Power of the Crests: Part Seven:

Breath of Wind

Original Author: Debbie (Dai-chan)

Rewriter: Celestra (Les)

Yes! I'm finally almost done this chapter, and then I can start on the others! Yokata can't complain! Yokata can't complain! Remember people, I'm not actually copying this, and this is my version, which means that this isn't the exact thing that Dai-chan wrote. On the other hand, are you enjoying my other stuff? Cinderellamon is one of my favorites. Disclaimer: (Do I have to?) This is not mine! It's Dai-chan's so read her version! Hey, what the heck is wrong with my font? Okay guys, you know the drill. Read and review! Fixed the font! By the way, it took Dai-chan a long time to think up a plot, so you'd better like it!

. . . To follow the chain of clouds, . . .
. . . Beware the buzz of life's end . . .
. . . To halt the death of slumber, . . .
. . . Seek not the voice of mind . . .
. . . To cure them all, all you need, . . .
. . . Is a breath of wind . . .

"Hey, sleepyhead!'

Sora opened one amber eye. The pink face of a grinning Biyomon filled her vision. She groaned and shut the eye. She turned to one side and tried to sleep. Suddenly, the impatient squeaks of her digimon filled the air, pushing her away from the comforts of sleep. Sora mumbled and sat up, stretching her arms. She rubbed her sleepy eyes. Biyomon stood by her side, her sapphire eyes sparkling. Tai was kneeling by her, grinning.

"About time," Tai said. "I began to think you would never wake."

Sora saw Joe filling the dying fire with dirt, Gomamon and Agumon helping. Mimi was standing alone, her head tilting to one side, seeming to listen. Palmon sat by her, always patient. Sora saw that it was already morning, the sunlight winking through the swaying branches. "I slept that long?"

Tai chuckled. His red eyes seemed to blaze with merriment. "You slept so heavily."

Sora smiled back sheepishly. "Sorry."

Tai laughed heartily. Sora was surprised at him. Since he found his power, he was unusually quiet, seeming to be in thought often. But he was back to the same old Tai. She let Tai pull her up to her feet, and he turned to Joe. Tai and Joe seemed to become close friends, an odd couple. Perhaps it was because they were the first ones who found their powers, thought Sora.

Sora felt something cool touching the skin of her left wrist. Looking down to her wrist, Sora saw a thin, silvery bracelet made of tiny cloud-shaped beads, lined with a red hue.

. . . To follow the chain of clouds . . .

Sora blinked her eyes. She could see the words clearly in her mind. And where did the bracelet come from? She tried to unclasp it, but it was fastened on. It had no hook or latch to open. Under her fingers, the bracelet felt cool and soft, like it was made of cloth, not metal. It was strange, however, because cloth doesn't feel cool to the touch. She tried to pull it, but somehow, the bracelet was too strong.

"OK! Let's go!" she heard Tai calling. Sighing, she let go of the odd bracelet and went in pace with her friends.

As they walked through the jungle, Sora remembered what had happened as she gazed upon her friends. So far, she was the only one in the group who didn't have the power, or didn't have the power yet. She remembered when Mimi found her power. She noticed that Mimi was more . . . generous. She was more honest, benevolent, and attentive. It was not a surprise, however. Sora always knew that Mimi had those qualities in herself. She only needed some help to find them, thanks to her Crest of Sincerity. Sora was kind of curious about what powewould she have, but she felt that she would not want that kind of power. Look at what the powers did to change her friends. She wondered if they would be the same again.

Sora gazed up to study the clouds. She enjoyed looking at the sky, seeing how beautiful it was. But this time, she saw something unusual. She saw a long line of small, fluffy clouds drifting above. It appeared that the group was following them without knowing it. Sora felt a cold shiver going up her back. She hugged herself, trying to comfort herself.

Soon, the group stopped at a wide, swift-looking river. There looked like no way to get across it. Sora stood alone, watching the currents as she heard Tai asking Mimi, "Are you sure the others are out there at the other side?"

Mimi calmly nodded. "Yes, I can sense them."

Sora glanced at her with wonder. What was it like to feel heartbeats inside? Mimi had told her about it, but she didn't yet grasp the feeling.

Joe knelt by the river, carefully putting his hand in the river. Sora watched him. He seemed so focused, his calm dusky eyes watching the currents. It was like he was the one with the water. She saw a light shrug among his shoulders, and he stood in an amazing, graceful motion, just like water, shaking off water from his hand. His voice was a whisper, "Well, it looks like we have to search for a way to get across."

"I will do it for you," offered Gomamon. He looked eager to get back in the water.

"Not alone," said Agumon from near.

The white digimon's mischievous pale golden-green eyes met with the yellow dinosaur's enthusiastic emerald eyes. "I can swim faster, better, and more graceful than you, Agumon."

Two rosy spots formed in Agumon's cheeks. "Don't start with me," he growled, but weakly. Sora faintly smiled. Everyone knew Agumon was a terrible swimmer, and Gomamon loved to tease him about it. Gomamon snickered.

Tai also smiled, but then grew serious. "Agumon is right, though. We have to split up into two groups of two so we can search both upstream and downstream. Mimi, stay with Sora. I will take Joe." He turned to walk upstream.

Sora ran to him, holding his arm. Tai looked back with his striking eyes of fire. "How will we find each other?" she asked, anxious.

Tai smiled promisingly, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Sora. Mimi can find us with her power, remember? Gomamon can swim up to you faster than we can. We will be fine." Then his eyes seemed to soften. He sounded worried. "Are you all right?"

Sora didn't realize she was looking too distressed. She managed to grin, however, though weakly. "Just fine. Be careful, guys."

Tai seemed to hesitate, gazing at her in concern, then smiled. He went with Joe, along with their digimon, walking upstream. Sora watched them, then looked up to the sky. Somehow, the line of clouds followed the boys, silently drifting. Sora felt again the shiver running up her arms, and she rubbed them. She couldn't help shaking off the feeling that something would go bad soon.

She felt a sudden touch on her arm. Sora started, nearly jumping. Mimi was also startled, but at her reaction. Sora forced herself to calm down. How come she got so nervous? "Yeah, Mimi?"

"Shouldn't we go now?"

Sora suddenly shook her head. She glanced back to where the boys had disappeared in the jungle, and said to Mimi, "Can we rest? I don't feel really good." She sat down on the grass, holding her knees to her chest. The rest gazed at her, concerned.

Mimi sat by her. "Are you sure you are okay?" she said, cocking her head. ("She is listening to my essence,") thought Sora.

Sora hugged her legs, closing her eyes. She was not sure about herself. Everything was going strangely. The powers, the bracelet, her dream. She didn't understand about her dream. Somehow, it was warning her for some reason. Shaking her head to forget it, Sora tried to change the subject. Sora looked to Mimi, asking, "Can you tell me about the others? How are they?"

Mimi turned to face the river, where she said the others was coming from the other side. She listened for a while, and smiled to her. "Izzy and Matt found their powers."

Sora's thin chestnut eyebrows flew upward. "Already? My, this power-changing search comes so fast. So only TK and I are the only ones left to find our powers?"

Mimi answered with a nod. Sora hugged herself tighter, whispering, "Oh, man."

"What's the matter?" Biyomon asked, deeply concerned.

"I was thinking about what had happened to all of us. We are not the same as before. We are not normal."

Sora could hear a slight hurt tone in Mimi's voice, "We are still the same inside."

Sora reached to hold on Mimi's hand, squeezing remorsefully. "I know. I am sorry, Mimi. But I was thinking about us. If the powers and our physical appearances are permanent, what would happen if we come home? What would our friends think? Our families? People would think we are kind of . . . freaks."

Mimi smiled back. "Still, it does make us special."

Sora faintly smiled, her eyes lowered. "Yeah. Each of us is special in our own way." Then she looked up, gravely. "But why must this happen? I just don't see this connection between the powers, and the digimon, legends of the Digidestined, or even the Digiworld itself. Why are we having these powers? There's got to be a reason for all of this."

"You always want to find answers?" Mimi said.

"I always seek to find good reasons." Sometimes, Sora astonished herself. She often didn't realize she was that meditative. Many of her friends often said she was wise beyond her age.

Mimi chuckled heartily. "You are beginning to sound like Izzy ."

Sora's amber eyes slowly grew sad, as if was already knowing the fate of her friends. "I miss them."

Mimi's hazel eyes changed into a confident glint. "I miss them, too. They miss us, too."

Sora sighed faintly. She really, really wanted to be back with her friends again, never to be separated ever again. She leaned back, bringing her eyes upward to the sky. Abruptly, she saw the line of clouds. They were drifting unmovable, now colored into a gloomy grey, with black lining. She grimaced.

"What's wrong?" said Mimi, seeing her grimace. Sora didn't answer, her eyes glued on the clouds. Mimi and the digimon also gazed up to the clouds. Mimi made a humming sound. "What strange clouds. There must be some kind of weather pattern in Digiworld that we don't know."

Sora didin't hear what was she was saying. Something was distracting her. A low sound, like a buzzing, hummed from her left, seeming to come from the jungle. It seemed that she could feel the buzzing sound from inside, either urging or warning her. Sora suddenly heard the words from her dream.

. . . Bewares the buzz of life's end . . .

"What in the world?" muttered Biyomon, her face twisted with ire.

Sora whirled to her. "Do you hear it, Biyomon? The buzzing?"

The pink digimon nodded. "Yes. What is it?"

Then Sora gazed to Mimi, who gasped in shock, holding her chest. A lost expression was on her pretty face. "Mimi?" she tried to soothe her.

Mimi shook her groggy head, blinking her eyes. Sora noticed that Mimi kept touching on her chest, as if she was trying to get a grab from inside. Her hazel eyes looked up to her, looking worried. "Something is wrong with Tai and Joe. Their essences are very faint, but they are not far. They are weak."

"You mean something happened to them?" Sora's heart suddenly clenched. It always seemed to clench with pain whenever one of her friends was hurt. She never liked to see them hurt.

Mimi nodded. "Yes, but I cannot sense any pain in the essences. They are not hurt."

Sora stood up, pulling her friend to her feet. "It doesn't matter. We must find them. Guide us, Mimi."

Mimi seemed to startle when she mentioned 'guide'. Sora remembered that she was called the Guide, and she was definitely important to the Digiworld. Mimi guided Sora, Biyomon, and Palmon through the jungle, walking by the riverbank. Sora didn't see any footsteps, but she trusted Mimi to find the boys. Looking up to the sky, Sora suddenly felt uneasy when she wasn't sure if they were following the gloomy clouds or the clouds were following them.

Soon, Sora could see something under low branches. "Tai! Joe!" She ran past Mimi, skipping over high roots until she arrived at the boys. They were lying, unmoving. Tai laid on his back, his head lolling to one side, one hand on his stomach. Agumon was lying on his side, his claws on the ground carelessly. Joe lay on his stomach, his head also lolling to one side, his eyeglasses resting near his head. Gomamon was curled into a ball, looking exhausted. It seemed that they collapsed from where they stood, as if they suddenly lost their energy.

"Tai?" Sora knelt by the brown-haired boy. He was motionless, the red lock falling over his closed eyes. His chest was not moving. Alarmed, Sora looked up to see Mimi kneeling by Joe, touching his cheek. Biyomon and Palmon also went to the digimon, worried.

Mimi gazed back to Sora. "They are still alive, Sora," Mimi was sounding uncertain, but relieved that they were alive.

Then Sora heard a long, deep breath coming from Tai. She looked down, but he was not breathing. She waited for a while, her amber eyes glued on his chest. Then his chest expanded, taking a deep breath, then releasing it, very slowly in motion. Still uncertain, Sora put her ear on Tai's chest, listening for a heartbeat. She waited, and then finally his heart pulsed. One, single heartbeat. Sora raised her head, confused. "That's strange. They're in a kind of stupor. They're sleeping." Then she shook her head in agony from the increasing buzzing. ("Where does that buzzing come from?!")

"Sora, what's the matter?" she barely heard Mimi speak through the buzzing. Biyomon was also agonized. Holding her head, Biyomon growled, "That buzzing! It's annoying!"

"What buzzing?" asked Palmon.

Sora looked up to the plant digimon. "Don't you hear it?" She saw Mimi and Palmon shake their heads. She gazed at them in surprise, and then the buzzing stopped abruptly. Sora slightly shook her dizzy head, as Biyomon exhaled in relief.

"Sora." Sora looked up to Mimi. She was pointing down to her left wrist. "What's that?" Sora glanced down to her wrist. She forgot all about the cloud bracelet. She was a loss at words. She blushed faintly, looking up to her friends. Mimi was looking precarious. "I saw it when you were asleep. You never told us about it."

"I have no idea how I got it. I got it after the dream . . ." she stopped, remembering.

"What dream?" Palmon asked.

Sora tried to remember. "I have a dream what someone spoke a rhyme, a verse, or a poem, whatever it was. And it is coming true."

"What do you mean, Sora?" said Mimi.

"The first line is 'to follow the chain of clouds, beware the buzz of life's end.'" She pointed upward to the drifting line of clouds. "I saw them after I woke up. We followed it without knowing about it. When the boys went out for scouting, the clouds followed them instead. Then I heard that strange buzzing. Then we found the boys." Now Sora was confused. She didn't see the connection between the events. Mimi was watching her with deep bewilderment. Sora added, "I don't understand about this either."

However, she saw her digimon looking over to Palmon, their sapphire and emerald eyes meting each other, looking serious and wistful. They seemed to know something.

Mimi's voice cut through her thoughts. "You said the first line. Are there other lines?"

Sora tried to remember. "'To follow the chain of clouds, beware the buzz of life's end. To halt the death of slumber, seek not the voice of mind. To cure them all, all you need is a breath of wind."

Mimi glanced down to the sleeping Joe, seeming to think for a moment. "Do you think the poem is connected to them sleeping?"

Her amber eyes went to the sleeping Tai. She nodded. "It might be. It is coming true. The chain of clouds, the buzzing, the slumber."

Mimi gazed up to her, anxiety in her face. "Is there a way to wake them?"

Piyomon shook her head. "You shouldn't wake them now."

Sora raised her eyes to her digimon. There was serious severity in her sapphire eyes. "Why is that, Piyomon?"

Piyomon answered, "I recalled one digimon named Nuskemon who attacked digimon by putting them to sleep."

Palmon added, "And he eats lives. He needs energies to survive."

Sora's heart clenched. There was actually a digimon like that? Mimi's hand went to her chest, her hazel eyes on Joe, looking worried. Sora gazed right into Biyomon's eyes. "You tell me this digimon is like a zombie?"

Palmon frowned in puzzlement. "Zombie? What's a zombie?" Biyomon blinked at Sora in confusion.

"Never mind." Mimi's eyes turned to her digimon. "Is there a way to defeat him?"

Biyomon answered her, "To defeat him, you have to enter one of his victims' dreams. Nuskemon is never be seen from outside of digimons' bodies."

"In other words, he's a parasite," Sora guessed. Biyomon answered with a nod. Sighing faintly, Sora gazed down to Tai. He looked peaceful, with no troubles appearing on his boyish face. The red lock swayed gently in a faint breeze. It was hard to believe that an evil digimon was eating his life, and he could die at any moment.

Sora heard Mimi asking, "But why is Nuskemon attacking them? They are humans, not digimon."

Palmon answered, "It appears that Nuskemon can attack humans as well as digimon."

"I will do it," Sora said with confidence. "I will enter their dreams and defeat him."

Biyomon whirled to her, alarmed. "What? No!"

"I have to!" Sora's amber eyes were unusually hard, gazing sharply to her friends. "My dream warned me about this, and I ignored it. It's my responsibility to take them back."

Mimi's hazel eyes were concerned. "But, Sora, how can you enter the dream?"

Sora's gaze lowered to her wrist, where the cloud bracelet was clasped on. "I have to . . . follow the chain of clouds. I will sleep and focus my mind on it. It will lead me."

Biyomon looked really worried, her sapphire eyes touched with haunted agony. "Do you know what to do?"

Sora sighed, shaking her head. "No, but I will know when I get there." She laid down on her back by Tai.

"We will protect you all," said Mimi. Sora nodded. She had faith that her friends would protect them.

Biyomon sat by her head, her wing touching her left wrist. Her voice was thick with misery. "Sora . . . be careful."

She was scared, too, but she must be brave. She smiled reassuringly at her lovable digimon and closed her eyes. She focused her mind on the chain of clouds on her wrist. Her fingers fingered them, feeling the texture, solidity, and weight of the bracelet. All thoughts were on the bracelet. She felt her breaths slowing down, and she slid into a blanket of darkness.

Sora opened her eyes. She was standing in a thick, grayish-tan fog. The fog felt damp, thick enough that she could feel the billows of clouds on her skin, slightly tickling. Was she in a dream or something? She was not sure. She didn't know where she was, lost in the strange fog. Then she heard a low buzzing from her far left. It was not annoying, but it sounded like it was calling for her.

Surprisingly, She felt an odd warmth on her wrist. Looking down, she saw the cloud bracelet glowing with a faint red color. Suddenly, the buzzing also faded and appeared, buzzing in unison of the pulsating glow.

. . . To follow the chain of clouds, beware the buzz of life's end . . .

Sora grew cautious. She would not ignore the warnings. She must do something to save her friends. Inhaling in a confident breath, she broke into a run, following the chain of clouds, bewaring the buzzing. She kept running until she slowed down into a stop. The buzzing was loudest, and the glow was brightest, illuminating the surrounding fog with a red hue. Sora looked up to a sudden sound of a gust above. Suddenly, the gust whooshed past her, flapping on her clothes and hair. She held her hat, the straps sweeping in the air.

"Hey!" Sora yelled. Within the fog, she could see a billowing part of the air, as if it was alive. The air shifted like it was in waves of heat or in gusts. She almost could see it was wind. Two beady eyes set in an airy face. The rest were too blurred to be detailed. "It must be Nuskemon," Sora thought.

"Who are you?" His voice was airy, echoing, like it was coming from a deep pit.

"One of the Digidestined! I am here to stop you!" Sora's amber eyes seemed to melt into hot molten gold ones as she glared at him.

Nuskemon drifted above, floating on a gust of wind. Then he seemed to sneer, although she could not see his mouth. "Ah, the Seeker of Love. I longed to meet you, Seeker." Sora started at her new title, then stiffened up, her teeth clenching together. "And you said you would stop me?" Then a resounding laugh stirred in the fog, amused. "I cannot be stopped. No one can stop me. Even if I could be stopped, how would you do it? You don't even know what to do."

Sora's eyes cooled down to amber. She had to be more cunning than him. "Tell me, what should the Seeker do?"

Nuskemon's airy eyes hooded. "Seek."

"Seek what?"

"Seek." Suddenly, Nuskemon soared toward her. Sora gasped and dropped to the floor, whatever it was, burying her head. Somehow, a sudden gust of wind whistled past her and pushed Nuskemon out of her way. She heard Nuskemon shrieking with outrage. "Blast it! How can you call on your power?! The legend is not supposed to come true now!"

Sora gazed up in bewilderment. "What are you talking about? What legend?"

Nuskemon seemed to stop drifting in the fog, appearing surprised. "The Seeker doesn't know?" Then he smirked with scheming delight. "I think I shall destroy you before you find out." Again, he prepared to attack her, but another gust blew past her and sent him flying backward. Nuskemon growled furiously, his eyes seeming to turn into white fog. Somehow, the dream was protecting her.

Sora knew what to do now. She stood up, grinning cunningly at the air digimon. "Since you cannot be destroyed, then I cannot be destroyed, either."

Nuskemon smirked back. "But you can be defeated."

"So can you, Nuskemon."

Nuskemon seemed to lose the shrewdness in his eyes. He looked enraged, softly screeching like a shrill whistle in the wind. Sora crossed her arms, glaring back levelly. That was a side of Sora she never thought she had. She rarely got mad, but the very thought of that digimon hurting her friends like that made her want to box him in the face.

"So, why are you attacking my friends?" Her voice seemed to be carried by the thick fog.

Nuskemon cocked his head in thought. "The Master and the Reconciler?" He carelessly shrugged. "No reason. I am just hungry."

Inside, Sora grimaced, She had a plan to get her friends back, but there was a dark side to it. She was frightened to face it, but she had no other choice. "How about we have a deal?'

Nuskemon appeared a bit wary and startled. His eyes slightly narrowed. "What deal?"

Sora let her hands clench into fists. ("Please, let me have strength,") she silently prayed, then returned her eyes to the digimon. "The deal is that I will give up my life to you if you let the boys go."

Nuskemon snickered. He turned away, preparing to leave. "Why would I want your life?"

Sora made no move toward him, but she made her voice sharper, louder. "You said you longed to meet me. You must have longed to have my life. Doesn't my life sound more delicious than the others'?"

The digimon stopped moving, waiting. He turned his head, his eyes clouded. "I can't resist a bargain. Are you sure that you will give up your life? No false death or anything?'

"Seeker's Honor." Sora glared hard to him. "If you have some honor, you will agree to the deal."

"Nuskemon's Honor." He began to drift closer to her, a delighted sneer on his face. Sora made no move, her insides shaking and clenching with fear. He reached to touch her cheek. Sora couldn't resist a sudden shudder as she felt the icy-cold draft on her cheek. Nuskemon's sneer widened at her reaction. His foggy hand lowered to her chest, where her heart was thumping quickly. His hand slowly clenched as if he was going to hold on her life. She felt intense pain . . .

Suddenly, a burst of cold wind gusted hard at them. Nuskemon withdrew his hand from her chest, holding up his hands to shield the gale. Sora groaned, clutching her chest, dropping to her knees. Everything went spinning in her vision . . .

Sora woke up, gasping. "What-?"

In her vision, she saw Biyomon kneeling over her; tears of fright and relief streaming down her feathered face. "I am so sorry, Sora!" she was sobbing. "But you were in trouble, and I had to save you!"

"How-?" Sora pushed herself up by her elbows and gazed around. Mimi and Palmon were kneeling by Joe and Gomamon, who were still sleeping silently. Her eyes flew to the face of Tai. He was sleeping, too. Sora made a mournful groan, almost a sob in her throat. "I was so close!"

"What were you going to do?" asked Mimi.

Sora took a deep breath through her teeth. "I was going to give up my life to Nuskemon in exchange for their lives."

Biyomon gazed to her, alarm in her sapphire eyes. Palmon nearly gaped in shock, her emerald eyes wide. Mimi was looking disbelieving at her. "Sora!"

"It's the only way!"

Disbelief faded from Mimi's delicate face, replaced with . . . strong respect. "Sora . . ." she whispered in awe. "I had no idea you had such courage in yourself."

Sora lowered her eyes to Tai's face. No, he is the one who has such courage. She had the love to do it. Her voice was soft. "Sometimes, you have to sacrifice yourself for the ones you love." Suddenly, she hunched over, clutching her chest. She suffered burning, severe pain pulsating in her chest. She weakly groaned. She felt arms around her, cradling her.

"Sora!" Mimi cried, holding her. "What happened?"

"The pain . . ."

In her blurred vision, she saw Biyomon, who, surprisingly, didn't experience her pain, glimpsing at her chest, and her eyes widenening. She reached to pick something from her chest, saying, "Sora! Your crest!"

Sora looked down to her crest. The polished brass tag had a glass screen to protect the red crest. On the crest, a perfect heart with a circle within its right side was engraved. But she noticed something wrong with it. The heart was cracked into two halves, few outlines of drops of blood dripping from the crack. "What happened?"

"You gave up half of your life to me," came a familiar voice.

All looked up in alarm. Nuskemon drifted above. Sora could see him more clearly. He seemed to be clothed in a robe of blackish-grey clouds, mist billowing around him. Two eyes of pure crystal sparkled in the mist, glowing with amusement. Biyomon and Palmon abruptly went into a shielding line, their eyes blazing distrustfully at the digimon. However, Nuskemon paid attention only to Sora.

He spoke, "Because of your half-life, I can now live outside digimon's bodies. I can go anywhere I want. What a pleasant half-life for me."

Mimi held Sora close to her, her hazel eyes darkening. "I can sense Sora's essence in you."

Nuskemon's eyes glanced to Mimi. "Yes. I am sharing her life. You can thank her for that." He began to drift closer, a cloudy hand reaching for Sora.

("Biyomon, digivolve into Birdramon!")

("Palmon, digivolve into Togemon!")

Birdramon crowed as she swayed her flaming wings, her sky-blue eyes blazing like blue fire at Nuskemon. Togemon stood near, her red-gloved fists clenching, facing the air digimon. Nuskemon hissed unpleasantly.

"No, no." Sora struggled to sit up, trying to ignore the pain in her chest. "I am the one who must stop him!"

Mimi still held her. "What do you mean, Sora?"

Sora raised her eyes to her. She could hear the battle sounds the digimon were making. "Mimi, it's just like the others. You defeated Vinamon because you had no other choice, right?" Mimi nodded. "I have to defeat Nuskemon because I have no other choice. It's my responsibility."

"But how? You are in pain."

Sora closed her eyes, trying to remember. Something about the poem . . . "Seek not the voice of the mind." She opened her eyes. "That's it. That's my mistake. I tried to solve the problem with my mind, not my heart. I am the Seeker. I must seek my heart, my love and use it to heal the boys." Sora moved to kneel in between Tai and Joe, putting her hands on the boys' chests. She took a breath and silently spoke in her mind, "Seek, my heart, and find the power to bring them back."

Slowly, her hands began to glow with a faint, misty-white light. Sora heard Mimi gasping quietly. Sora kept on seeking in her heart. Soon, the boys glowed with the light. A portion of the light leaped to the digimon, who were now also glowing faintly. Under her hands, Sora could feel the boys' heartbeats beating faster and breaths coming out more frequent. Mimi knelt by Joe, her hazel eyes on his face as Sora watched Tai's face. His eyelids began to flutter open. The handsome eyes of passionate fire focused on her.

"Tai!" Sora withdrew her hands, and the glows abruptly vanished. Mimi made a joyful squeal as she embraced Joe. Sora hugged Tai tightly, resting her head on his chest, so overjoyed that tears formed in her eyes. She felt the arms of Tai holding her, then he sat up, gazing around in blank confusion. Agumon and Gomamon woke, blinking in puzzlement.

"What happened?" Tai said.

The sounds of the battle answered him, and all looked up to the shrieks of Birdramon. She soared away from a sudden gale by Nuskemon, avoiding the angry wind. Togemon was heard growling. "Needle Spray!" she hollered and expanded her chest. Shreds of steel needles sprayed from her body, soaring toward Nuskemon. But it was useless. Because he was made of fog, the needles passed through his body uselessly. Togemon looked furious at that.

Nuskemon paid no attention at the cactus digimon. His crystal eyes sharpened, following the soars of Birdramon. He hissed, "Tornado Confusion!" He began to fly swiftly in a circle around Birdramon, forming a misty tornado. Birdramon flapped her wings in midair, her eyes trying to catch a glimpse of the digimon. But Nuskemon was too fast, and Birdramon shook her dizzy head, crowing agonizingly.

"I must stop him." Sora stood up, swaying a bit, and she walked toward the battle. Tai hastened to his feet and grabbed her hands, holding her back. Sora looked back, her sad eyes meeting his concerned eyes. "Please," she whispered quietly. "I have to stop him." Tai seemed to hesitate, his fire eyes glancing upward to the air digimon. His eyes returned to her, softening with sympathy. He let go of her. Sora turned away almost unwillingly, and continued on her way. She felt his eyes on her.

Birdramon crashed to the ground, deeply agonized. Sora longed to go to her, but she must face Nuskemon and stop him. Thankfully, Togemon ran to Birdramon to help her. Nuskemon laughed evilly at the orange phoenix, then saw the girl standing alone, her amber eyes melting into heated gold.

Nuskemon sneered maliciously. "Come to join me, Mother?" He spoke the word 'mother' with ironic and sarcastic love.

She would not let him defeat her! Her crest began to glow deep red like pure blood, and the aura surrounded her. The aura appeared like sudden gales of blood-red wind twirling and soaring around her. Nuskemon was startled for an instant, and looking enraged, he made the low buzzing sound in his throat.

"Breath of Wind!" Her aura began to whirl around her, faster and faster, until a gigantic tornado of blood red spun around her. Sora silently commanded. The tornado expanded, picking up loose twigs and leaves in its wake. Leaves stung her skin, but she remained firm, her eyes glued on the digimon. The red tornado moved slowly, twisting and dancing, toward Nuskemon. He made a shocked shriek as he was sucked in the tornado. Sora could see him dissolving in the tornado, his foggy body merging with the red winds. Sora then commanded her power to halt. The tornado lazily faded into calm air. Nuskemon was completely gone.

The aura dissolved into thin air, and she was suddenly groggy, heavily swaying. She was about to fall when strong arms caught her to her knees. "Gotcha!" Tai said. He held her for a while, then asked in concern, "Sora, are you okay?"

Sora was not feeling well. She was hot, sweat forming under her hat. She panted with the sudden heat. "So hot . . ."

Tai quickly took her hat off. Cool breezes soothed her face, and she rested slackly in Tai's supportive arms. She gazed up to him, and saw awe in his face. He was smiling with surprising affection, almost blushing. He spoke, "I can not believe myself if I said that, but . . . you have a beautiful strand of silver hair in your hair."

Sora stared mutely at him, and nearly blushed. Then she had a sudden thought. She looked down to her crest. Perfect once again, the red heart had healed back to one, no blood drops forming on it. She had her whole life back. She heard footsteps coming closer, and her friends hugged her.

Biyomon embraced her, pride in her eyes. "How do you feel?"

Sora's mouth moved, then shut. She tried to think of a word to describe her. She gazed up to her friends, smiling coyly. "Breezy." Her friends seemed to be startled at her word, then burst into laughs of joy. It was good to laugh again! Sora laughed as Tai warmly hugged her. She was happy to see her friends safe just because of her love.

Mimi stood up suddenly, facing eastward, touching her chest. She turned to them, her hazel eyes brightening with joy. "Our friends are close! They are coming!"

Joe stood, calmness in his dusky eyes. "At last! We will be finally together."

All stood and followed Mimi toward the other friends. Sora stopped in her tracks, looking down at her wrist. The cloud bracelet was gone. Sora then gazed up to the blue sky. She saw the chain of clouds, but they were now pure white with red lining. She grinned and called on her power. Soft breezes began to sway the branches, calmly whirling around her.

Sora laughed, throwing her arms up, spinning in place as the breezes tickled her cheeks. "I am the Seeker!"

TO BE CONTINUED!