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*A.S.D.A(All Standard Disclaimers Apply).

Perfect Flaws

by Nefertanya Dragongurl Ahhotep

Part 5

Chapter 17-Morning Glow

After a hearty breakfast of Matt's famous fish and fruit kabobs, Tentomon led the others in the direction they needed to go to find the mysterious castle and it's contained object of their desire-Palmon.

"You really think she could be in there?" worried Mimi as she picked at her fuschia pink nail polish.

Sora wrapped an arm comfortingly around Mimi's shoulder and gave a light squeeze. "Don't worry Mimi. She'll be there, and she'll be okay too. You'll see."

"Mmm." she answered noncommittally. She picked at her polish a bit more, then sheepishly looked over at the taller girl. 'Sora?"

"Yeah Mimi?"

"I-I'm sorry Sora." She quickly returned her gaze back to the nail polish removal task at hand. "You know, about that fight we had? I didn't mean anything I said, honest! I was just upset-"

"Mimi! Mimi it's okay, really." she soothed. "I'm sorry too. I guess we were both just really itching for a good fight, huh? Forgiven?"

The girl in pink smiled brightly. "Forgotten!"

"Good!" they both cried in unison, attracting some strange looks from the boys.

"Awesome! Guys! Check this out!" Tai cried out, mini-scope in hand, from the very top of the hilltop. As the others eventually straggled up, various gasps of awe and dread became audible.

In the distance, an imposing castle stood stately and proud on top of a jagged crag overlooking a flat valley that was surrounded by thick growth. It was impossibly black, making the midday landscape appear even brighter.

"Prodigious!"

"It's huge!"

"Oh man! It looks dangerous!"

"They certainly could use a new decorator."

"Mimi!"

Feelings of anticipation and anxiety increased with each step they took down the trail. An hour's walk in, Tai suddenly badgered his team off the beaten trail in favor of the bramble filled woods along side.

"Remind me *again* why we're doing this?" snarled Joe as he unwrapped yet another thorny vine from his medical bag.

"<sigh>. Look Joe, I told you." Tai replied irritably. "They'll be most likely expecting us to come, right? Taking the trail is just what they'd want us to do, so they'll be watching that, not the woods."

Matt suddenly spun around, a wild look in his eyes. "Well then how do we know they weren't expecting us to be expecting them expecting us to take the trail?" he cried in an unusually shrill voice. "Either way we go we'll be sitting ducks, so why don't we just make it easier on us and take the damn trail!"

With that, he stormed off, Gabumon loyally at his heel. Tai uttered a few nonsensical sounds, his mind incapable of comprehending the situation as real. He whipped his head back and forth between the retreating rebel and the rest of his merry mons. He stared in disbelief as one after the other, they guiltily passed by him and followed Matt. Soon, only Agumon remained.

"Don't you want to go too?" he snapped bitterly.

"Well...kind of." the little orange dino admitted. "But I just can't leave you here! You're my partner. *And* my best friend!"

The wild haired brunette smiled in spite of himself. "You're right Agumon. We're a team. And teams gotta stick together no matter what!" He knelt down and quickly grabbed his friend and began to tickle him. "So let's go find the others before Matt makes too much of a mess of things!"

"Ha ha."

"Huh? Matt?"

Tai looked up, loosening up his grip on a grateful, wheezing Agumon. Sure enough, Matt was standing there, his usual cool self. Just like always. And yet...

"Why aren't you with the others?" Tai asked, unmoving.

"I came to find you." he replied, then shifted a bit guiltily. "Actually, I *was* going to yell at you some more, but..."

"But?" the brunette prompted.

"I overheard what you said about sticking together...I guess maybe I was acting a bit selfishly. I mean, I know you're just trying to keep everybody safe. I just was tired of getting all scratched up."

Tai stood as he spoke. "Well, maybe it's not all you're fault, Matt. I *was* getting a bit paranoid. Comes from battling power hungry monsters with a bent on world domination, I guess."

The two boys smiled at each other. Agumon relaxed and stood near Tai, glad he wouldn't have to referee another fight. Tai began to walk towards the blonde teen, speaking all the while.

"We're a family Matt." He was now a few mere inches away from his opposite, a mischievous grin playing on his face that put Matt on alert. "And families may fight, but they always-"

"-Forgive!"

It happened so quickly, yet with so much grace, it looked as if it had been choreographed for weeks. The only evidence that it had actually occurred was that Matt, with tears of pain in his eyes, was doubled over Tai's fist, which was still connected with his friend's midriff.

"TAI! Why in the world did you go and hit Matt for??" Agumon screeched in horror, desperately wishing that Gabumon was there to back him up. The boy in question looked up questioningly, as if he'd forgotten there were witnesses to the crime.

"Don't worry, Agumon. Everything's okay now." he spoke reassuringly as he straightened out Matt. The two hotheads stared at each other in silence for a few moments, laughed brightly, then walked off towards the trail, arms slung over each other's shoulders as if the event had never even been thought of.

The poor little digimon shook his head in confusion. I am never *ever* going to understand humans."

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Chapter 18-Love Stretched Thin
hey! time for a p.o.v switch! welcome back Gabu-san!

"AHH-OWW!!"

"KARI!!"

The panicked screams effectively drove Matt and Tai out of buddy-buddy mode. Tai, stark terror and concern clouding his features, took off like a shot, pausing only to pick himself up from the ground after stumbling on something that made a semi-muffled sound of pain.

"Gabumon?! Are you okay?" Matt cried as he recognized the 'something', who was now tenderly massaging his tail and whimpering slightly with pain.

"Oh, I'm okay my friend.." Just kicking myself for getting in between Kari and her over-zealous protector of a brother, I think to myself. Honestly! It's like getting in between a Monochromon and her young!

"Aw, does Gaboomon's tail need a widdle kissie to make him feel better?" Agumon coos mockingly, making little kissy-face noises and batting his invisible eyelashes.

I hug my injured tail and pride closer to my body. "No, I don't!" I squawk indignantly. I'm *much* too old for that sort of thing.

--However, if it was being offered by a certain pink-petaled digimon....

"Gabumon, what's going on? Who screamed?"

Silently thanking whatever Gods that exist here for my thick fur coat, I turn towards my counterpart. "Oh right! It's Kari! She's hurt her ankle, I think."

"Oh no." he breathes, worry evident on his face. "Where is she now?"

I turn and begin to run back from where I started. "Follow me, my friends!"

When we arrive, Tai's already there, fussing over Kari like she's been run through by Piedmon's trump sword while she tries to shrug him off.

"Tai, really! I'm okay!"

"Shh. Lie still Kari. Joe! Can't you work any faster?!"

"Maybe I could if some big-haired *idiot* got out of my way!!"

Kari giggles at Joe's description, but Tai's completely oblivious.

"Just relax, Kari. Everything will be okay."

I happen to catch Matt's eye and stifle a laugh as he rolls his skyward.

"You silly! I'm *fine*. I just hurt my ankle, Tai. I'm not dying."

"Aw, Kari. I'm really sorry you got hurt." TK kneels on her other side, guilty concern on both his and Patmon's faces. "If only I'd warned you sooner-"

"Now TK, don't you start!" She admonishes with a grin. "It was my fault. I should've been watching where I was going instead of trying to get my camera to work, right Gatomon?" The cat guardian nods solemnly, although I would bet anything she appeared whiter than usual.

This seems to mollify TK a bit, but Tai is ever-persistent. "Well, looks like we're just going to have to stay her until she's healed." he states simply, like it was the only option available.

--I take one quick glance at Mimi's face and back up quick!

"What do you *mean* were staying?!?!" Pink(Er, my little nickname for her. Don't tell her though. Especially now!) screeches at a volume loud enough to bring Wizardmon back from the beyond. "What about Palmon, huh? Who knows what that-that-that Mustardmon-"

"Er, Wasabimon." Joe corrects meekly.

"I. Don't. *Care* what his name is Joe!! I just want to know what's he's doing to my poor Palmon!"

My stomach knots as I remember those events from four summers ago... Shards, I hope she's not going through anything like I.... Oh, I can't think about it!!

"Are you outta your gourd, Tai?! Now that we've gotten this close, you want us to *stop*?" Interesting. There's a little vein popping out along the side of his forehead. I've never seen it on him, but I have seen it once before on his dad, right after his interview with that Chinese ambassador was cut in favor of a segment on the local car and truck rally.

"Look Tai. She can walk just fine. All she has to do is keep her weight off that ankle. It's not the end of the world." Joe's good advice falls on deaf ears. Frustrated, he grabs his medical bag and storms off, Gomamon trying to cheer him up along the way. Poor Joe.

"Hey! I know!' We all jump a little as TK leaps up so quickly Patamon gets thrown off. He runs off into the trees and comes back a couple of minutes later with some thin branches and vines. "We'll make her a kind of a walking cast! That way she can keep up with us without worrying that she'll hurt it more. And we can all take turns supporting her so she won't keep putting her weight on it all the time!"

That could work! I look around and see that the others appear to agree with my unspoken analysis. Pink looks exceptionally happy, probably the most eager to keep going. Maybe *now* we can all get back to the important stuff, like-

"No."

--Ah, crap.

"Huh? But, Tai-" TK is obviously hurt by the rejection.

"Kari is hurt. We're staying until she's better. It's far too dangerous for her to be-'

"ALL RIGHT THAT DOES IT TAICHI KAMIYA!!"

Ever seen an angry Sora? I mean a *really* angry Sora? Well, trust me, you don' wanna!

She came charging up to him, anyone and everyone got out of her way *real* quick. If I weren't so stunned I would've laughed, for even Agumon, defender of Courage, scrambled back, falling over his own feet as he does.

"What make you think we've got the time to putz around like this? We have a team member *missing*, in which we have a good possibility of finding her quickly, and a good possibility of losing her again! But no! YOU want to squabble with Matt, YOU want to take the longest, most difficult route, and now YOU want us to help baby-sit your little sister, who by her own admission is completely capable of walking, fer Chris'sake !!"

Tai was as dumbstruck as the rest of us. "But...she's my sister...."

Sora takes a deep breath through clenched teeth, and almost returns to normal as she exhales. "That's very commendable of you to think like that, Tai. But we need to find Palmon while we still can. That gorillamon may have had a change of heart ands is warning that little gasbag what we're up to. Kari will be fine. She's in a splint. TK will help her out."

--I couldn't help but notice the slight blush that passes over his face. Gee, maybe I should've tried talking to him instead of Matt!

"We'll even take short, frequent breaks if she feels they're necessary. But we have to move now or risk losing this opportunity forever! Understand?"

I hate to tell Sora this, but...

"But...she's hurt...."

He doesn't.

Sora does this kind of full body jerk as Tai snaps her breaking point.

"Okay. That does it!"

In one swift movement, she leaps forward and grabs Tai *by his hair*. "We are going *now*!" She cries as she yanks him up on his feet.

"Ow! Ow! Sora! Stop! Ow!!"

She pauses in front of Matt, and I tense slightly. I don't want to have to attack a friend. Not again...

"Move it, Blondie!"

Obediently, Matt scrambles out of her way. After they pass, he helps TK pick up Kari, who's laughing so hard she can barely stand.

"Humans."

I turn to face Agumon and intelligently reply, "Huh?"

"Humans. I'll never ever *ever* understand 'em."

Watching after the strange procession-Sora leading a doubled over Tai, deaf to his begging and apologies, TK and Matt next, Kari suspend in between. Joe, with a death grip on Gomamon, warily lagging behind with Izzy, and Patamon and Tentomon above them, Mimi, Biyomon and Gatomon dancing and clapping, chanting "Go Sora! Go Sora!" - I realize I will never probably understand them either.

But, as I turn to my other best friend

"I don't think I'd have it any other way."

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Chapter 19-Lonely Hearts Club: Party Of One
this time it's Goma's pov. why? cuz he's cute!(and it's been a while since I've used him)

Yeesh. Whadda week it's been. First we're attacked by a bunch of deranged gorillamon led by a creature called Wasabimon that we've never seen before, then find out Palmon's been kidnapped by said Wasabimon, We're forced to walk in the hot sun for hours at a time(well, Joe did most of the walking due to the fact us water digimon just aren't built for long distance land travel), then Tai gets all paranoid and forces us to walk in the brush(with all those thorns!), finally culminating in Kari hurting her ankle and Tai wanting us to wait around for it to heal.

The only highlights was the look on that stray gorillamon's face when Matt kicked him in the rear, and watching Sora drag Tai the rest of the way to this castle *by his hair*. I honestly couldn't keep from snickering. Joe was insistent on carrying me, which worked rather well in my favor, as Agumon kept throwing death glares my way, probably because he's too embarrassed to admit that he can't protect his human from the wrath of a female.

But now where at the castle, and we got a big problem-there's no door! No way in, no way out.

"So now what are we going to do?" Joe asks.

Sora finally lets go of Tai, who stumbles back a few paces and pouts as he rubs his head. "Well, we need to find a way in. There has to be an entrance *somewhere*."

"Nope." Matt replies as he comes around one side of the castle with Gabumon, TK and Patamon from the other.

"Nothing?" Sora asks in surprise.

"Nada. Zip. Zilch. Not even a crack in the wall." TK shoots back in frustration. "Well, unless you count those tiny slits at the very top of the turrets."

"If this was the real world, I'd say that those were the places the archers would stand during a battle." Izzy drones from my left.

Y'know, I've never understood why the kids use 'the real world' when talking about something or someone from their homeland. Our world is just as real as theirs. Just because we're digitally based doesn't mean that we're fantasy, that we don't have feelings!

And speaking of feelings...

Gabumon's lazily meandering back around the side of the castle he just appeared from, apparently unnoticed by everyone save myself. Poor Gabumon. He's taken this whole 'Palmon's missing' thing really hard. I smile slightly as I remember how TK and I found them in...a rather compromising situation? Well, it's not like they were doing anything *bad*, but they'd be awfully embarrassed if I spread what I saw around!

Anyways, we stumbled onto them, they both got *really* ticked off at me, and then...stopped talking to each other. Again. I thought maybe things had cooled off between the two of them, but I've been watching him carefully since the attack, and he seems really shaken up over it. No one else ha seemed to notice-or maybe they have and, like me, aren't sure how to approach the subject? Well, somebody's always gotta be the first.

"Joe, put me down, will ya?"

He looks down at me blankly. "Huh? What's that?"

"I said, put me down!"

"What for, Gomamon?" Sheesh! When did he turn into Izzy?

"So I can do the cha-cha. Yeesh! I just wanna stretch my legs a little, all right?"

"Ok, ok! No need to bite my head off! I just...Oh, just be careful!"

He puts me down rather gruffly and refuses to look at me. Suddenly I get the whole picture. He's afraid of losing me like Mimi did with Palmon. My conscience twinges a bit at that. So, after making sure no one else is watching, I rub my cheek affectionately against his leg

"Don't worry, Joe." I say brightly. "I'm just gonna go talk to Gabumon for a couple minutes." He warms back up considerably.

"Hey good idea. Maybe he can sniff out an underwater entrance. Should at least keep his mind of his 'troubles'." He smiles and winks knowingly at my stunned face before he turns around again. Why that little...when did he figure it out?

I catch up to my large, furry, scaly friend almost halfway around the side. He's leaning against the wall staring up at the nearly cloudless sky with a distant expression.

"Something wrong?" I ask sympathetically. I then repeat myself no less than three times before I get an answer.

"Wha-huh? Oh, hello Gomamon. No, I'm fine."

"Yeah. You're fine and I'm Demidevimon's twin brother. Hey, that was *meant* to be a joke."

"Mmm. Good one." he replies absently, his eyes never leaving the clouds drifting past. I sigh as I roll my eyes.

"Look Gabumon. I don't know who you think you're fooling, but it's not working." I glance over and see that he's now staring at the wall. That's good. It must mean I've struck a nerve.

"I know how much you really care for Palmon." I continue. "You probably even feel guilty about not being able to prevent her disappearance. But...it's *nobody's* fault that happened, Gabumon! None of us had ever seen or even *heard* of Wasabimon before, how were we supposed to know he'd come charging down a hill with a bunch of numbskull gorillamon and take her away?"

I walk(all right! waddle) over to stand near him. "But the best we can do now is believe in ourselves and our abilities. That and our love for each other will lead us to our goals.'

'And speaking of love..." I say slyly, "When we *do* find her, maybe it's time you 'fess up and tell her how you really feel. You just might be surprised at what you find out!"

"HEY!"

He yells so suddenly and so loudly, I jump a mile and brace myself for attack. I think I might've gone too far, and that's not a good idea when the mon you've upset has a good 70 lbs. on you.(a/n-judging by his size and Joe's ability to carry him around, I'd say Goma is no more than 20 lbs.).

"That's it! That's it!" Now he's jumping up and down, but I think it's out of excitement, not anger. In fact, I'm getting the distinct impression that he hasn't heard a single sound I've made. How rude!

Everyone else, alerted by the shouts, comes running(well, in Kari's case, hobbling) over to us.

"What is it Gabumon?" Matt asks, both worried and slightly relieved.

"I found it! I found it Matt!"

"Ookaayy..." I catch him pass TK a concerned glance, which he returns with a shrug. I'm not too surprised. Gabumon's practically doing backflips in front of a smooth solid stone wall.

<Sigh>. Love can do such strange things to a guy.

"What's he babbling about?" demands Mimi irritably. "I don't see anything!"

"Well neither do I, so how should I know?" Matt snaps back, then grabs his digi-partner by the shoulders and spins him around. "Gabumon calm down! What's going on?"

I clamber back up into Joe's arms and peer over Matt's shoulder curiously. I haven't seen the lizard this excited since we defeated Apoclymon.

"A way in! I found a way in Matt!"

"Really? Are you sure? Where is it?"

"Yes, yes! It's right there, see? You see it?" He jumps up and down again as he points upward. We all follow his finger up the side of the wall...

"What? I don't se anything."

"He's lost it.'

Don't say my digimon's lost it, Tai!"

"Maybe I wasn't referring to him, *Matt*!"

"BOYS!"

"Sorry, Sora..."

"Maybe it was a trick of the light?"

"Maybe...No! Wait! I see it!"

"Where Kari?"

"Up there!"

Kari's pointing too, but she's using her other hand to shield against the glare of the afternoon sun. On a whim, I follow suit and look again.

"Hey, I see it now too!"

"You do Goma?" Joe asks me in surprise.

"Yeah! Shield your eyes like me and Kari are doing, and look straight up about, oh say, 20 feet."

One by one, I hear them discover the cause of Gabumon's excitement. Cleverly disguised by the adjoining wall's reflection is a rectangular opening. It's so flush against the surface, and so cleverly placed, you could've stared at it all day and never known it was there.

"Man, no wonder we didn't see it before!"

"Tentomon, go fly up and scout it out."

"Me?! Why me?!"

"Because you can fly, that's why!"

"No way! It's probably dangerous. They're could be some crazed bloodthirsty digimon up there waiting to consume me alive!" He rants.

"That'll be nothing compared to the ones down here!" growled Gabumon. The rest of us put on our most menacing scowls(while trying to keep from laughing-Patamon just looks too cute angry!)

"Oh...all right! All right!" and buzzes off.

"Wait up!" cries Patamon cheerily as he lifts off TK's head. "I'll go with you! I wanna see it too!"

Tentomon is clearly exasperated. "Well-*why* didn't you offer to scout it out before?"

We all laugh at his smiling reply- "'Cuz it was more fun to watch you sweat!"

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Chapter 20: There's A Hole In The Castle, Dear Eliza, Dear Eliza
back to normal view now

"So how's it look, you two?" Tai asked as the two flyers landed.

"Well, we couldn't see very far in. It was very dark, maybe it's a tunnel?" Patamon replied, settling again on his partner's head.

"Quite possibly an air duct." calculated Izzy. "It probably runs all throughout the castle. We can get the drop on them! It's perfect!"

"It's not very big though." squeaked the little flying guinea pig. "We'd have to go in single file-those of us who'd fit in it, anyway." he added as he eyed Gabumon's girth.

"So only one of us goes in. Question is, which one?" He bravely looked Sora in the eye(as he stood out of reach). "*Not* Kari, she's in no condition to do it."

Kari looked dejectedly down to the ground. She knew he was right, but that didn't make her any less willing to help. TK watched after her sadly. Ever since she'd gotten sick when they were battling the Dark Masters four years ago, he'd vowed to watch over her and keep her safe. He hated to see her so unhappy. It made him feel like he'd failed her somehow. So what could he do to brighten her pretty face? To bring back the sweet smile in her eyes? Make her see him as a hero? And since when had her opinion of him become so important??

<sigh>*Only one thing to do then...*

"Well," he began hesitantly, Howzabout-"

"Why not Izzy?" suggested Matt.

"IZZY?"

"Me?!"

The assorted members stared at the blonde teen as if his head had suddenly popped off like a balloon.

"Sure, why not? He'll fit in, won't he? And with that computer of his, he'd probably get through and find a way to let us in the quickest."

"Umm.." Izzy raised his hand behind his head nervously. "couldn't I just direct someone else which way to go?"

"Oh, like you did for me in that maze in those ruins four years ago?" Mimi asked bitterly.

"I *told* you Mimi! I lost the connection!"

*Snort* "Yeah, right. Whatever." she sniffed.

"I did!"

"Look, regardless of *past* events, " Matt glared at the now-silent-but-still-fuming Izzy, "Someone has to go in there and see where that entrance leads. Tai, you're our leader-you decide."

The big haired man-child drew in a deep breath and began to think deeply

*"Matt's right. It is my decision. But it's awfully dangerous since we don't even know what's up there, or even where it goes! I just can't send anybody, but which one? Matt, me, and Joe are far too big. Sora and Mimi are smaller, but even if Mimi was willing to dirty her clothes I don't think they'd really be able to get very far. Kari's the smallest, but I don't like the idea of sending her, even if her ankle wasn't hurt. So that just leaves TK and Izzy. TK is smaller, and his digimon is stronger when digivolved, but Izzy has his computer know-how. Of course, that will mean nothing if his laptop won't function up there...*

The group waited semi-patiently as their leader slowly processed all the pros and cons of his momentous decision. Finally, when the tension was just becoming more than they could bear, Tai made his choice.

"Izzy."

"WHAT??"

"You're the brains of this outfit. *You're* the one who figured out the cards in Myotismon's castle, remember? If it hadn't been for you, who know what might have happened to Kari and our families in the 'Real World'. Just...think of this as another challenge!"

"Tai's right." Mimi agreed solemnly. "And better you than me, so good luck!" she finished brightly.

"Thanks a lot." the black-eyed boy muttered darkly.

"Well, good luck Izzy! I'll be here waiting for you when you get back!"

" Ahh, not so fast Tentomon! If I'm going, *you're* going too! Besides, you're the only flyer strong enough to lift me."

"Oh, for the love of-! Oh, all right! But if I get eaten, it's all *you're* fault!"

"I'll take that chance. Now let's get going."

"Good luck Izzy." said Tai. "Use your digivice to contact us if you two get into more than you can handle. We'll blow up the place if we have to."

"Thanks Tai."

Mimi stepped up with pleading eyes and clasped hands. "Please find her quickly Izzy. For me?"

"Hey, don't worry Mimi. We'll have her back in a nano!" he assured her, and then blushed heavily as the pink clad girl flung herself on him in a relieved embrace.

"Hey! What about me?" demanded the insect digimon. She obliged by giving him a hug, though on a considerably more formal scale.

"Good luck!" her voice quivered as she stepped back, where Matt and Tai put their arms around her semi-protectively. Izzy checked to make sure his laptop and digivice were secured, returned Joe's wink and thumb's up signal, and finally grasped the pincher of the now-hovering insect.

"And away we go!" Tentomon cried as he lifted Izzy up, straining a bit against the additional unfamiliar weight.

The rest watched silently as the pair lazily neared the opening. Izzy reached out, grabbed the rim of the rectangular hole. Once, he lost his footing, slamming himself against the wall and causing his friends to gasp in terror, but he quickly regained it with his partners help. I a few moments, his lower half slipped into the smooth wall, leaving nothing of his presence behind but a small blip on a digivice.

Go On!

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