Awake and Alive

Chapter 15: A Sincere Talk

Rikka was worried. 

And she had every right to be with her best friend practically in a walking catatonic state. Sometimes she could feel his eyes on her back, where healing scars marred her back from when Etemon's Greymon threw her into the coliseum stands. She hadn't let go of his hand and whenever she shifted her grip to make it more comfortable, he would squeeze her hand as if he was afraid she was going to let go.

He was afraid of letting go of his anchor and sinking...

Lunamon had taken to carrying Koromon, her sincere and gentle presence working to ease the pink Digimon's worries and concerns. However, he still looked miserable and downright worn out in the desert heat.

As Rikka and Tai took the front, Matt and Joe were right behind them. Mimi and Sora walked together in the middle of the group, and TK and Izzy took the back. No one was talking, all too weary and hot to bother; not to mention, spirits were still a bit down from earlier. Gabumon and Gomamon were suffering the most from the heatwave, with Palmon coming on up with her slightly wilted flower, and the other Digimon could used some time out of the sun.

But the only thing surrounding them for miles were cacti, sand and heat.

Matt groaned, "Man! This desert is so hot, a lizard would need sunscreen!"

"Sora, can you carry me?" Biyomon pleaded, hopefully; Sora looked at her, her face red from the heat, and shook her head.

"The crew cut would look nice on you," Tentomon told Izzy. "And it's cooler."

Izzy made a disgruntled sound, wiping his hand across his forehead to clear it of any sweat, and continued to stumble along.

"Do I look fat?" Gabumon asked Matt, bumping against his side when he staggered a bit.

"No, you look hot," Matt told him honestly. "Especially with a fur coat. That thing really needs a zipper."

"Or maybe just removable shirt sleeves," Gabumon wished.

Rikka took her hat off, feeling a bit better at having the weight off of her head. A small breeze drifted, cooling her head but then the heat came back and she groaned. Looking down, she noted how bright the red of her cheeks were compared to the rest of her fair complexion.

There was an abrupt heavy weight on her shoulder, causing her knees to buckle as she landed on her rear in the sand.

"Tai?" Rikka cupped his face in her hands, her heart skipping a beat when she saw closed eyes and felt how cold his skin felt, especially in this kind of heat. "Tai!!"

"Tai!" Joe immediately rushed over, with Matt and Sora on his heels. He rolled the boy onto his back.

"What's wrong with him?" Matt asked Joe, concerned, as Rikka moved Tai's head into her lap. "He's really pale."

"He's exhausted." Rikka answered softly, a hand on Tai's cheek. "With all that happened at the coliseum, I'm surprised he didn't pass out earlier. He probably thought he'd be strong enough, but now he's burnt out.

"He couldn't have done this where there was shade?" Matt groaned. "We'll all cook out here if we stay here too long."

"Our goal was to get as far away from Etemon as quickly as we could," Sora reminded him as Joe checked Tai's pulse. "I don't think we would have been able to stop, even if Tai had mentioned something."

"Which is probably why he didn't," Matt muttered. "Stubborn idiot."

"Is he alright?" Mimi fretted. She, TK, Izzy and the Digimon stood off the side a little, knowing they'd only get in the way despite their attempts to help.