Dragon Lord, Dragon Sword

by Asabeth-Blue

(My old-style chaptering) The Digidestined are kidnapped, and now only Sora, Miyako, Iori and Daisuke can save them!

Dragon Lord, Dragon Sword Book One

A/N: Hee, Hee, Hee, Hee. I know, I know I should be writing my other stories but this always happens when I listen to music: I get an idea! And I'm always listening to music!

Knuckles: The only thing I can say is you can blame firstly watching an episode of 'Card captor Sakura' and then listening to O-town.

Ken: (Sniggers) You forgot JC culture and Coldplay too.

A_B: Plus I also watched Digimon 'The Good, the Bad, and the Digi' and am currently looking at my backdrop, which is a picky of Flamdramon in the water (Digimon movie #3)!

K&K: (Sweatdrop)

A_B: I jus' hadta add: I listened to the Labyrinth album while writing some of this!

Part I Disappearance

Yagami Taichi and Ishida Yamato made their way through the drizzling rain and into the shelter of an apartment building foyer.

"It's totally miserable today!" Taichi grumbled, having wanted to play soccer with Daisuke earlier that day with Ken and Koushiro, who, strangely enough, actually wanted to join in; too late now.

"Cheer up, at least we know it won't be like this forever!" Yamato teased. Taichi simply glared at him.

"Optimism doesn't suite you." He grumbled before turning on the intercom to the Motomiya apartment.

The two teenagers had half invited themselves over to a sleepover with Daisuke, since everyone else was either busy or not in the mood.

"Guys night in!" As Taichi had said when Daisuke tried to discourage them by telling of his parents and sister being away for the weekend. Of course Yamato was happier knowing he didn't have to put up with Jun for the night.

Daisuke pulled himself out of his room like something from the grave. His eyes were slightly puffy from lack of sleep, and the dark rings under his eyes were not a nicer side to his complexion.

He slumped beside the intercom and turned it on.

"Nani?" He half yelled angrily into the machine. His voice was groggy, and he was not in a good mood right now. The only person who dared to come near him – with the exception of the terminally brain dead – was Chibimon, who had recently leapt into his lap.

Taichi jumped at the shout from the intercom and almost bumped into Yamato. Both boys stood staring at the device for a few seconds before Taichi tried his hand at Yamato's strange joust of enthusiasm.

"Konnichiwa? It's Taichi and Yamato." A groan was heard on the other end.

"I thought you guys weren't coming."

"Course we are! Guys night in, remember? And anyway, we don't want you being all alone for the whole weekend, do we Yama?" Yamato was busy trying not to snigger, as Taichi's mood seemed to brighten with his younger version's dumped mood.

"H--hai."

"See?"

"*Sigh* Come on up…" Daisuke got off the intercom. Both of the older boys headed up, slightly confused.

"Did he just wake up or something?" Taichi asked of his best friend, who shrugged.

"Maybe his mood varies with the weather."

"Sometimes I just don't get him…"

Earlier that day Yamato had been saying to Taichi how much Daisuke was like him. Then they'd started to say how much Iori was like both Koushiro and Jyou, who's crests he shared, and also the same of Miyako with Sora and Mimi along with their crests. Then Yamato had started to wonder how come Daisuke didn't seem to have anything in common with him. He had both the Digimentals of Courage and Friendship, yet he only seemed to be a replica of Taichi. The only thing they could come up with was that he didn't seem to make friends easily, even though he tried very hard to do so, although that was hardly it.

Like them both he had a sibling; unlike them it was an older sibling. Like Taichi he had a Sister, and like Yamato he didn't seem on very close terms with his parents.

Daisuke unlocked the door and headed back to his room, hugging Chibimon gently to his chest. He was wearing his normal get-up of shirt, shorts and T-shirt, except without the goggles. Chibimon bounded up to his shoulder and clung there as Daisuke pulled together some papers lying on his desk and shoving them into his drawer. He then shoved all of his mess (Although surprisingly there wasn't much of it) into the corner before slumping down on the bed and grumbling something into the pillow as Chibimon gave a cute squeak and nuzzled against the crook of the boys neck.

The sound of the door being opened caught the little blue Digimon's attention.

Taichi opened the door and peered into the apartment in confusion.

"Daisuke?" He and Yamato made their way inside and put their things beside the door as Yamato closed it behind him. "Dai?" The apartment was, surprisingly, very clean. The only mess they could make out was a photo frame just above the phone, which was at an odd angle.

Chibimon came bounding out of Daisuke's room and up to the older boys, who smiled down at him.

"Hewwo!" Said the little cute creature. "Dai-Chan's in his room!" The little active In-training bounded back to the room before bouncing on the spot, beckoning the two teenagers to follow.

"Alright." Taichi said to no one as he took up his bag and followed the Digimon, while Yamato came up behind him.

Chibimon bounded back up to Daisuke who was lying out on the bed, facing the wall. Two people entered in after him.

"Dai-Chan! Dai-Chan!" The little creature squawked in his friend's ear. Daisuke pushed the little Digimon away from his head and turned over slightly to look at Yamato and Taichi.

"Hey," He muttered before rolling back over and focusing on the wall again.

Yamato and Taichi looked at each other before putting down their bags and heading further into the room. Taichi sat behind Daisuke, on his bed, while Yamato stood beside the younger boys desk, peering over the headboard.

"What's with you?" Taichi asked of the younger goggle-boy.

"Nothin'" Daisuke muttered.

"Aw, come on. You're not being yourself!" Daisuke slowly turned to look at Taichi, his eyes slightly unfocused and his expression blank. He then buried his face in the pillow and gave a sound, which sounded like laughter. Only it sounded like the kind of laughter you used to hide rugged sobbing, which he was failing at.

"Dai?" Yamato gently poked the younger boy's head. He was ignored as Daisuke continued to laugh-cry.

"What did I say?" Taichi wondered aloud. Daisuke ceased his sobbing after a bit and slowly turned again to look at Taichi with tear filled eyes.

"Gomen. But your wrong."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"You said I wasn't acting like myself. Your half right, though."

"Daisuke, you're scaring us." Yamato put in. The younger boy sat up beside Taichi and looked down at his hands, which were clasped in his lap. Chibimon bounded into them

"See I'm not acting right now, so you said I wasn't myself."

"Acting?" The information slowly sunk in. Daisuke had just admitted to wearing a mask in front of the other destined. This was a very hard thing to admit, to anyone.

"Tell us." Taichi prodded, being careful as he did. Yamato sat on Daisuke's other side.

"See; I try so hard to make friends, because I have none. No on really likes me, even when I try. But I try too hard."

"Is that why you had a crush on my sister?" Daisuke nodded before looking up at Taichi.

"I never had a crush on your sister, Tai. I'm sorry, but I was just hiding, again."

"From what?"

"I'm… gay…" Both boys watched him, and when he realised they didn't seem to care he carried on. "I know people really don't like me, and I didn't want yet another reason for everyone to hate me."

"No one hates you, Dai." Daisuke shook his head at Yamato's response, tears falling down his cheeks.

"Yeah you do. Everyone hates Motomiya Daisuke. Even his own fucking parents!"

"Nani?" Both boys gave him a surprised look. More from the fact that he had sworn than the information he had tried to give.

"Yeah, my parents and my sister don't give a flying shit about me. I was an accident to them, and I'm ignored. I hate my sister for being loved by my parents, and my parents… they beat me sometimes. It's like I'm only here to take the blame for everything. Like Jun's the perfect kid and I was… what was left over." Daisuke swallowed a sob and hugged Chibimon tightly.

"Doesn't Jun… isn't she a big sister to you?" Yamato asked carefully. Daisuke shook his head.

"She… once she… I told her I was gay. She… disapproved."

"What did she do?"

"I… don't want to talk about it." Both boys nodded. "I do things, you know."

"What kind of things?" Taichi asked.

"I… not bad things. But things… I draw. I can draw really well. But only Ken knows that."

"Can we see?" Yamato asked. This was probably that thing that made him and Daisuke close. Both being artists of sorts.

Daisuke nodded and pointed to a half closed drawer. Yamato stood and went to it, opening to find… some folders and many, many drawings.

He took them out and put them on the desk. There were sketches of the Digidestined, of the Digimon. There were ink sketches of scenes in the park, of kids playing, of animals, of trees.

There was a watercolour painting in one of the folders of a White tiger walking through a plantation during the Sakura. An oil painting showed all of the crests: Courage, Friendship, Hope, Love, Light, Sincerity, Knowledge, Kindness and Reliability.

Yamato passed the paintings to Taichi who looked at them in wonder.

"These are really good!" Yamato agreed with his friend. Daisuke didn't seem to hear, his head bowed as he hugged Chibimon to his chest. "Dai?" Taichi put a hand on the boys shoulder.

"I once showed Kaasan. She said that I shouldn't waste my time with silly pictures that someone 'more qualified' could do better." He wiped tears out of his eyes and looked up at Yamato. "Jun and dad found some once, and they tore them up and Dad beat me. He said I was worthless and should keep my feet on the ground. I never drew like that again."

"Like what?" Yamato sat beside Daisuke again.

"I drew Dragon's, and Unicorns. You know, mythical stuff. I draw people flying magic carpets and a great castle in the clouds. Dad said imagination was for people with no hope." Both teenagers were shocked and appalled at this.

"That's not true!" Taichi said. Daisuke gave a smile; very different from the one they were used to. It showed wonder and sadness, with very little cheerfulness.

"I know. I never listen to what Tousan says. I know that whatever anyone in my family tells me isn't true. Like when Jun said that I would never know what love is. I know love. I just haven't felt it yet. Never for my family, not immediate anyway." He looked up at Taichi and then to Yamato. Both were watching him with interest at his story. "I used to have a grandmother, she died a few years ago, when I was about 9. She liked my drawings. She said she was psychic and she would tell me of a place beyond the clouds where I had a friend waiting for me." At this he tapped Chibimon's head and smiled again. "She really could see the future. And she told me that Mom and Dad and Jun would tell me things and I shouldn't listen. She said that no matter what happened I would always have people who cared for me, wether they are alive or not, or if they weren't family." He hugged Chibimon again as the older boys smiled slightly at this.

"Your grandmother was very wise." Yamato put in. The Burgundy haired boy could only nod.

"You have a lot of friends now though, Daisuke." Taichi stated. Daisuke shrugged.

"Yeah. I'm sure your all thrilled to have a clumsy big-mouth like me along."

"Could I ask: why do you act like that?"

"Because it's expected of me."

"Is that what you think?"

"It's what I know." Yamato sighed. Taichi was watching Daisuke's angst fest, and starting to feel a little uncomfortable. Unlike Yamato Taichi didn't simply 'go angst' every few days. He was also seeing that Daisuke was actually more like Yamato than Taichi, they just hadn't seen it before.

Like Yamato he felt, or in this case was, an outcast in his own family. He strayed from the rest of the group in so many ways, that it wasn't hard to say he was a lone wolf. Daisuke kept to himself, and ignored what the world said, acting and holding up a mask to even his closest friends, but not Chibimon. Like Yamato, Daisuke only seemed to be open and truthful to the little Digimon. It was probably the little creature in his arms that had prodded him into telling someone other than himself.

Chibimon was looking up at Taichi, his back to Yamato, with an almost pleading look on his face. Obviously he didn't like his partner being so sad, and wanted Taichi and Yamato to help him.

"Hey, I know!" Taichi stood up, startling Yamato and Daisuke, who had become very quiet. Taichi grinned down at them from where he stood in the middle of the room. "Lets all take a bath!"

He was stared at for a good few minutes.

"Excuse me?" Yamato asked.

"Come on! It'll make you feel better! It works for me!" Chibimon bounded after the Coffee-haired teenager as he headed to the bathroom. Daisuke and Yamato watched after them. Sometimes the original leader of the Digidestined was so much like a Digimon it wasn't hard to see why he was a destined.

Daisuke turned to Yamato.

"Uh… he's your friend!" Yamato chuckled.

"Scary isn't it!" Daisuke frowned. "Dai, how come you keep getting my brother's name wrong?"

"Cause I'm just joking. See I thought since other friends have running jokes, that could be it. Plus I got it wrong the first time anyway, so I thought…"

"Alright," Yamato cut him off. "I get it." Daisuke nodded, looking miserable again. "Don't you dare start again, Taichi's right, you need to lighten up!" He then grabbed Daisuke around the waist and tugged him to the bathroom.

"Oi!"

Chibimon had shown the shorter teenager to the bathroom where he had run the bathwater and was now looking for the soaps and shampoos. He'd found some towels in the linen closet on the way and they were now placed on the stool in the corner.

Yamato tugged Daisuke in and shut the door as Taichi found the wash clothes and accessories.

"Your weird." Daisuke shot at Taichi, who merely grinned and threw a towel over the tanned boys head.

The three stripped and put on the towels, before Taichi and Yamato armed themselves with Shampoo, soap and washcloths. Daisuke was busy tossing their clothes in the hamper, out of the way, when he was grabbed around the waist once again and dragged down onto the wooden stool.

"Hey! Watch it!" Taichi and Yamato laughed.

Daisuke sat on the stool as Taichi and Yamato cleaned him, and each other. He blushed as Yamato washed his hair and Taichi washed him with the cloth. It felt strange, being fussed over by people, and being washed by someone other then himself. He'd never been taken care of much as a child, and the times he had been were very faint. In a way he kind of like it, but it was still rather embarrassing.

Chibimon bounded into his arms and he smiled down at the little creature. Chibimon nuzzled against his partners stomach, getting covered in soapsuds. Daisuke chuckled and rubbed the little Digimon's head, cleaning him as well.

He heard a cry from behind him and turned to see Taichi struggling against Yamato who was trying to wash his hair for him.

"Hold still!"

"Don't touch the du!" Daisuke laughed, and grabbed the washcloth. He threw this over Yamato's head and rubbed.

"Oi!" Yamato yelped. Taichi helped the younger boy to gang up on the blond, and soon the three were rolling about in a heap of bubbles and soapsuds.

"Now that we're done washing…" Taichi said as he and the other two sat on the floor, giggling and grinning. "Into the water!"

"How much sugar did you have this morning?" Yamato asked of the Brunette as he stood and went to the tub, where Chibimon was bouncing along the edge.

"Not much." was the reply.

"Uh huh." Daisuke and Yamato followed Taichi, as he slipped into the water. Daisuke was about to climb in when he slipped on the floor and fell back.

"Ack!" Yamato quickly caught him before he could hit the ground. "Oops. Gomen."

"That's okay. You be careful." They joined the taller Brunette and relaxed into the water. Chibimon bounded onto Daisuke's shoulder and the Burgundy haired boy plucked the In-training off his shoulder and submerged him slightly in the water to rinse off the soap.

*

Later the three had dressed into their pyjamas and Daisuke was looking through the kitchen while Yamato and Taichi chose a movie to watch.

Eventually, as Daisuke made the popcorn in the microwave Yamato found a movie entitled: Ladyhawk.

The movie was about two people, a Captain, and a young lady, who were under a curse by an evil Bishop. By day the woman was a hawk, and by night the man was a black wolf.

Daisuke came through with the popcorn before disappearing back into the kitchen as Yamato set up the movie. Taichi sat on the coach while Yamato leaned against it, waiting for Daisuke.

The older boys suddenly found themselves holding can's of cola just before Daisuke slumped onto the coach and Chibimon leapt up into his arms again.

They watched the movie, to almost the end. Chibimon went off to Daisuke's room sometime halfway through.

Yamato looked over at Daisuke, who sat beside Taichi on the coach. He had fallen asleep and curled up against the older boy. Yamato smiled at him and poked Taichi in the shoulder, waking him. The two looked at Daisuke and smiled slightly.

"Should we take him to bed?" Taichi asked. Yamato nodded and turned off the movie. Taichi gently lifted Daisuke and took him through to his room, where Chibimon slept on the pillow, waiting for his friend.

Taichi lay the younger boy down, tucked him in and stroked the side of his head, careful not to disturb Chibimon, before he went through to where Yamato was setting out their sleeping bags on the floor.

The two lay down after Yamato had turned out the light.

"I don't like how Daisuke is a really a completely different person to what we know." Yamato confessed to his friend as they lay under the moonlight. Taichi nodded, even though neither was facing the other.

"I know. But that's why we have to be closer friends to him, all of us!" Yamato smiled.

"Hey Taichi,"

"Yeah?"

"Remember how I said the new Digidestined are like replica's of us older kids?"

"Yeah."

"Daisuke's like our son, or something like that."

"I know. It's kinda freaky, ne?"

"Not really. I kind of like it." Taichi reached over and gave his friend a shove.

"Your weird."

"Arigato." The two sniggered before eventually falling asleep.

**

Miyako helped her mother open the store that morning. She was just helping to stack the shelves when Sora came in, a smile on her face.

"Hey Sora! How are you?"

"Fine thanks Miya. I've come to ask if you want to come with me to see Mimi in the Digiworld today?" Miyako bounded out from behind some shelves.

"That'd be great!" Mrs Inoue poked her head round from the counter to peer at her daughter and the redhead.

"What was that?"

"Oh, uh… Kaasan can I go with Sora to meet a friend?"

"Fine by me, just finish stacking the shelves first." She went back to her work.

"Great! I won't be a minute Sora."

"That's okay, I'll wait." Miyako liked being with the older destined girls, it made her feel more complete, like she really was part of a great team. Plus the two older girls were so nice to her, and they were so cool too!

Not to be rude though, but Hikari was a real friend. It was just that Miyako felt better to know there were girls older than her that shared almost the same interests.

While yesterday had been downright miserable, today was bright and cheerful, the rain having washed everything, giving it a new scent and sheen.

Miyako finished her chores and followed Sora out of the store, although not before snatching up Poromon who was snacking on a candy bar he'd found somewhere.

The two chatted happily as they went down the road to the library to use the computers there.

On their way they bumped into Iori who was sitting on the sidewalk with Upamon. It took the girls a few seconds to realise he was chalking pictures on the sidewalk.

"Hey Iori," The young boy looked up and smiled at his friend.

"Ohayo Miyako, Sora."

"Do you want to come with us to the Digiworld?" Sora offered. The chestnut haired boy shook his head gently and rubbed the head of his Digimon who had bounded into his lap, seeking attention.

"No thankyou. I'd just like to enjoy the day here if it's all the same to you."

"Sure. See you later!"

"Sayonara!" The girls headed off, leaving Iori and Upamon to carry on with their pictures.

*

In the park Ken and Koushiro sat on the bench waiting for the holders of Courage and Friendship to show. The two had come on the train earlier and headed straight for the park. Taichi had decided to start the game today since yesterday was a drag.

Only a few month ago Koushiro's parents had moved to Tamachi, so now days Koushiro was a common visitor to the Ichijouji's or visa versa.

Koushiro was busy telling Ken – who had Minomon in his lap and was rubbing his head – about a program he'd heard of in a Magazine article Wallace had sent him from America.

"You see you only have to download the website onto your computer and then you wont have to stay online to go through it."

"That very interesting."

"Were you even listening?" Ken gave him a look.

"I was. Why do you ask that?"

"Cause when I talk to Taichi I get that kind of response out of him."

"Well I'm not Taichi." Just then their turn of conversation appeared round the bend of the path, trailing along beside Yamato. Daisuke was in behind them; Chibimon perched on his goggles as he carried a soccer ball in his arms.

Yamato and Taichi were talking about something while Daisuke seemed oblivious to everything except the path in front of him.

Ken stood and waved to the other boys, while Koushiro continued to watch from the bench.

Soon the group was off, heading to a more open area of the park to play. Koushiro walked with Yamato and Taichi, listening in on their conversation (Once again on how the newer kids were like children to the older) while Ken walked beside Daisuke.

Ken gently prodded Daisuke's shoulder when the shorter wouldn't look up.

"What's with you?" Daisuke raised his head and grinned at his best friend.

"Chibimon is!" Ken rolled his eyes and smiled at the joke.

"Seriously."

"Well, Yamato and Taichi had a sleepover at my place last night."

"And?"

"And if I'm lucky they wont go off to report my parents to the police or something." Ken eyed his friend wearily.

"You told them?" Daisuke nodded. "How come?" Daisuke shrugged.

"They listened." To Daisuke this could mean a whole lot more than what it sounded like, and Ken knew this, so stopped asking.

He had known about Daisuke's little 'secret' since one time when he'd slept over. Daisuke had woken from a nightmare, or more like a memory, and Ken had been there to talk to. So that's just what he'd done, after being prodded by the taller boy and two Digimon.

*

Hikari and Tailmon rode with her mother; Takeru, Patamon and Mrs Takaishi back from Kyoto. They had been visiting friends and family there, as well as Takeru's mom having to do a report on mysterious happenings there.

Hikari gently stroked a sleeping Tailmon while Patamon and Takeru watched out the window as they crossed over to Odaiba.

Hikari rested her forehead on the glass and closed her eyes, enjoying the sun, which glinted off of the glass into her face.

Tailmon rubbed absently against Hikari in her sleep, making the young girl smile.

Takeru had given up on trying to see shapes in clouds through the window. He sat back and rubbed his temple, which hurt slightly from peering through the glass, which was reflecting the sun horribly. Patamon curled up in his lap and was asleep in seconds.

Takeru smiled and rubbed his Digimon's head. Only another half-hour to go before they were back at the Yagami's, then a few minutes to pack their car and they were off back to the Takaishi apartment.

The day seemed wasteless.

~

"Gaaahhh!" Chibimon squealed as he clung to the soccer ball.

"No! Wait!" Daisuke cried. Too little, too late, Koushiro sent the ball flying into the trees. "Aw man!" Daisuke hurried after it. "Chibimon!"

Yamato was doubled over laughing while Koushiro stood watching after the ball in shock.

"Oops." Ken said, shrugging his shoulders at the redhead, who slumped and turned to the Raven-haired boy.

"Gomen."

"When Daisuke comes back we'll try again." Taichi offered. Koushiro sighed and shook his head.

"I don't quite think I'll ever get the hang of this." Yamato started a new round of hysterics.

"Chibi? Chibimon where are you?" Daisuke pushed through the foliage looking for his Digimon and the soccer ball. "Man, can Koushiro kick or what—Chibimon!"

"Dai-Chan!"

"Chibi!" Daisuke pushed through some vines and found Chibimon half squashed by the soccer ball as he lay in the mud. "Great," Daisuke stated as he moved the ball and lifted Chibimon into his arms. "Now I'm gonna hafta bath you again!" Chibimon giggled as he hugged his partner.

"Thank you!" Daisuke smiled and grabbed and ball while pushing Chibimon up onto his shoulder.

"Come on, let's get back to the others!"

~

Takeru lay on his bed, watching the ceiling. Glad the trip was over.

"Are you tired?" Patamon asked of his partner. Takeru half nodded.

"Kind of. I'm just gonna take a nap till lunch, okay?"

"Alright, I'm going to fly around for a bit." Takeru smiled at his Digimon as the little winged creature sat on the windowsill.

"You do that." He chuckled. Patamon flew out into the cool breeze of summer, leaving Takeru to rest in silence.

A dark cloud of Red and Blue suddenly formed in the sky, before growing larger and larger, swirling like a storm. A Golden lightning bolt split in many directions, streaking horizontally through the cloud. Yet it seemed to be coming from inside the cloud, which was only two inches thick.

A pair of dark Blue eyes opened in the storm, glowing with pure hatred before the cloud glowed an eerie Grey-Silver, and… disappeared, like mist being blown back into the darkness…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part II Element Demons

Sora and Miyako made it to the Digital world, where Piyomon and Palmon, both looking very happy to see them, met them.

"Is Mimi here yet?" Sora asked of Palmon, who shook her head.

"Nope, not yet." Sora nodded.

"She'll be here soon. Koushiro said there should be a random Digiport opening in America for a few minutes today." Miyako nodded.

The four girls and boy (Hawkmon) waited for over half an hour in the Digital world, before deciding that Mimi was not coming.

"Where could se be?" Palmon asked, looking on the verge of tears.

"I don't know, but I'm going to send her and E-mail." Miyako said, doing just that.

There was no response for another half hour.

*

"Taichi? Yamato? Ken? Koushiro?" Daisuke hugged the soccer ball tighter as he wandered around the field, looking all around for his friends. Chibimon was back on his head, clinging to his goggles a little tighter so as not to get caught in the way of the ball again. His grip slackened as Daisuke wondered around, looking for his friends. "Hello?"

"Where did they go?" Chibimon asked. Daisuke sat down in the grass and let the soccer ball fall out of his hands. He gave shudder and stared at nothing. "Daisuke?"

"They… left us…"

"Nuh uh! Ken and Mino wouldn't just leave us! And Taichi and Yamato are our friends too!"

"So's Koushiro but do you see any of them still here?" Chibimon jumped off Daisuke's head and into his arms, head butting him slightly in the chest.

"No you don't! Don't do that again! They're probably looking for us. We've just got to wait for them!" Daisuke looked to his Digimon before nodding, his expression non-changing. He wasn't one for looking on the bright side of a situation like this one. 'They know what I'm like now. They probably told Koushiro. Now they've dragged Ken and Minomon off with them and left Chibi and me in the park. Why do I always have to be so trusting?!' He buried his face in his arms. Chibimon instantly squealed and bounded around his friend, trying to get him out of his 'angst fest'.

"Daisuke, stoppit!" The Digimon scolded his friend. Daisuke didn't listen. Chibimon was about to revert to stronger tactics when he noticed something glinting in the grass a few feet away.

The curious In-training went up to it and picked it up.

"Daisuke! Daisuke!" Daisuke raised his head; realising Chibimon was now nowhere near him. The little blue creature was running back to him from across the grass, carrying something in his paws. It was Silver, glinting in the sun. It was a ring. Yamato's ring!

Daisuke took the object from Chibimon and stared at it. Everyone knew the ring had been a gift from a secret admirer, long before Yamato had been in a rock band. He'd worn it ever since, and never took it off, until now. 'They've been taken!' Daisuke's instant thought was. He grabbed the soccer ball and Chibimon before sprinting off to get the rest of the destined.

*

Iori stretched and sighed looking up at the sky. He watched as a few wisps of dark cloud disappeared in a few seconds. The young boy blinked and stared up at the sky for a bit longer before shaking his head and rising from the ground. Upamon bounded into his arms, where he was hugged gently.

"Are we going home now?" The little Yellow Digimon asked.

Before Iori could answer Daisuke came barrelling down the road, gasping for breath and looking a mixture of frightened and angry.

"Daisuke?" Iori asked of the older boy, who slowed down to a stop and bent over gasping for breath. He had just come from home, having E-mailed Miyako to hear she was in the Digiworld waiting with Sora for Mimi. Iori's D-terminal was in his bag and had been ignored by the youngest destined.

Both Takeru and Hikari's messages had bounced back.

"Everyone's disappeared!" Chibimon squawked. Iori gave the Digimon a startled looked before looking at Daisuke who was still catching his breath.

"Is that true?" Daisuke shrugged, before re-telling his story of Ken, Koushiro, Taichi and Yamato's disappearance.

The younger boy nodded, trying to keep everyone calm.

"We should meet up with Miyako and Sora in the Digital world. Maybe something is happening there that we don't know about." Daisuke nodded and the two of them headed off towards the Library at top speed.

*

In the Digital world Daisuke and Iori came out of the TV dressed in their Digiworld gear, looking about before Miyako and Sora came hurrying towards them, Piyomon and Hawkmon flying above, and Palmon in behind.

The girls swapped stories with Daisuke of the disappearances before the four humans and five Digimon all sat in thought of the situation.

Just as Iori was about to suggest returning to the real world a large dark cloud appeared in front of them. The group jumped back with a cry. Daisuke clenched his fists, not really wanting to fight, but knowing he might need to.

"Stubborn pests." Came the voice from inside the portal.

"Huh?" Daisuke stepped back.

"Who… who are you?" Sora asked.

"I am the master of this world."

"No one is the master of the Digiworld!" Iori shot back. There was a long silence, which was soon cut short by venomous laughter.

"Foolish child, I know not of this 'Digiworld' but I do know my world. And it is beyond this portal." The dark cloud, which was the same as the cloud from before, suddenly formed a picture. In it was a land of darkness, with little life and a storm raging in the dark Purple sky. "Your powers amuse me, and I would like to know: do you like a challenge? I bet you do. I bet you do like to be challenged… for your friends!" The image changed to show the 8 other destined, along with Tailmon and Wormmon, all in a Black-Grey and Black-Blue cell.

"Why did you take our friends?" Miyako asked.

"I already said. I challenge you to come and get them." He laughed again, the image changing to show a large dark Blue eye, which glinted with Silver-Gold edges. The group jumped as the eye blinked and half closed and vibrated as the being laughed again. The image then disappeared leaving nothing but a faint random flash of lightning and swirling cloud. "We~ell?" He drawled. The kids all looked at each other before glaring at the portal.

"We accept!" Miyako growled.

"Good!"

"There's a catch, I know there is," Iori was muttering, causing the being to laugh in a serpent-like hiss.

"Very good. The catch is: Only four with their partner may come."

"But… Palmon!" Sora turned to the plant-like Digimon.

"Don't worry. I'll wait for you here, we trust you guys!" The group nodded to their friend.

"Lets go!" Daisuke moved forward with Veemon into the portal. Miyako and Sora followed, along with Iori and their Digimon. The cloud then shrank and disappeared.

"We trust you…" Palmon repeated, watching the air where the portal had once been.

**

A bright light flashed in the middle of nowhere before depositing two girls and two boys, along with four strange creatures. They – the three younger ones – were still in their Digiworld outfits.

The dizzying light from the portal died down and the four found themselves in a dark place. The ground beneath them was Black-Blue with Black-Brown scraggly plants every now and then. To their left and right were tall mountains. Behind them was nothing but dark sands and dunes.

In front of them was a dark forest all in shades of Black-Green, Black-Grey and Black-Red. As in the image the sky was Black-Purple with a faint streak of White-Silver lightning and the faint rumble of thunder, every so often. The group looked around for a bit before moving towards the trees, being as good a place as any to start searching for their friends.

Hawkmon and Piyomon flew cautiously above their partner's heads, watching the lightning warily, while Armadimon and Veemon stuck close to their partner Destined.

Daisuke clenched his fist, Yamato's ring adorned on one finger so he wouldn't loose it. Veemon watched his friend; worried he might start to mope again. The Blue dragon-type Digimon could never seem to get him out of his moods. Although he'd never been Veemon at the time to do so.

The trees of the forest were leaf-less and dead. The shadows they created were Black on Black in this dying world. As the group neared the trees a sudden breeze blew, icy cold and harsh. The all stopped and shivered, before it passed.

A figure appeared in front of them, in a sudden flicker of static and light on mist. A hologram.

A young girl stood before them in the hologram. She had short Honey-Brown hair, which shadowed her eyes from them as she had her head bowed.  She wore a White short-sleeved shirt, over jeans with a hole in the right knee. Under the jeans she wore a pair of Black skin-tight pants, as they could see through the hole. Her left wrist adorned a dark Blue wristband with a Black stripe running through the middle, while her right wrist adorned a Black and White digital watch. Her feet were bare and scarred, her skin pale and her lips a very faint Tan-Rose colour.

She raised her head, looking at the group with Cyan eyes, which had faint dark rings beneath them. Her eyes looked ten times older than the rest of her, which looked older than her height. She looked like a youthful adult, with the eyes of a mystic. It was rather disturbing in a way.

The girl raised her hand and pointed to the group, before she brought up both arms, clenched her fists and flowed her one hand out and up. She then pointed both arms to the left.

"Nani?"

"It's sign language!" Miyako cried, as the girl stood still, arms at her sides.

"Yeah, but what did she 'say'?" Iori wondered out loud.

"My aunty used sign language where she worked at the clinic. I think she's saying: You must find a way." Miyako smiled triumphantly as the girl gave a faint wisp of a smile and nodded slowly.

The girl started again, flowing both hands out and up, pointing to the group and covering her heart. She then repeated the motion of flowing her hands up, pointing to her temples and clenching her fists.

"Follow your heart, follow what you think is right."

"She's trying to help us." Sora said. The girl smiled and clasped her hands together. She opened her hands, a small bubble appearing in her hands. It looked solid, like a crystal. She raised it and blew softly. The crystal-bubble blew out of her hands and split into four smaller bubbles, which floated to the destined and hovered before them.

Daisuke raised his hands and covered the small bubble with them. The others followed his lead, opening their hands to find small Silver chains, with a small bobble on the end. The bobble for each child held a symbol. One was a raindrop, the other a flame. One was a heart, and the last was a comical symbol of wind: Water, Fire, Air and Love: Sora, Daisuke, Iori and Miyako.

The girl smiled and raised her hands again, drawing Miyako's attention away from her gift.

She crossed her hands over her chest, raised her hands and pressed them together before kissing the tips. She then pointed the clasped hands to the group and then raised them to point to the dark mountain to their right.

"Thank you." Miyako said to the girl who smiled and disappeared as the Hologram flickered and was blown away like smoke.

"What did she say?" Daisuke asked of the Purple haired girl.

"She said: 'Good luck to you all' and says we should go there for our friends." Miyako pointed also to the mountain.

"Great, lets go!" Daisuke cried through a cheerful demeanour.

The group was off again, headed to a large mountain in the shape of a very large, rugged vertical bullet.

Its edges were steep and it was surrounded by very Greyish looking water, the only way they could see into the mountain was via a large Black stone gate, but there was no way across the water.

Just as they walked near the water, looking into it, it started to move. Small waves formed on the surface, rising higher and higher but never splashing over the edge of the bank.

Just when the waves had reached the height of the Black stone gate, they swirled together in a watery twister before it fell forward, moving like a snakes body, curling around the group, herding them together and raising in front of them. The end of the watery snake took on the top form of a humanoid body. Its body and long hair was the water, its face was icy Blue with bright Black eyes.

A Green-Grey bubble appeared in the air above the destined heads. The eight 'missing' destined looked up at the bubble in confusion and curiosity. Patamon was not with them, probably having been left behind on earth.

In the middle of the circle they could see a great creature made entirely of water and… their four friends surrounded by the humanoid/snake being.

"Sora!" Mimi cried, clapping her hands happily. The others gasped and watched as Sora moved up to the Demon.

"What the…?" The four looked at each other before Sora, bearing the symbol of water, moved forward, showing the Water demon the pendant. The startlingly human demon smiled before rising up, pointing to the gate. It pointed to itself before flowing down and touching Daisuke's pendant; fire, moving over to Iori's pendant; Air, and touching that. She – they presumed the demon was female – then pointed to the ground, to Miyako and back to the gate.

"It wants us to use the elements to open the gate." Sora suddenly said, startling everyone.

The bubble in the sky popped.

The demon clapped its hands and flowed back into the moat, where it waited for them just above the surface.

"Right, Fire. Veemon!" Daisuke held out his Digivice.

"Right! Veemon armour Shinka… Flamdramon!"

"Air!" Miyako said.

"Hawkmon Shinka… Aquilamon!"

"We can also use Air for Water," Sora pointed this out to Miyako, who nodded. "Piyomon!"

"Piyomon Shinka… Birdramon!"

"Earth!" Iori said.

"Armadimon armour Shinka… Digmon!"

"Lets do this!" Daisuke cried. The Water demon stretched out its arms and the two, Bird-like Digimon, – with their partners on their backs – took to the air. They used their wings to create gusts of air, blowing dust and water at the gate.

"Fire rocket!" Flamdramon used his attack, hitting the door with flame, which grew larger with the wind fanning it.

"Rock cracking!" Digmon's attack cracked the rock above the gate, which fell on top. With the combined force of the attacks the gate, once Black, turned to ice and jumped away from the wall, creating an ice bridge over the water.

"Yay!" The group cheered. Miyako and Sora returned to the ground and the Digimon reverted to their rookie forms.

The four and their Digimon carefully cross the bridge of ice, towards the gaping hole in the mountain. The water demon came up and went to Sora, gently touching her cheek and holding out a clenched fist to the redheaded girl. Sora raised a hand and caught what fell from the demon's fist… a small Bronze ring, with the symbol of water on it.

"Thank you." She breathed. The demon nodded and flowed back under the surface of the moat smoothly, not a ripple showing where she'd been.

The four finished their trek across the bridge and entered a large hall of rock and cement, smelling of sulphur and boiling tar.

Behind them the bridge rose up and solidified back into Black stone, leaving them in a small cave with only one exit. They moved forward.

"I wonder what these necklaces and rings are for…" Sora wondered out loud as they moved through into a large cavern with a storm in the ceiling, where another strange cloud hovered creating lightning and swirling luminously. An organ rested in the centre of a Gold and Silver spiral on the floor

"What next?" Miyako muttered.

Suddenly the organ came to life, the keys and pipes lighting up randomly and playing a faint tune. When the tune was finished the entire organ dimmed down again and sat silent and dark in the centre of the spiral.

"I guess we play the organ." Iori stated. The four moved up to the instrument and stared at it blankly.

"Only one problem. Who knows how to play the organ?" Sora put in. Everyone was stumped.

Another Green-Grey bubble appeared in the air, showing the room of the storm and Organ. The trapped group looked up as their friend's voices were heard, wondering who could play the organ.

"It's at times like this I wish Yamato were here." Sora muttered, shaking her head.

"That'd help," Yamato muttered, knowing the redhead couldn't hear him. "I can't play the organ." Taichi sniggered beside him. Just then…

"What's Daisuke doing?" Jyou asked suddenly. The rest watched as Daisuke moved towards the instrument, Veemon at his heels.

"Well I can play 'happy birthday' on the Piano but I don't think that'll help." Miyako muttered.

"There are no music sheets anyway." Sora was saying. Iori turned to see the older boy moving towards the instrument, before standing over it, looking over the controls.

"Daisuke?" He asked, snapping the girls out of their jousting. The three watched as Daisuke pressed on of the keys. The entire organ lit up again, wisps of an echo from the key Daisuke had pressed caused the whole cavern to shake. Suddenly the edges of the cavern fell down into the depths of the planets core. Peering over the edge – after getting over a screaming fest with Sora – Miyako noticed hot magma far below.

"Daisuke! What do you think your doing?!" She yelled angrily. The burgundy haired boy snarled, knowing she couldn't see, and started to play the tune from earlier. "Nani?"

The bubble popped once again.

"Daisuke plays the organ?" Takeru wondered aloud.

"Who would've thought…" was his brother's reply.

The song drifted eerily out of the organ pipes, worse than before, filling the whole cavern. It's echo caused the cavern to shake again, but this time the magma came up much like the water demon had done, splashing over the distant wall.

Out of the burnt hole in the wall came a sparkling Pink mist, which floated across the gap and swirled just inches from its edge. It was a portal.

"Wow! He did it!" Sora said. Iori moved up to the portal, peering in.

"I'm not done yet!" Daisuke warned the younger boy, who quickly jumped away from the portal and turned to watch the former.

His fingers hit the keys quick and sharp, yet carefully. The song flowed out and around the group, only ending when the portal took on a deep Yellow-Cyan colour, almost the same tone as warm vomit.

Daisuke finished his playing and turned to the portal, eyeing the girls and Iori.

"Coming?" He asked of them, before heading through.

"Uh…" Miyako was awestruck. The older girl grabbed her friend's arm and followed the younger boy through the portal.

~

The four were following a hallway now, deep in the underbelly of the mountain. They eventually see a light up ahead, and go towards it. But they find what they weren't expecting.

"What on earth?" Sora cries. The entire hall is filled with a fiery wall. Its tongues lick at the ceiling leisurely, as the rest of it blocks any way past it.

"Maybe we can dig around it." Iori suggested.

"Or we could fan it out." Says Sora.

"No way, remember what happened when we used Air for Water, and Flamdramon's attacks grew bigger when they hit the wind?" Miyako said.

"Oh yeah. We'd just be fanning the flame."

"Right." Meanwhile Daisuke is ignoring them once again, but decides to speak also,

"What if we just walk through?"

"Huh?" Both girls ask. Daisuke's back is to all of them as he stares into the flames. He can see something in them; feel something, which isn't quite right with the firewall.

"Can you feel it?"

"Feel what?" Iori asked of the burgundy haired boy. Daisuke turns slightly to look at Iori out of the corner of his eye.

"The heat, from the flames." Everyone is silent, moving up to the open furnace before them. Miyako reaches out and almost touches the flames, still there was no heat… but it was cold, like holding ones hand over a block of ice.

"It's cold." She breathes, her breath showing in front of her. Daisuke walks into the fire, followed by the others. On the other side they are surrounded by the icy flames, which burn in a faint ice-Blue colour beyond the outside wall.

Sora, only wearing a T-shirt, shudders. Daisuke notices this and takes off his jacket.

"Here," He wraps it over the older girls shoulders. "Wear this."

"What about you?"

"I'm used to it." He gives her an almost sad look, remembering long ago when he had been forced to sleep outside for over three months because his parents were moving house and couldn't afford to rent out an extra room for the kids to sleep in, when they stayed at a hotel.

The bubble-viewer appeared to the trapped ones again, who watched as the image of a fiery wall came into view.

"What the?" Koushiro asked. Just then their four rescuers came through the flames, looking slightly chilled, and Sora wearing Daisuke's jacket.

"How did they get through that?" Hikari wondered. Just then the flames grew, causing the two girls to cry out and jump back.

The flames were hot now, burning out after its lost prey. It swirled and shrank, creating a form and solidifying. The heat died down and the new demon opened crystallin eyes. It was a fiery Minotaur!

The great creature moved towards the group, who backed away in fright, except Daisuke, who moved towards it. The Minotaur snarled before huffing and holding out its hand. Daisuke held out his own hand and accepted the ring of the element Fire.

The bubble popped.

"That was a little too close." Jyou muttered. The others nodded in agreement.

"What was that the Minotaur gave Daisuke?" Ken asked of Yamato, who always stood right beside the bubble to see clearer.

"A ring I think, which reminds me, I think he's wearing the one I dropped when I was laughing."

"You mean the one you never take off?" Taichi asked of him. Yamato nodded.

~

The four head down the hallway once more, watching the faint glow of some kind of fungus on the ceiling.

The girls were up front now, muttering quietly of the previous tasks. Daisuke walks silently behind Iori, a blank expression on his face. Iori turns his electric Green eyes on the older boy.

"Daisuke," The goggle-boy raises his head. "Why are you being so quiet?" Daisuke smiles.

"I'm worried about the others." He starts to twist Yamato's ring on his finger.

Just then the girls cry out, startling the boys into looking up. The girls have disappeared. Iori and Daisuke race forward only to fall into the hole the other two had found.

Down, down they fall, past patches of Glowing Green, Yellow and Pink fungus. The bottom of the drop slowly comes into view. It is actually part of the hole, catching them and making a slide all the way down, through twists and turns until they find themselves flying over a river of Magma, without the slide.

"Aaagghhh!" Four voices cry before they land on solid ground.

While the girls complain and the group manages to stand, they take in their surroundings: The floor of this new cave is adorned with Gold and White symbols and writing, it is hoisted only a few feet from the Magma, which flows past the hole-in-the-wall cave. There is an opening in one side, which glows a faint metallic Green.

"Now where are we?" Sora asks, as she stands with Miyako. The two, bird-type Digimon, had flown down the whole way and were sitting down, gasping for breath. Veemon and Armadimon were both looking rather dizzy.

Daisuke moved towards the doorway on at the side of the cave, just as he was a few feet from it a low growl emitted from inside.

"Wha…?" Daisuke backed away as another demon, made itself known to the small group. It looked like a whole mess of electricity and lightning, put together in the form of a human. It eyes glowed White as it peered at the group, before raising its one 'arm' and pointing to a White circle on the floor, just a few feet from the doorway. Daisuke turned to look at the others before he made his way into the circle.

Veemon, Iori, Armadimon and Sora followed soon enough, Piyomon hesitating a while before flapping after her partner.

Miyako and Hawkmon were about to join their friends when they were stopped by the lightning demon. It smiled at her and beckoned towards the doorway, ushering her through as it wrapped electrical fingers around her wrist harmlessly.

The bubble-viewer appeared again, ceasing a conversation between Taichi and Koushiro who had found a hole at the back of the cell. Unfortunately, according to Koushiro's measurements only Wormmon would be able to fit through, and neither boy wanted to have to suggest this to Ken who was hugging Wormmon like a favourite toy.

The image in the bubble showed a room, whose main colour was metallic Green. In the middle of the room was a swirling whirlwind in the colours of Plum and Indigo: a Vortex.

A humanoid creature composed entirely of Lightning and Silver-Yellow electricity ushered Miyako and Hawkmon into the room.

"Go on Kou, say it." Yamato smirked at the redhead. Koushiro frowned.

"We've seen a creature made entirely of water, another of fire, and a storm indoors through a bubble which keeps appearing and disappearing, and you only think now that I'm about to comment on a being composed entirely of electricity?" Yamato nodded. "Well your right."

The demon looked at Miyako and then pointed into the depths of the vortex. Miyako looked down at Hawkmon – more to make sure he was there than for his opinion – and then back up at the demon.

"You… want me to go in there?" The demon nodded. "How come?" The lightning creature smiled again – with its eyes cause it had no mouth – and made a cross over Miyako's heart, before backing away from her and waving a hand into the vortex. Miyako nodded and waved to Hawkmon.

The two partners headed into the swirling vortex, a faint breeze kicking up before they disappeared altogether.

The bubble popped.

"I wonder what she has to do in there, and where are the others?" Hikari asked. Everyone else was looking a little dumped now. So far the bubble-images had shown them that their friends were coming to rescue them, but it wasn't showing wether or not they were succeeding.

Taichi tapped Ken's shoulder and pointed to the back of the cell, telling him of their idea. He noticed the younger boy hug Wormmon a little tighter through the explanation, but he eventually nodded when the older Brunette finished.

Ken and Taichi moved with Koushiro to the back of the cell. The others watched as Koushiro moved away a large rock, revealing a small hole.

"When did you find that?" Jyou asked of his best friend. Koushiro shrugged.

"A while back." Ken put Wormmon down and the little caterpillar-like Digimon made his way into the small tunnel.

"If you get stuck just back up again, alright?" Taichi called after the rookie.

"Alright." Said Wormmon, who continued on down the dark tunnel, which steeply turned a few times before letting out into a bright area.

"I hope she's going to be alright." Sora said as she sat beside Piyomon, looking worried.

"Don't worry, I've known Miyako for a long time. She can handle just about anything." Iori assured the older girl.

"What I don't get," Daisuke murmured. "Is how come she has to go through the next task?"

"Maybe it has something to do with her necklace; Love."

"Probably."

"That means one of the next tests should be about air," Iori fingered the bobble on the end of its chain.

"She'll call if she needs us though, right?" Sora hugged her Digimon as she worried over the younger girl.

Inside the vortex everything was still and silent. Unlike the outside of the whirlwind, inside it was much larger. While a part of Miyako's mind was busy saying that this was impossible another part told her that, in this world, everything logical seemed turned upside-down and inside out.

Hawkmon cluttered over to her side, as he and the glasses-clad girl looked around at the Blue darkness around them. The ceiling – if you could call it that – was Grey-Black, while the rest was Black-Blue, with faint streaks of pale Raven every here and then.

Just then familiar, yet unrecognisable, and evil laughter filled the area around them.

"Hawkmon…" Miyako muttered, peering into the shadows as a figure started to appear on the other side of the 'room'. It was humanoid, dressed in familiar clothing with spiked hair and wearing shades. Miyako gasped and took a step backwards, Hawkmon jumping protectively in front of her. "K--Ken?!" She gasped out.

"No." Said the Digimon Kaizer.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part III

Unseen power

Wormmon made his way out of the tunnel, through another crack in the wall. He just barely managed to squeeze himself out of it when he went flying away from the wall and across the room into another wall.

"Wormmon?" Takeru and Tailmon peered out of the cell, through some bars in a wooden door. The Green rookie Digimon managed to stand up and crawl over to the door, peering up at his friends.

"I managed to get out." He stated obviously. Ken peered out from behind Tailmon.

"Can you see any keys or anything to help us out?" Wormmon peered around the room. It was basically a small cave with a wooden door in one wall and a chair leaning against the other, with a doorway in the last wall. Only three walls, considering the room was almost circular.

"No, sorry."

"At least he got out, that's the main thing." Koushiro said. But before anyone could answer a very strange creature showed up and screeched at Wormmon.

It looked to be made up entirely of Mud, in a humanoid form. It had cat-like ears, tail, eyes and claws. Its claws were like large talons and its eyes glowed Red above the Black hole it called a mouth.

It made a gurgling hiss and twitched its tail, advancing on the little Digimon.

"Wormmon! Digivolve!" The Rookie Digimon was only too happy to do so.

"Wormmon Shinka… Stingmon!" The mud cat shrieked and backed up a step before snarling and making a horrible sound like a head being chopped from the neck. It leapt at the large bug-type champion, knocking him into the cell door.

Inside the cell the humans and Champion Digimon jumped away from the extremely strong wooden doorway, and listened as the mud cat guard and Stingmon fought.

"What is that horrible thing?" Tailmon asked as she jumped into Hikari's arms.

"Some kind of mud cat." Takeru supplied.

"Gross!"

"Yeah,"

"The others can't be having a hard a time as this where they are!" Yamato grumbled.

"Hai-yah!" The Kaizer attacked Miyako with his whip, which missed both human and Digimon, before he retracted it.

"This is impossible!" Miyako was muttering as she wrapped an arm around Hawkmon and avoided another attack.

"Maybe I should Digivolve?" Hawkmon suggested.

"Are you crazy, it may still be the Kaizer, but I don't attack my friends!"

"What?" The Kaizer had been listening to her, and stopped his attacks at the foreign word.

"You heard me!" Miyako let go of her Digimon and stood before the Digimon Kaizer. "You're my friend and I don't fight my friends!"

"F--friend?" He asked, looking a mixture of shocked and confused as he backed away from the Chosen girl. "Why… do you call me that?"

"Because you are! Your Ichijouji Ken, one of my best friends!" Hawkmon was watching this intercourse with varying interest.

"Iie! I am the Digimon Kaizer!"

"Maybe, but your still a friend to me." He stared at her before raising his hand and removing his glasses to see her better.

"You can't mean that." Behind the shades his eyes glowed a faint Red, proving he was nothing but an illusion. But Miyako still didn't care.

"Of course I do! Why wouldn't I?"

"I… I… don't understand."

"You do so! You know I'm not lying!" Miyako advanced on him. The Kaizer backed up a step before he simply stared at her. Miyako stood exactly before him, peering into his eyes. "You're my friend."

"…Friend…"

*

Sora leapt to her feet and grinned happily as the lightning Demon came through from the other room, Miyako in front of him. She smiled as the other three came towards her and congratulated her joyously.

"What did you have to do?" Daisuke asked her. Miyako smiled, looked slightly exhausted.

"I had to talk to an old friend." The others gave her a confused look but gave up, satisfied with the answer given. The demon gave Miyako her ring of Love and ushered the four towards the Lava River.

"He isn't going to push us in is he?" Sora wondered out loud. The demon laughed and lifted all four with his lightning-made body. He then floated up above the lava and followed it upstream.

The bubble-viewer appeared, startling the eight-trapped Destined. At almost the same time Stingmon cried:

"Spiking strike!" and the sound of a dying pig filled the room. The sound of something very heavy falling and landing called Ken and Koushiro's attention to the door. Outside there was no sign of Stingmon or the mud cat, mainly because a very large boulder had been rolled in front of the entrance to the cell room.

In the bubble it showed the four other destined being carried across a Lava river, and onto a rocky outcrop, where the lightning demon put them down.

The demon gave a low sound, very similar to purring before it dived into the lava and disappeared. The four waved, for no reason, and then looked around. The outcrop was only three feet long and six feet wide; another tunnel leading into the wall was the only other way out, not including a Lava bath.

"Right," Said Daisuke. "Lets get going!" They wandered into the shaded tunnel. This time the walls were covered in thin rivulets of glowing faint Peach moss, with looked allot like veins. The ground beneath them was mainly Brown dust and dark Grey Earth.

The bubble popped, this time being heard in the shaded tunnel by Sora, who looked around in confusion before shrugging and carrying on after the other three.

~

Out in a large corridor, and beside a large Black-Green and dark Bronze gate; Stingmon lifted himself from underneath a pile of mud, which was what was left of the guard. The large Digimon looked around in confusion, not having noticed where he was going. Apparently he was outside the cell room, but he couldn't find the doorway. The gate was too thick to break through and the only other path was down a rather wide tunnel.

"What is it with this place and tunnels?" The Digimon wondered. He brushed off some more mud and wandered down the hall, watching the walls, which seemed to have veins glowing in a dark Peach colour.

The Champion Digimon had barely made it a few feet when he found the wall beside him lined with four stone statues of Mud cats; the last statue was missing, leaving a hole in the wall. Just then, the eyes of the statues started to glow, the stone slowly turning to mud and the mouths gaping open, giving a faint hiss of air.

"Uh oh." He backs away as the three last mud cats advance on him, hissing and snarling as they come. "Nice kitties…"

"Hrraaggh!" The closest one screamed. Stingmon ducked as it jumped at him, before spinning just in time to be knocked over by the other two.

"Ken!" The Digimon called for his partner.

"Huh?" Ken looked up in confusion, peered at the door to the cell.

"What is it?" Hikari asked.

"I… thought I heard Stingmon call my name. I hope he's alright." Hikari nodded.

"I'm sure he's fine."

"This place is starting to freak me out." Mimi muttered from where she leaned against the wall. Taichi and Yamato had tried ramming the door earlier on, only ending up with bruised shoulders. Tailmon was too tired to Digivolve. Since Wormmon had been reverted from Minomon on the way to this world he had been strong enough to Digivolve, while the Champion had not.

Just then Ken's Digivice started glowing.

"What the… oh no!" Ken took the device from his waistband.

"Stingmon must need your help!" Koushiro observed. Just then the Digivice let off a strange screech before dimming.

"What just happened?" Takeru wondered.

"Stingmon Shinka… Dragorsmon!" The mud cats screeched as a White and Blue flame engulfed them.

"Maybe Stingmon Digivolved." Jyou suggested.

"What to?" Ken asked. The others all shrugged.

*

The foursome had, long ago found themselves in a rut, literally.

A deep depression in the tunnel had trapped them a while ago, confusing them beyond compare.

"What's a hole doing in the middle of a tunnel?" Iori wondered as the four tried once again to climb the side.

Just then the earth and dust raised up around them, taking on familiar shapes, eight in all.

The earth cracked and fell away from the shape, leaving identical copies of the group in the depression.

"Uh oh." Miyako muttered.

"You just had to ask, didn't you Iori?!" Daisuke said. The clones simply stood their ground, glaring at their counterparts with glowing White-eyes, and pale features. Their clothing was darker than their counterparts, or, in the Digimon's case, their features were darker.

"Now what?" Sora asked, before Miyako's counterpart attacked her. "Oi!"

"Sora!" Piyomon flew up and flapped about the counterpart's head. "Spiral twister!"

"No wait! You'll hit Sora!" Iori warned the Digimon before Veemon's clone tripped him up.

"Vee-head-butt!" The real Veemon attacked his partner's counterpart.

"Hey!" Daisuke yelped as his Digimon knocked him over. "I'm not the bad guy!"

"Oops…" Veemon gave his friend an apologetic look before Daisuke's real counterpart grabbed him around his neck.

"He's the bad guy!"

"Hawkmon, quick!" Miyako avoided Iori's counterpart as she called to her Digimon, trying to avoid his own and Piyomon's counterparts.

"Hawkmon Shinka… Aquilamon!"

"Use your wings to blow the earth-clones away!" Iori called as he tripped up Daisuke's clone, which released a more-Blue-than-usual Veemon.

Aquilamon flapped it wings, sending clone-Hawkmon and Clone-Piyomon crashing into Clone-Sora. All three of which exploded into dust and earth clods.

"Armadimon, lets send them back to where they belong!"

"You got it! Armadimon armour Shinka… Digmon! Rock cracking!" Using his attack Digmon sent Clone-Armadimon, Clone-Iori and Clone-Veemon into the ground.

Clone-Miyako lost her grip on Sora who joined Miyako and Iori on their side of the small chasm Digmon had made. Only her and Clone-Daisuke were left. Digmon and Aquilamon turned on the last two as Daisuke and Veemon jumped the chasm and joined their friends along with Piyomon.

Just then a strange looking creature leapt over the edge of the depression and turned to the last two clones. It was shaped like a horse, with Dragon-like wings and tail. Its mouth was normal except for the rows of sharp teeth, which were half on the outside of its lips. Its hooves were thin and split into three claws, which dug into the ground as it flapped its wings irritably. Its eyes shone dark Purple and its ears were a streak of dark Brown on Olive Green scaly skin.

The bubble appeared before the group, showing them their friends as well as another creature.

"Who's that?" Jyou asked of the Dragon-like horse, which attacked two darker versions of Miyako and Daisuke.

"They were fighting their clones?" Koushiro observed in surprise.

The being rose off the ground and cried:

"Tube wave!" Flying around in a circle and flipping over on its side, doing a 360 before flying up as a wave of sand, dust and earth flew up and over the clones, burying them as well as blowing them away.

"Yow! Who is that?" Miyako cried as the Dragon-horse flew down and landed in front of them, along with Aquilamon.

"I am Dragorsmon," It told them in a voice, which was almost familiar. "I Digivolved from Stingmon!" The group gaped at the Digimon in shock.

"You what?" Dragorsmon simply looked at them, as if he wondered why they were so surprised.

"Stingmon?!" Ken gaped at the newest Digimon in the image.

"I guess I was right after all." Jyou muttered from behind him. The others were just as surprised.

Just then a windstorm lifted the group up and over the edge of the depression, placing them back in the tunnel from before. The air suddenly took on the form of another demon, this one looking like a transparent Pegasus. It was the Air demon. Iori went to it and receive the ring of Air from its mouth. Dragorsmon turned and looked around before smiling – with his eyes cause his lips were half clasped by the fangs – at a Green-Grey bubble floating in the air near the ceiling. The others looked up too and could see their friends, all ten of them, looking out from the bubble. Sora smiled and waved to Mimi just before the bubble popped. Dragorsmon turned back to the group just as the air demon disappeared back into the ceiling.

"We've been watching you ever since you met the water demon. The bubble kept appearing and disappearing showing how far you had come. I managed to get out of the cell by following a tunnel Koushiro found, before fighting four guards. I somehow Digivolved and defeated them before coming to get you."

"That's some tale." Sora said.

"Yeah, and it's almost finished too! Lets go get the others!" Daisuke pumped his fist grinning at his friends Digimon, who smiled back.

"Follow me!" Dragorsmon ran trough the tunnel, followed by Aquilamon – carrying Sora and Miyako – Digmon, Iori, Veemon, Piyomon and Daisuke.

*

"Rock cracking!" Was heard from outside the cell room. Takeru and Hikari peered out of the cell into the room as the wall beside the boulder crumbled with Digmon's attack. The sound of coughing came from the other side, as the dust slowly cleared.

"Great job Digmon!" Iori congratulated his Digimon. Daisuke, Dragorsmon, Veemon and Miyako all jumped through the hole and looked to the cell door.

"Hey guys!" Yamato called from behind his brother and Hikari.

"Hi!" Daisuke grinned.

"Stand back!" Dragorsmon warned the humans. The eight in the cell, along with the Digimon, all backed away from the cell door.

Dragorsmon ran at the wooden structure, rearing his head back a few seconds before he got to it and thrusting it forward. The door gave a splintered shudder before falling down. Everyone cheered.

Ken hurried to his Digimon and hugged him around the neck.

"I always knew you could Digivolve further!" He told his Digimon who nuzzled him happily.

The group retreated from the cell and room, reuniting outside the large gate from before.

"How are we supposed to get back?" Miyako wondered. "There are too many traps." The others all looked at each other.

Just then the ground trembled and the gate beside them sprung open slowly, and noisily on rusted hinges. The 12 united destined and their Digimon peered into the brightly lit cavern beyond the doorway.

"I guess… we go in." Taichi muttered. They moved forward, into the bright light, which faded as they moved beyond the door.

The last cavern was like a large temple, all around the edges pillars held up a large dome. Many archways surrounded the edges. The dome was Black, as were the pillars and walls. The floor was Black-Grey marble. The very top of the dome was a large hole, naturally made by something with a very large wing-span which happened to like the dome enough to crash in and claim it as its own.

The owner of the wings opened them now, standing very large, and deadly in the middle of the cavernous temple.

It was a great blood Red Dragon, with humanoid arms and upper body. It's eyes showed a deep age-old intelligence, which was actually rather disturbing, much like the young girl who had helped the four at the beginning.

Around its neck hung a Silver chain, with a Black crystal on the end, shaped in the form of a teardrop, a hole at the tip where the chain ran through.

The Dragon's eyes shone dark Blue, and it opened its mouth, the inside resembling cooling lava, and it laughed. The sound echoed throughout the dome, venomous and cold.

The master was the great Dragon before them. He had brought them here, and now he was deeply amused.

"Ssso," He hissed, through a low chuckle. "You got through my tests did you? You got your friends back, I presume?" Either he was blind or loved to taunt, either way they weren't sure. "And now, you think: Now what is to become of you? I shall answer… come closer." No one moved. "Come to me, little pests. Come… and feel my wrath!" He stood on his hind legs and swung his abnormally long, thin tail. It hit Dragorsmon who flew into the far wall and devolved to his In-training level.

"Minomon!" Ken ran to his, now rather dazed Digimon. The master Dragon merely laughed.

"Come, meet your creator… come, feel your doom!" He reared up higher and threw back his head, flames visible as they flowed out of the corners of his mouth.

"Everybody, move!" Yamato cried. Only seconds after the group started running, a great Neon Red and Yellow flame flew from his mouth and melted a hole where they had once been.

The Dragon laughed again.

"This is very amusing! Sadly, all things must come to an end!" He swiped his claw at the group closest to him, plucking up Hikari, Yamato and Koushiro.

"'Kari!" Taichi called to his younger sister.

"Help!"

"What are we going to do?" Mimi cried. Iori turned to Digmon.

"Try hitting him in the chest." Digmon nodded and attacked.

"Gold rush!" His drills flew out and towards the Dragon, whose attention was focused on his three prizes. The drills hit and rebounded off the Dragon's chest, harmlessly returning to Digmon.

"I'm sorry did you want something?" The Dragon asked of the Yellow Digimon. But Iori had noticed something he hadn't.

"You hit the crystal!" He told his Digimon. Sure enough, the Black crystal around the Dragon's neck now adorned a White crack. Out of the crack fizzled Orange and Blue electricity.

"What? No!" The Dragon instantly started to throw his head about, trying to shake off the necklace as it crackled with power. In his rage the Dragon dropped the three destined, who quickly ran to their friends.

Everyone hurried out of the Dragon's way and watched as he flung his head about, his claws ripping up the ground beneath him as he moved about. Finally the necklace flew from his neck and sailed through the air, landing in front of the large group.

Iori watched the crystal, as the White crack seemed to pulse slightly. A very faint voice spoke to him:

Release me… It breathed, in the gently tones of an angel. Iori moved to the crystal and lifted it.

"Iori! Be careful!" Miyako warned the younger boy.

"No! Don't!" The Dragon cried, horrified. Iori raised the crystal high over his head and threw it to the ground. It bounced once, and shattered on the second impact.

A glowing light rose from the once-was crystal and formed a being in the air. It was the young girl who had helped them before. She hovered a few feet above the ground, watching the Dragon with sad Cyan eyes.

I am free…

"Nooo! You shan't beat me again! Never!" The Dragon screamed at the young girl. Her face showed no emotion. Instead she turned, without moving, and raised her head to look at the destined. She lifted her hands to her collarbone and clasped them together there, she then pointed to her finger.

Use the rings in the necklaces… She told them. Sora and Miyako exchanged looks, while Iori still watched the girl, confused. Daisuke looked down to his necklace and lifted it. There was a hole in the bobble, which was wide enough to fit… the ring! He plucked it off his finger and called to the others:

"Put the rings in the pendants!" Miyako and Sora lifted their own bobble's noticing the holes. Iori and Daisuke both put their rings in the small openings, soon followed by the girls.

"Nooo!" The Dragon cried again, slashing at the young girl. Its claws hit her on the shoulders, making her gasp in pain and shock. She fell from the air and hit the ground.

"Oh no…" Mimi threw her hands over her mouth in shock. The others all watched horrified as the girl lay prone on the marble floor. The Dragon snarled before laughing triumphantly, but his laughter was cut short.

The bobbles at the ends of the chains began to glow; rising off of the four destined's necks and floating into the air. The group watched as they all swirled together to create a single glowing bubble, the crystal, which had originally held the necklaces from the beginning.

The crystal bubble glowed psychedelic, as a bubble should; reflecting the rainbow inside its spherical shape. It went to the girl and grew, encasing her inside. Then the Lightning demon, the fiery Minotaur, the Water demon and the Air demon all came out from various archways, flying through the air and into the bubble.

The bubble rose, glowing brighter and brighter until the kids had to cover their eyes.

It then exploded, leaving behind an angel.

At least, it looked like an angel to the destined. Aquilamon and Digmon had reverted back to their Rookie levels. Everyone watched as the girl – now dressed in a White and Golden robe, with Crystallin eyes and long flowing ice-Blue hair – opened Silver-Yellow wings and raised her hands.

The Dragon moved away from the girl, horrified.

"No," He gasped. "No! I destroyed you, Sorceress! You left long ago!" The sorceress smiled and lowered her hands before her, where a staff of Silver, Glass and Pearl appeared with a Golden Eagle-head at the tip. She pointed the tip to the Dragon and spoke:

"Beowulf. You have destroyed the beauty of my Queen's land. You have destroyed what once was the Temple of truth and light, and you now bring forces you know nothing of from another world. I condemn you. Return to whence you came!" The staff glowed bright White, the light of power streaking from the eagle's beak and encasing the Dragon in a transparent globe.

"Nooo~!" His cry filled the dome, echoing throughout the land before slowly fading as the globe shrank quickly into nothingness. The sorceress' staff disappeared with the Dragon and she floated to the ground, before reverting back into the young girl of before. She turned and smiled, her features seeming more child-like with her energy restored. She went up to the group, and held out her hands to Daisuke.

Thank you. She said. Taking his hand in her two and clasping it gently. She then did the same to Iori, Sora and Miyako before stepping back and raising her hands, smiling again. Thank you all.

"How… how come you can't speak?" Mimi asked. The girl smiled.

All children of the great sorceress cannot speak. But we can take on her form when need be.

"You mean you're not the Sorceress?" Koushiro pondered. The girl laughed in their heads melodically.

No, I am her Great, great, great, great, great, great granddaughter. My name is Phyla.

"Phyla," Taichi stepped forward. "What did you mean about 'the Queen' earlier."

The Dragon trapped my mistress the Queen, our mother of this world, inside the Crystal of Truth.

Phyla turned and walked up to a large hole in the floor, which had been hidden by the Dragon's bulk. Hovering above it was a large White crystal.

She raised her hands and a Purple and Pink mist rose from the depths of the hole, encasing the crystal. A dark form appeared inside it, before floating out. The Queen, a tall woman wearing Blue, White, Black, Orange, and Purple robes over her head and body, walked down to the floor of the temple as if on invisible steps. Her skin was tanned, and her eyes were a bright loving Brown. Her robes dragged slightly behind her, as well as hung off her shoulders and arms. She raised her hands to Phyla, who dropped on one knee and bowed to her before standing.

Mother, these strangers helped me to defeat Beowulf. Phyla told the Queen, who smiled with Black lips and moved toward the Digidestined, stopped and raised her hands again.

"Thank you all ever so much." She said. The group was starting to get uncomfortable with this praise, and simply nodded.

"Your welcome." Sora said aloud. The Queen smiled.

"Mistress Phyla, why don't you send these children home, and then we can replenish the land." Phyla smiled and nodded to the group.

You wish to leave now? They nodded. Very well. She raised one hand. A portal, not too similar to Beowulf's, opened beside the destined; who thanked the young priestess (For that is what a Sorceress' Granddaughter was called).

They said their goodbyes and headed through the portal, back to the Digital world.

**

Much, much later, back in Earth-realm the Digidestined sat in the park with their Digimon, plus Palmon, Mimi and Piyomon. Chibimon, Minomon, Upamon, Poromon and Piyomon were all very tired, and sleeping in their partner's laps.

Patamon had returned to Takeru's head after seeing the group leaving the library earlier.

Daisuke had tapped Yamato on the shoulder to gain his attention.

"What?" The older blond asked the goggle-boy, who held up his ring.

"Here, Chibimon found it." Yamato smiled and took back the ring.

"Arigato Daisuke." He said as he put it back on.

"That was the strangest adventure I've ever been on." Sora said, as she sat beside Taichi, Piyomon resting in her lap.

"Yeah, but you guys came through!" Taichi said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, that was some great work you guys did!" Mimi said, as she hugged Palmon in her lap. The plant-type Digimon was wide-awake and smiling at the story having been told to her, and the other Destined Digimon who had shown up to wait for their partners in the Digital world.

"I'm glad your okay, Mimi." Palmon said happily.

"Yeah, we're glad we're okay too." Jyou muttered. He was looking rather queasy from all the swapping of worlds earlier.

The group sat in the grasses of Odaiba Park until the setting sun became dark and luminous at the edge of the sky, signalling the time to return home.

Just as everyone was about to leave Mimi suddenly said:

"How in the world am I supposed to get home?"

"Oh Mimi…" The group groaned.

"Why couldn't you have said that earlier when we were in the Digiworld?" Koushiro asked.

"I forgot." Everyone groaned again.

He, who wills,

Can.

He, who tries,

Does.

He, who loves,

Lives.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Owarii ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Heh. This story was written over a whole weekend, the first part and idea having been written down on Friday! I can't believe I actually wrote that whole thing without becoming distracted by another story, or idea, as well as wrote so much!

Knuckles: You already lost the bet.

A_B: I don't care. Anyway, the first part of Daisuke, Yamato and Taichi taking a bath is from a picture I saw drawn by Resuko. The song Daisuke played was actually 'Reach for the sky' JC culture but it can be anything you want since you can't hear music through a fiction!

Ken: (Sarcastic) No. Really? (Normal) A_B, I just realised: You had some Kenyako references in there.

A_B: Yeah I know, bummer ne? But there's Taiora at the end as well! And Taito, and Kouken, and…

Ken: They're still there!

A_B: Anyway, I like how this ended up.

Knuckles: Asabeth owns Dragorsmon, the Demons, Phyla, and the land of…shadows?

A_B: It's called Kataluna.

Knuckles: Yeah… she also owns the Queen, and the Dragon. The name of the Dragon, the Crystal of Truth, the Temple, 'Ladyhawk' and Digimon all belong to other people.

Ken: And A_B thinks Daisuke's angst fest was the best part about writing the whole story!

A_B: That at the part when Stingmon Digivolve and everyone else were oblivious to it. I don't know why but I find that very funny!

Ken: …okay.

Knuckles: Better not think about it too much.

A_B: Thinking hurts--

Knuckles: --just depends on what you're thinking about. We know!

A_B: Oh pooh! Anyway, the little poem at the end belongs to: Anne McCaffrey.

K&K: (Sweatdrop)