Have you ever had one of those chapters that...just kept getting overshadowed by the one you'll know you'll be writing after?

That was my struggle with Chapter Three here. Not that I'm not immensely happy with it, or didn't have fun typing it all out. Oh, no. There are a bunch of things in here that were very important. The first scene along, I'm sure, will be very telling about a lot of things. It's just that, when I first started on the rough draft, there were a lot of events in Chapter Four that I had to take into account. Those were the ones playing out strongest in my mind, so while I was supposed to be working on Chapter Three...I would occasionally slip on over to the Chapter Four notes section and start dabbling out a few things here and there.

I also kind of went back and updated Chapter One while I was at it, further distracting me. My bad.

THAT BEING SAID, I do want to take a quick moment to thank the people who read and reviewed. It warms my heart to hear that there are not only people who remembered me after all this time. I think I even managed to snag a few subscribers. Guess that means I must be doing something right.

As I mentioned above, Chapter Three has a lot going on. More pieces of the puzzle will start falling into place; as you may or may not have guessed from the title—those of you who figured out that each title is meant to indicate an overall theme of that Chapter—this one is big on the whole Revealing thing. On both sides of the oncoming battle.


PANDORA'S BOX
(Episode Three - "Gnosis")


Hikari was lost.

Everywhere she looked, she saw only darkness. An eery shimmer pooled at her feet. Like water...except she felt no moisture permeating her shoes and socks. All she felt was cold. The kind that seeped so deeply into her bones, she was starting to forget what it was like to feel warm. Her body wanted to shiver. To fight back. Yet, it was as if she were—ironically—too frozen in place to move.

Other than a single, slow exhale. Her breath came out in a cloud of smoke. Head tilting slightly back, she watched the beads of condensation float upwards until they faded into the abyss. The last of her body heat. Only the painful, numbing chill remained.

In the far distance, she thought she heard something. A voice. Deep and angry. She couldn't quite make out the words, but she knew that whoever was speaking, they weren't speaking to her. Maybe they hadn't noticed she was there. She could only hope against hope that they never did. Even the distant rumble terrified her.

The seconds passed like falling drops, echoing the passage of time. The voice continued—at one point, it sounded even louder, though no closer. Then...everything went silent.

Ten drops passed. She was starting to think she was truly alone in the darkness.

Then, a second voice reached her ears. Even more distant at first, until it started getting louder. More distinct. Unlike the angry roar, this one was...warmer, somehow. Familiar. The voice of someone she knew.

In fact, unless she was mistaken, it was-

"Hikari-chan!"

She gasped sharply as the shadows around her rapidly faded, and the Digital World forest materialized around her once more in all its colorful glory. Including, standing in her direct line of sight, looking as worried as she had ever seen him: "...Takeru-kun?"

Relief seemed to wash over him at her response. Maybe the fact that she responded at all. But it was all too fleeting, and soon enough, his brows furrowed. One hand was still resting against her bare shoulder; she could feel the warmth radiating from his skin. No, not warmth. It was more like the tips of his fingers were burning.

For a time, silence prevailed. Her lips moved as if intending to speak, words right there on the tip of her tongue, but no sound came out. They remained slightly parted as she stared up at him. Blinking twice. Eyes reading of genuine confusion. No longer as lost as she had been before, but still so unsure. Like she was only just waking up from a dream.

Or nightmare.

"...you're shivering."

Only then did she realize he was right. Goosebumps ran up and down her arms. Her teeth were chattering. Ironic, considering she had been feverish up until a short time ago. Strange, given that the forest around them was still comfortably cool at worst.

Takeru reacted on pure, protective instinct. Not caring what it looked like to any who would stumble upon them, he reached up with both hands and began rubbing at her forearms. Trying to bring some of the warmth back to them. He wished he had a jacket or something to offer. Anything that might help. As it was, the more he rubbed, the worse her shivering seemed to get.

Hikari must have realized this as well, because in the next moment, she closed the remaining space between them and pressed her forehead to his chest. Seeking his body warmth for comfort. If he felt any semblance of embarrassment by the sudden close proximity, he made no show of it. There would be time for that later; right then, he could think of nothing more than wrapping his arms around her and holding her close.

She felt like a block of ice.

"T-takeru-kun, I...I s-saw something..."

He didn't know what to say to that. Part of him wanted to insist she not try talking if it was too much effort. The other part of him wondered if it would help. Take her mind off the chill. Eventually, he nodded wordlessly, urging her to elaborate further.

"I don't know w-what it was, but it was...d-dark." Her head turned to one side, ear resting directly over where his heart was still beating a little too rapidly. He's afraid, her mind registered. She paused to swallow, feeling both a sweeping guilt at the knowledge that what she had to say wouldn't help, and yet...she wanted to tell him. "I think there was water. L-like a puddle. And a...voice. In the distance. B-but I don't think it w-was t-talking to me. It sounded t-too far away."

His chin came to rest upon the top of her head. He closed his eyes. "Who was it talking to?"

"I don't know. I..."

Her voice trailed off, and she sighed. He took that as his cue to hold her that much tighter. Before she'd started talking, he had been prepared to tell her what she'd looked like from his point of view those last few minutes. How he'd turned back to find her standing so still. Eyes unfocussed. Glassy. At one point, he could have sworn the irises'd gotten darker, though that could have been a trick of the light—or even a trick of Light.

The first few seconds, he'd stared after her in silent question. Awaiting either Hikari or...whoever it was that might have chosen to speak through her. Nothing happened. He called to her. No answer. That was when he had started to worry. Moreso when he thought he saw her lips turning blue. It was then he'd reached for her shoulder—and she'd let out that gasp, the life returning to her eyes once more.

And if what she was telling him was true...

If there was any consolation at all, it was that her speaking seemed to have helped some. Her body was relaxing against his. He had to keep her talking. He needed something for her to focus on in order to draw her mind away from how cold she still felt. He needed-

His fingers came upon the twin cords still hanging from her neck. They gave him an idea.

"I thought you gave Tailmon your whistle," he commented lightly.

She shifted a little against him before pulling back. Not far—his hands were still able to rest on her shoulders with slack to spare—but enough for her to properly look down at the object in question. The corners of her lips twitched upward at the bittersweet memory.

"I did. This is a new one. Oniichan got it for me a few months after we got back."

Of course he did. Though he realized she hadn't stuttered once that time, and took it as a promising sign to continue. "What about the other string?"

Much to his surprise, color returned to her cheeks. Only her cheeks. Did she just...blush?

Wordlessly, she reached for the hidden object beneath her shirt and pulled it out for him to see. It was her Crest. Somewhat. A replica of the small, rectangular pendant. Made out of glass, it reacted to the dim light of the area as it twirled around, highlighting the starry icon carved in its center.

He recognized it right away: "That's-"

She nodded, and suddenly, it was strangely difficult to meet his gaze. "The present you gave me. For my ninth birthday, remember? I...wear it whenever I need a little extra luck."

The fact that she wouldn't even look at him...that was what solidified the notion in his mind that she truly meant it. Not saying it for his sake, or because she thought it was what he wanted to hear.

"Hikari-chan..."

"We should head back."

Such an abrupt change in the subject that he forgot to argue. He wouldn't have, anyway, even if he'd had time to think about it. They'd been out long enough as it was. Any longer, and their older brothers would probably come looking for them.

Gently, he slipped a hand into hers (and tried not to since at how her fingers still felt like ice). "You're right, Taichi-san and the others will want to hear-"

"No!"

He hadn't made it a single step before Hikari forcefully tugged him back. When he turned to look at her in question, her eyes were wide. She was shaking her head at him.

"Please. Don't tell them. Not yet."

He frowned.

It was like she could read his thoughts, clear as the skies above. "...I know. I know I'll have to eventually. Just...not now. Please." Not until I know what's happening to me. "You know how onnichan is. If he hears about this, he'll keep me holed up inside the cave. I won't be able to help out anymore."

He wasn't convinced. "What if it happens again?"

She didn't have an answer for that.

He didn't like it. Any of it. The idea of keeping secrets. Even if it was Hikari-chan asking...or perhaps because it was her asking. Because this is what she did. Hide whenever something was wrong for as long as she could, not wanting to be a burden or slow the rest of the group down. Not wanting to be left behind.

"...alright." He agreed begrudgingly. If for no other reason than, at least this time, he knew what was happening and could keep an eye on her. "I won't say anything."

For now.

o*0*o

Ken and Daisuke let out simultaneous exhales, clouds of smoke emitting from their parted lips.

The color returned to their eyes soon after, and the boys immediately shared a knowing glance. The Call had not been meant for either of them directly, sure, but they had been close enough in proximity to hear most of it. Its message was clear: the Master was not happy. Somebody had royally screwed up.

Despite that, Daisuke couldn't help a smirk at the thought. His chest swelled with pride. Miyako being wrong automatically translated to him being right. Even better, the fact that he hadn't been yelled at clearly meant the Master agreed with him being right.

"I wouldn't," Ken warned him, catching the look on his partner's face. "If He sees you gloating..."

"So who's gloating?"

(He was definitely gloating.)

Footsteps approached. They turned to see Iori entering the main hallway. As always, the young boy's expression was practically unreadable. Eyes focused and straight ahead. For one of his youth and size, he carried a presence twice his age. Even Daisuke subconsciously took a step back as he approached...then passed directly between his two older colleagues with little more than a glance of acknowledgement to either.

"I'm going out," he simply told them.

They waited until he was almost out of earshot before realization hit them. Ken blinked, mind processing Iori's words, then turned to Daisuke in question: "Wait...did he mean out-out?"

Daisuke gave a low snort in amusement. "Think we should pin our number to the front of his shirt?"

"That's not what I-"

"Oh, by the way." Iori cut them off from the exit doorway. If he took offense to Daisuke's mocking, he made no show of it. "Nike was knocked unconscious as punishment. You should probably check on her at some point to make sure she's still breathing."

With that, he turned and left. Slamming the door shut behind him.

Ken was the first to react. His eyes widened, head darting back in the direction they'd all originally come from. At the echoing of the door slam, he took off in a mad sprint, his cape billowing around him.

Confused, Daisuke was left alternating his gaze between Ken's (rapidly) retreating form, and Iori's...well, that boy was long gone now. Albeit at a noticeably slower pace. The stark contrast between the two wasn't lost to him. One had acted like he didn't care in the least, the other like he cared too much. And, wait a second...hadn't Ken been pissed at the girl not ten minutes ago?

So why the big rush?

By the time he strolled back into the strategy room, Daisuke's confusion had reached its peak. Ken had found Miyako's prone form, it seemed, crumpled at the base of the far wall. She was completely limp. Unconscious. Her head was currently resting in Ken's lap. For half a second, Daisuke thought she really might have been dead—but, no, when he got closer, he saw her chest still moving.

Wanting to be sure, Ken placed two fingers to her throat. Nodding when he found a pulse.

Still, he shifted his weight and moved to pick her up. She was heavier than she looked, but he was far stronger than his lean form might otherwise suggest. There was no sign of any struggle as he crossed the room with her in his arms, placing her carefully on the far edge of the table. Daisuke came over to stand at his side, sparing a fleeting glance at the remaining figures placed in the forrest area of the map. They were gathered in groups of five, two, and one.

"I tried to warn her," he spoke up, turning his attention back to the unconscious girl. The silence was starting to get uncomfortable.

But Ken ignored him. He was staring intently at Miyako's face. Her glasses had fallen off at some point during the assault. They would have to go back for them later, assuming the lenses hadn't been broken beyond repair. Without her usual large frames, she looked...unusually delicate. Expression softening her features into a look that, if he didn't know better, could be described as peaceful.

Not caring that Daisuke was watching, Ken reached over with one hand and brushed away some of the hair from her face. Less he be accused of showing affection from the gesture, he then proceeded to weave his fingers through her crown. They moved without restriction. No signs of blood. There was one spot above and behind her left temple that felt tender, though. Given the circumstances, he could wager a guess what was wrong.

Miyako chose that moment to stir, and he quickly pulled his hand back. Her face winced in pain as she shifted, uncomfortable, against the hard surface beneath her. There were goosebumps spread across her bare arms, but her body refused to shiver. She inhaled deeply, exhaling a large puff of smoke. From there, her eyes slowly fluttered open.

She stared at the ceiling for a full three seconds, waiting for her vision to come into focus, before realizing why that was an impossibility. Blinking all the while. It was difficult to tell whether or not she even registered her lack of glasses. Her head turned to the side, and she peered up at them with glossy eyes.

"...Cratus..." Recognition. Married with uncertainty, but that was understandable given the circumstances. "What...? Oh, never mind..."

Her voice reduced to little more than a sleepy murmur by the end, she closed her eyes and fell still. Her breathing evened out as sleep claimed her once more.

"Concussion," Ken confirmed. More to himself than Daisuke.

For the first time, Daisuke's face twisted into something that might have passed for concern. "Then shouldn't we...I don't know...wake her back up or something?"

A pause. Lips pressing together in a thin line. He tried to think back on what little he knew of First Aid. Then he tried to think back on when he had come to know of First Aid. The memory was hazy at best. A figment of his imagination at worst.

"...no," he eventually decided. "Let her sleep. For now. If she doesn't wake up again in an hour or so, we can worry."

"You sure about that? 'Cause you look like you're doing plenty of that already."

Again, Ken made an attempt to ignore him.

Folding his arms against the top of the table, Daisuke leaned forward. Blatantly staring, and he knew it. That was the point. He knew he had something of a reputation as a hot-head. It wasn't wrong. But he liked to think he had some observational skills, and right then, those skills were telling him there was way more to this whole thing than Ken was letting on.

"Okay, seriously, what's your deal?" He continued on when Ken refused to even look his way. "The way I recall, you stormed out of here because of something she said. Not that I blame you, of course. But, I mean...I thought you hated her."

"I don't hate her," came the reply. Soft. Almost...sad.

"Then why the dramatic exit? She's said way worse before. Mostly to me, I might add."

"You wouldn't understand."

"Yeah? Try me."

Ken risked a sideways glance, fully expecting to find Daisuke only half-paying attention at this point. Still hounding him for the sole reason that it was clearly getting to him. Much to his surprise, however, Daisuke was still staring at him with full interest. More than that, Daisuke's expression had never looked so...neutral. Like he was waiting to hear all the facts before passing judgement.

Options were weighed in Ken's mind. To tell, or not to tell. To trust, or...

"I've been having these...dreams-"

"Okay, I take it back. I don't want to know."

In that moment, Ken could empathize with how Miyako must have felt all those times she threatened to slap the younger boy.

"Not those kind!" He shot back, exasperated. He should have anticipated that kind of reaction. "Dreams about another World."

Daisuke looked genuinely confused. Ken didn't blame him.

Had it been a one-time thing, he might have dismissed it as well. Who knew what the imagination could come up with in the deepest recesses of one's subconscious. They might not have slept often in the Digital World, but when they did, they slept deep. Almost as deep as Miyako was sleeping now. Dreams were to be expected.

Then it happened again. And again. Five dreams in all, each one taking place in exactly the same setting at exactly the same time. Almost word for word. Parallels that convinced him it was more than mere coincidence. That it had to be a memory of some kind. One buried deep. Always featuring the same person at his side.

"She was there. Miyako." He made a point of using her real name. Even Daisuke noticed; he'd nearly forgotten what it was, so to hear Ken deliberately speak it aloud, then and there, was jarring. "We were sitting together in a room. There were computers in front of us. I don't...remember what we were doing on them, but I remember she was laughing. Not like she does here. It sounded joyful. Kind. The sort of laughter that comes from a person who's truly happy."

An eyebrow raised. "Are you sure we're talking about the same girl here?"

Ken knew exactly what he meant. Joyful and Kind were two of the furtherest words either of them would use to describe Nike. Bitter and spiteful would have been more accurate. Selfish. Deceptive. Manipulative. The list could have gone on if he allowed his mind to go in that direction. To think it was even possible for her to have once been so drastically different...well, if he were Daisuke, he might not have believed him either.

"What does that mean?" Daisuke asked. Sure enough, he didn't look like be fully believed the story. Maybe the part about the dreams themselves, sure, but not the implications behind it. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you haven't bothered to tell Nike you've been dreaming about her."

Ken shot him a Look.

"That's what I thought." He straightened, then made a show of shivering. Something like that could only have one of two possible outcomes. Either Ken would receive the biggest slap of his life...or else, because it was him, Nike might take that as an invitation. "Tell you what, pal. I like you. So I'm going to do you the biggest favor and not tell her either. Feel free to express your gratitude in any manner I see fit."

A roll of the eyes followed. Still, secrets were rarely kept between the four at all. Mostly because they had few secrets to keep. No memories of their lives before their initial Calling. At most, there would be a slight delay in conveying intel or the details of a plan. Usually for some specific reason. Something like this was so far beyond anything either of the boys had dealt with before.

In his own way, Daisuke was actually being supportive. Ken wouldn't forget that anytime soon, anymore than he could forget those Dreams.

o*0*o

Koushiro had lost exactly three things since waking up: his sense of direction, the location of his fellow Chosen, and his left shoe

At least the latter had since been recovered-(he made a mental note to tie his laces the next time he was expected to fall from the sky while crossing over Worlds)-though he was starting to wonder if his mind would soon be the next to go. Within the span of what couldn't have been more than two hours' time, it had rained...then abruptly stopped raining...then the ground beneath him shook violent...and then there was that one bush he could swear was following him.

Not a bush-shaped digimon, mind you. Just a regular bush. Only evil. With its slightly waxy leaves and mocking rustling each time the wind picked up.

...paranoia aside, that was another thing that bothered him. There were no digimon to be found. Not a one, wild or otherwise. The last time the Chosen had arrived, they couldn't run twenty meters without tripping over some creature wanting to either say hello or try to eat them. While he appreciated the lack of running for his life, it would have been a lie to say he hadn't been looking forward to reuniting with his old partner. To find out exactly what Tentomon had been up to in the years since they last parted.

"None of this makes any sense..." he was muttering to himself again. A habit from his younger years, resurfacing in the face of total isolation.

When Koushiro was young, he'd thrived on his introversive tendencies. Retreating in to the dark recesses of his room, away from his parents and the secrets he knew they were keeping from him. Afraid to face the truth about his birth. Away from the other kids at school. Afraid they would never understand him. Until...the day came when he found friends who could.

Taichi. Yamato. Sora. Mimi. Jou. Takeru. Hikari. They'd gotten off to a rocky start, sure, and endured even rockier paths along the way, but never would he have ever expected such a diverse group of kids could unite under a common goal. Never would he have imagined how close the eight of them would become, even after the fact. Taichi and Yamato—the sports star and the emerging Jrock Idol, of all guys—were among his two best friends. Mimi, fashionista among popular (and admittedly cute) girls, could look upon him as more than just a geek.

(...most of the time. He didn't even mind when she teased him, because she did it out of fondness.)

The others, too. Sora was one of the toughest, most capable girls he had ever met. It was easy enough to see why she was Taichi's oldest childhood friend. The only other person who could have put up with him in his early days was his sister. Jou's intelligence rivaled his own, and while the boy was several years older, Koushiro had never felt like anything less than an equal. As for Takeru..Koushiro had had the privilege of watching Takeru grow from a scared little boy who cried for mommy into someone he would have been proud to have his back in any battle. And while he still only knew Hikari best through her older brother, he couldn't help thinking that the girl was far too mature for her own good. A much needed balance to their group.

And they were his friends. All of them.

Even as he thought of them, he wiped at his eyes in frustration. It had only been a couple hours, but he was already starting to miss them. Speaking of people changing over time...

To distract himself, Koushiro settled into the first open area he could find. Surely, the others would be looking for him. Maybe they'd gotten separated too. It wouldn't have been the first time. And while there was always the risk Jou and at least one of the girls would have enough common sense to think of a similar strategy, he had ever confidence that both Yamato and Taichi—especially Taichi—would be far too stubborn to sit still for long. Not when one of his friends was missing.

The thought did comfort him some. What didn't comfort him, however, was opening up his PineApple laptop only to find that the Digital World had yet to discover the modern miracle of WiFi. No matter how many times he fiddled with his settings, without a network port to access, he would continue to receive the same error message over and over again:

No Connection Available.

He hated those three words.

Sighing in exasperation, Koushiro sat back in his makeshift seat and closed his eyes. He let out a soft, but audible groan. Not that it mattered, since there was no one around to hear him anyway. His laptop still had three quarters' worth of a battery charge. Enough for several hours' usage. Without a connection, however, he couldn't be sure that Gennai or whoever it was that had sent him the message could-

"You're a lot harder to find than I thought you'd be."

The voice started him so badly, he nearly dropped his laptop.

Awkwardly regaining his composure, he slowly peered over the top of his screen. What he was was a boy. Young. Short. Not much taller than he remembered Takeru being in the beginning. This boy was dressed in a tan robe that traveled all the way to the ground, with sleeves that fell past his wrists. Like a child wearing his older sibling's clothes.

Only there was nothing child-like about his expression. It was blank. Not a single hint of emotion, positive or negative, nor a single spark in his dark green eyes betrayed him in any way. For a time, Koushiro wondered if he was meant to shrink back at that piercing gaze. He felt like he was being judged.

"Who are you?" He eventually asked.

"That's not important right now." A shake of the head. His voice sounded raspy, like he had a sore throat. "What matters is that you're needed."

Koushiro sat up, placing his computer carefully on the spot beside him before rising to a stand. The boy before him looked even smaller from that angle, but no less intimidating. "Needed for what? Does this have anything to do with the message I was sent?"

A nod. "It has everything to do with it. You must come with me. I'll show you the way."

That was...blunt. Koushiro couldn't help raising an eyebrow. Compared to Gennai's circular, non-informative manner of speaking, it was almost refreshing. Creepy, but at least this offered him a definitive direction to travel in next.

Still, he was torn. This boy was a total stranger, after all. Showing up without a sound, refusing to offer his name-(even Gennai had given them that much)-and already making with the demands. It seemed a little too clean. Too convenient. Besides that, he was still worried about missing out on reuniting with the others.

What would Taichi-san do? He thought to himself, before immediately amending the thought. Scratch that...what would Jou-san do?

"What about my friends? Do you know where they are?"

"You'll see them soon enough."

The boy turned to head in a direction Koushiro could only assume he'd come from.

He made it all of three steps before Koushiro's curiosity won out, and he moved to follow. Scrambling for his things, tossing the computer into its protective case and the bag over his shoulder. The first semblance of a lead since arriving...well, he couldn't just let it up and walk away.

At least he didn't have to worry about keeping up. His stride was almost twice as wide as that of his mysterious companion's. It was a strangely refreshing change from being the one having to struggle to keep up.

o*0*o

If Taichi wasn't careful, Sora thought, his little sister was going to grow up with a major brother complex.

A sentiment she meant good-naturedly, of course. She'd known the Yagami siblings since before Hikari was born. Knew how close they had always been. As an only child, she couldn't begin to imagine the kind of bond they shared growing up. How it must have felt for her to watch her big brother float away into the sky, leaving her behind while he returned to continue a fight none of them had signed up for. The conflicting emotions upon learning that she was the missing Eighth Chosen child, now able to remain by his side but at the risk of being put into grave danger. Taichi had always been her protector, so it made sense that he would attempt to continue that role, even now.

Still...as much as she joked to herself about the notion, there was more than a bit of truth to it. Like how Taichi had practically shoved poor Takeru aside the moment he and Hikari returned to the cave. The poor girl had literally been shivering with cold, and so he'd thrown his jacket over her shoulders without hesitation. Words exchanged between them were heated and hushed before he half-dragged her over to the large fire Mimi had started earlier.

Even now, as Sora continued to watch them, they were huddled together on the ground. Acting as if they were the only two people in the room. Her head rested against his shoulders, his arm wrapped tightly around her. They were both smiling again. Laughing over some private joke. On occasion, he would reach over and ruffle her hair in a playful manner. She allowed it, offering little more than a scrunched-up nose in resistance.

I pity the poor boy she ends up dating some day. She shook her head with hints of a smile. Imagining some of the more creative threats one could make with a fire-breathing digimon on his side.

A crackling of fire embers drew her attention, and she shifted in her seat at the cave's entrance. Takeru's gaze met hers from across the room. She offered the boy a small wave. He returned it, then stood and began making his way towards her.

He wasn't the only one; from a different direction, she heard footsteps and turned to see Yamato approach. He stood a few meters from her in a slightly hunched position, one hand shoved into his pocket with the other limply at his side. After a full two seconds of awkward silence, he reached up to scratch at the back of his neck.

Sora rose an amused eyebrow. "Can I help you?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing. Sort of." He shrugged. "How's the ankle?"

She eyed him suspiciously for the moment, wondering what he was up to. He visibly squirmed under her scrutiny, and she grinned at the reaction. Both pleased and satisfied. "Better, actually. I think the fact that Jou managed to get ice on it so fast helped."

"That's good."

More silence followed. As did more squirming.

"...alright, spill it, Ishida. What are you up to?"

The corners of his lips twitched upward at her teasing tone. He didn't even bother waiting for her to make space, claiming a spot on the ground directly across from her. From their respective angles, she had all the benefit of a backrest and view of the remaining Chosen children behind him, while he had the benefit of...sitting directly across from her.

Hmm. Maybe he should have rethought his lack of strategy.

"Well..." he began, in response to her question, "It was either you or Mimi-chan. I chose the lesser of two evils for company."

She made a show of rolling her eyes at him, holding back a bout of laughter. "I'm going to pretend that was a compliment."

Any other time, she would have seriously doubted Yamato, of all people, would struggle to find common ground with the likes of Tachikawa Mimi. The last she'd heard through the digital grapevine, they were in talks of some sort of musical collaboration. That didn't surprise her in the least. Yamato's band was thriving, and Mimi had a considerably vocal talent of her own. Not to mention, the looks of an idol. Sora might not have been well versed in the music industry, but that seemed like a great deal for them to talk about.

Then again...sparing a glance Mimi's way, maybe Yamato wouldn't have been able to get much out of her that evening after all. The girl looked half-asleep in front of the fire. Though she'd been talking with Takeru until a short while ago, the majority of her attention seemed to be elsewhere. She'd gone quiet. Uncharacteristically so. Not sick, more like...physically drained. More than once, Sora had even caught a yawn out of her.

"Room for one more?" Takeru appeared then, taking a seat beside his brother.

Yamato responded to the question by lightly ruffling his younger brother's hair, and Sora couldn't help smiling at the display. They might not have been as close as the Yagami siblings, but it was good to see the bonds of brotherhood had survived so many years of living apart.

(Plus, she was pretty sure Yamato never smiled quite to serenely as he did when Takeru was around. It was a noticeable improvement; in her opinion, he should smile like that more often.)

"So..." Sora spoke up, leaning forward towards the brothers. "Want to take bets on how long before Koushiro finds us?"

"Assuming he will."

"What did we say about being so negative, Yamato-kun?"

"Well, it's true." He shrugged, not even sorry. "It's been years, Sora. I don't care how smart he's supposed to be. Fact is, we have no idea what part of the Digital World we landed in."

"...if it's even the same World," Takeru chimed in, though it came out in a strangely distant tone.

Sora and Yamato both turned to him in question.

The younger boy shifted uncomfortably, as if he hadn't intended to be heard in the first place. Too late to back out, though, and so he allowed himself only a moment to properly gather his thoughts before motioning towards outside. They followed his gaze, eyes scanning over the exact same foliage and flora they'd been staring at since they arrived.

"I noticed it when Hikari-chan and I were talking back," Takeru continued on while they looked. Waiting for them to see it. "Though, to be honest, I'm surprised we didn't realize it sooner."

"Realize what?"

"There aren't any shadows."

Takeru could see the moment it truly sunk in. That slow realization dawning in both their eyes, which subsequently widened before they both turned back to take another look. Sure enough, while the light of day indicated sometime prior to sunset, there was no actual sun. No single source of light from above. And, just as Takeru said, there were no shadows anywhere on the ground.

It was just...light. Dim, but present. From nowhere.

"But that doesn't make sense!" Sora exclaimed, drawing the attention of the rest of the group. Even Mimi was jostled awake.

Yamato, meanwhile, only sighed. "I don't even think I have it in me to be surprised anymore."

o*0*o

He was taken underground. Somewhere that must have been near an ocean, because he could swear he heard the sound of waves crashing against a shore. The smell of salt, too, was heavy in the air, and as they entered the long, dark hallway, the ground beneath his sneakers was soft with moisture.

"Nice place," he muttered sarcastically.

His companion didn't seem to notice, or if he did, didn't care.

Subconsciously, Koushiro pulled at the strap of his computer bag, securing it higher on his shoulder. He was starting to regret his earlier decision to follow. All this humidity couldn't have been good for his computer. Though set in sleep mode, it was still turned on. Still running. And he was fairly positive the bag itself wasn't waterproof.

Did Digital Moisture even work the same as Real World Moisture? The thought entered his mind as they continued walking, accompanied only by the echo of their own footsteps. Probably so. Maybe. There were oceans and lakes and even hot springs—illusion or no, he had certainly felt clean and refreshed after dippin in one. The water was as real as he. It stood to reason that it would-

"It's just up ahead."

Koushiro really wished the boy would warn him before speaking. At least he didn't trip this time.

There was a light at the end of their tunnel. Literally. Several, in fact, if one counted the multiple rays of light streaming in from the high ceiling separately. Koushiro cranked his neck to get a better view. Natural, judging from the degree of brightness. Cracks in the rock that allowed sunlight to peek through an otherwise vast darkness.

The room itself was nearly vacant, save for what looked like a nest. Complete with four large eggs nestled in the center.

Once he got a better look, his jaw dropped: "Digimon eggs!"

"Digimon eggs?" The boy echoed in question, brows furrowed.

Koushiro should have realized that something was amiss when the boy seemed genuinely confused by the label. For him to have brought Koushiro here, and yet seem so ignorant of something any Guardian should have immediately known about...

For the moment, however, his attention was too captured by the sight before him. Strange, to see them so far from the Village of Beginnings. There was little doubt in his mind they were digimon eggs, of course. They looked exactly as he remembered digimon eggs to look. Except for the markings. Those were unique. Each one different, outlined in black.

Carefully, Koushiro circled around, trying to get a good look from as many angles possible without disturbing the creatures sleeping within.

The first one had a circular center with a wavy line running down the center and triangular rays sticking out at all angles. Though the ones to the left and right stuck out the furthest. The second egg had what looked like an upside-down heart, but one constructed using twin teardrops with circles inside them, the tips just barely touching at the top. The third had a small, circular base surrounded by diamonds and pentagons, with what looked like a tall crown of some kind sticking out of the top.

When he got a good look at the fourth and final symbol—a sideways cross with two missized circles on either end of the horizontal bar—that he realized what he was seeing. Reflexively, a hand rose to his chest, where the Crest of Knowledge had once rested. A shape he could never forget, no matter how drastically its form had been modified.

"Fascinating. It's...this one here?" He motioned to the egg directly in front of him. "It's some sort of combination of the Crests of Knowledge and Reliability." From there, he indicated the other three in successive order. "Courage and Friendship. Love and Purity. Hope and Light. Only..." He frowned at the latter two, head turning from one side to the other to be certain. They were the only symbols that lacked horizontal symmetry, finally allowing him to pinpoint what had seemed to wrong to him at the time. "...only they're reversed. Like they've been flipped upside-down."

To his credit, the strange boy had been a keen observer the entire duration of his explanation. Watching Koushiro's movements in relation to the digimon eggs. Listening intently. For a time, he even seemed to be following along.

"Okay. But what does all that mean?"

Koushiro's lips pressed together in a thin line. He folded his arms across his eyes, eyes closing as he rocked lightly back on the heels of his feet. Wouldn't it have been great if he knew the answer to that? Everything was so strange. Even by Digital World standards. The Eight Crests...only not. Each one combined with a partner, then inverted into four distinct symbols.

Courage and Friendship. Taichi and Yamato. He wondered why that—actually, no, when he thought about it, Koushiro realized that made the most sense out of any. Their respective digimon had been involved in a major Prophecy in the past, and together, and succeeded in taking down VenomMyotismon. To think of them as partners would be logical. Risky, given their history of butting heads constantly, but he could see the benefit to such an arrangement.

Same with Hope and Light. Takeru and Hikari. Only he couldn't even imagine the two younger siblings so much as disagreeing with one another. They'd been equally crucial to the Prophecy, and had even been the last Chosen standing against Piemon. Together. It was a proven match.

The trouble started when he thought about Purity and Love. Not to say the girls weren't close, but thinking of them as partners? Try as he might, he couldn't think of any definitive connection between them. The same with himself and Jou, regardless of their friendship. So what could possibly be the significance of combining...

"Prodigious!"

For once, it was the younger boys' turn to be visibly startled. "Pro-what now?"

"The Prophecy! That's it!"

Not the one about VenomMyotismon. The one he'd received earlier in the day. He should have realized sooner; even the boy had specifically said that his appearance had everything to do with that message. Something within each of the Chosen children's hearts. Yang and Yin. Only four. While it still didn't entirely explain why certain combinations had been made, the pieces were starting to fall into place.

Koushiro grinned widely, turning back with an extremely pleased look on his face. He was always pleased whenever he managed to figure out something new, and this time was no exception.

"What's it?" The boy, meanwhile, wasn't even bothering to feign patience any longer. If anything, Koushiro's grin soured his mood even further; if look could kill... "Look, I brought you here for answers, Knowledge, and thus far, you've given me nothing but a headache. What are you talking about?"

Another piece fell into place. From a different puzzle. Realization dawning on him, the smile slowly faded.

"Shouldn't you...you know...know all of this already?" He eyed the boy with newfound suspicion, awaiting a reaction that would either confirm or deny his theory.

"If I did, do you think I would still be wasting my time?"

Confirmation. "...you're not one of the Guardians, are you?"

This hadn't been a test after all. He was being used for information. Something to do with those eggs, no doubt, and the strange crests engraved on them.

A slow, taunting clap echoed from the entrance of the room. Koushiro's head darted around to find two more boys, both closer to his age, lingering in the doorway. One of them stood upright, eyes obstructed by a pair of dark sunglasses and body enveloped in a large cape. The other, donning a leather and fur jacket and...goggles not unlike the kind Taichi wore...was leaning against the doorframe, legs crossed and wearing a condescending smirk on his face.

"You know," the latter of the two began, straightening his posture. "For someone who's supposed to be the genius of your group, you're kind of slow."

"Like you should be talking," the young boy at Koushiro's side quipped.

"Shut it, Bia."

"Who are you?" Koushiro tensed, taking a step back. Except the movement sent him even further into the room, where there were only solid walls blocking any chance of escape. "What do you want?"

Snorting, the condescending boy took a deliberate step forward. Then another. Each time, gauging just how close he could get before Knowledge dared react. "What makes you think this is all about us? Bit egotistical, wouldn't you say?"

"Like you-"

"I said, shut it, Bia!"

It was the flimsiest of openings, but Koushiro didn't have time to second guess. His heart aching at the mere thought...while the two were busy snapping at one another, he brought his computer bag around and swung it. Hard. A distinct cracking sound was heard upon contact; the sheer force of the blow was enough to send the younger boy sprawling into the approaching one, the pair crashing into the ground in an undignified heap.

From there, Koushiro took off into a sprint for the exit. The remaining figure standing between him and freedom seemed more stunned at the turn of events than anything. Maybe even hesitant. If Koushiro timed this right, he might even be able to slip by.

-only, at the last possible second, he felt a strong grip take hold of his arm. Crying out, he turned to face the boy holding him back. Their eyes made contact.

Everything froze around them.

A light burst from Koushir's chest, warm and purple. Within seconds, it spread until that was all that could be seen around them. The room around them faded away.

o

"I can't believe our class was let go early today!" The lavender-haired girl was literally spinning in her chair, hands thrown up in the air and a wide smile on her face. She went around twice before coming to a halt facing the only other occupant in the room: Ken. "I can't remember the last time I've had a whole hour free."

A whole hour. Ken smiled gently at the sentiment, able to appreciate it as well as anyone. The lives of highly academic students were often spent going from day classes to evening classes to homework. Sometimes, it felt as if his entire social life were based in this very room.

"You sound like you already have a plan."

She leaned forward with a mischievous grin, reaching for his hand. "Of course I have a plan, Ken-kun. And you're coming with me."

"...right. Of course I am." He learned weeks ago that it was simpler than arguing with her whenever she was like this. (Admittedly, more fun too.) "I just need to-"

He was cut off, however, as the computer monitor in front of them turned itself on. Together, they turned with mirroring questioning looks as the screen seemed to get brighter...and brighter...

The last thing either of them heard before the room was engulfed in a blinding light...was the sound of ocean waves in the distance.

o

Ken was the first to pull back, as if Koushiro's touch had physically burned him. He stared with wide eyes. Shades askew. From that distance, it was clear his whole body was trembling. Whatever they had just seen...what both of them had just seen...it had unnerved him greatly.

Another time, another place, Koushiro might have allowed a moment ponder that. But there was no time; the other boys were getting up, judging from the sound of untangling limbs and increasing frequencies in expletives, and the door was wide open.

He took a step back. Then another.

Ken didn't even try to stop him this time.

Sending one last knowing look his way, Koushiro turned and ran out at breakneck speed. The sound of his rapidly retreating footsteps echoed all the way back into the room

Ken stared after the spot he'd been standing in for several seconds. Hypnotized by the sounds of his rapid heart rate and heavy breathing. Feeling the panic slowly rising from within. He barely acknowledged when Daisuke called out to him, wondering what the heck just happened. That was something he was in no mood to explain.

"I'm really starting to get sick of this," he heard Bia growl.

"You? This was your mission. Your screwup. I can't wait to hear—HOLY SHIT!"

That drew Ken's attention; he spun around to see what Daisuke was screaming about now.

At some point during his efforts to get up, one of the boy's hands had come to rest along the edge of the nest. Either his fingers brushed against the egg, or else his close proximity had been enough. Whatever the specifics, the egg representing Courage and Friendship (or whatever the warped equivalent was) was glowing. A dark, iridescent black that no longer looked solid.

The three boys watched in silent bewilderment as it began to grow. Bigger and Bigger. Outline twisting and warping until:

"...WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!"

o*0*o

Koushiro ran. He ran until his muscles burned and he thought he would pass out from a lack of oxygen. Then he kept running. Heading in the first direction that seemed right. The glow in his chest had faded by that point. As far as he knew; he hadn't exactly stopped long enough to look down since he reached the surface.

It was getting dark. Maybe. The skies overhead had morphed into a strange shade of purple. Like the beginning of a sunset's impending finale, only...all at once. There were no signs of any oranges or reds, or blues or blacks on the opposite side. There was no sun to set. No singular source of light. It was just...an even balance.

The ultimate twilight hour.

That's when it happened. His feet caught on an uneven patch of dirt, and after several near-misses, he found himself reunited with the ground. Face to face. Literally. For several seconds after, he contemplated just staying there. Not moving. It seemed so easy. All he had to do was not move. What would even be the point of moving? He didn't know where he was. He had no idea if his poor PineApple book had survived that earlier blow. And, to top it all off, he didn't have a single clue as to where any of his friends-

"Koushiro?"

...

...there were moments—rare, but notable—when he was so incredibly happy to be proven wrong.

Just in case his mind was playing tricks on him, he slowly lifted his head. No, that was definitely Sora standing at the entrance of that cave there. Not a hallucination. Though he wasn't sure why he would have hallucinated Sora, of all people, so really, her being more than just a voice in his head made perfect sense to him. About as much sense at the two different mops of unruly blonde hair standing behind her. Yamato and Takeru, no doubt.

"You called?" he responded weakly, forcing a smile.

One of the blonde heads turned around and shouted something further into the cave. Soon after, more heads began to appear. Mimi. Jou. Taichi. Hikari. The entire crew. There were all right there, like they had been waiting for him. Each crying out his name in mixtures of surprise and relief...although, none could quite match the emotions he felt swelling within at the sight of them all.

He made a mental note to not cry. Not in front of them.

Slowly pushing himself into a slumped seated position, he lifted a hand and waved. "...hi?"

"Koushiro-kun, where the heck have you been?!" Mimi's voice rose above the din. He wasn't sure whether to recoil back or laugh.

"It's a long story," he sighed.

Takeru muttered something that was too low for him to fully make out. Though he could have sworn it sounded something like been there.

Before long, there was a crowd gathering around him. Jou, ever as reliable as his crest's namesake, was the first to reach his side. Eyes scanning him for signs of injury. Only mostly satisfied when he found none. Strangely enough, it was Hikari who came to kneel at his other side. The girl looked considerably better than the last time he'd seen her. Good. He would have hated to see her suffer the same way she had when they were younger.

Her arms gently wrapped around his, helping to guide him to his feet. Minimal as the height difference between them was—not to mention, unlike Sora and Mimi, the fact that he thought of her too much as Taichi's little sister—he knew he could partially lean on her for support without any awkwardness.

"Are you hurt?" She asked him.

"Only my pride," he smiled down at her in a manner he hoped was reassuring.

"You didn't, by any chance, run into a mysterious drowning girl who tried to make out with you along the way?" Yamato spoke up. Smirking.

Koushiro had a strong feeling he'd missed something.

Much to his surprise, it was Jou who flushed red. "You guys are never going to let that one go, are you?"

...yeah, he definitely missed something.

"Umm, guys?" Sora tried to get their attention.

It didn't work. Taichi was wearing an expression nearly identical to Yamato's. Clearly in on whatever joke they were absolutely going to have to tell Koushiro about later: "Never."

"We want to savor that story." Yamato continued, really rubbing it in. "And treasure it for years and years."

"...guys..."

"I mean, when are we ever going to get this opportunity again?" Taichi looked about two seconds away from bursting into laughter.

Jou looked like he could have blended right in with Mimi's wardrobe.

"Sounds like you guys have been having fun without me," Koushiro chuckled, not even upset at the thought.

He and Hikari slowly made their way to a stand as he alternated his gaze between Taichi and Yamato. Wondering who would spill the beans first, and not wanting to miss a single second of it. He didn't even want to think about the condition he must have been in right then. If Mimi had yet to say anything, he wouldn't let it bother him. Much. Grime inside, his clothing felt like it was still intact. Warm enough to continue shielding him from-

An ear-piercing whistle rang through the air, drawing everyone's undivided attention.

"Thank you," Sora stated dryly, looking slightly exasperated. After a pause to make sure everyone was looking at her, she redirection their attention by pointing with one finger. "Now, is it just me...or are those two glowing?"

It took Koushiro half a second to realize she was pointing at him. He looked down. Sure enough, there was a faint aura not unlike what he had seen back at that underground lair. Only softer. And more red—no, not red. Pink. An even balance of the purple hue representing his Knowledge Crest...and the pink of Hikari's Light.

He looked over at the girl still holding onto his arm. Sure enough, she was radiating the exact same pinkish-purple. Or purplish-pink. The girl's eyes were wide, alternating between Koushiro and her brother in silent question. Neither of them had an answer.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out, Chosen."

A new voice. Unfamiliar. Yet...not unfriendly either. It was coming from behind; simultaneously, the entire group turned to see...

"Definitely not Gennai," Mimi stated the obvious.

The figure chuckled softly. A low, feminine chuckle. Beyond that, it was difficult to ascertain any discerning features. Long, flowing robes enveloped her(?) completely, with a hood falling past her eyes. Tied at the wait by a single, golden chord. Koushiro was struck by the similarities between her outfit and the one that had been worn by the boy, the only difference being that hers seemed...brighter.

When she moved, the hem seemed to flow around her like water. As if she were floating rather than walking. Her path took her directly in the middle of the group. They gradually parted to make way. She acknowledged the silent gesture with a nod of her head, but the majority of her focus seemed to be on Hikari and Koushiro.

They stared up at her with twin expressions of awe.

"Who are you?" Taichi flinched as the stranger got close to his sister. It was Yamato who kept him restrained, a hand gripping the other boy's arm tightly.

"I am the one who has the answers you seek." She momentarily turned back to face him. A thought occurred to her, and she added with some personal amusement: "Or, more specifically, a way for you to get those answers."

"And you waited until now to make an appearance?" Yamato, too, was tense. Hikari might not have been his sister, but he felt a certain protective nature over her as well. And Koushiro was one of his closest friends. If this person had any notions of harming either of them, he wouldn't hesitate to let Taichi go. And he wouldn't regret it, either.

"I could not do it alone. I needed your help." She turned back to the glowing pair. A hand appeared from each of her oversized sleeves, pointing at Koushiro and Hikari, respectively. "I needed the Knowledge of this world telling me the path to take...and the Light to guide me along."

Takeru, silent until that point, let out an audible gasp. His eyes searched for Sora's; judging from the look on her face, she had come to the exact same conclusion. The Light to guide... Just as it had been down in the sewers, with the Numamon. When, somehow, the power of Hikari's Crest had shown them exactly where they'd been needed most.

Suddenly, Taichi let out a cry: "Wait—!"

The hooded woman had placed a single index finger on both Hikari and Koushir's foreheads. Inhaling sharply, the two of them closed their eyes as twin lights erupted from the spots where skin made contact. So bright that the rest of the Chosen had to momentarily shield their eyes.

When it was safe to look, the woman had disappeared.

It was like a spell had been broken. Feet previously rooted to the spot rushed to their respective sides. Jou placed a concerned hand on Koushiro's shoulder, while Taichi broke free of Yamato's grip to wrap his sister in a tight hug. She returned it, thought with far less intensity. In fact, when he pulled back, she was smiling.

"It's alright, oniichan," she looked up at him, then over at Koushiro.

His expression mirrored hers, nodding in confirmation: "We know where to go."