Thank you for everyone's feedback on this chapter. I edited it to make it just a little cleaner, but nothing actually changed that would cause you to need to read it again.


The atmosphere in the Izumi apartment was tense.

"Alright, Koushiro, why exactly couldn't this wait until tomorrow?" Yamato growled.

He ignored the nervous look on the computer genius' face. There was probably not a single person present who believed that the lateness of the meeting was the cause for his ire. Takeru placed a hand his arm, most likely trying to stop him from throttling someone.

"Just listen to what he has to say, Yamato, before biting his head off. He's being more careful about this than you think," Taichi came up beside his irritated friend. When he did not reply, Taichi nodded at the redhead to continue.

Koushiro sent Taichi a grateful smile.

"I understand your concern, Yamato. Please let me explain," He took a moment to look around at those that had managed to come over on such short notice. "When Blakwargreymon was created, it caused the structural integrity of the digital barrier to fluctuate. The lines between worlds are fragile as it is, and in some places, they were weakened dangerously. Dozens of thin spots popped up on my scanner. Places where the fabric of the digital world was distorted."

Ken looked wary.

"There must be more worlds than just the ones we know of. If the barrier is thin enough, could a creature from another world break through?"

Yamato did not like the idea of that in the least. The destruction Myotismon had unleashed on their world was heavy on his mind. The last thing they needed was a new, unknown creature wreaking havoc. The digital world was damaged enough as it was.

Koushiro crossed his arms and shook his head.

"Its not as easy as something or someone just breaking through the barrier with brute force. So don't worry about that. There has to be some connection made between the worlds in order for an entity to move from one world to another. We had to be given the digivices before we could enter the ditigal world, right? And we can't get in without having them on us each time. I'm not expecting an invasion or anything.

"I've been monitoring the weak spots in the barrier since Blackwargreymon's presence started forming them. For the most part, they have been closing up and healing on their own. There were a couple that did not seem to be doing so, and I became worried about there being permanent damage to the barrier. Taichi and I went and checked them out in person earlier this week."

Wait, what the heck? They'd known something was happening for over a week and no one had said anything to him? Yamato shot a betrayed glare at Taichi. Beside him, Takeru seemed startled as well.

"Hey, you had bigger things to deal with. Its not like the weak spots were doing anything," Taichi defended, eyeing Yamato pointedly.

He deflated, wrapping an arm more securely around Takeru's shoulders.

"Fine. I've been distracted…"

"No one is blaming you, Yamato. We don't even know if we can do anything about them." Koushiro reassured him.

Daisuke piped up from next to Ken on the couch.

"Wait, so if nothing is coming through, and we can't do anything about these distortion spots… why are we even here? What's the problem?"

Takeru pushed closer to Yamato, Patamon listening raptly from his spot in his little brother's arms.

"I was getting to that. So, like I said, Taichi and I went to some of these weak spots. I was able to run scans on them and they indeed were healing like the others, albeit at a much slower rate. Everything seemed stable. I honestly put them out of my mind for a few days. This morning I checked and there was only one left. Only this one that had barely changed over the last two weeks. It made me uncomfortable, and when I checked back in on it an hour ago… my computer was picking up an increase in energy in the distortion."

Jyou put his hands on the back of the couch.

"What do you mean?"

Koushiro pushed his laptop away from himself on the tabletop, standing up and scratching at his head in frustration.

"See, here's the thing. The digital scanner can pick up where the distortions are, how weak the barrier has become, and if there is an increasing or decreasing amount of energy at the site. But nothing more than that. No information about what is causing it. What on the other side is putting so much energy into trying to get through. Because that's the only thing I can think of; it's like something is trying to push through the barrier into the digital world. But it doesn't work like that. There has to be a connection first. By all logic, it should be completely safe to go there and take another look at it."

There was an apprehensive silence. Yamato felt like everyone was doing their best not to look in their direction.

"That's why you want me to check it out, right?" His little brother asked. It came out quiet, but it was clear everyone heard.

They all turned to look back at him. Jyou's brow was furrowed in worry. Hikari kept glancing back and forth between Takeru and her own brother. Ken was biting his lip. Daisuke alone looked only generally curious.

Koushiro's face was tight.

"I'm sorry to ask this of you, Takeru. The scanner can only do so much. I'm not expecting you to be able to look at it and suddenly know everything. But if there's anything you can feel from it, if its benign or malicious… at this point any information is better than what we have."


"If its perfectly safe for him to take a look at this thing, why are there so many of us?"

Takeru cringed at the suspicious tone to his brother's voice. One by one they used Koushiro's desk computer to enter the digital world. Koushiro himself came through last, clutching his laptop to his chest. The moment his feet touched the ground he had it open, fingers clicking away at the keyboard.

If the situation were different, Takeru would admit that he was miffed about how easy it was for his group to go back and forth between the worlds now. He had seen dozens of TVs scattered across the digital world in his journey to get home. He hadn't given them any more thought than he did the vending machines and other miscellaneous technological items that often dotted the landscape.

Instead, Takeru was more focused on the weak waves of darkness twisting through the trees.

"Because I'm not an idiot, Yamato. Even if logic says there should be nothing to worry about, I'm not exactly ignorant to how we all feel about Takeru doing this. We just got him back. I didn't quite expect to get eight of us on a Friday night with no notice, but I'm for sure not going to complain of having too much backup if, however unlikely, something goes wrong."

His brother humphed.

Koushiro did not have to tell him what direction to go.

They made their way through the trees slowly, their digimon surrounding them. As much as Takeru understood the desire to get information, he found himself repeating his brother's sentiment from earlier. Why couldn't this wait until morning? It was dark in the forest. The moon was close to full, casting odd shadows through the leaves and onto the uneven ground. Even having spent hundreds of nights in the digital world, Takeru was stressed.

Tailmon seemed to glow in the spotty moonlight in front of them.

He gave Patamon a squeeze.

Though there was nothing visible, Takeru could tell there was darkness, different from the kind caused by the lack of sunlight. It sunk to the forest floor, thick around his ankles. He had felt much worse, darkness sharp and brittle, prickling at him as they tried to escape. The darkness here was strange, cool and moist. It felt like it was a mist, eddying around their feet as they walked, kicking up behind them.

The chosen of hope peeked around him, curious about the others. Jyou seemed as cautious as could be expected of a person creeping through the woods at night. Gommamon patted his arm now and then, whispering encouragement. Koushiro periodically popped his laptop open, throwing unusual shadows over his face and the trees. Tentomon buzzed contentedly at his side, seemingly unaffected by their near silent trek. Daisuke and Taichi marched confidently through the sparse undergrowth, once in a while muttering about the stupid rocks they kept stubbing their toes on. Off to the side, Agumon and V-mon giggled at their partners' tempers.

Yamato was at his elbow, walking so closely they kept knocking into each other. Takeru was hardly bothered.

It was Ken and Hikari who really caught his attention. The chosen of light stuck close to her brother, rubbing at her arms. At a glance one would think she was cold, but occasionally she swiped a hand down her arm and shook her fingers, like she was flicking water away. Her face was pale in the starlight, eyes drawn far off into the wood. Likewise, it was hard to tell if it was the light washing Ken's face white like that, or if he too could feel the wrongness of the darkness now swirling around their legs. The chosen of kindness seemed reluctant to follow, having to speed up periodically to stop from being left behind.

Takeru wondered about the two of them.

They walked on.

It was the sudden pins and needles in his toes that made him stop. Takeru looked down, as if he could see the cause. There was nothing there. Just the grass and his new shoes. The boy swallowed thickly. His pants felt damp from the knees down. Even the air above that had started taking on a dank, cloying sensation. A breeze blew in, and Takeru was disturbed at the sickly sour taste it brought to the back of his throat.

Yamato stopped with him, looking down in open concern.

"Hey guys, stop. Teeks, what's the matter?"

It was familiar.

The group paused around him, Hikari grabbing her brother's hand.

Takeru's heart thumped heavily in his chest.

"It… I don't… I don't want to go any further," He breathed.

"You don't have to," His brother said firmly, putting a hand on his shoulder. It felt clammy even through his sweatshirt.

"Is there something here, Takeru? We aren't far from the distortion," Koushiro was saying. The others gathered a little closer, looking around in apprehension. The digimon were on guard.

Takeru knew this kind of darkness.

He shook his head weakly, not really listening.

"Takeru?" His brother murmured.

Patamon looked up, small face serious.

"It smells like Dakuyagimon."

Takeru's breathing sped up. Patamon was right. He took a shaky step back. Tried to blink unwanted images out of his head.

"Onii-chan, I want to-"

Even if Hikari's scream hadn't cut him off, he doubted he would have finished his sentence. Ken dropped Wormmon and fell to his knees, clutching his head.

Takeru staggered back, feeling like his heart had stopped, his eyes wide and fixed on something he could not see.

Huge eyes saw them. Menacing. Powerful. Predatory. Dangerous eyes pinned him in place with terror. They loomed over the boy as if he were nothing. A speck. He wanted to run. To hide. Anything to get it to stop looking at him!

The older kids were yelling. Trying to understand. The digmon evolved, throwing flashing shadows everywhere.

But there was nothing to fight.

Hikari was crying, Taichi wrapped around her like he could shield her from the terror he himself didn't feel.

Yamato was in front of him, calling his name. Hands squeezed his upper arms firmly.

Takeru looked right through him. The pressure was building. His heart pounded wildly in his chest. He could not escape. He felt himself shaking, the darkness rearing up in the forest in front of him like a giant wave. A hand. It would reach out. It would have them.

Takeru shrieked as the darkness raced toward them.

No.

Golden light flared in front of them, raging high into the trees and through the forest. The darkness plowed into the light but was repelled, weakening and retreating.

For a moment Takeru couldn't move, then the spell broke.

The chosen of hope gasped at the intense relief that washed over him. He sagged against Yamato, the weight of the eyes off him at last. The humid, sour air cleared almost immediately, brisk autumn smells returning. Takeru was so warm. Warm and dry and not chilled in soggy clothes. He hugged his older brother like a lifeline. Yamato held him close enough that he could hear the teen's rapid heartbeat.

"What the HELL just happened?" Daisuke cried.

Takeru lifted his head.

Angemon was curled around the two of them, Garurumon facing the direction of the distortion. Past them, Taichi was on his knees in the grass. Hikari was pressed tight to his chest, eyes wide in awe, yet tears still dripped off her chin. Angewomon hovered over the siblings. Ken looked like he was going to be sick, Daisuke's arm slung over his shoulders. Wormmon rubbed a claw on his knee comfortingly. Jyou looked around at the distressed chosen anxiously, not sure whom he should be helping first.

Koushiro slowly picked his laptop out of the dirt.

"I don't…I don't know," He paused, eyes roving the screen. "That was the biggest energy spike so far. But I don't understand what happened. You stopped, and then Hikari screamed, you guys were obviously terrified, but I -I didn't see anything at all. Only that flash just now. What…"

He looked up sharply at Takeru.

"What did your crest react to?"

Takeru stood up, not remembering having fallen to his knees. He looked down. His crest was blazing with light under his shirt. Its energy rushed through him, both invigorating and exhausting. He did not want to answer Koushiro. How could he describe what he had felt?

He didn't have to.

"It's the dark ocean…" Ken moaned into his hands. "I've been dreaming about it for weeks."

Hikari inhaled sharply. When it looked like she wasn't going to say anything further, Taichi fixed her with a firm stare.

"I- I think I have been too," She admitted quietly. "I didn't know for sure that's what it was, but it felt the same just now…"

There was a pause.

Takeru wrung his fingers. These two seemed to have more intimate knowledge of this darkness than he did. Holyangemon's portal opened there, yes, but it had always looked like such an awful place that they had never even entertained the idea of investigating further. But if they were right, and that corruption and darkness was from the dark ocean… why did it remind him of Dakuyagimon?

The chosen of hope dared to look back in the direction of the distortion. His crest had pushed the darkness back, yes, but already he could feel it oozing back in their direction.

Yamato seemed to read his mind.

"We can talk whatever this is out somewhere else. Let's get the hell out of here before something else happens."


Everyone was shaken, sitting around Koushiro's bedroom in the wake of Ken's story.

"You've actually been to the dark ocean? Did you see any creatures while you were there? Anything that could help us understand what could be happening?" Koushiro asked tersely. "The way you all described eyes staring at you gives the impression that there is something living there that wants to get out."

Ken clenched trembling hands in his lap.

"There was… There was nothing. It was just beach. As far as I could see. My memory back then is really fuzzy, but I don't remember seeing anything alive."

"And neither of you have seen anything in your dreams?" The chosen of knowledge pressed, getting pushback in the form of a warning look from Taichi.

Ken shook his head.

"I never see much of anything. I'm just running, but I keep falling in the sand and the waves splash me. It- it doesn't sound so bad… but there is an overwhelming feeling of fear the whole time. Like I'm going to get caught," He sighed lowly, Daisuke patting his back.

Hikari sipped her cup of water slowly. She had surprised them all by being the one to get sick when they got back, despite how green Ken had been.

"There's no one in mine either. But, I'm not at the beach. I think I'm…I'm in a cage. There's water all over the place, and I can't see the sky… The water starts coming higher, but I always wake up before anything really happens. I don't see how that's helpful." She said breathlessly.

Takeru flinched when Koushiro addressed him.

"You haven't had any nightmares about this place? You're sure?"

The blond boy wanted everyone to stop looking at him like that.

He shook his head, not looking at anyone in return. The warmth of his crest had faded before they reached the TV, leaving him tired and wanting nothing more than to bury himself in a mountain of blankets. He couldn't get the memory of the sour air out of his head. Or the feeling of being watched.

The chosen of hope pressed his face into Patamon's fur. If the others were still talking, he let the words go in one ear and out the other. He should be listening, but all he could hear was screaming ringing in his ears and Dakuyagimon's roar. Takeru wanted to go home. Now that that was possible, he wanted to go.

He wasn't sure if he had nodded off, but Yamato's hand was suddenly brushing through his hair. His brother's soft voice was close to his ear,

"Teeks, we're going now, okay? We're all going to meet up tomorrow and figure this out."

Takeru lifted tired eyes to his onii-chan's own stressed face.

"Come on, lets get to bed. Its past eleven," He helped Takeru get to his feet, taking Patamon from him and letting the little digimon sit on his own shoulder instead.

Koushiro's voice floated out from the bedroom as the group dispersed.

"I'm sorry…"


Takeru squeezed his eyes shut and pressed himself as close to Yamato as he could. They were curled together on the bottom bunk, both Patamon and Gabumon at the end of the bed. He was so tired, but he doubted he would be sleeping anytime soon. His mind was going a million miles an hour, and none if his thoughts were positive or productive.

He felt his brother's jaw move on top of his head when he broke the silence.

"Who's Dakuyagimon?"

Takeru held his breath. There was no way on earth Yamato would believe he was sleeping. There was no getting out of answering.

He swallowed, forcing his mind away from the smell of smoke.

"The digimon… the one I said where things went bad. When Holyangemon evolved."

Yamato pulled the blankets higher around him. He understood Takeru's tone. That story was for another day.

Takeru frowned as a new thought niggled at him. He had no idea if Yamato even had an answer for it, but he'd never find out if he didn't ask.

"Onii-chan?"

"Hmm?"

"Why did only my crest react? Doesn't Hikari have the crest of light? I would have thought her's would act first…"

Yamato's resigned reply sent his mind reeling.

"We don't have our crests anymore."

Takeru was defintely not going to sleep tonight.


Episode 13 of Adventure 02 never happened here, so none of the kids really know anything about the dark ocean. Hikari was not pulled in. Ken is really the only one who knows of it, seeing as he was there and it changed his digivice. Takeru only knows of it as that nasty place that feels yucky on the other side of Holyangemon's portal.

I don't know if anyone else has ever felt in inexplicable terror of feeling like something invisible is looking at you. I did my best. To be clear, none of the kids saw anything. Hikari and Ken were of course uncomfortable and felt the eyes, but only Takeru got the whole deal. Which is why its his POV.

I feel a little bad for Koushiro. He seriously thought it would be safe. Should he have waited till morning? Probably. Would it have changed what happened? Absolutely not.

I really should be jumping with joy. Tsubasa Hane favorited this story. I'm going to have a fangirl stroke.