Powers of Crests

by Debbie Dai-chan

The Digidestined are seeking the true meanings of their crests.

3. Reflection of Shadow

~*~ My special Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon: Digital Monsters. I would love to, but sadly, the policy says they only need eight Digidestined. Damn. Criticism will be cherished and flames will burn you. ~*~

Powers of Crests Saga:

Part Three: Reflection of Shadow

By Debbie (Dai-chan)

It was still raining when the eight kids and Digimon strolled under the jungle. They seemed not disturbed by the raindrops, welcomed them to cool their thoughts. They were exhausted from their recent battle, but they were determined to find their missing friends. One was extremely worn out from the battle, had used nearly his entire strength to release his hidden power. It affected him forever with some physical appearances.

Kimika was helping Taichi walking as Sora and Takeru followed from ahead. Because of the irritable pain pulsating in his chest, Taichi could not stand without any support. If he tried to stand by himself, the pain throbbed worse, always leaving him gasping for breath. Even thought he felt a bit humiliated for needing help from the girls, Taichi was thankful the girls were willing to help, anyway. Kimika had her arm around his waist, his arm around her shoulders, adding her strength to his. Sora did help once and again when Kimika grew tired. Takeru was silent the whole time, watching Taichi with his azure eyes, seeming so serious.

"Stop, Kim," Taichi spoke through clenched teeth. "I need rest."

Kimika let Taichi sit down, resting against a tree. Agumon also sat by him, looking weary, sharing his pain and exhaustion through the spiritual link. Kimika gazed at Taichi with worry. Taichi's forehead was beaded with sweat from his struggle to resist the chest pain. His dusky hair, along with the lone, peculiar bright red strand, was damp from the rain. His eyes were closed, his head leaning on the trunk.

His face cringed with agony. "Why must I suffer this pain?"

"It will go away soon," Sora said, trying to soothe him.

Taichi opened his eyes, and Kimika often stared in awe at his strange eyes. She admitted that she missed his old eyes, which used to be pale tan with impatience and enthusiasm. Now they were blazing red with speckles of orange and yellow, reminding her of a violent fire. He is changed, but, still, he is my best friend, Kimika thought.

Taichi must have realized Kimika was staring at him. He lowered his eyes self-consciously. Again he touched his chest and sighed with soft pain.

Takeru knelt by him, his eyes soft. "I hope you will get better, Tai." The young boy embraced him gently, giving him comfort. Taichi returned the hug tightly, looking grateful. Kimika and Sora looked over to each other and smiled. Takeru was willing to give the kids his ceaseless support by giving hugs. Hugs seemed an excellent cure for Taichi, even though he was not the one who liked to be hugged. Takeru seemed to have a special grace that influence all with warmth and compassion.

At Kimika's side, Iyumon shook water from her right forepaw, looking irritated. She muttered, "Can't the rain stop?"

Kimika raised her face to the rain, feeling the streaks they left behind on her cheeks. "That's all right. The rain makes us feel better, especially Tai." She glanced to Taichi, who once again closed his eyes, contented in the company of Takeru. "He is getter better by the minute."

Sora walked up to her, leaving Taichi, Takeru, Agumon, and Patamon behind. She seemed anxious. "But I'm worried about the pain."

Kimika's eyes were still on Taichi. "The pain might be a side effect to his power. It will go away as long as he won't try to use his power." She assured that he did get the pain when he tapped in his new power, not from his healed burns.

Sora nodded in agreement with her. She gazed at Taichi for a moment, and then said, "I wonder if we would have such power like his."

Kimika shrugged uneasily. She wouldn't want to have that kind of power. It would be awesome to be capable to have such ability, but she wouldn't want to be forever changed like that. "Maybe. Maybe not. Perhaps Tai is the only one who has the power. After all he is the Master."

Sora glanced sidelong at her. "He is changed. He's not the same Tai as before."

"I know, Sora, but I believe he is still Tai inside. He wouldn't change that willingly. I know him well."

The raindrops halted falling from above and the clouds were drifting away by an invisible wind. Kimika noticed that Taichi had his eyes opened and focused on one point at his far left, as if was watching for something. He was engrossed, which was unusual to Kimika. He stood up without any support, no pain passing over his face. The kids and Digimon, including Agumon, gazed at him in surprise, and then they heard voices coming from the jungle, coming closer.

Always voluntary, Patamon hovered forward to see what were the voices. Biyomon, Iyumon, and even weak Agumon stood in a half-circle around their human partners to guard. Soon, they saw Patamon flying back, an excited expression on his childlike face.

"They are here!" he said, and as soon as he mentioned it, they saw the other Digimon - Gomamon, Palmon, Tentomon, and Gabumon running from behind him. Agumon, Biyomon, and Iyumon ran to embrace them, glad to see each other once again. Soon, the kids - Jyou, Mimi, Koushiro, and Yamato appeared, looking thrilled to see their friends. Kimika, Sora, Takeru, and Taichi hugged them warmly.

Kimika returned the hug to Jyou and looked up to his dusky eyes. In the joy to see the friends safe, no one noticed the changes in the two boys. Kimika blinked in wonder as she saw something unique in Jyou's eyes. Calmness. She saw a thin, pale blue strand among his black hair.

"You have changed . . . like Tai," Kimika said softly.

At her words, Sora and Koushiro looked at Jyou as Yamato, Mimi, and Takeru gazed to Taichi, seeing that two of their friends were changed. Taichi gazed over to Jyou in puzzlement as Jyou stared back with curiosity.

Kimika glanced over to Taichi, and then turned to Jyou. "Did you find your power, Joe?"

Jyou glanced down to her. He is changed like Tai, Kimika thought. He is not anxious or tense. Jyou nodded as his dusky eyes again studied Taichi, who was also gazing back.

The friends stood in awed silence at the two boys. Kimika knew that the silence was making them uncomfortable, but she was also amazed herself. Fortunately, Yamato stepped in to break the silence. He spoke, "We will tell you about what happened."

All rested where they were standing, huddled together for comfort and sanctuary. Taichi and Jyou were strangely silent during the stories, seeming to be in deep thought, Kimika noticed. What had happened to them really? How come they have such power that changed them for some reason? What is the real purpose? Kimika entered in her thoughts about the questions as Yamato and Sora continued their stories.

***

Through his pool of seeing, Myotismon watched the kids in furious silence. His blue eyes were blazing darker than the darkness he was cloaked in. He was gazing at the silent Taichi and Jyou. The Master and the Reconciler have discovered their power. They proved to be dangerous to me. They definitely will destroy me . . . he thought darkly. His hand grasped into an enraged fist, shaking violently. He will not let his anger take over him because of some wretched adolescents! He forced himself to breathe, slowing down his rage. Once again composed, Myotismon narrowed his eyes in reflection. I will personally do it myself to destroy all the kids at once. The sooner the kids are gone, the better. He dissolved into the darkness in perfect silence, a sadistic sneer on his pale face.

***

Mimi glanced over to Taichi and Jyou with wonder. "Is it possible for us to have powers like theirs?"

Tentomon nodded. "Highly plausible."

"But why?" asked Palmon from her friend's side. "What is the reason?"

Again, the group was lost to the question, not knowing the answer. Kimika couldn't stop her eyes from flickering over to Taichi and Jyou. She knew that the answer must be in them, but she would not disturb them to find it. She knew they need some time to accept the change in themselves. It's possible for us to have such power, but it seems that only to get that kind of power is to become what our crests represent.

She reached in her red shirt and drew out her tiny crest. Like the others', her tag was made of polished brass with a screen that shielded the crest that symbolizes her soul. On the silver crest, an image carved into the metal - a single extended line traced into a rainbow, starting at the center, arching four times before curling into a closing spiral at one end. The symbol of the Crest of Empathy. Kimika knew she was empathic, understanding to her friends, but how could she find her power through empathy? Taichi and Jyou did, though. Taichi found his power by courage to face himself and Jyou found his power by reliability to balance the chaos within.

"Greetings."

Kimika looked up startled with the others at the voice. All immediately recognized the voice - Myotismon's. Instinctively, the kids huddled closer for protection as their Digimon guardians encircled them, facing out. The surroundings were suddenly shifted into an unnatural darkness. A dark, ominous feeling filled the air. The darkness seemed to condense into a floating oval opening of blackness, hovering near the group. Two eyes of piercing, icy-cold blue peeked out and Myotismon unmasked his face.

He studied Taichi and Jyou for a moment and almost bowed with ironic respect to them. "I see that the Master and the Reconciler have come as the legend had been told. May I congratulate them?" He shifted closer.

Agumon, digivolve into Greymon!

Gomamon, digivolve Into Ikkakumon!

Myotismon stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed in irritation at the fanged white walrus and the horned orange dinosaur standing before him. "Don't you fools realize that you will never defeat me?"

"Nova Blast!" A sphere of orange fire emitted out of Greymon's mouth. Myotismon silently cloaked himself in the darkness, and the fireball dissolved as it came in contact. Myotismon again unmasked himself.

Ikkakumon lowered his head and bellowed, "Harpoon Torpedo!" Five harpoons emitted out of his horn on his head. The harpoons charged toward their target, Myotismon.

"Crimson Lightning," Myotismon spoke out, and red lightning bolts crackled from his hands. The bolts surrounded the harpoons, and they exploded in midair, raining ashes.

His eyes burning at the group, Myotismon hissed, "You are too strong together. I must separate you." He began to glow with a sickening green glow.

Kimika bunched closer to Taichi, afraid to see what would happen. Suddenly, Taichi stood up, and so did Jyou. Together, they stood out of the circle of Digimon, moving as one. They began to glow with strange auras. Taichi glowed with dancing flames around his body as Jyou's blue aura rippled in the air as waves of a sea. Myotismon hissed shrilly, and his glow blazed stronger. The boys responded back by their auras brightening intensely. The glows were so bright that the kids and Digimon shielded their eyes, turning away.

Kimika risked looking back. The auras came in contact, and there were two sudden explosions within the blindly glows. There were no vibrations, but she could feel the heat radiating from the glows, burning her back, and she knelt down, shielding her head with her arms. The heat continued radiating intensely, and finally, it cooled down.

Looking up, Kimika saw that the kids and Digimon were gone by half. Taichi, Jyou, Sora, and Mimi, along with their Digimon, were gone without a trace. Yamato, Koushiro, Takeru, Kimika, and their Digimon were left behind, the only ones left to face Myotismon.

Myotismon appeared pleased at that. His glow dissolved and held up a hand. Kimika heard Yamato and Takeru running to her as Koushiro grabbed on her arm. He huddled close, his eyes tightly shut. Iyumon and Tentomon also clustered close to them, also frightened, still too weak to battle. Reaching out for Yamato, Kimika held on his hand, and he and his brother knelt by her, huddled up, with their Digimon at their feet. Only Kimika was brave enough to have her eyes open. Myotismon gazed at them with disdainful amusement. He closed his hand into a fist.

Suddenly, a quake was felt. A rugged crack broke in the earth, opening wide under their feet. Screaming, the kids and Digimon plunged into the dark pit as Myotismon chortled evilly. Their visions were black, and then all thoughts were gone.

***

She opened her eyes to a humming. She laid on her stomach, her head on one side. There was a dim light around her surroundings, but she couldn't find the source of that light. She sat up, careful to see if she was injured or anything. She was not hurt at all, just soaking wet. Wet? She tried to remember what had happened. She remembered a pit in which she and her friends fell in, and the echo of Myotismon's horrible laugh. After that, she couldn't remember the rest. She lost consciousness, and she woke to find herself on a river beach, the river flowing from ahead of her, the water sparkling even in the dim light. That was where the humming came from. She must be beached.

Kimika heard a groan and found her Digimon beginning to stir by her side. She remembered about her friends and called out their names. "Matt? Izzy?" Soon, her eyes discovered the soft outline of a laying Takeru and a stirring Patamon near. Takeru had his eyes closed, looking almost like he was sleeping.

"TK?" Kimika crawled to him on hands and knees, not trusting her balance yet. She pulled off her yellow glove from her right hand and touched her fingers on his cheeks. He was warm. He was all right. He opened his eyes at her touch, his innocent eyes clouded with quiet confusion.

Kimika grinned with sympathy. "Hey, boy. You are all right. You are here with Kim." She held him close to her chest. She picked him up as she stood. Takeru held on her, his arms around her neck firmly. She stood silent, letting Takeru looking around his surroundings.

"Where is Matt?" Takeru whispered, sounding worried.

"We will find him," she said, trying to hide the worry in her voice. The dim light didn't give enough light for her to able to see far enough. Her eyes struggled to see in the darkness behind the light. "Matt! Izzy!"

She heard the sounds of sloshing in the water and found Koushiro wading through shallow water toward her, Tentomon hovering by. His red hair was dripping, and he was twisting his orange buttoned shirt, looking slightly irritated.

"Are you all right, Izzy?" Kimika said with concern.

"No injuries at all," Koushiro mentioned. He shook water from his hair, spraying on Kimika and Takeru. They didn't bother to move, since they were already wet. "Just wet."

Once again, Kimika heard the wet footsteps from her other side. Yamato walked up to her, also wet. Gabumon was heard mumbling bitterly about 'stinkin' fur.' Kimika gazed at the blond boy with deep concern. Yamato caught her eye and smiled reassuringly, acknowledging her that he was okay. Kimika always liked his rare smiles that showed his true soul of tenderness and loyalty. It was a surprise that no one had noticed that. Yamato saw his brother cringing on her.

"Hey, kiddo," he said. Takeru looked up at his voice and held up his arms to him silently. Yamato took him in his arms. Kimika watched them with sad memories. She remembered that her brother did hug her like that. She and Trevor were very close. She began to miss her family. "Are you okay, kiddo?" Yamato asked. Takeru nodded slightly, his eyes lowered. Concerned, Yamato gazed up to Kimika.

Kimika fidgeted with one of her thin black braids, meeting his eyes with sympathetic rue. "He saw things that are not supposed to be seen for young boys." She remembered Takeru's unexpected encounter with a badly injured Taichi earlier.

Yamato's grey-blue eyes seemed to harden with regret, unconsciously embraced his brother more firmly. He nodded and scanned around his surroundings. "Where are we?"

Tentomon mentioned from above their heads, "It appears that we fell in an underground cave." Kimika noticed that they stood on smooth rocks, slick with green algae. The walls of the cave were seen from behind them, but the river flowed in front of them, swiftly moving. She still couldn't find the source of the dim light.

Koushiro knelt by the river and watched the swift currents. "The river must has softened our fall and beached us here."

Kimika frowned at that. Why couldn't she remember falling in the river?

"But how can we get out of here?" Yamato sounded impatient.

Kimika putted a gentle hand on his arm to calm him. "We will continue and search."

Before she could take a step anywhere, Gabumon made a suspicious grunt. His ruby eyes carried as he sniffed the damp air. The kids and Digimon waited patiently. They trusted his keen sense of smell. "I smell something," said Gabumon.

Iyumon also sniffed the air, also having a keen sense of smell. Her bright red eyes widened with bewilderment. "Food?"

Kimika frowned again. She had learned from her adventures that she shouldn't expect everything happening was real. Not everything was real to the touch. She began to learn the truth behind the illusion, and she couldn't bring herself to believe in Gabumon and Iyumon's sense of smell, even though the delicious scent of food filled her nose.

"Show us where," said Koushiro. Before she could stop them, Gabumon and Iyumon led the group upstream. Kimika stood still for a while, trying to believe, but she was still doubtful. She followed behind, hugging herself to keep warm from her damp clothing. They didn't have to go far; there on the floor, a colorful blanket spread on the ground, covering with silver plates and bowls of appetizing food. Every kind of food they could ever imagine filled every bowl and plates, overflowing. Already, the Digimon went straight to eat, wolfing down the food in sight.

"Matt, I am hungry," Takeru said, looking down to the food hungrily.

"Ok, kiddo." Yamato sat down with Takeru on his lap. He reached for a piece of peach pie and gave it to Takeru, who munched in.

"Matt," Kimika said from behind, "It might be an illusion." But Yamato didn't respond at all, watching close to his brother protectively. He even took a pear and bit in it, looking pleased at the taste.

Koushiro looked up to Kimika, shrugging. "It may be an illusion, but beggars can't be choosers, you know." He knelt by Yamato and took a boiled, seasoned egg, biting in it.

"Yeah, but soon you might wonder why you are still hungry after an hour." Her stomach suddenly growled, and her hand went to it. Kimika admitted she was really hungry, and the food looked really tempting to eat. Sitting cross-legged by Yamato's other side, Kimika took red grapes and slowly ate them, still not accepting the tangy flavor.

All ate in silence, their minds on food. Soon, their hearing perked at a strange sound. It sounded like faint humming that was pleasing to the ear. They scanned around for the source, until Takeru gazed up to Kimika with wide eyes. "Kim, look!" he pointed to her chest.

Looking down, Kimika saw a glow from behind her red shirt. She reached in and drew out her crest. It was warm to the touch, its silver glow pulsating slowly, illuminating her face.

"Is it responding to something?" Patamon asked, his curious azure eyes on the crest.

The humming got louder until it was buzzing, not shrill to the ear. The glow brightened. Then something responded back. All looked up to see a stone wall with a small square-shaped glow, also pulsating silver. The glow brightened and then dimmed, dissolving to reveal a small opening in place of the glow. Kimika's crest stopped glowing, but still warm.

"Would the crest have found a way out?" wondered Koushiro, his black eyes on the opening, ever inquisitive.

"It must be," Iyumon said, confident. "It never failed us."

Kimika gazed at her crest in her hands. She knew the crest never failed her at all. It was part of her. If the crest would fail her, then she would fail herself, too. But why was she feeling so uneasy? She didn't understand why did she doubt about the surroundings and food. It didn't feel right to her. She felt a warm hand, touching her hand with concern. Looking up, Yamato was smiling at her with kindness. Kimika smiled back modestly, feeling better that someone believed in her. Yamato helped her standing, smiling that secretive grin before turning to his brother, who was walking with Koushiro to the opening. Kimika squeezed her crest confidently and let it drop to her chest.

Koushiro and Tentomon entered first in the opening, Takeru and Patamon following behind. Yamato and Gabumon entered with Kimika and Iyumon by their sides. The group stood in the darkness, letting their eyes adapting. But the darkness was too dark to be able to see. The dim light, which had been shining from outside, was gone. The group was afraid to leave each other to avoid getting lost.

"Greetings," came a piercing, yet hushed feminine voice from above.

Abruptly, an obscure pearly light shone from everywhere without a source, filling every corner of the surroundings, banishing the darkness. The group jumped at the voice, moving closer to each other.

"Who is there?" Yamato demanded.

The voice sounded friendly, like it was welcoming them. "I am Arachnimon, and welcome to my Hall of Illusions."

"Hall of Illusions?" Tentomon murmured, gazing around. The group was in a sort of lengthened hall, but it was hard to tell, since the light colored the walls the same. The ceiling was so high that they couldn't see it. Kimika suddenly felt like she was standing in a universe of eternal light, where there was no darkness and all peace. She felt like she will be lost in that illusion.

"Yes," the voice, Arachnimon, was answering, "Where anyone can challenge his or her mind and solve my unsolvable enigmas. Pardon my nosiness, but I was eavesdropping. At the other side of my hall, is the way out to the outside. Only if you solve my riddles, you may leave this place."

Something in Arachnimon's voice made Kimika grow suspicious. "Why should we believe that you tell the truth?"

Arachnimon chuckled with polished courtesy. "May I greet the Seer?"

Kimika staggered at the words. She felt the supported arm of Yamato around her waist, and she leaned against him, wondering. She suddenly visualized that Arachnimon was actually bowing respectably at her as she spoke the words. She remembered that Taichi and Jyou were called the Master and the Reconciler. Did that means she does have such power like theirs?

Arachnimon spoke gently, "Seer, you always see the truth in illusions, but I am telling the truth. The way out is at the other side. All you have to do is enter, solve a riddle, and you are on your way."

Kimika gazed at the boys and Digimon. They were gazing at each other, seeming to think the suggestion of Arachnimon over. Koushiro met Kimika's gaze and said, "We have no other choice."

Kimika said nothing, looking downward. Inwardly, she grimaced. Must they trust Arachnimon? It was true that they have no other choice, but she felt that there must be a way. There must be. Only if she could see it. See. She shuddered all over at the word and inhaled a shaken breath. She gently tore herself from Yamato's support and continued her way down the hall, Iyumon hurrying to keep up. Her friends moved up with her.

Kimika had her brown eyes down, not seeing where she goes. She simply followed Yamato's booted feet as he walked by her side. She could sense that Yamato was concerned about her, but she said nothing, do nothing. She was so focused by walking that she was jostled from her thoughts when she was stopped by Yamato's hold on her arm. Looking up, she saw that they were blocked by a dead end ahead, though it seemed impossible to tell the difference from the same colors of the nearly walls.

"I knew it," Iyumon hissed bitterly, her curled tail twitching. She was as doubtful as Kimika.

Arachnimon spoke again from above, like an announcer, "In order to continue on your way, you must solve a riddle."

"How many riddles must we solve?" Gabumon growled with the same bitterness as Iyumon.

"Depends on your willingness." Kimika blinked at that. Willingness? What does that mean? She heard Arachnimon clear her throat. "No sooner spoken than broken."

"Is that the first riddle?" asked Patamon.

No answer responded to him. Patamon gazed to the kids with puzzling azure eyes. Gabumon glanced at Iyumon, both confused. Kimika turned to Yamato, who was shrugging with bewilderment. Even Koushiro and Tentomon, the valuable vessels of never-ending knowledge, appeared lost at the riddle.

Then Takeru tugged on Kimika's shirt and she gazed down to him. He beckoned her to crouch. She knelt to his height, and he leaned to her ear. He didn't whisper, but spoke clearly, "Would the answer be silence?"

Arachnimon again chuckled from above. "The boy is correct." The dead end dissolved to reveal another part of the hall.

Kimika grinned at Takeru and hugged him warmly. Takeru giggled with happiness, and her heart swelled to see the young boy back to himself. Together, the group continued on their way. The hall seemed to ascend, but slowly. Perhaps the hall is bringing us to the surface, Kimika thought with delight. They should be all right solving the riddles, and they will be out of here in no time. Soon later, they entered in a massive, closed chamber, also glowing with the same, hazy light.

"Now what?" muttered Tentomon.

"Oh, eager to solve another riddle?" Arachnimon was sounding enthusiastic.

"We just want to get out of here," Yamato said, biting the words.

"Oh." The voice sounded offended, insulted.

Kimika tightened her lips. "Hey, we must not upset her," she said softly to her friends. "She might be the only one who can take us out of here." She gazed at Yamato with sharp eyes. He nearly blushed before looked away.

The she heard Arachnimon speaking with childish gaiety. "Voiceless, it cries. Wingless, it flies. Toothless, it bites. Mouthless, it mutters."

"My, it's a hard one," said Gabumon.

Kimika feared that the riddles would get harder to solve. She pondered deeply, then noticed Yamato was grinning knowingly, his grey-blue eyes sparkling. "Matt, do you know?" Kimika asked, feeling guilty to snap at Yamato earlier.

Yamato nodded and winked at her. "Wind."

From above, Arachnimon giggled. "Excellent."

All of a sudden, as if a giant Digimon inhaled in a deep breath and heaved it out, a sudden gust of wind blasted from nowhere. Tentomon screamed with alarm, fluttering his gossamer wings, furiously as Patamon tumbled backward over head and feet.

"Matt!" Takeru screamed. Because of his light weight, the wind began to lift him off his feet. Yamato grabbed on Takeru's hands and tried to hold on as Takeru's feet swooped up in the air. Takeru's hat flew off and so were Kimika's red sunglasses. Yamato was strong enough to keep his place, but his feet began to slide forward on the ground as he tightened his grip on his brother. Gabumon and Iyumon were able to drive their talons in the ground, keeping a hold. Koushiro held on the blue wolf's back as Kimika had her arms around Iyumon's waist.

As suddenly as the gust appeared, it stopped blowing, and everything was calm. Takeru fell in Yamato's arms, both collapsing to the ground. Tentomon and Patamon gathered their balance and hovered with befuddlement. Kimika pushed back her black braids from her vision and gazed around to make sure her friends are all right. Her sunglasses fell beside her, and she putted it on the top of her head. Yamato was picking up Takeru's hat as Koushiro stood up, dusting himself, looking annoyed.

"What is the meaning of this?" Koushiro demanded, gazing upward.

"This is the Hall of Illusions," Arachnimon said, "Where you can experience the riddles."

"You would warn us," snarled Yamato, soothing his shaken brother.

"You didn't ask."

Yamato burst into a standing position, clenched fists shaking, his grey-blue eyes blazing upward. "Why you!"

"Stop," Kimika expressed the word with sharp boldness. Yamato returned his glare at her, his face twisted with fury. Kimika's brown eyes deepened, staring right in Yamato's eyes, unwavering, until he finally looked away. Kimika would never lose her temper to anyone, but she was, too, upset at Arachnimon for what had happened. She knew that anger didn't help anything or anybody. She knew. She had done that, and it hurt her deeper than she thought. She stood up, sighing. She said softly, "We must continue, but this time, we will be alert and ready."

She didn't really have any qualities a leader would have - she always left the choices up to Taichi - but she felt she was now responsible to watch over her friends and take them to safety from Arachnimon. To her surprise, all nodded in agreement at her, even Yamato. A part of the wall ahead dissolved into another part of the hall, and the group continued on their way. Koushiro, Takeru, Tentomon, and Patamon volunteered to walk ahead, their eyes scanning carefully, but with curiosity instead of caution. The rest walked behind, taking up as back guards.

Kimika heard Yamato clearing his throat. "Kim? I apologize."

She glanced sidelong over to Yamato. "Why?"

Yamato's eyes softened for an instant, then hardened once again. He gazed downward, uncertain what to say.

Kimika brought her eyes forward. "I know what do you feel, Matt. Don't worry. We will get out of here and find our friends. You needn't apologize to me about earlier. I understand."

Out of the corner of her eyes, Yamato was smiling, not the secretive grin, but a warm, almost handsome smile that she seldom saw. "It's like you can read my mind," he said.

Kimika blushed deeply, shyly gazing back. Then a bitter cold breeze brushed against her cheek, startling her. Yamato held up an arm to shield the coldness from her face, protecting her. His ash-blond hair swayed in the breeze. The rest moved closer to them, now cautious.

Kimika heard Arachnimon speaking from above, but something in her voice made Kimika pausing breathing. She sounded like she was planning something. But what? "Here is the third riddle. What lives in winter, dies in summer, and grows with its roots upward?"

"Oh, it is right on the tip of my tongue!" exclaimed Tentomon.

Koushiro was quick to answer. "An icicle!"

Kimika's neck hairs prickled. "NO!" she shrieked, and then fell in a horrified silence. The boys gazed at her in puzzlement, and then they heard cracks from above. Sudden cracks and quakes were present.

"Run!" Kimika bellowed.

At the same instant, icicles of all sizes plummeted from above. Gabumon heaved Iyumon out of the way as Tentomon and Patamon dodged the icicles in midair. Koushiro dove from an approaching gigantic icicle's path, avoiding the sprayed pieces from his eyes. Yamato snatched Takeru by his waist and shielded him as an icicle crashed behind.

Kimika was so concerned about her friends that she didn't pay attention to herself. She didn't know that a sharp, slender icicle was plummeting after her. Unnoticed, she moved out of the way, but not fast enough. The tip scraped on Kimika's right arm, drawing a thin, rugged line of blood among her upper arm.

"Ah!" Kimika gasped, gripping on her arm, resisting the sudden waves of pain, her arm numbing from both pain and coldness.

"Kim!" Yamato ran to her, holding her arm gently, offering concern. "What happened?"

Kimika shook her head. "Just a graze." She let go her grip and looked down to her arm. The graze was not worse. She will do fine for now. She squeezed her fist to bring feeling in her numb arm.

"I apologize for any injuries, Seer," Arachnimon said ashamedly, but Kimika grimaced slightly. Arachnimon was not ashamed, but tauntingly. Kimika can notice the emotions in the voices well.

Kimika gazed up, wishing to see what creature the voice belonged to. "Why do you try to hurt us? We did nothing to you, Arachnimon."

Arachnimon answered with carelessness, "If you want to get out of here, riddle me this. This is light as a feather, yet no one can hold it for long."

Kimika drew in a sharp breath, stiffened up. She knew the answer immediately. "No. No, no, no! I refuse to answer it!"

"Then you will be stuck here forever."

"Kim?" Yamato said with worry.

Kimika gazed to him, then to the others with sorrow. "If I answer this riddle . . ." She shut her eyes and shook her head violently. "No, I won't! I don't want to lose you guys."

She felt touches on her arms. She shoved them away, but Yamato held on her shoulders until she calmed down. Her eyes opened and gazed at him. Yamato spoke tenderly, "Kim, it might be our only hope."

"No."

"Do it!"

Kimika bit on her lower lip, shaking her head. Seven pairs of eyes eyed her, pleading her silently. Kimika tried to swallow to wet her sudden dry throat. "It must be an illusion. None of this is real. Not real." Yamato let go of her, and she sighed, closing her eyes. "The answer to the riddle is . . . one's breath."

Afraid to know, yet already knew what will happen, she heard her friends stopping breathing and gasped for breath. Opening her eyes, she saw the group clawing at their throats, struggling to inhale a breath. Their eyes were wide with panic. They could not breathe!

"Give me another riddle!" Kimika screamed, sudden tears forming in her eyes.

"Why?" Arachnimon asked.

"Please! Anything to save them!"

"It can't be seen, can't be heard, can't be felt, and can't be smelt. It lies behind stars, empty and fills holes. It ends life, kills laughter. It's everywhere and nowhere."

Kimika began to pant with panic. How could she answer that?! Behind her, she heard her friends keep gasping for breath, but they sounded weaker. They are losing their strength! They are going to die because of me! She was so blind to be unable to stop that Digimon. Kimika clenched her fists, angry tears streaming down her cheeks. She was blind to her friends. She was blind to herself. She jolted with recognition. Blind . . .

"Darkness is the answer!" she screamed.

Abruptly, everything went black. She heard her friends panting, able to breathe. Overjoyed that her friends were okay, Kimika nearly sobbed with ecstasy. She reached for them, feeling the darkness, seeking for a friendly touch. But she couldn't find them. Worried, she felt farther for any solid structure.

"Iyumon! Matt!" She waited, but no one answered her. "Guys!" Still nothing. She again gazed upward. "Arachnimon! Where are my friends?"

Arachnimon's voice changed completely, now scheming. "What friends? They are nothing but mere illusions, Seer."

"Why are you calling me the Seer? Who am I?"

"You are the Seer of Empathy."

Kimika shut her eyes to hold back new tears. "Where are they?"

"Why should you care?" Arachnimon spoke, the voice coming from behind.

Kimika popped her eyes open, her body went stiff. Her voice was hard with emotions. "I always care. I never stop caring, Arachnimon."

Arachnimon answered back, "You are the Seer of Empathy who sees everything. You are able to see what are in people's minds, know and understand the emotions. You can see the true souls. You can see the reality. Because of all that, you must be destroyed."

"No . . ." Kimika murmured, slowly shaking her head in disbelief.

"Riddle me this, riddle me that. What have eyes yet cannot see?"

As Arachnimon spoke the riddle, the darkness slowly lightened up, just enough for Kimika's eyes to adapt. She heard a faint clink from behind her, and she twisted around in alarm. She saw a dark figure against the darkness, seemed to crawl toward her. It made metallic clinks as it crawled. The light brightened, and soon, she could see the figure well. The light reflected off eight metallic legs of a small red spider crawling. Two small eyes of deep blue were unblinkingly eying her. Kimika gasped stepping back.

"Needles, storms, potatoes, and . . . you, the Seer."

She felt a cold touch on her shoulder, and she gave out a frightened yell, jerking herself from the touch. The light brightened into the hazy, white glow, and Kimika gazed around. A black web covered a wall, jet-black against soft white. A gigantic spider-like Digimon gripped on the web with her six slim, scarlet legs. The other two legs were black claws, tucked under her body. Eight eyes the color of a cloudless sky, but not as innocent, glared at Kimika with loathing delight. Saliva dripped from her two long fangs.

Then Kimika saw her friends wrapped with black web silk, wrapped all over except their heads, looking like cocoons. They struggled hard to free, mumbling behind their muffled mouths, which were covered with web silk.

Thousands and thousands of tiny red spider Digimon crawled toward her from everywhere, surrounding her into a circle of scarlet. Kimika began to pant in terror - one of her reactions to danger. Arachnimon was using her most frightened fear - spiders. She loathed spiders! She hated every fiber of that horrible, ghastly . . . bugs! Thousands of tiny, blue reflected eyes gazed at her, giving her unpleasant shivers all over.

"No!" Kimika whimpered. "They're all illusions, illusions, illusions . . ." She began to chant the same phrase over and over under her breathes.

"A Seer who cannot see, "Arachnimon said. She shook her head, sneering. "Pathetic. A worthless Digidestined."

Kimika began to shake with growing rage. She was not worthless to her friends. She was valuable to them, as each one of them was valuable to each other. She will not let that spidery Digimon take control of her. "It's all an illusion. The spiders are not real. They are not real! "

Her crest glowed silver and the aura surrounded her body. The silver aura was hazy, shadowy, rippling in the air with tiny spiral streaks of black shooting from her body. The aura reflected off the small spiders, and they simply dissolved into thin air, unable to resist the power of the aura. Kimika gazed at Arachnimon with hidden rage, the rage she thought she would never has. It hid beneath all the gentleness and empathy, waiting to be revealed.

Kimika bellowed, "You are not REAL! Reflection of Shadow!" A spiral of silver and black light emitted from her fists. The light was so bright that it stabbed pain in her eyes, forcing her to shut her eyes. Even though, her eyes still hurt so painfully. She heard Arachnimon screaming in the surroundings of the shadowy light, then suddenly silenced.

The light and the aura dissolved. Even though her eyes were closed, Kimika sensed that Arachnimon and her spider children were gone forever. Her knees buckled under her, and she collapsed to her knees and hands, panting hard. Her eyes no longer hurt. She heard the voices of her friends speaking out and the running of footsteps. She felt hands holding her shoulders, supporting her, letting her gather her breaths and strength.

"Kim, are you injured?" Yamato asked with worry.

Kimika shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I am just exhausted." She opened her eyes, gazing up. She saw her friends widening their eyes, involuntarily jerking backward from her in alarm. What? What is the matter?"

Yamato frowned in concerned puzzlement. "Can you see us?"

Kimika was confused. "Yes, Matt, I can see you. I can see you all." Then she realized. She remembered that Taichi and Jyou received some physical changes since they got their power. She got her power, and she might be changed. "Did . . . did I change?"

Koushiro gazed at her with amazement. "Your eyes . . . they are all white, irises and pupils, too."

"And you have a golden braid among your braids," added Patamon. Startled, Kimika felt for her hair and brought several braids in her vision. One of her thin braids was golden-yellow, like a lone ray of the sun among her dark hair. She gaped at the braid in awe.

"They must be side effects on you from your power," said Tentomon.

"But it didn't matter," said Takeru with confidence as he gazed around to the group. "She is still our Kim." He looked to her with brightness in his azure eyes. "And you saved us."

"And look!" Gabumon exclaimed, pointing from behind Kimika. She looked upward and saw a narrow stairway sprouting from their feet, opening to the surface. "The way out!"

"The way out . . ." Kimika murmured. She stood up with the help of Yamato. "It is there the whole time. We have to see the truth behind the illusion to find the way out."

"And you did saw the truth," Iyumon said proudly, grinning at her human friend. "You are definitely the Seer!"

Patamon leading the way, the group ran upstairs, eager to get to the surface. Kimika was left behind, watching them with her new eyes, the eyes of pure white. She pondered Iyumon's words. "I am?" she whispered, and then smiled with usual gentleness. "I am the Seer."

Yamato returned to her. He was smiling back, looking not awed at her as the others, but the same with loyal tenderness. He held out a hand, and, without any modesty, Kimika took his hand. He squeezed affectionately, and, together, they went upstairs to the surface, to freedom.

To be continued!