Finding Lost Souls

Chapter 1: The Problem With Traveling These Days . . .

TK, Kari, Zoe, Takuya, Koji, Kouichi - 8

Rika - 7

Ryo - 9

Place: The Kingdom of Souls

Time: 6 years before 'The Incident'

"TK, I'm gonna get you! You better run faster cause when I catch up you're gonna be It!" 8-year-old Kari yelled. She and two of her very best friends were playing a game of strategy, cunning, and endurance. Grown men had been made and broken by it. I am, of course, referring to the timeless art and precise science known as . . . Tag.

"No you won't cause I'm faster than you! You're not even as fast as Takuya; you'll never catch me-Oomph!" Two children suddenly fell to the ground in a mass of tangled limbs. Kari stood up and started running as fast as her little legs could take her to where a long blonde-haired girl was hiding. She yelled back, "Now who's slower than Takuya?" From her hiding place Zoe, the blonde girl, giggled. Everyone knew that out of the eight of them poor Takuya was the slowest. It was sad really, he couldn't play any fast games or race any of them cause he always lost. Through it all, though, Takie always had a smile for the winner and was the first one to laugh at himself when he tripped or lost. None of them seemed to feel any sadness at all.

"Zoe, Takeru, Kari, it's time to come in now. You have studies." The redheaded Lady Harmony smiled at the three young ones. They were Guardians-in-training and had a lot of work to do after all.

"Awww, but Harmony can't we please stay out just a little longer, pretty please? Zoe hasn't even been It yet!" young Takeru begged. His short blonde hair was messed up from rolling on the ground and his eyes were wide and shining. Lady Harmony took one look and gave up, winning against children was hard work!

"Ok, you can stay out here for a few more minutes, just don't look at me like that!" She laughed as all three children began cheering and ran off. One of them, however, seemed to hesitate then turned back.

Kari ran back to her Lady and smiled up at her shyly. "Do you wanna play too?" Lady Harmony blinked in surprise and smiled. "Yes child, I would love to." There was a small flash of light and suddenly where once was a young woman now stood an even younger girl. She had cherry red hair and blue-green eyes and immediately grabbed Kari's hand, running off to join in the game.

Place: The Realm of Broken Dreams

Time: 6 years before 'The Incident'

"So, she thinks she can just enjoy being a kid forever huh? Well, I'll teach her! My younger sister is in for a rude awakening and I'm the one setting the alarm." Discordia looked up from her glass, tucking her ebony locks behind her ear, and sneered. Her eyes went to an old photo on one of the walls. It was a picture of a group of young adults standing in front of a brilliant white castle. Those people had been her old, what was that word again, she sometimes forgot, oh yes, friends. They had thought only of following the rules, protecting the worlds, doing exactly what they were told to do. Discordia had been different, she knew that now. She had never been meant to protect but to rule! Why had they made the decision to stand in her way? Well it didn't matter anymore. She had shown them! There was only one left to stop her, her little sister who, even now, was training a new generation of Guardians to protect the worlds. How disgusting! After all, why defend when you can conquer?

'I just need to wait a few more years until they all begin to go on missions. Then I can put my plan into action. They won't even remember what hit them!" She laughed, the sound high and cold enough to send shivers down your spine.

"Watch out Harmony, I'm coming for your precious children! And when I catch them, well, let's just say the results won't be pretty!" A dagger appeared from nowhere and flew through the air, landing in the middle of the photo on the face of a young woman with red hair.

Kari, TK, Koji, Kouichi, Takuya, Zoe - 14

Rika - 13

Ryo - 15

Place: Temple of Time-The Kingdom of Souls

Time: Day of 'The Incident'

"Guardians, we've received reports from three different time periods, one from the Digital World, one from the Human World, and one from Gennai."

"Gennai? Isn't he in the Digital World too?" Kouichi looked up at Lady Harmony.

She sighed. "Who knows, Gennai always was a mystery in the scheme of things. He could be from just about anywhere really. Takeru, Kari, why don't you two tell us when you get back?"

"Ok."

"Rika, you and Ryo will be heading to the Human World to help the Tamers."

"Gotcha! Don't worry, if there's any team more guaranteed to mess up I'd like to meet 'em!" Ryo gave one of his trademark cocky smiles, earning a laugh from everyone and a punch on the arm from Rika.

"The rest of you, I want you to go to the Digital World."

Koji cocked his head. "Why does it take all four of us? Are there fewer pure children in that time period or something?"

"Well, no, but it's safer sending all of you. In that time period there are several groups of fighters scattered everywhere and I want to be sure that we can find the one that is actually going to be doing the fighting. With four of you we have a better chance of finding the right group and stopping the evil in that time."

"Just who are our opponents anyway? You haven't told us yet!" Takuya was smiling like he was about to go on some grand adventure.

"Takuya, you and Zoe, Koji, and Kouichi will be fighting Cherubiemon but your real opponent is Lucemon. Rika and Ryo will be going against the D-Reaper and TK and Kari . . . " Lady Harmony hesitated.

"What, what is it?"

"TK and Kari have a great many opponents to face. It would take to much time to name them all."

Everyone looked over at them. There were various degrees of pity and concern on each face; they knew it would be hard for these two who hated fighting the most to have to face the most opponents.

"I can give you an idea of who your top opponents will be. There are three: Devimon, Myotismon, and Piedmon. They will give you the most difficulty."

TK turned to look at Kari. "We understand. We'll do our best."

Lady Harmony smiled. "I know you will. Now you must hurry, we haven't much time to lose. Even with the Crystal Sphere we will have to cut it close to avoid placing you too firmly in history."

"We know. Wouldn't want to get stuck there, would we?" Ryo said, earning himself another punch from Rika.

"Better be careful Ryo, wouldn't want to beat your record now would you? There would be nothing left of you then." Koji smirked, enjoying his friend's embarrassment. It was rare to see the older boy off balance. The only time it happened was when Rika was around. Hmmm, he'd have to think about that one . . .

Everyone laughed, knowing it might be the last time they were all together for a very long time. They had no idea how right they were.

Place: The Realm of Broken Dreams

Time: The Day of 'The Incident'

"Yes sweethearts, go ahead and laugh. I will give you that courtesy; after all, it will be a long, long time before you will be able to do so again." She smirked, thinking of all the damage she would cause, the pain. It was intoxicating! The feeling of power, the knowledge that she could destroy them in the worst way possible, cause her sister so much pain, she loved it! Ah, she lived for the passion of the crime, the look on her sister's face when she realized her precious Guardians wouldn't be coming back, that the Darkness had finally won . . . She laughed. Her glass began to glow, a reaction to the use of Time Magic. It was finally the right moment for revenge!

Place: Temple of Time-The Kingdom of Souls

Time: Day of 'The Incident'

"Alright, it's time. Good luck, all of you. I will miss you while you're gone."

"How can you, you can see everything we do!" Rika answered. No one noticed as Ryo's face became sullen at her words. After all, how was he supposed to make his move if Lady Harmony kept her eye on them all the time?

"Actually, I won't be able to this time. I have things to do in the villages and I won't be able to check on you as much as I would like to."

"You mean we'll be unsupervised?" Kouichi stared, eyes wide. He was the only one not to have been on a mission yet and was scared out of his mind.

Lady Harmony smiled. "No, you have each other for that. Just be careful and I'm sure you'll be fine." Kouichi smiled. "Now it's time to go. Farewell."

The children stepped up to the Crystal Sphere and held out their hands. A circle appeared, spreading out until all of them were standing within it on a particular symbol. The symbols represented their guardianship and were the connecting factors between their bodies and Time. The symbols would keep their memories and personalities intact even as their bodies changed to fit into the different time lines. Then a shadow appeared.

"Discordia! What are you doing here?"

"Only this dear sister." With that she threw out her hand and the once pure white light surrounding the children began to crackle with black lightning. All eight Guardians screamed in pain and then they were gone, lost among the worlds.

"What did you do to them? Where are they? Discordia!"

"Oh don't whine so much. They're right where and when they were meant to be. The real question, the one YOU should be asking anyway, is if they even remember you. And I'm not going to tell you anything. So go ahead and suffer dear sister, suffer and cry for them. And when you're done I'll come for you and get rid of them for good!" She disappeared, leaving nothing but her high, cold laugh behind. The sound mixed with sobbing as Harmony sank slowly to her knees, unable to stand any longer. Her poor children! What if she never saw them again?