Hello again!
More character and story line development in this chapter, I'm back in business after that blockage (both from the outside world and story-wise), haha.
Read on!
Chapter 29: Temporary Peace
The all-consuming darkness that had surrounded Veemon for what felt like days finally dissolved away, the sudden light of the outside world blinded him for a second as he looked around for any sign of danger.
The voice rang through his head:
It was a trap! How could I have not seen through it? I'm sorry…
No, it's not your fault, but we have to find the others, I'm rather worried about them.
Don't worry, they are right around us, take a look around when you are ready.
As Veemon's sight began to re-adjust, he looked around and found out that they were in a small clearing inside the woodland area on the shore of the lake. Strange, it seems like that all those things they had just experienced were only an illusion, and while they were unconscious inside the house, they were transported over here.
Why though?
Veemon walked in-between all the unconscious children on the ground along with their partners; they seemed to be alright, regular breathing and all that. Just totally knocked out, that's all.
Tai and Agumon, Izzy and Tentomon, Matt and Gabumon, Kari and… Gatomon… Joe and Gomamon, Mimi and Palmon… Wait, where is Ken, Sora, Yolei, Cody and T.K.?
They must have been taken separately, I think I know why.
Why?
If I'm right, the last three robed beings would be that of Despair, Cruelty and Hatred. And they would also want to kill T.K., Sora and Ken respectively. It is… some sort of ritual for them, I guess. The fact that Yolei and Cody are also missing would also mean they were left awake on purpose.
What?! Then we need to go and help them!
Don't worry, the fact that you have woken up means that the three have already been defeated.
Then I don't understand, why didn't they kill me? They had me right here!
They obviously have plans for you elsewhere; I think they were going to transport you and the other children to wherever they wanted after they killed the ones who were awake. But I guess it didn't work out for them.
Really, huh. You sure did memorise their names fast.
Thank you. The others have not woken up yet; those creatures must have done something to them…
Veemon quickly became alert as he heard leaves rustling, he raised his fists and looked in the direction of the noise, "Who is it?!"
"You flaming idiots! How could you be stupid enough to come looking for me?! Do you not think I would have gone to find you if I thought it necessary?!"
Veemon relaxed as he heard the old man's bitter voice, despite the situation, he couldn't help but chuckle a little. They were safe, for now…
Not far away:
"So how did you guys come here?" A soaking wet T.K. trudged along the ground and asked Renamon, who he had just remembered was the doctor from the hospital.
"Mikemon thought you might need my help, I knew this was something important, that's why I came, pretty good timing too." Renamon quickly replied, she didn't seem too pleased to be away from the hospital, but it also didn't seem to overly bother her. "She even wanted me to bring some of the staff from the hospital, which was very inconsiderate of her."
"Thank you very much for your help, I don't think we would have won without you." Sora said politely, "You are one heck of a fighter though, far stronger than any other Rookie level digimon I know of."
"Hey." Biyomon protested sarcastically.
"I was once… Ah, never mind." Renamon pointed in a direction and said, "That quirky old man told me to bring you guys here, I will be going now."
"Huh? You sure?" T.K. looked at Patamon, who was lovingly walking alongside Mikemon; it would be pretty hard for the two of them to separate now.
"Come on! Mikemon! We got business to attend to in the hospital!" Renamon ignored that and hurried Mikemon with a harsh, stern voice.
"Sorry, I'm coming…" Mikemon hugged Patamon goodbye one more time before reluctantly turning away to follow Renamon.
"Come on, Patamon." T.K. smiled at Patamon who still cannot take his eyes off her even as she slowly disappeared from view, "Let's go, we will get a cold if we stay for much longer."
And much to their relief, Gennai appeared immediately after that.
Evening Camp:
"Evening already?" Veemon looked up at the sun through the gaps in the trees; half of that bright, burning globe was already underneath the mountains in the far away distance, how long must their illusions have lasted?
Everybody was awake now, T.K., Ken, Sora, Yolei and Cody were the ones sitting closest to the camp fire to dry off their cloth, everybody else was still in a daze.
Gennai could take it no more, "What is the meaning of all this?!" The old man stood up and shouted furiously, he stared and pointed at Veemon, "I told you not to be so rash! And now what?! Not only have you risked more than you should, you even set their plan into action!"
Everybody seemed to wake up a little and looked at the two of them in confusion, their eyes clearly demanding an explanation to all this.
They all jumped as they saw it: the half transparent image of an ExVeemon hovering above Veemon's body.
"I couldn't have waited… forgive me, but this had worked out better than you had feared, I did say I wouldn't wait for long, and the circumstances demanded it." The almost holographic image of the ExVeemon replied in a sarcastically calm tone.
"Yes! I have heard it all before, 'circumstances demanded it'… it might have worked out but that was still a risk, what if Veemon wasn't as good-willed as you thought? What if he couldn't resist the temptation?"
"Why don't you trust me?" Veemon frowned and asked in a half-offended tone.
"Indeed, why don't you? You have seen everything he had done since he was released, and so have I. Besides, weren't it you who asked me to 'just tell him the truth'?"
"I told you to reveal the fact that you two were related, not… everything else!" He paused for a second as if trying to catch his breath; the sight was slightly amusing to everyone else.
They turned around to look at the others, whose faces are frozen in an expression of confusion.
In a much quieter voice, so that the others cannot hear, ExVeemon said: "Should we tell them?"
"No." Veemon spoke before Gennai, "I… I don't want them to know…"
"That is understandable. But your friends have all decided to risk their lives to follow us; do you think it is really wise for us to hide it any longer?"
"Follow you? What?!" Gennai certainly did not bother keeping his voice down, "You brought all of them here so you can all go and walk right into their trap? To help them complete whatever they are planning?! Are you out of your mind?!"
"Stop that!" Veemon made an equally strong come back, "I know those things are waiting for me, okay?! But I don't care! All I want right now is to find Davis! I never ever thought about endangering the life of my friends, but I have to find Davis!"
"Don't be foolish! Do you know how much catastrophe you could cause because of your irresponsibility?! We can't act rash! We need a proper plan!"
Veemon shook with anger and bit down on his teeth, "Are you telling me to abandon my best friend?!"
"I… I am not; I am merely saying that you should also consider the safety of all the others as well."
I told you! I told you this was a bad idea! Veemon seethed with rage and stared at the floor, he had enough of this; he had enough of Gennai's indescribably annoying way of sorting things out.
I'm sorry; I didn't think his reaction would be quite as fierce as this. So… what do you want to do?
I… I DON'T KNOW! Veemon held his face in his hands and shook his head, how could he possibly expected me to just leave Davis?! …But… he has got a good point…
"You are not going anywhere, I will not allow it!" Gennai was absolutely adamant about this.
"Okay, that's enough!" Tai was also sick of this, "What the heck is going on! We need to know it, we must know it! If this whole business is really so dangerous, don't you think it is responsible of you to warn us?"
ExVeemon looked at Tai before turning to speak to Gennai, "He is right. You have been hiding for too long; it's time for them to know. Weren't it you who have always helped them in the past few years? You hid yourself for the sake of safety, but now that time has passed." He paused for a brief second and looked at Gennai thoughtfully, "You and I both knew that this was inevitable, why delay it any further?"
Gennai lowered his head and sighed sadly, "I… I just… don't know. I just don't know enough! All those other times, I knew what you had to do and why so. But now I don't even know what their plan is. For as far as we know, the moment we walk into their territory they could have some inescapable death trap waiting for us. I just… don't like the risk."
"Think about it, Gennai, what has to happen, will happen. It will happen whether we wait or we act, and waiting is not going to give us any more help than what we are getting. Please, Gennai…" ExVeemon closed his eyes and gave one more remark, "The only things I have ever treasured in my life, I failed to protect any of them… please, don't let Veemon and the others fail too."
Half a minute of silence was lost in everyone's thoughts before Gennai finally made his decision, "Very well, I don't really know what else to do… perhaps this is for the best, I am just hoping that I'm not damning us all."
I… there is no way I can stay here and listen, Veemon watched as Gennai sat down and started to speak to everybody, he turned and walked away from the camp fire without looking at the stares everyone is giving him, he couldn't bear to look at the others or let the others look at him, not after this.
Veemon, it is my fault, not yours, that you are like this. You should not have anything to fear about.
When Veemon thought he was far away enough from the group, he looked around and sat down with his back against the cold wet bark of a tree, Fear about? I fear myself! For as far as any of us know, I could just go berserk any moment now and slaughter everybody! They will all be frightened of me; they will never look at me the same way again…
... I am sorry… that, there aren't more I can do.
I… Veemon felt tears swell in his eyes before he could control himself; he covered his face with both hands and quietly cried, I just want everything to go back to normal… he thought in-between teary sobs, I just wish everything could go back to where it was… now, that would never happen… not ever again…
Veemon could feel ExVeemon silently watching him with sympathetic and guilt-ridden eyes, he laid an incorporeal hand on Veemon's head, as if trying to caress Veemon for his pains.
Everything has gone wrong, because of my stupidity I lost Gatomon, and now I lost Davis too…
Veemon, it is not your fault, this will work out, somehow.
It won't, I have lost everyone, because of what I am… Veemon put his hands down and looked at the almost dark sky with teary, gloomy eyes, do you think… Davis will despise of me too? What if he is truly terrified of me, even when I find him?
No, he already knew the truth from Gennai. Trust your friend, Veemon, he knew the truth but he still cares about you, I am sure he is thinking of you even now.
… You know what I have to do once this is over, don't you?
Veemon…
If we survive this, then I will have to disappear forever, or delete myself.
Veemon, please… there are better things than that to think about.
But of course, I will make them pay; I will make them pay ten-fold for what they have done… If oblivion is where I have to go to, then I will take them with me…
Veemon stared at the moss-covered ground with half-open eyes and listened to Gennai talk in the not too far back distance. Gatomon was standing in between a few branches above, silently watching and listening to Veemon's sorrowful activities. Perhaps her curiosity drove her to do so, or perhaps she still felt sorry for the poor little dragon that had lost all his characteristic cheer in the last month. But the sight of him silently weeping, all alone from everybody else, was certainly a sad sight.
Perhaps… it was about time she talked to him again…
There, a whole chapter of character development, it was about time for the two of them to make up anyway…
But it ain't going to be easy…
Review please! Thank you! And no flaming!
