Hi guys! This is Humna with her first ever epic project! I've worked deadset hard on this so I hope you'll all support me. English names for everyone but the Xros Wars cast. Thanks to Black Angel of the Underworld for betareading this chapter!
Prologue: The Darkness Beneath
How had she gotten here? She didn't remember. Her fingers were slick with blood dripping from her fingertips and she realized that she was trembling. Kari Kamiya blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness. A part of her wondered if this was just a bad dream or a nightmare that she was trapped inside of; but, when a tentacle slithered over her body, she knew it was no dream.
"So beautiful, my Queen," a voice purred; the brunette didn't recognise it at first, until a small ray of light lit the darkness.
The all-too-familiar Scubamon slithered around a Digimon almost humanoid in appearance. It was purple in colour and looked like an aquatic sea slug despite its height.
"S-Scubamon?" Kari said, shaking slightly.
She didn't understand. The last thing she remembered was going to sleep at home because she felt slightly sick after the camping trip she had with her friends.
Scubamon surrounded Kari even as she stepped back. The brunette suddenly cried out in alarm as she stumbled backwards. She tried to run away but tentacles wrapped around her small body, jerking her backwards despite her desperate attempts to break free.
The tentacles made her feel weak, somehow draining her of energy, and she felt herself beginning to stop in her resistance.
The brunette swallowed, trying to focus on breathing steadily.
"Who are you?" she managed to say.
"Call me Dragomon, my Queen," the creature replied. "I'm your new Master."
Kari wanted to protest. She wasn't a slave to be ordered around by this creature! T.K. had saved her last time and Yolei helped her fight the Dark Ocean. She tried to open her mouth but something sliced her shoulder, causing blood to trickle from her wound. Her arms were tied behind her back and she was thrown roughly to the ground, pain souring through her body as she tasted blood in her mouth.
"S-stop!" she croaked out, the crimson liquid trickling from her lips.
The creature, Dragomon began to change form and soon instead of a Digimon, there stood a young man with spiky black hair and the same icy look in his eyes that Dragomon had.
"Aren't I impressive, my Queen?" he purred. "I have a human form. You can just call me Mikio. Human name I made up. Do you like it?"
Kari shivered back as he touched her cheek. This was clearly not an action that he approved of as he struck her across the face hard, causing her already split lip to bleed even more.
Rendered helpless by the ropes that the Scubamon had bound on her, the brunette could only scream and squirm as Mikio dug his nails into the side of her neck. The loss of blood made her dizzy and her vision blurred.
"No!" Koichi Kimura sat up in bed, panting as the brunette girl passed out from the loss of all blood. That was horrible...who was that girl? That creature...was it a human or a Digimon? He didn't have the answers to these questions, but that dream...it felt so real. He heard his mother open the door to his room.
"Koichi, are you alright?" Tomoko Kimura asked her son.
"Mum, I need to call Koji," Koichi replied instantly.
He knew it was 3:00 in the morning and his twin was definitely not a morning person, but, at the same time, he needed him now. He was sure he'd understand, especially if he mentioned that it was Digimon-related. Haunted memories of Duskmon filled his head and he suppressed the urge to shudder.
"Koichi, he'll be asleep right now..." Tomoko began but her son cut her off.
"I know, but he'll understand," Koichi said firmly.
Tomoko nodded and Koichi padded over to the phone and picked it up from the cradle, dialing Koji's cell phone. A few rings passed and, just when the older twin was about to give up, the phone was answered.
"Hello?" said a sleepy voice from the other end.
"Hey, it's Koichi, sorry to wake you," Koichi said right away. It was an ungodly hour to wake anyone up. "But this is really important."
There was a soft chuckle on the other end.
"Could tell that," came Koji's dry voice. "Otherwise, you're much too nice to disturb me at this hour, Niisan." His voice sounded tired but playful.
Koichi was glad that this wasn't a video call. He was blushing heavily. Takuya always teased him for being overly considerate about almost everything, but it wasn't his fault! He had done so many bad things that he wanted to avoid anyone else being hurt, at least, by his actions.
"So, what's up?" Koji's casual yet concerned voice broke him out of his thoughts.
"I had a nightmare," Koichi replied. "There was a girl...no, Koji, not like that!" He turned slightly pink, feeling weird mentioning that he had dreamt of a girl, but it was the best way to start off.
Koji laughed at the other end.
"Oh, Koichi, who's this girl you're having wet-dreams for?" Koji teased.
"Koji!" Koichi cried, embarrassed. "I told you, it's not like that! The girl, she was being tortured by an evil Digimon, I think, but then he turned human."
"Whoa, whoa, Koichi, slow down," Koji interrupted, now fully alert. "You saw a Digimon in a dream?"
"Well, it looked like a Digimon at first but then he changed into a human," Koichi said again, relieved that Koji was paying attention now.
"We'll hold a meeting with the others tomorrow as soon as possible." Koji turned almost business-mode, something which he had gotten used to. Becoming the second-in-command of the team did that to you.
"Thanks, Koji," Koichi replied, grateful that his twin was being focused even at this time in the morning. "Sorry for disturbing you."
Now Koji smiled.
"Don't worry about it," the younger twin assured. "This was important. Try not to think about it too much though and try to get some sleep."
Koichi laughed.
"I'll try," he said before hanging up.
Tagiru Akashi was heading over to meet up with his two closest friends, Taiki and Yuu. He was in his first year of college now but, despite having left school, he was still as hyper as ever. In fact, it was him who made sure none of them lost touch since they talked on Skype almost every weekend, managing to find time.
He saw Taiki and Yuu already waiting for him at the basketball courts. It was a place the three of them usually met up as it held fond memories of the games Team Xros Heart played together.
"Oi, Taiki-san! Yuu!" Tagiru called out, causing them to turn; before he could run over, someone appeared behind him.
The goggle-wearing brunette frowned but before he could do anything, a thin needle entered his arm. Dizziness overtook him and he suddenly felt drowsy. His legs felt like they were swollen and he couldn't move a muscle.
"Tagiru!" He could hear Taiki and Yuu yelling his name and, through his blurred vision, he saw them running towards him but couldn't see much more. He felt a hand wrap around his waist, pulling him to someone's chest. He tried to squirm but with his sudden loss of energy, he couldn't do much and soon his world faded into darkness.
"Who are you?" Taiki demanded as he and Yuu reached Tagiru's side.
The boy seemed familiar and looked around Tagiru and Yuu's age, maybe a little older. He wore a mask that covered his face as well as a black hood that hid his hair.
"Do you need to concern yourself with that, Kudou Taiki-kun?" the boy replied coolly. "Something big is coming but I wouldn't bother preparing for it if I were you. Not like you can anyway. We're much too strong for you."
Yuu stiffened and was about to retort until Taiki stepped forward. The boy raised his hand, sending the other two skidding across the ground. "I told you," the boy snapped harshly now. "Don't interfere. You're not needed...yet." He then vanished from there, Tagiru still in his arms.
"Tagiru!" Yuu cried, trying to lunge at the boy; he fell to the ground, groaning.
What was going on? Who was that boy and why did he kidnap Tagiru? He didn't understand anything and was wondering if the boy was even human. Not that it mattered, but considering the power he held, it didn't seem he was.
"Yuu, are you okay?" Taiki asked, holding out a hand to help him up.
Yuu allowed Taiki to help him to his feet.
"Yeah, I'm fine, but Tagiru..." Yuu bit his lower lip worriedly, concerned about his best friend. Why had his best friend been a target? His thoughts drifted back to when Tagiru and Arresterdramon weilded the Brave Snatcher, wondering if that was the reason that Tagiru had been the one to be captured by the enemy.
"Yuu, think about it later." Taiki's authoritative voice snapped Yuu out of his thoughts. "We need to call the others and work out a plan to save Tagiru. This was not the way I imagined our reunion to go."
He groaned, suddenly wishing he had his goggles again but, at the same time, hoped that those goggles would give Tagiru strength whereever he was right now.
Yuu nodded, still concerned about the situation.
"Hey, TJ, hurry up! You'll make us late!" Davis Motomiya's loud, energetic voice resounded through the area they were in. "Sheesh, can't you run any faster?"
"Davis," T.K. grumbled, "if you call me slow one more time, I'm punching you." There was no hint of malice in his voice, but there was a bit of grumpiness within it.
He hadn't slept all that well last night after all. The slumber party at Tai's house last weekend still weighed heavily on his mind. Yes, they had been drunk and being drunk lowered a person's inhibitions, but still he didn't expect things to go that far.
Him and Tai had both been drunk, and Tai had kissed him. It felt really nice and he kissed back, but the rest of the night was a blur. The two of them woke up in Tai's bed, cuddling together. He may not remember much of it, but that kiss had been amazing. He wasn't able to stop thinking about it since then.
Where did his and Tai's relationship stand now? Were they still friends or something more? Kari had been avoiding him since then as well and that made him feel guilty. He knew everyone expected him and Kari to eventually become something more than friends, but he just didn't think of her in that manner. He loved her dearly but as a precious friend. Taking that relationship further might destroy the close friendship they had.
"Oi, T.K., quit daydreaming!" Davis cried, waving his hands in front of the blond's face. "We're running late!"
T.K. snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the time. Yikes! They were already 10 minutes late to their first class! Only two more years and they'll be in college. He didn't think about anything else then and just rushed after his friend, hoping the class was running late, too.