. I cannot see the list of emails that I am suppose to send to inform you of the update. I am extremely sorry for that.

I hope you enjoy this chapter…boring as it might be. Please feel free to leave me any constructive criticism. Thank you very much.