"Demons Within Pure Souls"
Midnight. High above, the moon, round and full, shone brightly as if it were perhaps the eye of Nut watching the spirits of the night. Below lay the Digital World, dark and cold in the mists of night. On the shores of a lake, the Digidestined lay sleeping, not knowing that darkness was brewing. All but one....
Koushiro watched as the light of the stars danced on the waters of the lake, as if they were faeries come from their forests to play on the waves, stepping lightly on its surface. It's beautiful, he thought, sighing. He glanced at his side, where Mimi slept soundly, her head resting on his shoulder. No, he thought as a smile flickered across his lips. She's beautiful. No star could compare to her..
He closed his eyes, breathing in the sweet scent of the mist. It was so pure, so fresh... Silent, peaceful. Silent..
And yet in the darkness of the night, there was something which broke the silence. A sweet voice singing, echoing across the shore. It sounded much like his love when she sang.. For a moment Koushiro listened to it, trying to make out the words. Soon, the singing grew louder, as if it was coming nearer. And the words it sang seemed to be calling him, beckoning....
Holder of Knowledge,
Come to me, come to me,
Holder of Knowledge,
Come see what will be.
Holder of Knowledge,
Let my song set you free....
To his left in the shallow waves of the lake was a bright light of azure hue, shining like a star. The voice seemed to be coming from it, growing louder in volume by the moment. The chant grew faster, sweeter....
Slowly, Koushiro stood, being careful not to disturb Mimi's slumber. He began walking toward the light, hoping to discover who.. or what was calling him.
Holder of Knowledge,
Come to me, come to me,
Holder of Knowledge,
Come see what will be.
Holder of Knowledge,
Let my song set you free....
As Koushiro walked closer to the water's edge, the light became painfully bright, blinding. He closed his eyes tight to protect them, and only when the sound of the chant died down to be replaced with the rough crashing of waves on the shore did he open them to see.
"Koushiro...."
Taken by surprise, Koushiro took a step back, staring in awe. The voice, soft and echoing, came from a creature of the likes he had never seen. Surrounded by an aura of soft blue, it stood in the shallow water, reaching out to him. Slightly translucent, though solid, it appeared to be some sort of spirit or demon, with eyes the colour of hell fire. "Koushiro," it whispered again, taking a step toward him.
"Who are you? And how do you know my name?" Koushiro asked, looking at the ghost warily. He suddenly wished he had thought to wake up Tentomon..
"I am known to all as Lady Ankokumon. I have been watching you, Koushiro. Ever since you and your friends have appeared here, in the Digital World, I have been watching you." The demon-digimon took a step closer, and the aura around her began to fade until it was barely visible. "Always, you have been in my sight. I have grown fond of you... and I wish to help you, Koushiro."
At the sound of this, Koushiro was on the alert. "Why?" he asked nervously, slowly taking a step back. "I don't need anything..."
"That is where you are wrong, Koushiro," Lady Ankokumon replied, smiling slightly, as if amused. "I can give you everything you have never thought to ask for.. everything you never knew you needed... everything."
"The offer sounds nice, but... what's in it for you?"
"I will be happier, knowing I have granted something to one who deserves it."
Koushiro swallowed, and looked away. "I don't need anything," he said once more. I've got to get out of here, he thought to himself. This is illogical.. everyone wants something from everyone else. It's the nature of sentient beings. She can't mean that... and besides, she could be an enemy... Oh, come on, wake up, somebody! Someone, help me out of this...
"Very well. If that is the way you feel, so be it. However..." the Digimon paused, and her eyes lit up. "I have an idea."
"What.. kind of idea?" Koushiro asked, looking at her with a wary expression, the glint in his eyes suspicious. "What do you have in mind?"
Lady Ankokumon held out her hand as if in assurance that she would do no harm. "Koushiro... I know you hold pain in your heart. Though it has died down, it is still there. Let me remove it from your soul..."
"You know about that?" Koushiro replied, arching an eyebrow. Surprised and intrigued that she would know about such a thing, he began to consider the demon's offer..... It certainly would have been a relief, to have the dull ache in his heart gone.. And yet, he was still hesitant to believe that this demon, this Lady Ankokumon would be telling the truth. "How do you know about that?"
The demon-digimon smiled again, the same slightly disturbing smile of one who had plans for the future, and wasn't wishing to tell of them. "I can read your spirit, Koushiro. I know how much you are hurting, though Mimi's love has lessened the pain. I know how you lay awake at night, unable to sleep because the pain is too great. I can help you.. I want to help you.. but I can only do that if you wish it to be so." She let her hand fall and looked at him calmly, waiting. "What is your decision?"
A million thoughts ran through Koushiro's mind. She knows, he thought. She can read my soul.. whatever that means. She knows about everything... and she can take it away? Impossible! And yet...
"All right," he whispered, nodding in acceptance. "If you say you can do it... that you can get rid of it... then do it. I'm still not sure I should trust you, but seem to know enough about what happened... and if you say that you can..."
Lady Ankokumon nodded. "I can.. and I will." Slowly she stepped toward him and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. After what seemed like only a second a black flame burst from her fingertips and completely engulfed them in darkness. Though the flames touched him, Koushiro couldn't feel any heat coming from them. Bizarre, he thought to himself.
"You were wise not to trust me, Koushiro," Lady Ankokumon whispered, tightening her grip on his shoulder. "Very, very wise. And yet you were a fool... " She laughed lightly and looked at him, narrow eyes sparkling with a strange light which had not been visible before.
Suddenly, Koushiro felt an extreme pain in his chest. He cried out in agony and fell, his strength drained like water sucked from a straw. The last thing he saw was Lady Ankokumon, smiling at him and laughing as the black flames swirelled around them both....
Lady Ankokumon smiled as she watched Koushiro fall. Eyes glittering, she knelt down beside him and pressed her fingers to his lips. "The one who holds your heart will be gone in two day's time, struck by your own hand. Now... let the light give way. Let the Spirit weaken. Let there be darkness." She closed her eyes and allowed a shadow of darkness to enter his body, causing the hidden evil in him to surface. Her power was within him.. it was done.
Lady Ankokumon removed her hand from the boy's face and looked up at the sky, holding the palm of her hand toward to stars. After a moment a knife materialized in it, glowing slightly with a blue light. She closed her fingers around the blade and slowly pulled it through, allowing her blood to seep onto it. Carefully she placed it inside Koushiro's knapsack, knowing he would find it when the time was right. Slowly she rose to her feet and watched as the shadow exited his mental body and washed over his physical one, changing the shades of his clothes to black and gray. She called to it and the shadow returned to her, knowing it had done well. Satisfied with the transformation, Lady Ankokumon looked down at Koushiro, a smile of evil crossing her face. "Fool," she whispered, turning away. "There is no one in this world who can resist my power to convert light to darkness... and now, you will feel my power within yourself."
Koushiro awoke to the warmth of the morning's rays touching his face. He opened his eyes slowly, at first confused of his position. Then, in a rush, it came back to him. Lady Ankokumon. "Hmm," he murmured as he stood up. "I suppose she was right about taking away the pain. I haven't felt this good in years.. Mimi didn't have a clue what she was saying when she told me she'd make me feel better. Hah, no one can cure like Ankokumon." No one, he thought. And now.. I must do what she asked in return. It is only fair, after all.. A thought crossed his mind, and he smiled. I'll make them see what fools they are.. and She will see firsthand what help Lady Ankokumon can give. "What a pity for the others... still, it's a good day for someone else to die." Slowly he began walking back toward camp, thoughts running through his head like water in a river.
From the shadow of the forest, Lady Ankokumon watched Koushiro walk away. A smile flickered across her face, only to be replaced by an expression of concentration. The boy had a firm mind, a strong will... but there was no one alive who could resist the powers of Ankokumon. "I'll break him yet," she whispered to herself as she retreated into the depths of the forest. "And then... everything will fall into place."
It was morning. The Digidestined had woken and were sitting on the shore of the lake, hoping to relax for a day or so before they continued on their journey. Taichi watched them all from his place in front of the fire, smiling slightly as he glanced at each of them. Sora and Hikari were sitting off to the side, talking about something he was fairly sure he didn't want to know about. Yamato and Takeru were close to the water's edge, skipping flat stones across its smooth surface. In the shade of an oak tree, Jyou and Gomamon were arguing about something.. or at least, that was what it looked like. Last of all was Mimi, who hadn't spoken a word to anyone since she had woken up that morning and found Koushiro missing. Taichi sighed, wondering where the red-haired computer expert had gone to. Sometimes he would leave briefly to go for a walk and sort out his feelings, but always he would tell someone where he was going. When they had woken and found him missing, Tentomon and Mimi were devastated, though they tried their best to hide it. I hope he's all right, Taichi thought to himself. We're a team... we wouldn't be able to go on without him.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps in the sand behind him reached Taichi's ears. He turned around, not quite sure what to expect. Much to his relief, there was Koushiro, walking toward him. But there was something very different... not only was his expression slightly darker looking, but he was dressed in black and gray rather than the usual bright orange and khaki. "Koushiro!" He burst out, waving. "Hey! We thought you were kidnapped by evil digimon or something.. hey, what happened to your clothes? What were you doin', rolling around in a coal mine?"
Koushiro glanced at Tai and smiled thinly. "Something like that," he murmured, highly amused.
"Well, next time could you let us know before you go for a walk? Just in case something really does happen...," Taichi trailed off as he saw the expression on Koushiro's expression turn sour. Warning whistles went off in his mind, as if desperately trying to tell him something. Something wasn't right.. but what?
Taichi pushed the nagging feeling aside. C'mon, he thought. This is Koushiro we're talking about. He's still the same person he was before.. even if he looks like he's in a weird mood.
"Good morning, Mimi.."
Mimi's head snapped up at the sound of Koushiro's voice. "Koushiro?!" she squeaked, eyes opening wide. "I was so worried! Where were you?! What happened?!" A flood of questions spilled from her lips, each filled with as much concern as the last.
"It's all right, Mimi," Koushiro said sweetly as he sat beside her, using all his willpower to resist scowling. Shut up, he thought. If you don't, I'll do it for you. "It's all right.. I just woke up early and decided to go for a walk, that's all."
"But Koushiiirrroooo.... you could've woken me up and taken me with you!" Sniffing, she looked at him, eyes filled with a pathetic expression.
Koushiro's mind raced. An excuse, he thought. I need an excuse... "Well," he murmured softly, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I didn't expect to be gone long.. besides, I didn't want to interrupt your beauty sleep. I know how much you like sleeping in." Perfect, he thought, looking at Mimi's smile. She bought it. Now if only I can keep up this lame act for a few more hours...
He's so sweet, Mimi thought to herself. Always thinking about what I would want.. She sighed, and held Koushiro close to her, burying her face in his flaming red hair. He didn't seem to have any intention of resisting, and reached out to wrap an arm around her waist. "Hmm..."
"Awe, how cute. C'est l'amour..."
Mimi looked up quickly and glared at Jyou, who was grinning down at the couple with starry eyes. "Drop dead," she muttered, eyes narrow.
"Oh, c'mon, you know it's true," Jyou taunted, silently wondering how far he could push Mimi before she would blow her top. "So tell me, when's the wedding?"
Mimi's temper flared up like a match to petroleum. Her eyes bulged out like that of an insect and she stood slowly, clenching her fists to try and contain her anger. "Shut up!" she snarled, voice squeaking slightly. Jyou stepped back in surprise, eyes widening slightly. Uh oh, he thought. Now I've done it..
"Why I ought to-" Someone touched Mimi's arm lightly, forcing her to stop mid-sentance. The girl glanced down, her anger quickly fading.
"Never mind him, Mimi," Koushiro said softly, smiling slightly. He took her hand and gripped it tightly. "He's just trying to bother you. Besides..." he grinned, eyes twinkling. "Who says we won't get married someday?"
All anger that Mimi held melted away. He's such a sweetie, she thought dreamily as she let Koushiro lead her over to the fire. She snuggled up to him, sighing happily as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. Everything was perfect..... if they had only known.
Lady Ankokumon sneered as she gazed into gently rippling surface of the watching pool. There, reflected in the silver light which was held within its depths, was the image of the Digi-destined. "It's perfect," she murmured to herself, gently dipping her long blue fingers into the crystal clear water. "Absolutely perfect."
"What's perfect?"
Lady Ankokumon turned around, eyes flashing as they came to rest on her father, the black-cloaked dark lord, who had always had a bizarre obsession with sneaking up on her. Though she was his daughter by blood, they hardly looked alike, and the only trait they shared in terms of personality was a thirst for eternal darkness, and a desire to be the rulers of the Digital World. "Oh, nothing, Father... just the little plan I told you of." She smiled, and turned back to the watching pool. "It's flawless."
Lord Ankokumon glanced at the pool and frowned, expression betraying his doubt. "Are you sure?" he asked, voice obviously absent of the glee which his daughter held. "How can you be positive that the Holder of Knowledge will follow your orders? After all, isn't he one of the ones that we seek to destroy?"
"Oh Father," Lady Ankokumon muttered, sighing exasperatedly. "You worry too much. I have him completely under my power!" She frowned slightly. "Well, almost. He has a strong soul... but I believe it will be broken shortly, if he carries out my task. However, that is not the point... Do you doubt my abilities?"
"Slightly," the Lord replied. He had entrusted his daughter with the task of destroying the Digidestined... but that had been Digital Years ago. Each attempt to destroy them had failed miserably, and he was beginning to doubt that the human children would ever fall to them. "Though, considering your previous.. failures, I believe that I have no reason whatsoever to be confident in the possibility that you will be able to eliminate them this time." His gaze flickered from the watching pool to the expression on his daughter's face, which hadn't changed even the slightest bit at his comment. "Though, I must say, some of your little plans would have worked, had you thought of them earlier on. Considering their fragile minds and their extent of power, you should have brought the Dark Masters into the picture from the start, so we could be rid of them quickly."
"It was a mistake anyone could have made!" Lady Ankokumon snapped defensively, crossing her arms. "I underestimated them. Anyone could have underestimated them. It was an honest mistake! However... this time, they shan't win."
"You sound a bit overconfident."
Lady Ankokumon narrowed her eyes, and turned back to the watching pool. "I have no reason not to be," she murmured. "Subterfuge, that's the way to go. Using our brains, for once, rather than our aggressive sides. It always pays to be a little bit sneaky, Father. Even you said so at one point. So this time, we use subterfuge.. and start off small. Pick them off, one by one. And even better, they won't be suspecting an attack from one of their own. I'd bet my life on it. None of them... Especially the Holder of Sincerity." Lady Ankokumon smiled darkly, trailing her fingers on the surface of the watching pool. "Look at them," she whispered, sneering. "He's got her completely wrapped around his finger. I have no doubts that he will do as he was ordered. After all, he knows I hold his soul in the palm of my hand."
"But what if he doesn't succeed?"
Lady Ankokumon glanced at the Lord out of the corner of her eye. "If he doesn't... either way, 'tis a bonus. He succeeds, I win, and they all die. If he doesn't... then I will have something new to entertain me." A smile flickered across her lips at the thought.
Lord Ankokumon frowned. He had always had the slightest suspicion that it was his daughter's love for torture which was the reason they never succeeded. She would never be satisfied with simply killing them.... no, she wanted them alive, captured. And though the needs could easily be met, his daughter's sadistic thirst would never be quenched. She refused to have any digimon... she would have the children, nothing less. "Very well," Lord Ankokumon murmured. "If you are confident, then I suppose I am obligated to be as well." He turned stiffly and left her to stare at the pool, hoping that somehow she would not fail this time.
All right, Koushiro thought. The sooner I get this done, the better. Tonight... I'll do it tonight.
The sun was setting, turning the sky a brilliant gold. They were sitting away from the rest of the group, watching the sunset. At first, Koushiro had tried to be alone, without anyone to bother him. He needed to think, he needed to work out a plan... but of course, he was not that fortunate. Ever since he had come back, Mimi had been clinging to him like a leech, not letting him out of her sight, constantly babbling on about anything and everything. He had allowed her to do so, of course. What other choice did he have? He had to stay in character, or the others might become suspicious. Taichi had already been casting odd glances in his direction.. Koushiro frowned at the thought. If he causes trouble... I'll have to get rid of him too, he thought quickly. And I'm already having difficulties with the Princess of Pink..
"Koushiiirrroooo!"
Koushiro cringed. Mimi had a voice that could shatter glass... it didn't help that she was always near him, never letting go of him for even a second. I'll be so glad when this is over and done with, he thought quickly. "Yes, Mimi?" Koushiro replied, trying desperately to mask his mood. "What is it?"
"Weren't you listening? I've been trying to talk to you for the past ten minutes!" Mimi whined, clinging to his shoulder.
"Oh, I... uh.." Think! Koushiro yelled to himself. Say something mushy. It'll keep her happy, for the moment at least.
"Well," he began, clearing his throat. "I was unable to speak because I was entranced by your beauty.."
Mimi blushed furiously, a self-concious smile crossing her face. "Do you mean that?"
Koushiro smiled and gently slipped his hand into Mimi's, winding his fingers around hers. "Of course I mean it," he murmured, reaching up with his other hand to gently touch her hair. "Why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know," she replied, closing her eyes slightly as Koushiro ran his fingers through her hair. "I just.. sometimes, it seems really, really weird... not you, I mean, just kind of everything... and this morning, you weren't acting like yourself. It's not your new outfit, really... Actually, you look good in black.... really, really good.. You just seemed kind of different to me, that's all. And I was beginning to think that you might.. not...."
Uh oh, Koushiro thought to himself. She's catching on... "No! Don't worry, Mimi, I will always love you.. I just didn't get enough sleep last night, that's all," Koushiro said softly, faking a smile. "You know I act weird if I wake up too early."
"Hmm... You're right.... Sorry I doubted you."
Koushiro's eyes sparkled. "It's all right. Speaking of sleep... you look like you could use some right now." Silently, he thanked the gods for his marvelous acting skills. They had come in use before, but now he was finally putting them to the test. I should be an actor, he thought, resisting the urge to laugh. "Do you think we should go back to the campsite?"
"No..." Mimi murmured, sighing slightly. "Let's just stay here.... I don't feel like going back yet." She took her hat off and set it in her lap, yawning slightly. "Don't feel like going back yet..."
"All right," Koushiro whispered. "We don't have to." Great, he thought, looking at the girl, who was very nearly asleep. I'll be stuck with her all night... Can't go through with the orders, we're within view of the others, not to mention hearing distance if she screams loud enough.
Sighing inwardly, he wrapped his arm around Mimi's waist and drew her close, gently kissing her soft lips before pulling away to look at the stars. I don't know if I can keep this up much longer, he thought bitterly. If I don't finish her off... I'll have to answer to the Lady.
Slowly, Koushiro closed his eyes and drifted off into a dark, dreamless sleep. From far off, two virus digimon spied through the watching pool at the servant of Darkness.
Darkness. The perfect realm. An everlasting night, drowning everything in black. That was what the Digital World had once been, under the hand of Ankokumon. And soon.... it would be like that again. Smiling with satisfaction at the thought of the near darkness, Lady Ankokumon reached out as if to grasp the gentle winds which were blowing in from the lake. It won't be long, she thought. Soon, this will be the only thing in existence. Soon, the only thing left will be night. Eternal night, eternal darkness.
The demon-digimon looked down at her feet, where the holders of Knowledge and Sincerity lay asleep. She watched them for a moment, a cruel flicker in her eye. Privately, she hated her father's suspicion that she couldn't handle such a simple task.
"Who does he think he is?" she muttered bitterly, turning to glare out along the horizon as if it was responsible for the matter. "He knows that neither of us can destroy.... not now, not in our forms. He knows it. Why does he believe that it is unwise to put faith in a Dark Digidestined? He is, after all, completely under my power." Sighing, she glanced down at Koushiro, frowning. "Little fool... didn't know to trust his instincts, and look where it got him. No matter... all the better for me."
Silently, she knelt down and studied Koushiro's face. He appeared the same as he had always been when she had watched him.. which was a good thing. A very good thing. They'll never suspect one of their own, Lady Ankokumon thought with a smirk. They'll think that it is the work of an evil Digimon. I'll show them evil....
The demon closed her eyes a drew in a breath. When she opened them, and glanced down at her hands, her eyes lit up with satisfaction when she saw that they were now claws, long, hooked and wicked. Carefully she reached out and touched the holder of Knowledge's chest, her claws slipping through his flesh as if they were nothing, reaching down to his heart and yet leaving no physical sign of penetration. There was a moment's pause as Lady Ankokumon glanced up to look at Koushiro's face once again. The boy showed no signs of waking up... for that she was grateful. Sighing slightly, the digimon allowed herself to relax as she began to feed off her servant's spirit...
Morning, bright and warm, came quickly as if the sun had suddenly decided that the moon shouldn't have all the glory of the sky. The darkness of the evening had left with Lady Ankokumon, after she had finished draining the energy of her servant. Countless digimon woke from their slumber, minds convinced that the way things were was the way things were, and the way things were was good. Life on the Digi-World continued, as if nothing evil was brewing...
Koushiro awoke, yawning slightly. He had had the most bizarre dream last night, and it had left him feeling rather odd. Drained, perhaps, was a better word. A demon, entering his soul.... he shuddered, and brushed the thought away. He was having enough trouble with the demons already. To have to deal with nightmares was a little too much...
The thought of the dream quickly reminded him of his task, and a dark smile crossed his face. Today was the day he would finally be rid of the girl who had been a constant thorn in his side for what seemed like years. The delightful thought in his mind, Koushiro glanced at his side.... and realized the one thing which would prevent him from carrying out his task.
That thing, of course, was the fact that Mimi wasn't there. Frowning slightly, Koushiro went over the possibilities in his mind. "She probably woke up and went back to camp," he muttered to himself. It certainly seemed like the most logical possibility...
He rose stiffly and trudged back to camp, grumbling as he did so. Some people were just so difficult to kill..
"Hey, Jyou, have you seen Mimi anywhere? I woke up and she was gone."
Jyou gasped in mock horror. "Gone? Oh gods! It's the end of the world! Whoa, deja-vu... my, what pretty colours.." he fell over, landing in a heap.
Gomamon looked up at Koushiro, smiling apologetically. "Eh, I kinda gave him this one kind of fruit that makes ya act nuts... it's just starting to wear off."
Koushiro frowned, obviously unimpressed. "Get up," he hissed sharply to the blue-haired teen. "I haven't got time for your silly games."
Jyou arched and eyebrow and stood, silently wondering what had happened to make Koushiro so crabby. "Geez, you sure got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning..."
"Never mind... Just tell me where Mimi went, okay?"
"She went off into the forest about an hour ago. Said she was going to pick flowers, but.." Jyou shrugged, and grinned. "Personally, I think she's trying to get back at you for leaving yesterday."
"Oh... I.. see," Koushiro muttered. Perfect! He thought, desperately trying to contain his glee. Just perfect.. "Well, I better go find her, then.."
Nearly shaking with anticipation, he walked off into the forest..
Mimi hummed softly to herself as she breathed in the sweet scent of the flowers all around her. The sunbeams filtering in from the trees above seemed to make the thin, delicate petals glow a light pink. It's such a lovely sight, she thought as she watched a small insect flit from flower to flower. If only he were here to enjoy it too...
Silence. Sweet silence. Then, suddenly, the sound of something behind her.... a twig snapping. Startled, Mimi turned, eyes wide and fearful. "Who... who's there?" she stammered, eyes straining to see into the shadows where the possible enemy was hiding.
"Don't worry, Mimi, it's just me.."
Mimi smiled at the sound of the familiar voice. "Koushiro.."
Koushiro nodded, and stepped into the light. "Yeah... it's me. I woke up about ten minutes ago, and asked Jyou where you were..." He walked over to her and sat down. A smile, fake though not obviously so flickered across his face and he walked over to her, silently praying that he would be able to keep up his act just long enough to do his deed. "He thought you were trying to get back on me for disappearing yesterday."
Mimi blushed, and looked away. "Well, I guess so. It sounded like a good idea at the time..."
"I suppose it was, in a way. It did worry me, and that was what you intended, wasn't it?" Koushiro replied lightly, sitting down next to her. At the sight of Mimi's startled expression, he laughed softly and wrapped his arms around her waist, leaning in to kiss her gently. "Don't worry about it... I don't mind. I deserved it, after all. Besides..." he trailed off, glancing around. "You couldn't have picked a more lovely place to make me find you."
"Yes... It really is beautiful, isn't it?" Mimi murmured, grinning at him.
"Not half as beautiful as you.....," Koushiro whispered. Gods help me, he thought. Soon, I'll be rid of her. Soon...
No! Part of his mind protested, screaming at him with a voice which seemed small, frail. Don't do it, Koushiro! You love her! Yet, the voice was brushed aside by the colder, stronger one. Do it, it said. Ignore him. She pulled the wool over your eyes. Don't let her do it again. Distract her... and you will succeed.
Yes, Koushiro thought. I will. She will not fool me again....
"I love you, Mimi," he lied, looking deep into her eyes. "With all my heart.."
"Oh Koushiro... you don't know how much I like hearing you say that," Mimi replied, wrapping her arms around him. "Really, I-"
"I know... you don't have to say a word." Acting as if his knapsack was causing him discomfort, Koushiro slipped it off and placed it at his side. He knew of the weapon Lady Ankokumon had placed there.... Though she had not physically spoken of it to him, he knew it. And if he were to do it now, while they were alone, easy access was necessary. A thought crossed his mind, and he smiled, though on the outside it didn't appear evil to Mimi's eyes. I'll have her leave remembering the Koushiro she thought she knew... and knowing that there was someone else beneath that sappy exterior.
She didn't see darkness in his sweet black eyes, and she didn't feel the shadows in his flesh as he wrapped his arms around her and pressed his lips to hers. All she saw was someone who loved her, someone who would never leave her... someone who would never even think of hurting her. Soft, gentle kisses, full of passion, full of love, gently falling lower... Warm breath on her neck, tender lips brushing against her skin. Soft gasps of pleasure... there was only one word for it. Ecstasy...
Koushiro continued kissing Mimi, putting enough effort into the love to make it seem real, the way she had thought it to be. Yet, he was distracted. Desperately he reached his left hand to his knapsack, fumbling with it. His hand closed around the knife...
All it took was one quick cut. A cut, in fact, which normally wouldn't kill, except for the fact that darkness was within the blade. Mimi fell back, a strangled gurgling sound emitting from her bleeding throat. She stared at Koushiro, the one she loved... as she faded, chocolate brown eyes clouding over in a wave of death, she still could not believe that he, who cared so much for her, could ever do something so dark.
"Kou....shiro...."
Koushiro stared at the body for a moment, face like stone, expressionless. She deserved what she got, he thought as he wiped the blade on the grass and stuffed it back into his knapsack. More than anything else, she deserved that. His eyes sparkled with satisfaction as he stood and looked once more at the body. He only wished that he could have kept her alive a bit longer... and that they had been somewhere where her screams would not be heard. Then, the voice from before... of darkness, yet inviting.... Koushiro glanced around, wondering where the sweet voice was coming from. It was surely Her...
Holder of Knowledge,
Come to me, come to me,
Holder of Knowledge,
Come see what will be.
Holder of Knowledge,
Let my song set you free....
Koushiro heard footsteps behind him. He turned slowly, not sure what to expect... then all went black.
He opened his eyes slowly, cringing at a brief shot of pain. Where am I? he thought, glancing around. It was a room... dark, except for pools of water in the middle of the room, from which emitted a soft white light. Everywhere, darkness...
Koushiro blinked, confused. He had never seen such a place... it was strangely beautiful, and yet... there was something ominous about it, much like the Lady.... He tried to step toward the pools, wondering if there was perhaps an answer within them... and stopped short.
Chains. Eyes widening, Koushiro glanced at his wrists. Chains, fine yet strong, wrapped around his wrists, allowing for a bit of movement yet binding him to the wall. More chains, binding his ankles...
Anger flared up inside him. Who would dare chain him, as if he was a prisoner?! He was the follower of Lady Ankokumon! She had given him a power which many only dreamed about.... and someone had dared to mock him, by chaining him? He would not stand for it..
"Well, well. We meet again, Koushiro..."
The anger faded away, and Koushiro glanced into the room. It was the voice of the singer.. of Lady Ankokumon. His eyes strained in the dim light to find her... she would tell him why he was here. She would release him from his chains. He was her follower.. She had, after all, done him a kind favour, which he had returned without protest. In fact, he had enjoyed it.... she would most definitely know that. She would release him..
"Are you wondering why you are chained as you are, my dear Koushiro?"
Is she mocking me? Koushiro thought angrily. "Yes," he replied through his teeth, straining against his bonds. "Lady Ankokumon! Master! Please, I need your assistance! Release me.."
"Oh, Koushiro... you wouldn't expect me to do that, would you?" the voice replied, sweet yet dripping with venom. Slowly, the Dark Lady stepped from the shadows, the soft light making her seem even more pale, like a lost spirit. "You wouldn't expect me to do that... Not when I have plans for you..."
In an instant, Koushiro was on his guard. Though she was his master, any plans she had were likely to be disastrous on his part. "What kind of plans?" he asked warily, looking at her through slitted eyes.
The demon took a step closer, eyes sparkling with a light that Koushiro had never seen in that of any sane person. "I will be needing you again, Koushiro.. to destroy the rest of the Digi-destined. However... that is not necessary at the moment. After all, you must not be discovered." She smiled, as if trying to avoid answering his question.
Yet, Koushiro would not stand to be ignored. The chains seemed to turn hot, painful... he had to be rid of them. "But why am I chained, if you are going to be needing me again?" he asked, persistent. Something's wrong, he thought quickly. Something's very wrong..
"Oh, Koushiro... ever curious, aren't you? Well, the explanation is simple. The longer you are under my power, the weaker I become. Even you can understand that. And so..." Lady Ankokumon raised her hand, grinning wickedly. A black light formed around her, dark and ominous. "I reclaim the shadow!" she screeched as it shot towards Koushiro, a wave of bitter darkness....
Koushiro gasped in shock and surprise as the light hit him, enveloping him in darkness. For a moment, all he could see was the black smoke, all around him... then, as it receded, bouncing back to the Lady, the realization of what he had done finally hit him. Mimi...
Lady Ankokumon called the shadow back to her and looked at the bewildered boy, now transformed from the servant of darkness to Digidestined once more. The shadow had leached her power from him and now he stood, all signs of darkness gone, chained like a prisoner, the shock from what power she had taken over him hitting him like a sledgehammer in the gut.
She did this to me, Koushiro thought bitterly. She made me..... she... how could she?! "I hate you," he said, glaring at her, his sorrow quickly turning to rage. "You... monster! I can't believe I trusted you... how could you just use me like that?!!"
Lady Ankokumon stepped up to him, eyes glittering. "How? Easily. I had no problems taking over you... and I will do it again, you can rest assured," she murmured, nearly laughing.
Koushiro's expression twisted into a snarl and he struggled against his chains, desperately trying to reach his enemy though the chains cut painfully into his skin. "You'll pay for this! Gods, I swear it... I'll kill you someday! My face will be the last thing you ever see!" Tears welled up in his eyes and he went limp, exhausted by his fruitless efforts. "I hate you," he whispered, the realization of how weak Lady Ankokumon's shadow had made him finally hitting. "I hate you."
The demon stared at him for a moment, brow furrowed in thought. She knew, of course, that there was no possible way he would be able to live up to his idle threats... he was, after all, merely a child... intelligent, yes, but incredibly weak.. And yet there had been a look in the boy's eyes.... a look she had never before seen within any of her prisoners. Before, they had all been filled with despair, and so easy to break... Was it possible that this boy would be able to carry out this threats? No... she would never allow herself to be destroyed by such a pitiful creature. Positive in this, she shrugged off the feeling and set her mind on the task at hand....
"You will think differently once I am through with you, dear Koushiro," she said silkily, stepping even closer to the boy. Her confidence was growing... this would be fun, oh so much fun. "Oh yes, very much so." She smiled and reached out to touch his face, eyes shining at the sight of how he recoiled beneath her fingertips. "I WILL break your spirit.."
"I'd never allow myself to give in to scum like you," Koushiro whispered, refusing to look at his captor. "It doesn't matter what you do to me... I'll never give in to you."
"We shall see..." Slowly, Lady Ankokumon drew back her hand. She stared at it for a moment, face stone like with immense concentration. As the faint black light of her power began to collect in her palm, she murmured "Lumo." The light began to solidify, taking shape gradually... She looked once again at Koushiro, smiling her dark smile. "We shall see," she said once more.
Koushiro stared at the object which had formed in his captor's hands. It was a metal rod, with a thickness of only half an inch. Ordinarily, it would not seem incredibly threatening... but his view changed quickly as it began to glow white from intense heat. Grinning madly, Lady Ankokumon held it up to Koushiro's face, the rod's glowing end less than an inch from his skin. "You said it didn't matter what I did to you," she said softly, reaching out with her free hand to stroke his cheek. "Now, dear Koushiro... shall we see if you were speaking the truth? I've always wondered what would happen to your sweet little eyes... would they sizzle, like grapes in a fire? We shall see..." She let it hang, waiting for the mental image to sink into her victim's mind.
Koushiro let out a soft whimper and drew back as far as he could into the wall. He stared at the rod, eyes wide in horror at the thought of what the Lady had in mind..
"Sizzling.. yessssss, sizzling... that's the sound they would make," the demon taunted, the smile never leaving her face.
Koushiro drew in his breath. He couldn't... couldn't let her win. Mimi wouldn't have wanted him to give in... He wouldn't let her down. Wouldn't give in to the pain... Voice shaking, he looked into her eyes and whispered "If you think I'm going to beg for mercy, you're wrong."
Lady Ankokumon's grin grew wider. He had such a strong soul, she thought as she gazed into the Holder of Knowledge's defiant eyes. It will be tough to break him.. and even tougher to enter his soul once he was broken.... but that will make it so much more enjoyable...
In a fluid movement she whipped the rod away from his face and pressed it into his arm, watching as the flesh charred rapidly at the touch. Koushiro's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates and he cried out in pain, his screams echoing throughout the room. She held the rod there for a moment, listening to the voice of her captive, eyes showing nothing but delight, as if she were a young girl playing with a kitten. Only a second before the burning became too great did she pull the rod away and cast it aside...
It was a full minute before Koushiro's screams died down, reduced to choked sobs. The light in Lady Ankokumon's eyes seemed to intensify when she realized that he was still glaring at her, though cringing and crying as the pain continued to shoot through him. Smiling, always smiling, she wrapped her arms around Koushiro's waist and leaned in to kiss him, her cold lips silencing his cries briefly. When she pulled away, she saw that he was staring at her, eyes cold though still filled with tears. "Why don't you just kill me?"" he asked softly. "Why didn't you just... gouge my eyes, like you said you would?"
"Ah... a masochist, are you?" the Lady asked, her mood wavering slightly. If he was.... it would possibly be even more enjoyable for her. She had never tortured someone who enjoyed it.. and yet, his screams had been only of pain.. it didn't seem likely.
"No," Koushiro replied sharply, as if the thought was completely illogical. "But I want to know why you took pity on me."
Lady Ankokumon frowned. He thinks I am taking pity on him? she thought, nearly laughing. Never... "What you call pity, I call sense. The longer I keep you alive, the more fun we can have, hmm? And besides.. you would be no use to me as a servant if you could not see."
Having said that, she reached up into the air and curled her fingers as if she were grasping something. "Sharp," she whispered, and when she withdrew her hand she clutched ten thin, sharp needles, each of a different length. She stared at them for a moment, concentrating as she forced her power into them, then selected one, long and fine. "You'll come to understand, Koushiro, that I take pity on no one.. I merely do what has more convenience. Does this hurt?" she asked mockingly as she drove it into Koushiro's skin, savouring the sound of his cries.
It continued for hours.... Koushiro, screaming in agony until he could scream no longer, while Lady Ankokumon used every method of torture she had ever known on him, licking and kissing his tears away while she cut deep gouges into his flesh. It was only when the morning came that Koushiro was left alone in the dark room, bleeding though enduring his wounds, silently plotting his revenge on the Daughter of Darkness. "You might think you've won, Ankokumon.... but I'll never let you control my soul again. You might have forced me to kill Mimi, but you won't get at the others... You'll have to kill me first."