Chapter II: The Opening Notes
Blood pounded through his temples with a rhythmic palpitation, far outpacing the tempo of his ragged breathing, which had by now receded into uneven gasps. His lungs burned like he'd swallowed a Meramon whole. Every trim, well defined muscle in his lean frame screamed out in protest against the buildup of lactic acid in his body, a product of the unceasing effort he demanded from his flesh. He'd been running flat out for close to three hours; nearly a full marathon of paved sidewalk had sped by under his pounding gait. And at the speed he'd traveled, his only too mortal body would be feeling the resulting pain for a week at least. That is, if his muscles didn't unravel and spring through his skin, deserting his body like desperate residents leaping from a burning apartment building: That was an interesting image. He would have grinned if the surplus energy presented itself. But even if he didn't die of exhaustion, it was a good bet that dehydration would kill him soon. It was a wonder he hadn't collapsed into a scorched pile of brittle skin and bones. Sweat saturated every square inch of his clothing, from his white cotton athletic socks to his plain, sky blue t-shirt and black running shorts.
Stubbornly, he shook off thoughts of collapse. "Keep running."
But even if he ran till doomsday, it was doubtful Taichi could outpace pursuit from his current opponent.
The world from his dream hadn't faded from his mind as he'd expected. Five days had transpired since that morning, and every detail still stood out starkly in his memory. The mountains, fields and cities. The sea and island of shadow. The courtyard and the fountain… If nothing else, they had only become clearer as time passed. Every morning, though he had slept undisturbed, the dream world came further into focus. Taichi felt as though he'd been branded; the images had been burned into his mind.
Another half mile sped past without pause, his stride eating up the distance at a clip that amazed pedestrians along his route. But Taichi hardly noticed. His attention had been arrested by sudden, inexplicable changes in his surroundings. The metropolis about him seemed to slide out of focus, shifting, sliding away to be replaced by something else not yet visible to his eyes. Shop windows along the road had begun to darken, the sun no longer reflected off their glassy surfaces, their merchandise blurring and fading. The cracks in the sidewalk beneath his feet widened and split further. Heaps of masonry…
"What?"
Darkness descended in a heartbeat. The cars and pedestrians had vanished into the midnight shadows.
Taichi froze, legs nearly crumpling by the abrupt halt in momentum. The shock numbed his brain, leaving nothing for his faltering consciousness to grasp. He felt like a blind man thrust forcibly into an unfamiliar, dangerous territory. This wasn't Odaiba anymore. The ruined city loomed about his head as he remembered it, eerily expectant, waiting. And far too real.
"No." His voice sounded hoarse and insignificant, even in the sudden silence of undisturbed rock. "I can't be dreaming. I was running for crying out loud! How could I be back!?"
Every part of his body still ached from his run. His heart still pounded madly from the exertion. His clothing hung damply from his body, proof that his workout had been real, had happened bare moments ago.
It had caught up to him.
"No!" With a shout of horror, Taichi lurched forward, quickly breaking into a sprint. Now cracked stonework sped under his feet instead of concrete sidewalk, blank walls of imposing granite blurred with his speed instead of shop windows, he dodged chunks of broken masonry instead of pedestrians. Which was real and which was the dream, ? the city of Odaiba or the city of stone ruins?
The darkness was tangible, a thin coating on his skin that clung heavily, choking him. It touched at his very soul. He needed light, any kind of light. Sunlight, streetlight, moonlight, the light of warmth in the eyes of a friend…
Before his eyes, as if in response to his silent plea, figures appeared, the familiar figures from his dream. The old man with the mustache. The teenage boy with the scar. The saffron haired girl. The grim-eyed young man. The girl who looked like Hikari. Their eyes held light, called out to him. Familiar, kind, warm, alive. Taichi's hands reached out as he ran, desperately searching for a solid form to grasp. Unseen in his frantic haste, a courtyard accessible by stone steps loomed before him.
Without thought, without notice, Taichi sprang out into space over the steps, feet descending to the stone courtyard with a jarring impact which almost sent him careening out of control into a pile of spilled masonry. But his legs held, recovering swiftly. He kept running.
They were there, right before his eyes, right before his outstretched hands.
"I need you." The words came to his mind unbidden, but in undisputable truthfulness.
As one, the figures extended their hands, reaching out to him. A realization forced its way into Taichi's mind, past the shattered fragments of rational thought left to him. They needed him, too. His fingers brushed those of the girl with short black hair, the one that looked like his sister; soft, warm, sensual- he could feel the gentle pulse of life running through her veins- a living being, as real as himself. The recognition flashed upon him like thunder, simultaneous with a shuddering, smashing sensation as his lower body crashed full force into the sill of the fountain. Time slowed to a crawl. The inky black water surged up to meet him. His hand slid forward along the girls fingers and clasped her small, soft hand in his. When his body struck the water he only smiled, gently pressing the hand held within his own. And faded…
"Hold on son! We got help on the way! Just hang in there a little longer!" The voice blaring through the fog sounded urgent to him, like it was trying to communicate something important. The problem, Taichi reflected, was that the voice was making absolutely no sense. "We got paramedics on the way, just hold on!"
"Hold on to what?" There wasn't anything to hold on to in this dense fog. He was alone in a creamy white zone of silence… except that annoying voice. It was depriving him of this blissful feeling of peace.
"I wish you'd shut up, you stupid disembodied nuisance."
But the voice failed to comply. "Damn it! I don't think he's breathing! Does anyone know CPR!?"
"CPR? What is this, some visually-lacking medical soap opera?" Taichi would have shaken his head in exasperation had he been sure his head still existed, or any part of his body for that matter. It was hard to tell. Maybe he was the disembodied one. After all, he had faded…
Like water thundering down from a broken dam everything rushed back to him. The dream had returned, claiming him while completely awake and active. The familiar people had appeared in the midst of the darkness, he had recognized their faces, felt the soft touch of the dark haired girl's hand, touched the pool and faded again.
The mist cleared away from his vision as if expelled by a sudden gust of wind. Taichi's brown eyes snapped open, taking in the bright blue sky far above his head. A stable, rough surface pressed solidly against his back. He was lying on the ground. His senses were returned to him; Taichi suddenly realized that his knees and elbows were burning, and his head was beginning to ache with a slow, throbbing pain. Looming above him stood three men, faces tense and anxious.
"What happened?"
At the sound of his voice the tense looks relaxed from their faces; the youngest of the three raised a hand to his brow to wipe away beads of perspiration. Taichi attempted to rise slowly, but one of the three, a middle aged man in a tan business suit, gently pushed him back down to the pavement, speaking softly to him as he did so. "Hold on there son," Taichi recognized the annoying, disembodied voice. "You had a nasty tumble just now when you passed out. You might have hit your head, I couldn't tell from the angle. Just sit still till the paramedics arrive to check you out."
Taichi blinked. "I passed out?" In all his years of running he had never once passed out before. That was something that never happened to Taichi Yagami. Ever. It hurt his pride just thinking about it. Again he made an effort to rise, this time reaching a sitting position, but a sudden lightheadedness washed over him, causing him to sway slightly. Tan Suit reached forward quickly and again pressed him back unto the sidewalk. "No, just wait." Taichi sighed in exasperation, but this time he lay back quietly and refrained from movement.
Wailing cry of sirens sounded faintly in the distance, gaining in pitch and volume as the ambulance approached. Taichi quietly stared out into the cloudless sky past the three men bending over him and the surrounding rooftops, reflecting upon his sudden transportation. If the dream had become evermore real in the days since it's first manifestation, now it had become shockingly concrete. He had held the dark haired girl's hand, he was sure of it. The soft touch of her skin had been far too tangible; he could no longer attribute the experience to a simple product of his mind. Either something was seriously wrong with him, which, he thought wryly, could very well be the case, or his dreams weren't dreams at all. And if his dreams were real… then so were the people in them, including the dark haired girl.
"What're you so happy about, kid?"
With a start, Taichi refocused on his surroundings. The younger of the three men was staring down at him with a concerned look painted vividly across his face. Taichi returned the look with a confused one of his own, not really sure what the man was talking about.
"What?"
Young guy sat back cautiously on his haunches, still gazing at Taichi with his odd expression. He tilted his head to the side for a moment before answering. "You were grinning, like a man who just won the lottery or something. Sure you didn't hit your head?" He turned his own head nervously, glancing down the street before giving a sigh of relief. The ambulance had turned a corner, closing in on the group clustered around Taichi.
Taichi hardly noticed; he found the young man's words bewildering. "Smiling?" He raised a hand to his face in disbelief, tempted to check tactilely what he'd just been told. "I was smiling?" But the disbelief didn't really hold, even if it made little sense intellectually. If he remembered correctly, hadn't he also smiled earlier, bizarrely, just as he hit the pool of water, holding tight to the hand of a girl he didn't know, but who needed him?
"And I needed her and the others, too."
No one noticed the distance which slowly leaked into Taichi's eyes. But even if they had, none of them would have realized just how far he was from the cold concrete sidewalk and the anxious faces of the onlookers.
Taichi's face was peaceful in sleep, open and inoffensive as a young child… and frighteningly vulnerable. Hikari watched the gentle rise and fall of his chest under the covers, noting how strands of his longish, chocolate brown hair, fallen forward on his brow, stirred faintly under the influence of his breath. He looked so different. The solid facade of strength and determination and confidence that composed his "leader's face" had slipped away as he slept, leaving someone else in his place. A stranger lay there upon the bed, not her brother.
The soft click as the door opened diverted her attention from the figure on the bed. She swiveled in her chair, waiting quietly as her mother entered the room, treading lightly lest she wake her son. "Hikari, you know that you don't need to stay here all day. The doctor said Taichi will be fine, with a little rest. He just overextended himself today, that's all. There's no danger." Yuuko smiled warmly at her daughter, glad to see how much concern she had for her brother, but knowing how unnecessary it was. "Besides, Takeru has been waiting out there in the living room for so long now." She gave her daughter a knowing wink.
"I'll be right there, mom. I just want to be sure he's fine."
"Alright dear, I'll tell Takeru you'll be out in a moment." She turned and left Taichi's bedroom just as silently as she had entered, leaving Hikari alone with her sleeping brother.
Hikari turned back to the stranger on the bed. "Why can't she see that something's wrong?" Her voice was a whisper, barely perceptible, even in the silent room.
For several days now, Hikari had suspected that Taichi was hiding something from her, some trouble or pain that she couldn't identify. Every once in a while it would happen; she would catch him off guard, a flash of weariness in his eyes, a tenseness in his hands, maybe even traces of apprehension in the set of his face. Little hints, here and there, hardly enough for most people to notice. But Hikari wasn't most people, she was Taichi's sister. She should have put the pieces together, figured it out.
Those hints were gone now, smoothed from his face as if they had never existed. Right now, Hikari would almost have welcomed them back; at least they would have given her something to work with, something to indicate that her brother could be helped. But they had gone, and with them the attributes that indicated that this was really Taichi.
It had been worse earlier, back at the hospital where she had tasted sweet relief, only to have it shocked out of her grasp. Hikari and Takeru had raced along the waxed linoleum floors of the hospital, ignoring the shouts of an orderly who took umbrage at their haste. Apparently, running was discouraged at medical facilities. But breaking a hospital rule mattered little to either teenagers; their anxiety overruled whatever respect might have been due to the institution. Mrs. Yagami had met them in the simply furnished waiting room with a bright smile, providing Hikari with reassurance even before the words were spoken. Taichi would be fine; the doctors had given him a clean bill of health, minus a severe spell of exhaustion.
Takeru had embraced her ecstatically, in his overwhelming relief not caring that the older Yagami woman hadn't yet been given the news about their relationship, and immediately left the room to contact the others with the good news. Yuuko had been surprised at the gesture, but quickly caught on to its implied meaning, proud that her daughter had finally hooked the Takashi boy. Then she quickly ushered Hikari into the recovery room to see her brother.
Taichi had been facing away from the door, laying so still Hikari had felt a shiver down her spine despite her mother's words of reassurance. Yuuko had called to her son, her voice cheerful and happy now that she knew he would be fine, and Taichi had slowly turned to face his family. That's when Hikari's heart had plummeted in her chest.
Staring back at her was a face of completely detached calm, as frightening as it was unnatural. The distance in his eyes had stricken her to silence.
It had been hard, keeping her face animated and unconcerned in front of her mother, who obviously felt none of the alarm that oppressed her daughter's heart. Taichi had explained what had happened, cracking self-deprecating jokes about being an idiot, filling them in about his run, waking up surrounded by anxious strangers, and the ride to the hospital. But Hikari hadn't been listening. She was searching his face intently, desperately probing for the usual spark of light in his now distant eyes. Instead, all she could see was the haze of eternity.
Then Takeru had entered the room, stride and face as carefree as her own had been. She heard his footsteps falter; a puzzled look replacing the carefree, swiftly morphing into concealed uneasiness and disquiet. He shot her a questioning look, saw the fear in her eyes, and quickly grasped her hand. No words were needed; Takeru saw just as clearly as Hikari. This wasn't the Taichi they knew. He hadn't even noticed them holding hands…
"What happened to you, Taichi?" Hikari addressed the sleeping boy, half expecting him to rise yawning from the covers. But there was no reply from the still form. Tears rebelliously threatened to overwhelm her restraint, two actually succeeding before her emotions lost to her self-control. Taichi wouldn't want her to cry, he'd want her to be strong. But at this moment, gazing down upon the face on the pillow, nothing would have been more natural for her to do.
Hikari departed the room, pausing to look back and listen to the regular rise and fall of breathing. Softly, she closed the bedroom door, leaving him to his rest, praying that the brother she knew would appear at his awakening, not the calm, distant stranger she had seen at the hospital, or the sweet, defenseless and yet equally distant child sleeping now.
"Hikari?" Takeru glanced up at her from the couch, his perceptive blue eyes silently noting the slight dampness left by the tears. "How is he?"
"Sleeping peacefully now." She sat down next to him, glad to feel his warm touch as he took her hand in his. She had been so happy earlier today, before the call came from the hospital.
The cheerful noise of rattling crockery emanated from the kitchen, belying the gloom that settled thickly around the couple holding hands on the couch. Takeru shook his head ruefully at the contrast. But the heavy atmosphere was completely understandable. The leader of the digidestined had never looked so vacant, so far gone inside. Never. Taichi, more than anyone else Takeru knew, exuded an impression of vitality; strong, alive and real. He was firmly attached to life and his surroundings. But now… "Hikari? What do you think happened to him."
"I don't know." She released Takeru's hands, pulling herself closer to his chest, letting his arms wrap around her. Comfort. Reassurance. Strength. Everything she had received from her brother for so long.
Takeru felt her heart beating softly close to his own, in time with his own, thankful that he could be her support, yet angry for the reason she needed it. "Nobody else can see it. The doctor, the nurses, even Mrs. Yagami, they only see the physical. Taichi might be fine that way, but we both know he's not. Something is wrong, we can both feel it. He's… Damn, what is it? Why can't I put my finger on it? It's like he's missing, even while he's laying right there in his room."
And Takeru had already called everyone, told them that Taichi was fine. "I'll need to call them again, tell them I was wrong the first time."
"What are you thinking, Takeru?" Hikari was looking into his eyes intently.
"I think I'll call some of the others, let them know what's up. So far we're the only ones who can tell that not everything is right with him. If the other destined can feel it too, that might be an indication that this has to do with the digital world." After a pause he went on. "And if some of them can't see it either… maybe it has something to do with the Darkness, the Dark Ocean."
Hikari's auburn eyes dilated, fear and loathing surfacing reflexively. Takeru felt the same, though his face remained calm and thoughtful. They had both been to that place before, both clearly understood the depth of the threat which it symbolized. Besides Ken, no one else had experienced the Hope-sucking, all embracing darkness which resided there.
Takeru held her closer to him. "Thank goodness I was with Hikari when the call came. She needed someone with her; it would have been too much to see him like that alone. Taichi wouldn't have wanted her alone. I'll have to thank Yamato again for giving me the push I needed to ask her. Wait…"
Hikari glanced into his face nervously, unsure at the sudden tenseness she could feel in his body. But his face held the same reassuring smile. She let it pass.
Behind his composed expression, Takeru's mind was racing, remembering Yamato's final words the night before. "…Just make sure you do, bro. Taichi was pretty clear when he asked me to talk to you. Basically, he said its now or never, with Hikari and with him. I doubt you'll ever have his support again if you back out of this, and that would make things rather complicated for me… and I really hate it when things get complicated, right Takeru?"
Yamato had said that Taichi wanted him to ask his sister. He had even gone to the trouble of dragging Yamato into the situation. Why had Taichi chosen this week to suddenly apply pressure on his sister's behalf? True, Takeru always had the feeling that Taichi was encouraging him; at least, none of his threats had indicated a death sentence. But still, the timing couldn't have been a coincidence.
During their first adventure in the digital world, back in Machindramon's city when Taichi had left to find medicine for Hikari, he'd placed a charge on the younger boy- "You're my last line of defense... I need you here to look after the others."
Ever since that day, Takeru had given his best to live up to that charge, with or without Taichi's presence. She had become the most precious thing in Takeru's young life. Had Taichi known even back then that Light needed Hope to survive, that Hope could support Light through any trial? The last line of defense, Hikari's protector in time of danger. "Did he know this was coming, that he wouldn't be able to give her the support she would need? Is that why he had Yamato give me that final push?" He held her even closer to himself, carefully thinking through his past contact with Taichi, and how it had shaped his relationship with Hikari. "You wanted this Taichi, almost as much as I did. I don't know if you foresaw this happening, but don't worry. I promised I'd take care of her then, and I'll keep protecting her, now and forever."
"How is he?" Hikari noticed how pale Sora looked today, standing outside the apartment with her hands clasped nervously before her. Yamato and Daisuke looked less anxious, although she could only see part of their faces over Sora's shoulder. It wasn't very surprising. Yamato was used to keeping his feelings hidden and Daisuke, well Daisuke probably couldn't understand the full significance of Takeru's message. Unlike some of the other digidestined, he'd never been seriously exposed to the Darkness before. Hikari wasn't aware of it, but the three teenagers standing in the hall were surprised by her own appearance. She looked like she'd slept in her cloths, and it hadn't been a very restful sleep either. Yamato and Sora both found this somewhat foreboding, and wondered what this indicated about Taichi's condition. Hikari motioned them into the apartment and answered Sora's question in a low tone as they removed their shoes. "Nothing's changed. He's still asleep, hasn't woken up since he got home from the hospital yesterday."
"Is that why you're whispering?" Daisuke's question was meant to be completely innocent, but to his surprise, she began to blush a rosy red.
Hikari turned and began walking back to the living room, leading the way for the others. "Well, no… He wouldn't be able to hear us from his room even if he was awake."
"Then why are you whispering? And you're blushing now." Yamato shot Daisuke an annoyed look. Sora didn't seem to be listening.
"I mean, I didn't say anything that should have made you blush. I… uh."
Daisuke's speech ended suddenly as he caught sight of a blonde head poking out from under a thick pink comforter on the couch. A white bucket hat lay flattened nearby; a Hikari sized footprint stamped squarely between the brims. Someone hadn't been fully awake when the doorbell had rung, and crushed Takeru's favorite hat in her haste to open the door.
Yamato grinned despite his hidden anxiety for his best friend. "Takeru spent the night, huh?"
Hikari's blush only grew deeper. Daisuke's mouth was hanging open in shock or jealousy. Sora was staring fixedly at Taichi's bedroom door.
"Why don't you all take a seat." Hikari knelt by the couch and gently shook Takeru by the shoulder. Her boyfriend let out a soft groan and opened his eyes. Her face was only inches from his own. Takeru's face split into an adoring smile. "Such a wonderful way to wake up."
"Morning beautiful. Did you check on Taichi yet?"
Yamato cleared his throat gruffly. "I don't think she had a chance kiddo, looks like she just woke up herself."
Takeru nearly leapt out of his skin, blushing as hotly as Hikari had been moments before. "Yamato! You're here early. Wait, what time is it?" It took him a moment to notice Daisuke and Sora, but he greeted them as cordially as he could when he did.
His brother struggled momentarily to keep the laughter out of his voice, but just as quickly gave up the attempt. "Definitely time to get up." He then took stock of Takeru's appearance; the same khaki slacks and blue polo he'd been wearing yesterday morning. A perfect match for Hikari's equally wrinkled outfit. They'd both spent the night on the couch, keeping an eye on Taichi. Yamato didn't know whether to laugh at their embarrassment or frown because they had been that worried.
Daisuke attempted to get a comment in, but the words stuck in his throat, resulting in a barely perceptible gulping sound.
Hikari ignored Daisuke, desperately trying to switch the topic. "It's nine A.M., Takeru. Looks like we slept in."
"Yeah." Equally desperate, Takeru began to rise from the couch, voicing the only safe thought that came to mind. "Is Daisuke OK?"
Yamato only shrugged, at this point not really caring about Daisuke's mental state.
"What's wrong with him?" Sora had taken her gaze from the bedroom door to ask the question, the humor of the situation completely lost on her.
"Who? Daisuke?"
"No, Taichi." Her voice trembled noticeably.
Takeru immediately regretted his levity. The situation was far too serious for jokes. "We're not sure."
The room receded into silence, everyone waiting for Takeru to elaborate. Takeru frowned, looking to the child of Light for assistance. Both were struggling hard, striving for words that might clearly elucidate what they had observed about their leader.
"Something in him is fading." Takeru nodded in agreement as Hikari continued. "Physically he's fine, tired, but fine. It's his eyes. Yesterday, it was hard to recognize him. He just wasn't like Taichi at all. It was like he was far away from us."
They did their best, working together to describe their misgivings, the lost feeling their leader radiated. A tight feeling of unease crept into the room. Daisuke began to look distinctively disturbed. Yamato and Sora each felt a familiar tinge of apprehension, echoes of their experience with the darkness slowly rising up in their hearts after so many years.
It was very peaceful in the garden. Taichi wandered along the stone path as it snaked about the rows of flowers, feeling the tranquility drift about him, mingling with the garden's vivid colors and fragrance. It would be impossible to count the many blossoms; there were thousands of them, of every color and variety, many species that he had never seen before, even during his time working at the flower shop. "Sora would love this place." The very atmosphere here soothed his mind, peeling away layers of worry and doubt that had developed within him. He no longer felt that tugging, split feeling of being in the wrong place, or the nagging sense that he was needed elsewhere, that he was letting someone precious down. He was himself, whole and in one place. The relief was wonderful.
Save for the light tread of his steps on the flagstones and the stirring of the breeze not a sound disturbed the silence. He was alone amid the blossoms. How long had he been here, pacing slowly through the rows, imbibing the peace, making it his own? Hours? Days? Months? It could have been eternity for all he cared. This… this was right. All that was missing were the faces, the voices. But they would be arriving soon. Then everything would be complete.
The path reached the high brick wall that enclosed the garden, and turned once again, running parallel to the solid edifice. Taichi extended a hand and ran his fingers across the rough surface, inwardly exulting over the reality of it, of all his surroundings. The garden, the flowers, the soft breeze, the stone walkway, the brick wall- they were all real. His being here might very well be a dream, but this world was not. It existed, as surely as he did. The question that had plagued his mind since the inception of the dream faded away, answered by the assurance the garden gave. This world was alive, vibrant in its beauty, precious in its uniqueness, open and free and valuable.
But there was a shadow, a faint presence which indicated that not all was well. Somehow, Taichi could feel that everything he saw about him, everything which brought this peace to him, might be in danger. The Light that existed here- in the flowers and stones, in the sun above, in the eyes of the people he sensed existed here- was threatened.
Taichi paused before a row of flowers he didn't recognize. The blossoms were like roses, but larger, with petals ending in spear-like points instead of broad, soft tips. Red, pink, white, gold, blue, each a beautiful work of art. The darkness would obscure these marvels, twist them in its shadow, remove the light from them. The stone of the path would lose its warmth, become only unyielding and hard. The walls would still enclose, but without protecting or adding to the scenery. The people of this world would continue to live, move about, live their lives, but the Light in their eyes would go out. They would lose their individuality, and in the end, lose themselves in the shadow.
All these thoughts filtered through his mind, calmly, slowly, building upon themselves, painting a picture of the future of this world and the choice which had begun to dawn upon him. His first impression of this world had been right, it was very much like his own. And it was just as worthy to be loved and protected.
Taichi gently fingered a blossom of the pointed rose, and smiled.
"And you can't think of anything else? Nothing has happened these last few days that might account for it?" Yamato was doing his best to understand, but the way Takeru and Hikari were describing the problem had only served to baffle him further. Wearily he rubbed his forehead, a gesture more akin to his father than himself. "Nothing at all?"
Hikari shook her head. "No. I thought maybe the tiredness had something to do with work, but that doesn't explain his eyes."
"You keep talking about his eyes, Hikari, but I don't think we're getting it. It means something more to you. But whatever it is, you definitely see something wrong." Daisuke had finally regained his voice, though it had taken quite some time. Now he was just as confused as Yamato, though trying his hardest to grasp what they were saying.
Takeru shrugged, "You'll have to see yourself. We can't describe it any better than that."
Sora was already on her feet. All throughout Hikari and Takeru's explanation she had felt a steady increase in the impulse that had arisen within her the moment she had received the first phone call about Taichi's collapse- she had to be close to him, close enough to hold on to him, in case... In case of what? She didn't know, just that it was imperative that she be there for the friend who had always been there for her.
"Did somebody die?" No one had heard the bedroom door open. Taichi stood framed in the doorway, wild brown hair pressed into untidy clumps about his head by his pillow. Hikari and Takeru stared at him in wonder, completely focused upon his eyes. Compared to the eyes they'd seen the day before, Taichi's chocolate brown orbs were widely alert, sharp and focused. Nothing like the faded, distant eyes that had worried them previously.
Taichi glanced about from shocked face to shocked face. They all looked like someone really had died, and come to life again. Why had they been so worried? The doctor had given him a clean bill of heath. Nothing to worry about.
The intensity and alarm of the past twenty-four hours had faded from his mind, drowned out by a spirit of well-being and confidence.
A peaceful time in a place of beauty.
Puzzled and somewhat unsettled by his friend's expressions, he took a moment to check himself. There was nothing wrong with him, but still, they had to have a reason… He felt amazingly alert and clearheaded, ready to tackle whatever came his way. His body felt fine, slightly sore from the workout of the day before, but no sorer than he usually felt after running. And he felt so light and peaceful, like every trouble had fallen away from his shoulders. Even the dream that had oppressed him for the last week failed to penetrate his strong sense of well-being. He could hardly recall why it had affected him so deeply the day before. He felt like a new man. So what was the problem?
His self-analysis had failed, though he had no way of knowing. Checking himself could no longer pick up the lingering clues to the events of the last twenty four hours. Dancing about the periphery of his senses wisped the slight flagrance of blossoms, and the earthy smell of a dewy garden. A holdover from a distant place.
No further time was allowed him to discern these hints. Hikari and his friends had recovered from their surprise.
"Taichi!" Hikari launched herself off the couch and across the living room. "You're alright!" Her hug was surprisingly strong for her petit form, nearly knocking Taichi off his feet. He steadied himself with one hand against the doorframe of his room, stroking her short hair with his other hand as he did so.
"Course I am, Hikari. You heard the doctor, lots of sleep and food. Speaking of which, do we have anything edible? I'm starved."
Takeru waited in the background silently, watching as the older Yagami sibling greeted his friends, feeling puzzled and strangely unsettled. Taichi was himself again, as if the other, distant person had never existed. Looking at him now, it was possible to conclude that nothing had been wrong in the first place. But Takeru had been there at the hospital, and here in the Yagami apartment ever since then. He'd clearly seen that Taichi had not been himself. As much as this should be reassuring, having their leader back to himself again, it didn't sit right. In Takeru's experience, problems didn't resolve themselves this way, this neatly.
Takeru felt himself begin to tense, flooded with an anxiety that he couldn't put aside. But none of the others shared this sense of foreboding.
Hikari was ecstatic, clear oval face shining with joy, clinging to her brother like a limpet. It would take a crowbar to remove her arms from Taichi's neck.
Daisuke looked relieved, and maybe a little put out. He was shooting the younger blonde looks that hinted at suspicion. Takeru could almost hear the wheels turning in his head, slow and squeaky as those wheels might be. Daisuke probably thought Takeru and Hikari had invented the story as an excuse to stay up together on the couch.
Yamato looked genuinely confused. His bright sapphire eyes scrutinized every aspect of Taichi's face and expression, probing, testing, judging. Takeru felt a sense of relief; his brother thought the sudden change odd as well. But then the blue eyes lost their scrutiny, warming and shifting into humor and wry amusement. Yamato had dismissed his anxiety, probably writing it off to a sister's over sensitivity and a new boyfriend's desire to be off service to the said lady.
And Sora… Sora surprised Takeru with her silent reaction. Though she said nothing, her brown-red eyes spoke volumes. They were a deep well of intense and possibly conflicting emotions, burning with a fiery glow Takeru was hard put to identify. Joy? Relief? Realization? Need? It was hard to say. Takeru had known Sora since he was eight years old. She had been a mother figure to him during their first trip to the digital world, a compassionate and responsible girl who looked out for others far more vigilantly than she did for herself. He had thought he'd seen her under every possible state of emotion; nothing about her should have been able to surprise him, or leave him confused. But the way she was looking at Taichi now… was impossible for him to identify. And somehow, Takeru doubted that Sora would be able to identify it herself.
"Takeru?" Takeru started out of his thoughts. Taichi was staring pointedly at the younger boy, clearly having repeated his name already at least once. Daisuke was once again standing slack-jawed, and Hikari was blushing once again.
Takeru spoke rather uncertainly. "Sorry Taichi, I was thinking. What did you say?"
Taichi's smile was the picture of innocence, which meant he was at his most dangerous. "Nothing, just listing off forms of torture saved specifically for little sister's boyfriends if they don't toe the line. Right?"
Takeru nodded nervously, getting the point clear as a bell. Taichi smiled in return, then turned back to Yamato and began talking. Takeru was glad to lose the special attention. "Maybe he is back to normal." But a voice in the back of his head reminded him of the age old maxim- looks can be deceiving.
To describe emptiness is impossible. No one has seen it, experienced it, or even been capable of imagining it in all its immense vacancy. How could a living creature, born within the flow of time and space, comprehend nothingness? But that is exactly what can be found outside one of the many plains of existence- nothing. Not even the void of space within a plain of existence can compare. For one thing, the voids found within a world have stars and planets to break the black, parts of larger galaxies which are in turn part of the universe as a whole. Outside of these individual universes, existences, there are no luminaries of any kind. There is no light, but neither is there darkness. Both Light and Dark are a part of an existence, which is completely lacking within the great void. It is not good, nor evil, because it isn't; there are no qualities or attributes for non-existence.
Within the void suspend the individual worlds, each nested in its own place parallel to those other worlds that exist. They do not intersect, nor do they come any closer or farther from one another than they were intended to, unless the delicate balance is tampered with. It has happened in the forgotten past. None would know, since a world involved with such a catastrophe no longer exists. Just another hole in the void…
But between worlds, passages can be opened, leading from one to another. The myriad of gates between the Human and Digital worlds are examples of this bridging of the void. These two worlds are relatively close, if that term could be used to describe a relationship within emptiness.
Had a watcher been within the void at this moment, he or she would have witnessed the beginning of an inter-world drama. A gate opened between two worlds, one that had not been used for many generations. It arose from a dark world, carrying the whispers of a salty sea breeze and the murmurs of malignant laughter. Out it reached, farther into the void, till it found its destination. A doorway that took the form of a dark fountain, within a city of ruins and shadow, within a world of mountains, cities and lakes… and people.
Darkness began to flow through the gate.
And then, another passage opened, a passage of twisting flame, like a tornado that has careened into a vicious wildfire. It extended outward from a world of blue oceans and green landmasses, a world of humans. Earth.
Midway between the two now-connected worlds, the fiery passage impacted like a burning lance, fusing into the side of the first, opening a way into the gate within which the darkness flowed. Three worlds connected, if only for a short time.
The drama was beginning.
Taichi froze in his seat, ears alert, listening as the air of the apartment resounded with the echoes of a tremendous crash. The noise rippled through the room, loud but oddly elusive to his ears. There was something ethereal about it, like it lacked the intensity that should have come with the high volume of the sound. It could have originated from a great distance, if it hadn't been so loud. And there was another strange aspect to the sound. The size impact that would be needed to produce such a sound should have caused some sort of physical reaction, a tremor through the frame of the apartment building, maybe a rattle from the windows. But their hadn't even been the slightest tremor. And no one else in the room had reacted to the noise.
Taichi felt his heart rate increased dramatically, as his body began to fill with a sudden, unnamed excitement. His muscles tensed, his perception changed, his body was ready. But for what?
Images of fire and shadow strode across his mind, billowing back to reveal places and faces, familiar yet strange. Attractive. Real.
Taichi's mind was already far away.
The lighthearted conversation died away from the room, leaving an uneasy silence in its place. The others in the room stared in open puzzlement at their friend's sudden pause, wondering as a faraway expression drifted over his face.
"Taichi…" Hikari spoke up tentatively, but trailed off as the atmosphere of the room altered. A sudden buildup of tension rippled through the apartment, palpable to each of the occupants, emanating from their leader as he sat motionless upon the couch, listening…
"Did any of you hear that?" Taichi spoke suddenly, startling his friends with the eerily calm tone his question took. He waited until the others shook their heads uncertainly before continuing. "It sounded like a door being thrown open."
Hikari felt a vein of panic beginning to surface in her heart. She hadn't heard the sound, but a feeling of dread surged up within her, intensified by this strange tension permeating the apartment. His calm voice resonated in her ears like a far off echo. He was already a long distance away. Hikari tried to speak, but no sounds would come from her throat. It felt like she was being choked.
Takeru grasped her hand tightly, his blue eyes wide with apprehension. He had been right. Taichi's normal appearance had been deceptive, hiding the inner change he and Hikari had sensed the day before. Something significant was about to happen, and Takeru had no idea what to do about it.
Sora, Yamato and Daisuke looked uncertainly to their leader and friend, each one unsure of what was happening, but their own bodies began to tense, picking up on the atmosphere of the room. Hikari and Takeru's description from before surfaced readily in their minds. Yamato broke the silence, his voice sounding slow and tentative, feeling out this sudden change in his friend. "Taichi… I didn't hear anything." He looked about to the others for confirmation, receiving their nods of agreement. But Taichi shook his head, slowly, like his will and body were miles apart. "It was a door, I swear it was. A heavy door being thrown open. I heard it grind into the walls, it opened so roughly."
Daisuke had risen partway to his feet, perplexed by his leader's strange words. "But Taichi, there aren't any doors that heavy in the apartment complex."
"Not here, it came from a distance." Taichi shifted his weight on the couch to peer out the window. Outside, the gentle breeze had failed, leaving the streets still and motionless, save for the few cars and pedestrians out enjoying the afternoon sun. The calm outside reflected the calm in Taichi's own voice- not unnatural, but somehow eerie in its own way. There wasn't an obvious reason to call the calm unnatural, it just didn't feel right.
The sound had come from down the street; he'd heard the echo as the sound traveled, bouncing across from building to building. It was out there, somewhere amid the calm.
Taichi felt it then, even before the calm was shattered by the onset of the wind. Trees outside the window began to flail about in a sudden gust, litter from the ground shot spinning into the sky. The change in the wind was reminiscent of a draft that creeps across a room when a door is left open a crack, but much stronger, fiercer. The air of an alien world was poring into Odaiba.
"The way's open now."
His statement made no sense to the others. They had no way of knowing that Taichi had already come to a decision, while wandering alone through a far away garden. Taichi himself couldn't recall that time of calm reflection, or the decision that had been made within his mind. He only knew that he must act.
"I'm coming."
Neither Yamato or Daisuke were ready for what happened next, but Takeru and the two girls in the room caught on to it in the brief milliseconds before Taichi threw himself off the couch and towards the entrance of the apartment.
"Taichi!" Hikari's distressed voice dimly reached his ears as he passed her outstretched hands, eluding her grasp by mere inches. Takeru had surged to his feet alongside Hikari, but her outstretched hands had blocked him from making his own attempt at grasping for her older brother as he passed. She overbalanced, almost fell, but Takeru caught her before she struck the ground. By the time he had set her back on her feet, it was too late for him to do more than comfort her.
Sora too had reached out, suddenly struck with a horrified conviction; if she missed him now, something told her that she would lose him forever. Missing with her fingers, she dug her feet into the carpet, lunging toward the door as Taichi ripped it open.
"No!" Her fingers caught the back of his shirt, a slight tugging of fabric as he slipped from her grasp and disappeared through the door. The sound of pounding footsteps echoed in her ears for a moment, her friend fading away in the distance as she fell to the wooden floor of the empty hall.
Behind her, two thumps sounded out as Yamato and Daisuke, having sprung into action seconds too late to assist, collided with each other and tumbled across the living room rug.
Ken held the exit door open for Miyako in his best gentlemanly manner, much to her appreciation and delight. Outside, a gentle morning breeze ruffled the white and gold awning that sheltered the entrance, playfully fingered the leafy branches of the trees that lined street, and ruffled the hair of both teens as it slipped through the open door. Miyako sighed, near bursting with excitement and happiness. Her raven haired young man had outdone himself this time. The breakfast date had gone beautifully; a classy restaurant, excellent food, and warm, intimate conversation. And on top of that, Ken had completely failed to notice their pretty young waitress and her persistent attempts to attract his attention. Miyako herself had missed none of it, and secretly gloated over the obvious envy written across the cheap hussy's face.
Outside the restaurant Ken paused to check the time, always conscientious of his own obligations and those of his less conscientious girlfriend. Miyako was supposed to switch shifts with her sister Momoe at the Inoue family store by ten A.M., and according to the timepiece strapped to his wrist it was currently quarter till. Plenty of time to walk the three blocks distance to her destination, at least if they didn't delay much. But Miyako seemed to have other ideas.
She caught his hands gently in her own and wrapped them about her, reminding him a little of a throw rug of some sort. Somewhat forward of her, Ken thought to himself, but then, Daisuke always had teased him about who wore the pants in this relationship.
He stood staring down into Miyako's eyes, watching as bright, warm golden light danced about within her beautiful orbs. A slight blush was just beginning to surface on her cheeks, and her bottom lip softly trembled. Slowly, she tilted her head back, mouth opening slightly, shyly.
Ken could remember few times when he had felt a greater temptation to bolt.
But before the moment could turn awkward, the atmosphere changed perceptively.
The breeze died, leaving the awning above their heads limp and lifeless. A stillness settled across Odaiba, sullen and brooding. The angry calm before the catastrophe. Ken began to feel a hint of alarm touch his mind, light as a piece of velvet draped across bare skin.
Miyako began to feel put out at her boyfriend's delay, till she took a closer look into his eyes and saw the change in his expression. Ken didn't look like that unless something was seriously wrong.
"What's the matter?"
Ken glanced about, careful eyes taking in the surroundings, searching for an unexpected change, a sign of danger, something off that could explain this sudden eerie intuition. Something was about to happen, but… he couldn't pinpoint what it was.
"I don't know. Something's about to happen. It's…"
Then the wind struck.
The powerful gusts whipped through the streets, kicking up dust and debris. Miyako cried out and shielded her face from the onslaught, but Ken hardly reacted. He felt more than just the change in the weather. He felt the underlying change behind it, a penetrating chill that shot up his spine. Somewhere close a gate had opened, exposing a force of Darkness on the move. The Darkness wasn't here, wasn't approaching. But its movements had been made manifest.
For several long minutes, Ken stood amid the windy sidewalk, his mind, over-sensitive to the powers of Darkness, felt each current of shadow flowing between worlds. Miyako stayed silent, listening to the roar of the wind until Ken spoke. "The Dark Ocean is on the move." Miyako could tell from the intensity of his whisper that this was no joke. Even if Ken had been the frivolous kind, his voice would have convinced her that he was completely serious.
"It's coming to Odaiba?"
"No… Somewhere else. But a gate opened nearby. It connects to where the Darkness has targeted. We need to contact the… ah!"
A figure had spun around the corner of the restaurant, moving against the wind as if the powerful blasts had no strength at all. He slammed hard into both teenagers, knocking them back against the front of the building. Miyako gasped in alarm, nearly toppling into the bay windows before her boyfriend caught her by the shoulder. Regaining his balance quickly, Ken released her shoulder and spun about to see the retreating back of a man with wild, windswept brown hair.
The figure continued on down the street, attention focused directly ahead, traveling directly into the wind. He didn't show even the slightest sign of having noticed the collision. He kept on running, running toward the origin of the wind. Towards the flow of the Dark Ocean.
Both teenagers recognized him at the same time. Taichi Yagami, destined of Courage and their leader.
"And he's running straight towards it." The realization stopped Ken cold, too shocked at first to do anything. Taichi's frantic haste swiftly brought him to a street corner. He vanished out of sight, leaving the street empty save the two surprised teens and the wind.
Miyako turned back toward her boyfriend, her face contracted in confusion. "Wait, Taichi? Hikari said he collapsed from exhaustion yesterday. What's he doing here?"
There wasn't time to explain. At the speed Taichi had been sprinting he would be long gone in moments. Ken took off at a dead run in the same direction, calling out to Miyako as he did so. "Call Hikari and the others, tell them Taichi's heading south, towards the park! Follow the signal from my D3, I'll try to keep up with him!"
Miyako watched as her boyfriend too disappeared around the corner, chasing after a leader who to all appearances had lost it. She shook her head solemnly. Maybe Ken had lost it too. He was running like crazy too now. But even so… she reached into her purse and pulled out her cell phone, quickly dialing the well know number of Hikari Yagami.
Personally, I think this chapter is nowhere near as acceptable as the first one. *Sighs dramatically* But honestly, I couldn't get it any better, as much as I tried. Better writing in the next chapter, I promise. Chapter Three might be a little longer in coming. I've got one hell of a busy month coming up, but I'll use what time I can spend working on it. Any reviews or thoughts or criticisms are completely welcome... Actually, they are more than welcome. They might decide whether the next update happens before the end of January or not. We'll see. Peace out.