Midnight Blossoms
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon
Takeru noticed the girl as he and Angemon neared the source of the explosion. She was running away, sticking close to the shadows. A white Gatomon trotted a few paces behind, covering her. Takeru motioned Angemon to bring them down. As they were descending, he reached inside his pocket and pulled out a small metal cylinder. The force pike was beyond useless at this point but it might give her pause and him enough time to make another getaway.
Below, the girl glanced at the sky in trepidation as Angemon descended but then she visibly relaxed as she realized who this was. "Takeru," Hikari cried rushing forward after he and Angemon had set down.
Takeru pressed a button on the force pike and the small metal tube expanded to nearly three meters. Hikari stepped back in confusion as he leveled the pike at her. Gatomon rushed up beside her, equally confused.
Takeru leaned forward, staring right into her eyes. "Kari."
"Keru," she replied mystified.
Takeru straightened. 'Damned if he could tell the difference.' The face, the hair even the clothes were the same.
"You're hurt," Hikari spoke softly eyeing his shoulder.
That decided him and it wasn't like the force lance would do him much good right now. She could pretty much take it away from him if she wanted. The one consolation was that he didn't have the same feeling of unease that had struck him before and Patamon had not reacted negatively to the girl as yet.
Retracting the force pike, he tossed it to her. "It's nothing and what's going on around here?"
Hikari shrugged, catching the pike. "I have no clue. We were at Mimi's and then Tai noticed all this," she gestured towards their surroundings, "and then the attacks started. We barely got out in time. I was making my way to our meeting spot when you found me."
"Lead on," Takeru motioned. "I'll explain what I've encountered along the way.
_________________________
The dark silhouette of the Torii, marking the entrance to the Yasukuni Shrine, rose up in front of them. The place looked deserted but Hikari did not want to take any chances especially after what Takeru had told her. Their doubles may very well know of this place too.
Gently, she lowered her friend to the floor, propping him up against one of the pillars of the Torii. His wound was getting worse. "Rest here a while, Keru. I'll take a quick look around."
He smiled weakly at her. "Good idea. Be careful."
Hikari nodded. "Gato, stay here with him," she said rising to her feet. Gatomon started to protest but Hikari held up a hand forestalling any arguments. "Just do it, I'll be fine." And with that she slunk off into the shadows.
Takeru watched bemusedly as the feline Digimon cursed under her breath. Atop his head, Patamon chuckled. "You've been spending too much time around humans, Gato."
"And you've been spending too much time around Digimon." She snapped.
"Touchy," Takeru murmured.
Gatomon paused in her restless pacing. "Sorry, I just don't like it when she goes rushing off into danger."
"I know how you're feeling," Takeru replied. "I'd send you after her but I don't think I'm up to handling the resulting argument.
Gatomon peered intently at him in the gloom. "She misses you."
An uncomfortable silence stretched out during which Gatomon feared that Takeru had fallen asleep. Then suddenly he spoke and his voice was icy, controlled, "I am the wrong person for her. Besides, she's with Daisuke now."
Gatomon wished she could make out his features in the darkness. Unfortunately, his face was hidden within a particularly deep swathe of shadows. "She hasn't been with Daisuke for a year or so. He tried his hardest to make it work but in the end, even he realized that he wasn't who she wanted."
Another long silence and then just the faintest whisper that Gatomon had to strain her ears to catch, "I'm not the right person."
Thankfully, Takeru was saved from Gatomon's cutting reply by Hikari's abrupt return. She had gotten a first aid kit from one of the adjoining buildings. "The shrine is secure." She said, kneeling down and slipping underneath Takeru's good shoulder to help him stand. "Just hold on a bit longer and I'll have you properly bandaged up."
The walk to the shrine was a dim haze for Takeru. He had to concentrate all his energy into putting one foot in front of the other, all the while trying to ignore the dull throbbing in his shoulder. Finally, after an eternity, they reached the shrine and passed inside. Hikari slid the door shut and then concentrated a moment. Slowly, their surroundings became illuminated as a small ball of pure light took shape above them.
Hikari lowered Takeru to the floor of the main room of the shrine and then working expertly, stripped him of his sweater and shirt and bandaged his shoulder. He smiled tiredly at her when she was done.
"Thank you." Reflexively, he rolled his shoulder and stiffened as pain lanced through it.
"Careful," Hikari hissed, "the wound wasn't particularly deep but it'll take a day or two to fully heal."
"It's a good think that we heal fast. Still, I'm going to attempt to speed things up a bit."
Hikari's eyes widened. "Have you finally figured out how to use your power on yourself?"
"Only partially," Takeru grimaced, "and the experience leaves me weak for hours. I'll try it now. I have a feeling that I'll need my full faculties for whatever is coming."
Hikari frowned. "And I suppose there are some dangers in using this technique in your particularly weakened state that you aren't mentioning."
Takeru winced. Leave it to her to read him like an open book. Still, "the gain outweighs the cost in this instance."
Hikari said nothing merely staring at him. Unable to hold the gaze, he looked down. On the whole, it was rather ridiculous, he thought. She had not even spoken and already he felt like the proverbial kid with his hands caught in the equally proverbial cookie jar. Worse still, any objection he could raise would sound childish. She always did this to him. It was usually a precursor to an argument between them. Not feeling up to that type of battle, he resigned himself into giving in. However, before he could speak she made the decision for him.
"Alright, but be careful." Noting the astonished look on his face, she smiled. "I do have a request though. I'm going to patrol the streets outside the shrine for the others. If you finish before I get back, you are not to leave this place."
"But." Takeru began but trailed off as her smile turned to a glare.
"No arguing. That's my condition. I can hold you here insensate if I want but I'd rather not do that."
Takeru held up both hands. "Alright alright, I agree. Just be careful."
Hikari rose to her feet. "I always am." Her words fell on deaf ears though because by that time Takeru had already entered a trance. Slightly annoyed, she turned to fetch him some blankets. Honestly, he never took his own well being into account. It was then that she noticed something strange. She got down to her knees and studied Takeru's broad muscular back. There was a roadmap of old white scars there that she remembered. The memory still filled her with a white, hot rage. Anger at that bastard, Ryo Sumeragi, for doing this to him and anger at Takeru for taking her place as his hostage. They had stormed Sumeragi's hold two weeks later to discover that he had escaped and killed Sumeragi in the ensuing chaos. He had been near death himself but thankfully Ken and Jyou's powers had been enough to bring him back.
Hikari shook herself of the old memories. That wasn't what had drawn her attention. Imprinted over the older scars was a fresh batch of newer ones. Glancing up she met Patamon's eyes. The little Digimon was sitting on Takeru's head looking down at her.
"What did this?" She asked quietly.
Patamon hesitated then seemed to come to a decision. "The tests for Guardian status," he began. "The tests are very hard. He literally had to relive all of the darkest moments of his life." A tone of fierce pride entered Patamon's voice. "He did very well."
Hikari sat motionlessly for a long moment. Then finally, she rose to her feet and started towards the exit.
"Hikari," Patamon called from behind her. She paused. "He's killing himself. Can't you do anything to help him?"
"I can't help him Pata." She replied stiffly, her voice controlled. "He's shut me out completely." Stifling the light, she slid back the door and stepped out into the night.
__________________________
Next: The rest of the chosen meet up at the shrine.
Author's Notes: This story was originally just going to be two chapters but nearly sixty pages later, I decided to condense the chapters into smaller bits. Now, we're looking at, at least five to six chapters. I know this isn't the easiest story to understand but please give me just one review, even if it's only to flame. I've set up a tentative timeline detailing the important events that you should know about. It'll be included in the next chapter. Until next time..
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon
Takeru noticed the girl as he and Angemon neared the source of the explosion. She was running away, sticking close to the shadows. A white Gatomon trotted a few paces behind, covering her. Takeru motioned Angemon to bring them down. As they were descending, he reached inside his pocket and pulled out a small metal cylinder. The force pike was beyond useless at this point but it might give her pause and him enough time to make another getaway.
Below, the girl glanced at the sky in trepidation as Angemon descended but then she visibly relaxed as she realized who this was. "Takeru," Hikari cried rushing forward after he and Angemon had set down.
Takeru pressed a button on the force pike and the small metal tube expanded to nearly three meters. Hikari stepped back in confusion as he leveled the pike at her. Gatomon rushed up beside her, equally confused.
Takeru leaned forward, staring right into her eyes. "Kari."
"Keru," she replied mystified.
Takeru straightened. 'Damned if he could tell the difference.' The face, the hair even the clothes were the same.
"You're hurt," Hikari spoke softly eyeing his shoulder.
That decided him and it wasn't like the force lance would do him much good right now. She could pretty much take it away from him if she wanted. The one consolation was that he didn't have the same feeling of unease that had struck him before and Patamon had not reacted negatively to the girl as yet.
Retracting the force pike, he tossed it to her. "It's nothing and what's going on around here?"
Hikari shrugged, catching the pike. "I have no clue. We were at Mimi's and then Tai noticed all this," she gestured towards their surroundings, "and then the attacks started. We barely got out in time. I was making my way to our meeting spot when you found me."
"Lead on," Takeru motioned. "I'll explain what I've encountered along the way.
_________________________
The dark silhouette of the Torii, marking the entrance to the Yasukuni Shrine, rose up in front of them. The place looked deserted but Hikari did not want to take any chances especially after what Takeru had told her. Their doubles may very well know of this place too.
Gently, she lowered her friend to the floor, propping him up against one of the pillars of the Torii. His wound was getting worse. "Rest here a while, Keru. I'll take a quick look around."
He smiled weakly at her. "Good idea. Be careful."
Hikari nodded. "Gato, stay here with him," she said rising to her feet. Gatomon started to protest but Hikari held up a hand forestalling any arguments. "Just do it, I'll be fine." And with that she slunk off into the shadows.
Takeru watched bemusedly as the feline Digimon cursed under her breath. Atop his head, Patamon chuckled. "You've been spending too much time around humans, Gato."
"And you've been spending too much time around Digimon." She snapped.
"Touchy," Takeru murmured.
Gatomon paused in her restless pacing. "Sorry, I just don't like it when she goes rushing off into danger."
"I know how you're feeling," Takeru replied. "I'd send you after her but I don't think I'm up to handling the resulting argument.
Gatomon peered intently at him in the gloom. "She misses you."
An uncomfortable silence stretched out during which Gatomon feared that Takeru had fallen asleep. Then suddenly he spoke and his voice was icy, controlled, "I am the wrong person for her. Besides, she's with Daisuke now."
Gatomon wished she could make out his features in the darkness. Unfortunately, his face was hidden within a particularly deep swathe of shadows. "She hasn't been with Daisuke for a year or so. He tried his hardest to make it work but in the end, even he realized that he wasn't who she wanted."
Another long silence and then just the faintest whisper that Gatomon had to strain her ears to catch, "I'm not the right person."
Thankfully, Takeru was saved from Gatomon's cutting reply by Hikari's abrupt return. She had gotten a first aid kit from one of the adjoining buildings. "The shrine is secure." She said, kneeling down and slipping underneath Takeru's good shoulder to help him stand. "Just hold on a bit longer and I'll have you properly bandaged up."
The walk to the shrine was a dim haze for Takeru. He had to concentrate all his energy into putting one foot in front of the other, all the while trying to ignore the dull throbbing in his shoulder. Finally, after an eternity, they reached the shrine and passed inside. Hikari slid the door shut and then concentrated a moment. Slowly, their surroundings became illuminated as a small ball of pure light took shape above them.
Hikari lowered Takeru to the floor of the main room of the shrine and then working expertly, stripped him of his sweater and shirt and bandaged his shoulder. He smiled tiredly at her when she was done.
"Thank you." Reflexively, he rolled his shoulder and stiffened as pain lanced through it.
"Careful," Hikari hissed, "the wound wasn't particularly deep but it'll take a day or two to fully heal."
"It's a good think that we heal fast. Still, I'm going to attempt to speed things up a bit."
Hikari's eyes widened. "Have you finally figured out how to use your power on yourself?"
"Only partially," Takeru grimaced, "and the experience leaves me weak for hours. I'll try it now. I have a feeling that I'll need my full faculties for whatever is coming."
Hikari frowned. "And I suppose there are some dangers in using this technique in your particularly weakened state that you aren't mentioning."
Takeru winced. Leave it to her to read him like an open book. Still, "the gain outweighs the cost in this instance."
Hikari said nothing merely staring at him. Unable to hold the gaze, he looked down. On the whole, it was rather ridiculous, he thought. She had not even spoken and already he felt like the proverbial kid with his hands caught in the equally proverbial cookie jar. Worse still, any objection he could raise would sound childish. She always did this to him. It was usually a precursor to an argument between them. Not feeling up to that type of battle, he resigned himself into giving in. However, before he could speak she made the decision for him.
"Alright, but be careful." Noting the astonished look on his face, she smiled. "I do have a request though. I'm going to patrol the streets outside the shrine for the others. If you finish before I get back, you are not to leave this place."
"But." Takeru began but trailed off as her smile turned to a glare.
"No arguing. That's my condition. I can hold you here insensate if I want but I'd rather not do that."
Takeru held up both hands. "Alright alright, I agree. Just be careful."
Hikari rose to her feet. "I always am." Her words fell on deaf ears though because by that time Takeru had already entered a trance. Slightly annoyed, she turned to fetch him some blankets. Honestly, he never took his own well being into account. It was then that she noticed something strange. She got down to her knees and studied Takeru's broad muscular back. There was a roadmap of old white scars there that she remembered. The memory still filled her with a white, hot rage. Anger at that bastard, Ryo Sumeragi, for doing this to him and anger at Takeru for taking her place as his hostage. They had stormed Sumeragi's hold two weeks later to discover that he had escaped and killed Sumeragi in the ensuing chaos. He had been near death himself but thankfully Ken and Jyou's powers had been enough to bring him back.
Hikari shook herself of the old memories. That wasn't what had drawn her attention. Imprinted over the older scars was a fresh batch of newer ones. Glancing up she met Patamon's eyes. The little Digimon was sitting on Takeru's head looking down at her.
"What did this?" She asked quietly.
Patamon hesitated then seemed to come to a decision. "The tests for Guardian status," he began. "The tests are very hard. He literally had to relive all of the darkest moments of his life." A tone of fierce pride entered Patamon's voice. "He did very well."
Hikari sat motionlessly for a long moment. Then finally, she rose to her feet and started towards the exit.
"Hikari," Patamon called from behind her. She paused. "He's killing himself. Can't you do anything to help him?"
"I can't help him Pata." She replied stiffly, her voice controlled. "He's shut me out completely." Stifling the light, she slid back the door and stepped out into the night.
__________________________
Next: The rest of the chosen meet up at the shrine.
Author's Notes: This story was originally just going to be two chapters but nearly sixty pages later, I decided to condense the chapters into smaller bits. Now, we're looking at, at least five to six chapters. I know this isn't the easiest story to understand but please give me just one review, even if it's only to flame. I've set up a tentative timeline detailing the important events that you should know about. It'll be included in the next chapter. Until next time..