a/n: I want to rename this story, "A Fic in Which Everyone is Running." Or perhaps, "A Story Where the Chosen's Education Means Nothing Because They're All Skipping."

I'm kidding. XD Thanks to everyone for reading and for your lovely comments, faves, and follows despite my lack of updates! And speaking of education, special shout out to Green Spaghetti! This chapter is dedicated to you, for all the hard work you did in GRADUATING COLLEGE GOOD JOB FREN I LOVE YOU, YOU DID ITTTTTTT!


Ch 08 || Illusory

[1 March 2004; 10:01 a.m.]

They're at Takeru's apartment now, and Takeru is sitting at the counter, one leg bouncing anxiously, feeling incredibly small and feeble, while Daisuke stands in front of him with his arms crossed.

"You can't be serious," Daisuke says, eyes wide and glistening with a strange mixture of horror and disbelief. It is an expression that looks foreign on his face. Daisuke is free-spirited, upbeat, energetic. Bad vibes usually roll off him like rivulets of water. He always bounces back. Nothing sticks.

Except today, he's collecting it all like dust, whole body seeming heavy under its weight, eyes looking like they belong to someone much older, much wiser.

"You are serious," Daisuke persists when he does not speak. "This has been happening for weeks? And you didn't tell us?"

"...I told Hikari," Takeru whispers quietly. He feels dumb. Like he did something wrong. Like he should not have said anything at all. But it's too late—he's already spilled it out to Daisuke; he can't take it back. He can't make Daisuke forget any of it.

Part of him is relieved. Daisuke really saw what Takeru saw. This proves he isn't crazy. It's true—he did tell Hikari of his experiences on Friday afternoon. Hikari knew about these things because of what Takeru had said, but Daisuke knew firsthand.

But the other part feels guilty and upset. The only reason Daisuke is with him now was because he did not want to leave Takeru by himself when he was running earlier. Daisuke is a good friend—he does not leave friends alone if he knows something is up. But now Daisuke's mixed up in Takeru's problems. They are in far too deep. What would have happened if the creature had touched Daisuke, and not Takeru? He would have been hurt, for sure.

Daisuke leans against the kitchen table with a weary sigh. "Look, dude, I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you. I just—you saw that thing! It wanted to hurt you. I don't want to see you get hurt."

Takeru hums in response, offering a hollow smile at the irony, but keeps his gaze lowered. "...that's why."

"What's why?"

"Why I didn't tell you, or anyone else," Takeru explains, voice still quiet. "I didn't know if it was dangerous, and I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

Daisuke frowns. "You're such a hypocrite."

Takeru blinks. "Me?"

"You don't want anything to happen to your friends, but your life is totally disposable," he continues, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "What if I hadn't been there? What if Patamon and Tailmon hadn't been there? Who knows what would've happened to you!"

Takeru winces slightly. Daisuke is starting to sound like Onii-san. "That's... that's not what I meant," he says meekly, looking once again at the floor as though it can read his mind and open up to swallow him, just so he doesn't have to face any more confrontation. "I just... didn't know what it was, and I didn't want to pull everyone into it if wasn't a big deal."

"It's a big deal if it scares you enough to run out of the school," Tailmon says, speaking for the first time since they arrived at Takeru's apartment.

Patamon, sitting beside him on the countertop, produces a sound of agreement and concern. "She's right, Takeru. You can't say it doesn't scare you."

Again Takeru looks down, fingers absentmindedly rubbing the back of his hands just to give them something to do. A slight sting makes him stop, and Takeru is reminded that barely two hours before now, he had skidded against pavement and tore up his hands. There is a familiar, dull thrum in his head, and his shoulder feels as though he has an awful sunburn. He purposely avoids glancing at it. Doesn't want to see the damage.

Seeing Takeru's anxious, tight expression, Patamon crawls forward and places a tiny paw on Takeru's arm, trying to console him. Tailmon, too, is attempting to meet his gaze, but she is unsuccessful. Takeru refuses to look at either of them.

Because this has escalated so much, and in such a little amount of time. And while he is relieved that Daisuke had seen the creatures haunting him, it also leaves him incredibly puzzled. Just why was he able to see them? Patamon was with him in Ken's room during his birthday party, and he hadn't seen a thing. He wasn't alone in the library at school, either. What makes today so special?

Is it because this is the first time that thing had made physical contact with him? Because it hurt him? Maybe it let its guard down, and that's how Daisuke was able to see it. Or perhaps it takes a lot of energy for the monster to conceal itself, and it used a lot of energy to touch him?

I'm not doing anything but confusing myself now, he thinks, chewing the inside of his lip. I have no idea what these things are and how they work. I wish I had a brain like Koushiro's.

"What do you want to do now, Takeru?" Tailmon's voice is cautious and quiet, but it pulls him from his thoughts nonetheless.

Takeru pauses thoughtfully. His gaze instinctively finds his mother's computer desk, and he remembers that all his pain vanished when he and Hikari went to the digital world. Spending the rest of the day without this nauseating headache is not unappealing to him.

Daisuke follows his gaze, every hint of frustration having left his face in favor of confusion. He gives a voice to the question both of the digimon are wondering: "What're you thinking?"

"Maybe..." He trails off, hesitant. "...do you feel like going to the digital world?"

Daisuke looks bewildered again, for a few brief moments. But recognition clicks in Tailmon's eyes. "You think that will make those monsters go away?"

"It did before," Takeru answers with a half shrug, biting back a wince when the action causes pain to shoot through the expanse of his shoulder and neck.

Tailmon's eyes narrow suspiciously once more, not failing to notice his grimace. "We should look at that shoulder of yours."

"Maybe we should bring some bandages or something," Patamon suggests, big worried eyes not leaving Takeru's face.

Takeru pauses again, considering. Perhaps bringing medical supplies is a smart idea. But he isn't sure what he has on hand, and part of him thinks that the pain will go away eventually. It probably isn't bad enough to warrant first-aid. His headache vanished completely the moment he were transported to the digital world with—

"Hikari," he breathes out, eyes widening slowly. Of course. He still hadn't answered her message from earlier. What if she's worried? Guilt sits heavy on his shoulders, and he feels like he is sinking. He hurries to fish his d-terminal out of his pocket. "We left Hikari in class."

Daisuke raises a critical brow. "I thought you said you told her what was going on."

"I told her what happened on Friday," he corrects, pulling up a new draft to type out a message. "I didn't—she doesn't know what happened just—"

"Oh. Crap." Daisuke's eyes have blown wide now, mirroring Takeru's almost exactly. "So she's..."

"She's still at school waiting for me to reply."

"Hey, don't feel too bad," Daisuke assures, his expression now going soft. "It happened so fast. We weren't exactly thinking of we were going to tell after we saw that... thing."

"But I made a promise," Takeru persists, looking back up at him, fingers hovering motionless over the keyboard of his d-terminal. "I told her I'd tell her if something happened again..."

Memories of their most recent encounter with those shadow monsters surface in Takeru's mind. In successive flashes, he sees the explosion of color, the creatures walking toward him sluggishly, the white-hot hand on his shoulder. And before that, when it was sitting outside Yamato's bedroom window, lurking like an animal stalking its prey. A shiver crawls up his spine as he recalls the blood-red tint of the sky that night...

He still hasn't told Hikari about this weekend.

I broke my promise.

"Hey," Daisuke says suddenly, lifting him from his reverie. His eyes are uncharacteristically stern. "Have you... did you see it again, between Friday and now?"

It's like he read his mind. Takeru swallows with difficulty, tensing ever so slightly. Tailmon and Patamon are looking at him with patient curiosity, awaiting his response.

Well. It's not like he can lie. Takeru's hand comes up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Yes and no."

Patamon expels a sound similar to a whimper, and there's no mistaking the hurt glistening in his eyes. "I was there with you. Why didn't you tell me you saw something?"

"It didn't... it didn't come to me, exactly," Takeru hurries to explain, trying to erase the pain reflecting in his partner's gaze. "It was just outside, waiting. Watching. For some reason, it couldn't come near me when Onii-san was with me. And... and my headache wasn't there. I thought... I didn't tell you because I thought that we were safe."

It's a pitiful excuse. Now, with Yamato far away from him, probably sitting in class at this very moment, Takeru's headaches have returned and so have the monsters. The worried expression on his brother's face is permanently etched into his memory. Another wave of fresh guilt sweeps over him, causing his stomach to twist uncomfortably.

When was the last time Takeru truly felt completely safe?

I'm sorry I left you, Onii-san.

"It stalked you?" Daisuke wonders aloud, looking stunned. "What does it want with you, anyway?"

"I have no idea," Takeru confesses, body deflating in defeat. The d-terminal sits limp in his hands. "That's what I've been trying to figure out. It started out of nowhere."

There's a pause, stretched out too long. Long enough for Takeru to space out, focusing only on his throbbing head, on his erratic heartbeat. His words are undeniably and hauntingly true. They've been tormenting him for a while now, and Takeru has not even solved one piece of this horrifying puzzle. What if he is running out of time?

Suddenly Tailmon is leaping to the floor, startling him out of his thoughts. "Well. Just sitting here isn't doing much good. I am going to find Hikari, and I'll meet you guys in the digital world. I'll fill her in. Go on."

Takeru simply stares for a second, as does Daisuke. But her tone leaves no room for an argument, and in moments Daisuke is making his way toward Takeru's apartment door to let her out. When he returns, he says, "Well, you heard her. We should get going."

Patamon pushes himself into the air, nodding grimly. "Let's go, Takeru."

Takeru looks down at his d-terminal, almost reluctant. Even if Tailmon catches Hikari up to speed, it doesn't change the fact that he broke his promise. Maybe he should send her a quick message...?

"Hey," Daisuke says, a hand coming down to rest on his shoulder—his unscathed one—and he flashes him a familiar, cheeky grin. "We'll send messages after we're through the portal. Sound good?"

Patamon looks at him encouragingly, which gives Takeru the strength he so desperately needs. "Sounds good."


[10:26 a.m.]

Takeru's cheek brushes against the shimmering grass blades, lying on his stomach, breathing in the many perfumes of the digital world. Just like it had been on Friday afternoon, it's warm—a stark contrast to the awful wintry chills claiming the city of Odaiba. It's lush and beautiful, and he thinks to himself that this is the only place where true safety exists as of late.

Which is ironic, really. Because there are millions of monsters, malevolent and not, that call this world their home. He'd spent countless nights as a seven-year-old wondering how him and his friends were going to survive each day due to the many threats they faced. Being the naïve child he was, the word danger did not mean much... until they had all been separated that first time. He did not think he would really be in trouble until he and Patamon were isolated from their group of friends.

Face buried in the grass, Takeru sighs inwardly. No. He doesn't need such negative memories tugging at his mind. For the first time in days, Takeru can relax. His eyes drift shut, and he just lies there, inhaling and exhaling deeply, basking in the wave of peace that washes over him.

He doesn't want the moment to end.

"Takeru... we need to let the others know that we're here."

And the moment has ended.

Takeru peels blue eyes open again, turning to face Daisuke after the words are spoken. Barely five minutes ago, he had agreed to do this, but now he is dreading it. For no reason, he should add, because he knows that his friends will only want to help. He just has a feeling that dragging more people into this mess isn't a good idea, and he isn't sure why.

"I suppose, yeah," he murmurs despite his conflicting thoughts. The only two people he really wants to talk to about this predicament are his brother and Hikari. Roping in people who are only vaguely involved feels wrong.

"Good. 'Cause I just sent an e-mail out to everyone," Daisuke says.

This makes Takeru jolt upward, looking back at his friend with a stunned expression. "What?"

"What do you mean, 'What?' You said that's what we do!"

"I know, it's just..." He trails off, feeling uneasy. "How am I explain something to the others when I don't really know what's going on myself?"

Daisuke falls quiet here, seeming pensive. Once again, it's an expression that Daisuke does not wear often, so seeing such a look cross his features is odd. Seeing Daisuke so solemn only adds to his anxiety.

Fingers curling into the grass, Takeru swallows the lump in his throat and asks, "What did you say?"

"I said there was an S.O.S.," he says simply.

Takeru's stomach knots. "What if that makes them worry?"

"They should be worried," Daisuke counters. "Did you forget that nasty look that thing gave you when it attacked us? It wanted blood, Takeru. Are we seriously going to have this conversation again?"

"He's not wrong," Patamon quips softly. "We need all of their help. You can't do this alone. Did you already forget about your shoulder?"

Takeru blinks all of a sudden. How could he have forgotten about such a wound? Barely a minute ago, he was lying face-down, on said shoulder, and... he didn't even notice that it hurt. Just like his headache had faded the moment they slipped into the digital world.

For good measure, Takeru's hand comes up to poke gingerly and experimentally at the area where he'd been burned earlier this morning by the monster pursuing him. He is stunned to find it there is no pain.

A peak under his semi-scorched shirt shows that the wound is very much still there, and it does not look good. It's blistering and swollen, the shape oddly reminiscent of a hand print. Perhaps bringing first-aid supplies would have been a good idea, after all.

Except... despite how ugly it appears, at least it doesn't hurt. And if it doesn't really hurt, well, why should he need first aid?

"What are you, a masochist? You're so calm about this that it's starting to scare me," Daisuke says, disrupting his thoughts. "Just looking at it makes me wince."

"I didn't know you were so queasy," Takeru replies truthfully, almost as an afterthought. Now that he's really studying him, he notices that Daisuke has gone a little pale.

"Dude. I'm serious. Doesn't it... doesn't it hurt?"

Even Patamon is regarding him with concern, and Takeru's expression becomes contemplative. He can hear his older brother in his head, scolding him for ignoring such a wound. Frankly, Takeru is more confused than anything.

Instinctively, Takeru fishes his d-terminal out of his pocket, having forgotten all about it once again. Right. He needs to message Onii-san.

"Am I supposed to take that as a no?" Daisuke asks. "And you said your headache's gone, too, right?" He throws his hands up. "Man, can this get any weirder?"

His words go right over Takeru's head as he finishes typing out his brother, feeling the need to do so only because he knows that if Yamato sees the emergency message Daisuke had so readily sent out to everyone, knowing that this morning, Takeru had run off with him to go to school... He shudders at the thought. Yamato is probably worried.

He hits the send button. Not even a minute later, he receives a reply:

Where are you? -Yamato.

Takeru looks around. That's a good question. After a few moments, he realizes that his surroundings are familiar. Up ahead is a giant mountain—Infinity Mountain, his brain tells him instantly—and trees are scattered everywhere. If he listens closely, he can hear the quiet susurrus of a river or stream, most likely hidden behind all of said trees. Squinting, Takeru can see vague blocks of colors off in the distance.

We're near the Village of Beginnings, he types. By the waterfall.

Ten seconds pass. Fifteen. Twenty. The device cradled in his palms buzzes and beeps, signaling a new message: Ok. Stay there. I'm on my way.

Takeru chews the inside of his lip. He hates making his brother worry. And not to mention, they all should be in school right now. How many of them will actually be able to read Daisuke's message? What if some of them can't get away from their classes? Reminded once again that his brother isn't the only one who is probably on edge with concern, Takeru pulls up the message Hikari had sent him over two hours ago.

Sorry for the late reply. I'm fine now. His fingers hover anxiously over the send button, but then he remembers the digimon they'd left behind. Adds, Did Tailmon find you? Can you get out of school? Tell her we're near the Village of Beginnings.

For a good minute or so, there is no response. Takeru sighs, tucking the device back in his pocket before finally looking up to meet Daisuke's confused stare. "What now?"

"You're asking me? What do you think we should do?"

"Nii-san says to wait here."

"A lot of fun that'll be, huh? Playing the waiting game," Daisuke mutters, kicking a nearby pebble seemingly out of boredom.

Upon hearing this, Takeru finds himself back in the familiar territory of guilt. If it weren't for him, Daisuke would be in class now, with his least worry being if he finished his homework or not. Instead, he's sitting with Patamon and Takeru, not knowing what their next move will be.

"I'm sorry."

"What? No, man, don't be sorry." The unsettling edge in his friend's eyes disappears, and Takeru doesn't know if it's only to make him feel better. "You got me outta class. I didn't want to go anyway."

Takeru chuckles dryly. "We are going to be in so much trouble when we get back, aren't we?"

"Eh. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Real or fake, Daisuke's nonchalance brightens Takeru's mood a little. In spite of what happened hours ago, he's thankful Daisuke still has a sense of humor. He's always been an optimist, much like Takeru.

Honestly, when it comes to optimism, Daisuke is the better choice. Takeru always tries to find the better side to each situation, the light at the end of the tunnel. But lately, he can't find a drop of sunshine. With each passing minute, dread digs its way into his heart, deeper, deeper, deeper, leeching the hope from his very core. Everything just feels wrong, wrong, wrong.

"Oi, Takeru."

"Hmm?"

"Do you think..." A sudden, sheepish flush crawls onto Daisuke's face, and he threads his fingers together nervously. "...maybe we should find something to eat? I um, I kind of skipped breakfast, and now I'm starving."

This makes Takeru laugh again. If it hadn't been for the fact that he'd stayed at his older brother's apartment and Yamato would never let him leave without getting something to eat, Takeru probably would have skipped breakfast, too. The weekend has had him trapped inside his head. He remembers Friday, being so occupied by his thoughts that he didn't even think about food until it was too late.

"Sure," Takeru says when he realizes Daisuke is still waiting for a response. Feels Patamon press his whole little body against his own. "There's a river around here. Don't you hear it? We could catch some fish or something."

Daisuke's eyes light up. "Great! Let's get moving."

Takeru draws himself up to his full height, and they sift through the barrier of trees quite easily. The sound of flowing water gets louder as they near the river, and it comes to Takeru's attention that, yeah, there is definitely fish here, but they don't have the proper equipment to catch them.

"Uh, Daisuke?"

"Yeah?"

"How are we going to catch the fish?"

A pause. Daisuke scratches his cheek nervously. "Eh heh heh, um, would it be dumb to use our hands?"

Takeru is thoughtful. During his first adventure of the digital world, when Gabumon first experienced digivolution, it was the older kids who had caught the fish. Takeru can't quite remember what they did—except that a lot of the digimon had helped out. Yamato hadn't let him try to fish on his own. And when he was all by himself, Patamon had collected berries and such for him. And it isn't like he and Daisuke came prepared, now. He's a little embarrassed that he spent months on end as a child in the digital world and can't remember such a basic survival instinct.

"Well," Takeru says after a moment, brows knitted together as he pondered over their situation. "We could—"

A shadow. Takeru stops and whirls around, eyes popping wide as he realizes nothing is there. Did... did he just imagine that? No way. No, no, no, no. Maybe his mind is playing tricks on him. He is tired and stressed. That's gotta be it.

"Takeru? What're you looking at?" Patamon asks, fluttering in front of him now.

Takeru tilts his head, craning his neck to see around the line of trees. He swallows hard. Mutters thickly, "...nothing, I guess."

"You guess?" Daisuke echoes. "That doesn't sound good."

Wordlessly, Takeru nears the edge of the river. It's deeper than he remembers, and the current is much stronger. Faster. It looks dangerous. "On second thought," he says, turning back to face his friend, "we should look for some fruit. There might be some on the other side of the river."

Daisuke nods slowly, although his brows are raised critically. "You ok?"

Takeru offers his best smile. "Yeah. C'mon, let's go. If we're careful, we can cross using the rocks."

"If you say so," Daisuke murmurs, but the suspicion in his gaze remains as he comes to a halt by Takeru's side. He looks uneasy as he eyes the raging current. Takeru doesn't blame him—it's a terrifying obstacle. "Uh, you know, actually, I dunno if I'm hungry enough to cross this."

"Simple," Patamon says, a tinge of pride in his voice. "I'll digivolve and carry you both across. Nobody will have to touch the water! How does that sound?"

A pout claims Daisuke's face upon hearing the little guy's offer. He takes a few steps away from the edge, seeking the safety in the trees, and Takeru mimics his actions out of instinct. "I wish V-mon was here..."

Takeru's smile falters. He feels slightly guilty—Patamon is here, with them, and they hadn't really stopped to wonder about where Daisuke's partner would be. And if...

Takeru's thoughts trail off once again. His eyes stray back to the trees, catching a glimpse of something dark. But once again, there is nothing there. A familiar foreboding feeling resurfaces in his chest, and his brows shoot up in concern. He can't have imagined it that time.

"—keru?"

His response is delayed, which evokes even more suspicion in both of his companions. "Hmm?"

"You said it wouldn't follow you here," Patamon tells him, blue eyes searching his face as if he hopes to find something hidden underneath Takeru's semi-neutral expression.

"It can't," he confirms.

"Then why are you so on edge all of a sudden?" Daisuke asks, arms now crossed. His stance puts a damper in Takeru's resolve—he was staring at him like that he'd confessed to him all of what had happened to him in the past few weeks.

"I th-thought..." Takeru pauses, uneasy and doubtful. "I thought I saw it."

He needs to get away from these trees. There are too many places to hide, too many shadows already cast by branches and leaves that it's messing with his head. He faces away from his partner and Daisuke, collecting himself, internally pushing out his worries. He's safe here. He's got to be safe here. Then he turns back, meeting Daisuke's eyes.

Daisuke is talking to him again, his expression panicked. But Takeru cannot hear his voice.

He hears instead:

"Young child... do not fear us. We will keep you safe."

He stills, saucer-eyed, immobilized by terror. Something brushes against his shoulder—his freshly injured one—and Takeru is suddenly thrust into an unthinking, unfeeling abyss.

Where is the ground beneath him?

Where... where is he? What is he doing here?

"S-safe...?" he echoes faintly, blinking once. Twice. With each blink, the color in his eyes dulls like the faded dyes on an article of clothing. The anxiety coursing through him shifts, evanescent, and in its place is an eerie, calm curiosity. This isn't the scratchy, flat, disturbingly childlike voice from before. It is... it is quiet and loving, but somehow otherworldly, ghosting against the shell of his ear in a way no human could ever attempt to replicate.

"Yes." The word is stretched out like a piece of rubber. "With us, you will be safe. With us, you will be protected. Come."

Isn't he already safe and protected, here in this world, with his friend and partner? Is the security he finds in their company illusory? No. No. No...

Maybe?

Takeru doesn't remember moving. He doesn't feel like he's moving—just standing still, staring, listening. Somewhere, he can hear another voice, urgent and concerned, asking him what he is doing, asking where he is going.

But he can't focus enough to tell if it's Patamon or Daisuke or, perhaps, both of them. A hazy, thick fog has settled deep in Takeru's brain, blocking his sense of rationality. Like some sort of barrier. All he knows is that voice, soft and gentle, pulling him toward it.

"We will keep you safe," it repeats in that same enticing, motherly tone.

Safe. The word repeats endlessly in his mind, becoming his whole world, almost like a lullaby that promises a restful, dreamless sleep. Takeru's legs move—is he really walking all on his own?—forward in a robotic trance, eyes half-lidded, vaguely noticing the red tint that has consumed all of his surroundings.

The sky... is red... again...

Shouldn't I... be scared...?

The river is raging violently, ferocious and unforgiving, only a couple feet away, ready to pull him under and steal his final breath.

But Takeru doesn't see it at all. He feels soft and warm, perhaps even drugged. He is helpless under the strings of an invisible puppeteer, guiding him closer and closer to the river's edge.

Underneath the powerful current, pearlesque eyes meet Takeru's, beckoning him like a mother pulling her child into a tender embrace.

"Safe," it says, arms outstretched invitingly. "Do you wish to be safe?"

Takeru's hand extends to touch it.

And then he is sinking, whole body submerging deep into the water, stripped of the caring warmth, of every ounce of that promised security, like he'd missed that last step on a staircase and was plummeting downward with nothing to break his fall.

Everything is immediately disorienting. The coldness of the water is a painful shock and it pulls Takeru out of his trance in an instant. His eyes snap open in fear and his mouth opens out of instinct, trying to find air, causing him to choke as he realizes he's actually under water and there's no way out

A shadow looms all around him, filling every part of his vision, accompanied by waves upon waves of red, almost like blood. Takeru twists sluggishly in the crimson and black water, trying to pull away, mind whirling in a foggy panic. He doesn't know which way is up, down, left, or right. And the current is strong, and it drags him back towards it like a magnet. Something clamps down hard on his throat, squeezing tightly. Clumsily, his fingers twitch, trying to move to pry the hands away. He is unsuccessful.

I can't breathe.

I can't swim.

Please... somebody... Daisuke, Patamon... Onii-san...! Help...!

His body hits something hard. Pinpricks of pain splinter through him, slowly at first, and then building and building until it is nauseating and overwhelming and the need for air becomes too much for him to bare.

His head feels like it's going to split open.

Takeru is forced into suffocation.


[11:13 a.m.]

An icy feeling is rooted deep into Yamato's bones. His heart is punching his ribcage, and he feels lightheaded from dread.

Something is wrong with his brother. No matter how much he tries to convince himself otherwise, the fact that Takeru is in danger is proven by the messages sent by him and Daisuke mere minutes ago.

The Village of Beginnings, he thinks, his feet slapping the pavement as he runs. Why are they at the Village of Beginnings?

"Did they let the others know where they are, or just you?" Taichi asks, each word coming out as a pant. Yamato doesn't slow down. The foreboding feeling of dread will not disappear until he sees his brother, safe and sound.

Taking Yamato's silence as a no, Sora says, "I'll send a quick message. Don't worry; I'll catch up."

Yamato pushes himself to move faster and Sora falls behind, having slowed to halt to inform the rest of their team of Takeru and Daisuke's location. Taichi is close to him, if not almost ahead of him. They're back inside the school, probably causing more commotion than they need to but too panicked to really care. Yamato's mind is set on one thing:

Find a computer so he can get to Takeru.

He turns sharply, bursting through the door of a classroom that has many computers and a few students in it. One of those students is Koushiro. Another is Miyako.

Now, in retrospect, attracting even more attention when he'd just sprinted across the school like a madman was a terrible idea. It doesn't even occur to him that Koushiro is a year younger than him (and Miyako a year younger than Koushiro) and they should not even be at the high school at the moment. But gone is the voice of reason in his head that tells him to be as inconspicuous as possible—especially because his distress involves the digital world—because he is fueled by the nerve-wracking thought that his little brother is in trouble.

"Koushiro," he barks, breathless and frustrated, with a cold glare in his eyes that makes Koushiro freeze in place. "Digital world. Now."

Miyako and Koushiro share a look, and Koushiro is suddenly sputtering, bug-eyed. His gaze rakes over his peers—there are three of them with him—nervously. "Yamato, I'm kind of in the middle of something with the computer clu—"

"I don't care. I need to get to my little brother who needs me in the digital world. Right. Now."

Koushiro glances at Taichi as if he can give him some sort of explanation. With a sheepish laugh, Taichi says, "Um, heh, hey, kids, could you please step out for a little bit. We need to borrow these"—he gestures to Koushiro and Miyako—"two for a moment. 'K?"

He ushers them out within a few moments, which is a few moments too long. Yamato is seething with impatience as he points to the computer closest to him and commands vehemently, "Pull up the portal."

"Ok, ok," Koushiro says, rushing toward the computer as fast as he can. "Would you mind telling me what's going on?"

"Did you get Daisuke's message?" Taichi asks as he closes the door. "He sent out an S.O.S. We'll explain the rest later."

Miyako is already fishing through her bag to find her digivice and d-terminal. "No, I didn't hear it go off. Gosh, chill, would you, Yamato? You didn't need to snap at him."

"Do not tell me to chill." Yamato is by Koushiro's side instantly, practically breathing down his neck. "Takeru is in trouble. Damn it, Koushiro, hurry up!"

"I'm hurrying, I'm hurrying," Koushiro replies with a tinge of hysteria, eyes locked on the screen. After a few clicks and taps, the portal is open and Koushiro asks, "Ah, I see him. The Village of Beginnings?"

"That's where he said he was," Taichi confirms.

"Ok. Let's go," Yamato says hastily, already clutching his digivice. He doesn't even look to check if everyone is ready. Then light engulfs them, dragging them through the portal and his body morphs from flesh and blood to data in a matter of seconds. He doesn't even pause to wait out the dizzy spell that accompanies the trip; as soon as they arrive he's moving at a frenetic pace, stumbling at first.

He hears shouting. Hysteric, panic-stricken voices, screaming like someone is being mercilessly attacked.

"That's Hikari's voice," Taichi says.

"I hear Daisuke, too," Miyako pants, struggling to keep up with the two of them.

But not Takeru. Where is Takeru?!

They burst through the trees as soon as the frantic thought crosses Yamato's mind. His gaze searches immediately for his brother's small frame, eyes huge with panic, lungs and legs screaming from all his running. Tailmon, Daisuke, and Hikari are dangerously close to the river. Angemon is flying up and down the expanse of the water, desperately looking back and forth, back and forth.

"Where is he?!" His voice is laced with terror.

"We don't know," Daisuke says loudly so he is heard over the water. "He was—he was walking toward it and then he just vanished!"

"When I got here he was already gone," Hikari says in a similar tone as Daisuke, eyes filled with tears. Taichi is trying to coax her to step away from the large stream of water, but she is struggling. "Nii-san, let me go, he's got to be in the water! It dragged him into the water! He can't swim!"

Yamato's blood freezes like ice and the dread building in his body finally erupts like a volcano, creating a mess of paralytic fear and absolute panic that is somehow scorching hot and icy cold at the same time. His limbs suddenly feel numb.

"It... t-took him into the water?" he whispers, voice breaking. Something took my baby brother away?

"Oh, no," Angemon says suddenly. "I see him—there he is—!"

And then Yamato snaps.

"Get him out," he shouts, eyes burning with tears. "Get him out! Get him out the water!"

The angel digimon complies without hesitation, and Yamato is running again, standing so close to the river's edge just like the others in a desperate attempt to see where his sibling is. His heart is thrashing like an enraged animal in his chest.

There is a body caught in the rocks, dangling helplessly like a piece of driftwood.

Angemon dips under the water with ease, and in seconds he resurfaces, feathered white wings rustling as he pushes himself into the sky, powerful arms scooping up what can only be Yamato's little brother.

His now-soaked wings flex and expand, sending water everywhere as he lands on the ground, holding a wet and bruised and bloody boy close to his chest. Angemon gently lifts him so Takeru's head is close to his ear, and what he says next makes Yamato feel like the ground beneath him has opened up and swallowed him whole.

"He's not breathing."


a/n: (whispers) yes, I know that the river near Village of Beginnings isn't supposed to be deep, but shhh, that's ok this is ffn.