1997: The Dark Realm
Cold suffocating water on all sides, pitch black all around her. No visible light, no sound, the only reason she recognized the fact it was water was the coldness that seeped in her mouth when she tried to scream, sliding down her throat in soothing death. She swam upwards, struggling against the heavy coldness, until her head broke and she gasped, sputtering, the sounds of struggling splashing loud against the stillness.
She spotted what looked like a beach about fifty yards away, just as dark as the air and light around her. She had no idea what kind of world she had fallen into, but for now her legs were tiring and couldn't keep her up for much longer. She swam sloppily to the beach, rejoicing silently when her feet touched bottom and dragged herself heavily to the shore, panting and collapsing in the gray sand. She wished she were on a normal beach with bright sunlight that would warm her, but everything in this place felt cold. Cold and dark.
She shivered as the wind began to pick up, sending icy prickles along her skin. Her pink lace dress clung to her body like a soggy second skin, her black mary janes feeling heavy. She kicked them off and struggled to sit on her knees, wrapping her arms around herself in a futile effort to stay warm. She looked around with tired, weary green eyes, taking in the strange, dark lighthouse. Everything gray, even she was gray, her normally vibrant pink dress dull and lifeless, and her long curly blue hair the same shade of gray as everything else in this place... wherever it was.
"I must be dreaming," she muttered softly to herself. "I must've hit my head when we hit that other car. But where's Mom and Dad? Where's Dawn and Brian?" She pulled herself to stand again, legs shaking, and dried to brush off all the sand that clung to her dress and skin before quickly giving up.
"Dawn? Brian! Can anyone hear me?" She yelled, holding her hands around her mouth. "Daddy? Mommy? Where are you?" No one answered. She contemplated going into the forest behind the beach, but what if they were searching for her? She didn't know how she got to this crazy place, but Mom always said when you were lost, wait, and someone would find you. So she sat back down in the sand, facing away from the water, and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
Finally, after what felt like hours of waiting, something rustled in the bushes. She jumped up, shaking with fear. What if it was some dark animal going to eat her? But what if it was Dawn or Brian or her family coming to find her? She didn't have long to wait as a short figure emerged from the bushes, and she let out a relieved breath.
It was an old man, about her height, half bent over with a top knot of white hair and kind eyes. He wasn't gray like her, like this place; he was pink and navy and bright-looking. He seemed somewhat surprised to see her.
"Why hello there, little one! And just who might you be?" He sounded like Santa Clause, or at least like the Santa Clauses on TV.
"Serena." she said softly. He seemed taken aback at that, and quickly pulled out a little white computer from a pocket she couldn't see. He scrolled down muttering to himself before stopping completely still. Serena wondered if she'd swallowed some of the ice cold ocean water, because now something heavy and cold swirled in her stomach as he shook his head sadly, his eyes filled with pity. Pity for her.
"Come with me child," he said softly, holding out his hand. "Your destiny just took a very wrong turn." She flinched away from his hand, stepping back, but he continued to hold it out, eyes watching her like one would watch a timid animal.
Tentatively she placed her frozen hand in his, grateful for the warmth it gave, the warmth that he himself seemed to exude. Behind the bushes he came from she could see light and bright colors, and hoped desperately it was the door that led out of this horrific place. Maybe he'll be able to help her find her family.
Oh, Serena, Gennai thought sadly, I'm so sorry for the hardships you'll have to endure now. Alone.
2003: The Digital World
"It's useless to escape my Dark Rings," a dark figure smirked, chuckling darkly as he watched a cloud of Dark Rings sink into the forest, his grin widening as he heard the screams of struggling and terrified Digimon. "Just give in, you know what they say, 'The more slaves, the merrier I am!'" He laughed maniacally at his own joke as the small green worm next to him cringed.
"That's not your best material, Master," he simpered, then whimpered when his Master angrily kicked him aside.
"What did I tell you about speaking, Wormmon? Never do it! Now shut up, I want to watch the the fall of the Digital World," he growled, turning with a flap of his cape as the small Digimon struggled to stand and hurried after him.
Gennai's Home
The teenager stared at the screen, eyes completely hidden behind a pair of tinted goggles, her body betraying none of the emotions she kept hidden deep inside. "You're sure that's him?"
Gennai sighed and waved his hand, causing the image on the screen to fizzle out. "I'm afraid it is Ken, my dear. He's no longer the kind little boy from your childhood; he's grown up alone and something has happened to turn his heart from kindness to darkness. He apparently received his Digivice after you came here, but didn't begin using it until after his brother's death." Gennai stood, groaning as his old bones creaked. "I didn't tell you because it wasn't the time; you know you can't fight your destiny."
She nodded sharply. "What of the others?"
"We can't-"
"Then what's the point of you?" She hissed, lip curling. "Tell me, oh powerful Gennai, if you can't stop him, who can?" Her voice rose only slightly, tone full of sarcasm and bitterness.
Gennai sighed wearily. "There are those who can help him. It will be up to you to help guide them. They will be his salvation, and you must help them."
The aura of anger that had surrounded the blue-haired girl quickly dissipated. "I understand. What must I do?"
"You know the Digital World better than the Digimon themselves, Serena. It is up to you to help your cousin and those who will come against him in defense of this world. You must take your Digimon and help them. Only by helping them fight Ken can you help him."
"You really expect me to fight him? Hurt him? I may not be completely human, Gennai, but I think you're forgetting who he is. I won't hurt him."
"No one said you had to. But you must agree, Ken has to be stopped somehow. Fighting against what he's doing, who he's doing it to, that has to take priority over your feelings. Too many Digimon are getting hurt, and we're too weak to stop him."
Serena nodded sharply again, brows furrowed. "How did Ken get here in the first place? There hasn't been a portal open to the Digital World in four years, not since the DigiDestined equalized the time streams."
"Izzy is much more resourceful than I thought. He found a way to create gateways here in the Digital World. One opened on Ken's computer, and he learned how to use it."
"I see," she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "And you're expecting me to jump for joy at being able to return to the real world? Hold your breath, Gennai."
"Stop it, Rena!" The middle figure in the background stood, her voice passionate and angry. "You have to go back now that you can! You don't belong here, you're not a Digimon!"
"She's right, Rena, you should be with other humans like you," the smaller figure on the left nodded, her voice tinkling.
Serena shook her head. "And we've discussed, repeatedly, why I can't leave here. I appreciate the support, from all of you, but it's not a possibility."
The large figure on the right raised his head from his paws. "I don't agree with you, but we'll go along with any decision you make, Rena. We always have."
Serena gave a quick smile of thanks, and turned back to the short Yoda-like man. "How can we fight him? We can't Digivolve with those Control Spires, and even if we could, we can't make it past Champion."
"You must use an ancient form of Digivolving. The Digi-Eggs have been located in the Southern Canyon outside of Digital Chinatown. Go there, and you will be able to Digivolve." Gennai replied. "Azulongmon has assured me that those Digi-Eggs will make the difference between the survival of the Digital World and it's complete destruction, so really, no pressure."
Serena smiled wryly. "When I leave here..."
"You won't be able to come back, but we'll see each other again, sooner than you think. Now it's time for you to go, my dear. Find the Digi-Eggs, join the others, save Ken. I believe in you." He bowed, as much as his back would allow, and Serena bowed back before quickly enveloping the small man in a hug.
"Until we meet again, my dear," he said softly. She sniffed and nodded, motioning for the three dark figures to follow her. As they left the home of Gennai, it began to fade and dissolve behind them. Serena paused and turned, watching it completely disappear.
"Let's go."
A/N: So I had this story on AFF, but since they changed the formatting and the design, suddenly I can't log into my own account. Yay. Anyways, this is just sort of a prologue for the rest of the story. I'm planning on this being split between two couples, a Daiken/Kensuke, and a Matt/OFC. No smut until much, much further down, sorry guys. Anyways, you know the drill, read and review, good for the soul! :P