A Digimon Frontier Fanfic

By Sakura Martinez

Author's Notes:

Kind of disappointing to see this story not being reviewed by readers. Don't really know what you guys think of the story so far...Anyways, hope you enjoy this latest chapter.

Disclaimer:

I do not own Digimon. This story, however, is something that I do own, including the OCs that you will find here.

Chronicles of Time: Another Future

Chapter Ten

Shaky Alliance

.::.

Homo qui erranti comiter monstrat viam;

Quasi lumen de sou lumine accendit, facit:

Nihilominus ipsi luceat, cum illi accenderit.

He who civilly shows the way to one who has missed it,

is as one who has lighted another's lamp from his own lamp:

it none the less gives light to himself when it burns for the other.

.::.

He stared at what lay beyond the single window of his room while he rested. Not being allowed to move around and walk outside, it was the only thing he could do. He couldn't believe what had happened and he could not find it in him to blame anyone, not even Duskmon. He knew how hard the Tainted Spirit of Darkness had tried to keep Yumi safe, knew how it was against his nature and that Duskmon had struggled. He was thankful for that...he really was.

But it wasn't enough. Duskmon spoke to him in his mind. I wasn't strong enough...not nearly as strong as I once was.

"Duskmon..." Kouichi didn't know what to say. He didn't even know if the reason Duskmon was weakening because of him.

Closing his eyes, Kouichi could still see Yumi being taken away by the shadow. He could still see the fear that was written all over her face as if it had just happened seconds ago. He doubted that would ever go away. That memory was already etched in his mind just as how he felt it was now etched at the back of his eyelids.

He sighed. He didn't know how long he could take merely lying around as the world begins to sink deeper and deeper in darkness...and towards its destruction.

Kouichi wanted to move around. He wanted to do something. Anything. But his current condition made it impossible to do just that. When he tried moving the left side of his body and was rewarded with pain, he couldn't help but remember—albeit vaguely—what had happened a week ago, after Yumi was taken...

Duskmon couldn't believe it. He was being pushed back. Him. The Tainted Spirit of Darkness, was being overcome by creatures from the dark. It was unheard of. It was wrong. It was downright impossible.

As the Tainted Spirit of Darkness, Duskmon—much like the other Digimons that are like him, apostles of darkness—have a higher resistance and can generally control lower beings of darkness. Being at the near-top of the heirarchy, Duskmon could do that and was more adept at it than, say, a Demi-Devimon. Or even a Devimon. Heck, he was much higher up in the pyramid than that accursed Apocalymon.

But, as he tried to immobilize the shadows, it only proved one thing: not all creatures of the darkness would follow him.

Panting, weak, and weary, he continued to fight and before he knew it, he was near the edge of the crevice. Taking a quick look behind him, Duskmon had a vague idea of how painful it would be to slip and fall into what he believed would, undoubtedly, Kouichi and his doom.

Can't let that happen... Duskmon thought to himself as he focused back on the hydra-like hands.

Taking a deep breath, Duskmon called forth what remained of his reservoir for power. His whole body glowed in an eerie, blood-red light. The light, compared to how it used to manifest before, was slightly muted—a sign of how much weaker he was now. This only served to piss Duskmon some more, but he shoved that thought at the back of his mind. He could cuss all he want and maybe throw a tantrum or two later, right then he knew he needed to focus on the battle and find a way to completely destroy the shadow creatures before him.

When he felt ready, he charged forward with such a speed that he rarely displays. He figured that if he destroyed them all quickly, that perhaps their weakness would surface. Though he managed to decapitate half of them, it showed nothing and did nothing but spring forth twice the number of hands that he had cut down.

The sound of a metal food tray hitting one of the steel tables in the room snapped Kouichi from his reverie and he quickly turned to look at the person carrying his food tray. It was also the same person who he owed his life to. If he hadn't arrived when he did, Kouichi did not know how he and Duskmon would have fared. Probably badly. He, Kouichi, was actually pretty much certain that he would have died had it not been for him.

He thought he had won. He really did. And no one could blame him for thinking that, especially when it seemed like the hands started to disappear one by one.

Duskmon should have known, however, that it wasn't going to be that "easy"—even though, technically, he hadn't had it easy. He should have also known better than to let his guard down because just as soon as he had, he was suddenly thrown back by a powerful, invisible force. He would have fallen down the cliff, had he not been able to quickly use his swords to hang on to dear life.

As Duskmon managed to climb back up, he was greeted by a giant blob of shadow twice the size of an elephant. He could see faces in the shadow's body that quickly disappeared. Though it was quick, he clearly saw the expression that was etched on their faces—agony. It was not a pretty sight. Not even for someone like him.

Though the size of the monster that stood before him was unnerving, Duskmon couldn't really complain much. One, giant enemy was better than hundreds of small ones.

Besides, He thought to himself. This one I'm sure I can handle.

Turns out, he was wrong. Because even though his enemy looked different, the giant blob also had the same ability as its predecessors: cut one down and two takes it place.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Duskmon shouted in frustration for when he had realized what he had done, there were already six blobs of shadow surrounding him. "What the hell am I doing wrong?"

Duskmon wasn't expecting anyone to answer his question. So, he was surprised when someone did.

"Their Shadowland Creatures," someone replied. "Of course you can't beat them with your weapon."

Duskmon whirled around, looking for who had just spoken as he dodged one attack after another. He didn't see him at first, but when he finally did, Duskmon was even more surprised.

"You!" was all Duskmon could say.

"I wish I can say 'It's been a while' but, we haven't really met before, haven't we, Duskmon? I'll just save that greeting off for later, when I'm facing Kouichi. That...and a couple of other things."

Just then one of the giant blobs decided it was the best time to attack Duskmon. Still at a disbelief, Duskmon didn't notice it until it was too late for him to do anything. Luckily for him, his acquaintance—or rather, Kouichi's acquaintance—jumped down from his spot up at the large boulder and jumped between him and his attacker, pushing the enemy back with his own weapon.

"You're losing focus, Duskmon," he pointed out, cocking his head to the side he added, "Come on. Let's finish this. The old man's waiting for us."

"Katsuya...what are you doing here in the Dead Sea of Dreams?" Duskmon asked. "You're not supposed to be here."

Katusya shrugged, as he returned his attention back to their enemies, "I'll explain later. Right now, we have to deal with them first. Now why don't you go on ahead and let Kouichi call forth Kouji's weapon?"

"Kouji's weapon?"

"The Elemental Sword that Kouichi managed to summon ages ago," Katsuya replied as he expelled fire from his own Elemental Sword. "Though, technically, the Elemental Swords don't really have one person they belong to. Anyway, that's beside the point. Hurry up and have him summon it. That sword and this one," he motioned to the sword in his hand, "are the only ones who can defeat these kinds of enemy."

Duskmon stared at Katsuya like he was crazy. Did he really expect him to let Kouichi back in the middle of a fight, did he? That would be suicide...

"Trust him a bit more, Duskmon." Katsuya said as he vanquished another giant blob of shadow. "Just like how he trusts you."

"Sorry, did I surprise you?" Katsuya asked when he saw Kouichi almost jump...well, if he could have jumped. "I thought you heard me come in."

Kouichi shook his head. It was true he was surprised but he couldn't really blame that on Katsuya. "It's okay. I guess I was just too caught up with thinking."

Katsuya nodded, understanding—to some extent—what Kouichi must be feeling. He knew the Bearer of the Spirit of Darkness had a lot of questions for him, it would only be a matter of time before he was well enough to demand answers. And those answers, Katsuya wasn't sure if he would be able to provide them. He already knew that the old man wouldn't entertain Kouichi's question and that puts him in at a spot.

Silence filled the room and, for some reason, Katsuya felt awkward just standing there. He didn't know what else to say, not after he had come to Kouichi and Duskmon's aide a week back.

Katsuya glanced at Kouichi, the air of defeat surrounded the wounded young man and Katsuya knew why.

He cleared his throat before he said, "It wasn't your fault, you know."

Surprised, Kouichi looked back at Katsuya, "W-what?"

"What happened. With my sister. With Yumi." Katsuya said, before he quickly added, "Although, I really shouldn't call her my sister now. After all, she's no longer that Yumi..."

"Katsuya, I'm—"

Katusya shook his head, a sad smile plastered on his face. "I used to think that she and I will always be together; always be connected but...well, things didn't go the way we wanted it to. Not even the way I had hoped for, not since I did what I had to do. I am even beginning to think that this is all because of me. Because Yumi and I meddled with time."

"But, you did that to save the future!" Kouichi argued for their sake. "If you hadn't done that then—"

"Then none of this would be happening." Exhaled Katsuya. "The future isn't saved at all. It's in jeopardy. And the rate by which darkness is consuming the world is faster than from the world I came from. The world was consumed in darkness when Yumi and I were kids, Kouichi. But in this timeline, we aren't even born and the world's destruction is already at hand." Katusya then turned towards Kouichi and added, "We didn't save anything, Kouichi. All we did were become instruments of a threat far greater than the ones that was supposed to happen."

Kouichi didn't know what to say to that. He didn't expect Katsuya's sudden outburst. And so, he remained silent, all the while feeling that it wasn't just Katsuya's fault—and even Tomoki's fault (after all, it was Tomoki who had constructed the time machine they had used to begin with)—it was his fault as well.

Duskmon stared at Katsuya, not sure where the boy was getting at...or even how easily he could throw that word at him. He knows Kouichi. He knows him well enough to know that it wasn't a trust that was born from respect. If his host truly does trust him then it was only because Kouichi had no choice. Duskmon was stronger. Duskmon can fight. Whereas he, Kouichi, could do nothing without the aid of his Digivice and Digi-Spirit.

"You are mistaken about that," Duskmon said as he parried an attack, being unable to mount a counter-attack himself. "He allows me to do as I please not because he trusts me but because he doesn't have a choice."

"Well, that's what you think. Anyways, stop dawdling and just let Kouichi fight this battle."

Duskmon was about to argue some more when Kouichi decided to mentally communicate with him.

Let me help, Duskmon. Kouichi said, I'm not really sure if I can do it, but at least let me try.

Silence was Duskmon's reply to Kouichi's plea.

Come on, Duskmon!

Tch! Fine. Do as you please. But the first sign that this isn't going to work, you're going to let me fight again. Duskmon finally gave in.

Of course.

It took only a beat after that for Kouichi to regain control of his body. The moment that he did, he turned towards Katsuya and asked, "What am I supposed to do? How do I summon Kouji's Elemental Sword?"

"Just do what you did last time...after all, how we summon them is different for each of us." Katsuya replied. "I'll keep you safe as you do so."

Kouichi nodded, even though he was not sure what he was supposed to do. It shamed him to admit it but he had forgotten how. Does he concentrate? Put his heart into it? Or is it his will that controls the appearance of the sword? Maybe it was his mind and not his heart? Kouichi wasn't sure. Not at all.

When minutes have passed and Kouichi was still weaponless, Katsuya turned his attention towards him and asked, "What's wrong? What are you waiting for, Kouichi?"

"I...I can't remember how to summon it." Kouichi answered. "I don't think I can...not anymore..."

"That's impossible. You can't forget something like that, Kouichi. Once you've summoned an Elemental Sword, the knowledge of how to summon it is forever engraved in your being." Katsuya said, taking down another enemy. He then looked back and saw something in Kouichi that made him say, "Although, I see it now...the reason why it won't come to you."

Turning his back again to deal with the problem at hand, and believing that Kouichi would not be able to help him, he added, "You've changed, Kouichi...and I don't mean that as a compliment."

It took a while before Katsuya managed to defeat all of the shadow creatures that had come their way.

"You should just eat and then rest some more, Kouichi," Katsuya said as he began to make his way out of the room. "You're body has taken quite a toll in having Duskmon use it for so long. Unlike before, it seems like your body can't handle it much anymore."

Kouichi frowned. He didn't like what Katsuya was insinuating.

"Are you saying that I've gotten weaker?" Kouichi asked.

"Peaceful times can do that," was Katsuya's reply. "Like I've said before, you've changed...and not in a good way."

"You're wrong about that!" Kouichi argued. "Who I am now is better than who I was before."

Katsuya paused just as he was about to step out of the room. Without turning around he said, "If that's the case, then tell me, Kouichi...why is it that you can no longer summon an Elemental Sword? Something that had come to you naturally. Besides, I don't really think you truly believe what you had just said."

"That has nothing to do with anything!"

"That's where you're wrong." Katsuya then sighed and shook his head. "Though deep within my heart I do hate you, Kouichi, I don't have a choice but to work with you to save Yumi. I'm not sure why but...I trust Duskmon now more than you."

And with that Katsuya left the room leaving Kouichi to wonder just what had happened and why his relationship with Katsuya suddenly deteriorated.

Katusya sighed as he entered the room where the old man was waiting.

"Don't you think you were a bit hard on him? Young Kouichi didn't even understand why you suddenly got angry with him." the old man said as he watched Katsuya cross the room to meet with him.

"He knows. He just wouldn't accept it." Katsuya replied as he slumped to the stone chair opposite the old man. "I didn't expect him to be this weak now. He became lenient. And...that look I saw..."

"But to say that you trust Duskmon more than you trust the human? Was that necessary?"

"Why are you asking me, old man?" Katsuya asked, his temper rising slightly once more. "You should know, right?"

The old man shook his head, "Like father, like son. You do realize that if you truly seek his aide, you are putting your alliance at a shaky ground. It might not hold."

"It will," Katsuya answered. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that. "Kouichi's blind to everything except seeing my sister." Looking out the window, he added, "He didn't even feel it...he didn't even feel that the others—his friends—are no longer with us. And he should have felt it. He's more connected to them than we are..."