Dancing in the Dark
By: Tai Chick

Part Three: Falling

Daisuke sat on what proved to be his bed for the past week. It was really quite a nice room. The decorations were lavish and expensive looking...the bed was large and soft, but this wasn't what was on his mind. He knew that he was going to be in big trouble when Sealya got done with him. A light knocking announced her arrival.
"Come in." Daisuke said tensely. But much to his surprise it wasn't Sealya who entered, but Hotaru. Though the girl was twisted and evil, over the past week she proved to be good company. "Hi Hotaru...what's up?"
"I heard what happened." She said nervously. "I don't think you should have done that...You should leave those people...they hurt you remember?"
"They didn't hurt me that much." He said. "I don't want to associate with them anymore, I want to be with you and Sealya...but I don't want to hurt them either, I just want to leave them.
"That Ken person will hurt you...why are you still with him."
Daisuke looked on. "Because I still love him...I'll always love him."
"You shouldn't be so faithful." Came Sealya's voice, who had entered the room. She had a bad habit of sneaking up on people.
"And why shouldn't I?" Daisuke asked, standing.
Sealya sighed. "Have you ever wondered why I knew everything about you that I did?"
Daisuke paused, if he had been in the right frame of mind he would have sensed a moment to gather essential information, but as it was he was upset...and lonely. "Yeah I have, how did you do that?"
Sealya smiled...but not warmly. "I have physic abilities, as Hotaru is beginning to learn herself. I can see what people are doing with my mind, I can manipulate things. Sometimes small objects and the portal to the Digital World as you have seen"
He didn't see what this had to do with Ken. "So you watched me."
"Yes...and sometimes the others, but I focused mainly on you." She looked away for a moment as if distracted. "You miss him." She said finally. "You remain faithful to him. Would you like to see what he is doing when you are not around? I can show you that. I can share what I can see...you could see it too."
Daisuke tried to fight the curiosity...the tiny seed of doubt that Sealya had planted in his head. "No...I don't...need to see...I...trust him..."
She smirked. "Come now Daisuke...you know you want to. If you trust him so much then there won't be anything to see...don't you miss him?"
"I do..."
"Then let me show you." She walked up to him and placed her finger tips on his temples...closing her eyes. "Shut your eyes Daisuke."
He did as he was told.
Suddenly he could see. He saw Ken! Ken was..warm...hot and tired. He was lying in his bed, breathing softly, he looked so beautiful. Suddenly Daisuke realized that the boy was not alone...there was someone laying beside him...it was a girl...it was Miyako!
"Ken?" She mumbled softly, rubbing up beside him.
"Humm?"
"Ai shiteru."
"Ai shiteru Miyako...koi..." Before another word was exchanged they kissed passionately...things getting hotter every minute. Daisuke couldn't stand it...
"NOOO!" He screamed breaking out the trance and falling backwards onto the floor and out of Sealya's grasp. He each breath he took was so much effort, his eyes were wide in panic. His Ken...his beautiful Ken...
"Did you dislike what you saw?" Sealya asked him...but his couldn't hear her. She took Hotaru, who was looking at him with great concern, and ushered her out of the room.
As Daisuke leaned over his knees hot tears fell down his cheeks. "Ken...I'm sorry...I've lost you..."
And from exhaustion, stress, and perhaps heart break...he passed out on the floor.

~*~*~

Ken sighed and released Miyako from the hug. "Thanks for coming out here...I appreciate it."
"I was worried about you...you really love Daisuke don't you?"
Ken looked down. "I do...and...you're okay with that?"
"Oh yes." Miyako smile fondly. "Actually my oldest sister has a girlfriend, but the only reason I know is because I walked in on them one afternoon when everyone was supposed to be gone.
That image got Ken to smile. "I don't know what happened to him...I hope to god we can get him before it's too late." He got up from the bed and went over to the window. "Damn it why didn't he come to me that night!?"
Miyako touched his shoulder. "Tomorrow we'll look for him...find this new enemy and destroy them...we'll get Daisuke back.
It was then that Miyako's D-terminal beeped and she pulled it out.

We have a problem. Meet me at the computer room ASAP
Koushirou

Miyako glanced at Ken, then the clock. It was still fairly early, the sun had just barely set. "You up to going?" she asked him.
The spark in Ken's eye had returned. The spark of determination. He no longer looked so tired and worn down. "Yeah, let's go."

~*~*~

"It's happening again." Koushirou stated.
"What's happening again?" Iori questioned.
"Digimon are turning on us. Like they have a black gear or there is a control spire...but there's *NOTHING* on *ANY* of the Digimon!" He was clearly frustrated.
"Wait, how do you know that they're turning?" Ken asked, much to everyone's surprise.
"Takeru and Hikari went into the digital this afternoon to check out what Daisuke had told you earlier. To see if the Digital World was really under attack. They were attacked by several Digimon that should have been friendly. I also did some tests, and there's no question that they are under some type of virus."
Ken glanced over and the two of them who were nodding.
"We can go into the Digital World tomorrow and check it out...okay Koushirou? We'll see what's up with all these crazy Digimon." Miyako said. "We'll find some way to help them. We always do.
"And maybe we can find some way to help Daisuke." Ken added, but no one heard him.

~*~*~

Daisuke lay in his bed that night, faceing a headful of restless dreams. In them he saw Ken with Miyako…he laughed at him.
"Ken I thought you loved me!" Daisuke cried.
Ken wrapped his arms around Miyako. "You were the one to betray us first…You should have talked to me."
"I wanted to Ken! Really I did! But Sealya, she would have taken over everything!"
Ken and Miyako slowly driffted away. "Sorry Daisuke…" Miyako said tauntingly. "guess you're on your own..."
"Daisuke you're a horrible rotten person!" Came Hikari's voice suddenly behind him. "How could you betray us!? Well...we have a new leader now…you've been forgotten." She put her arms around Takeru, who had appeared suddenly.
"Daisuke Motamiya. As the new leader of the Chosen Children I pass judgement on you…We find you guitly of betrayal and treason…"
"Takeru! You don't understand what I was doing! I never wanted to betray you…" "But that is exactly what you did…you could have come to us, together we could have beaten them…but you didn't trust us…"
"Exile!" Came little Iori's voice. "Satisfy us by staying with the enemy…let us defeat you! FORGET US!!!"
"I hate you." Ken's voice hissed in his ear…
Daisuke woke up screaming, and then remembered nothing.

~*~*~

He arrived at breakfast that morning later than usual. Sealya and Hotaru were already halfway through.
"Daisuke!" Hotaru cried, jumping up when she saw him. He was walking around in a fog…blearly eyes and messy hair. He looked sick. "Are you alright?"
"I didn't sleep well…there were people in my dreams." He took a deep breath. "Sealya, I wish to know."
"Know what Daisuke?"
"Everything."
Sealya nodded. "And your friends? Ken…will you run to them with what you I tell you?"
A genuine look of confussion crossed Daisuke's face. "I have no friends…I thought that's why you brought me here…you told me that I would help you take over the Digital World.
A bright…evil grin crossed Sealya's face. "That I did Daisuke…and I can see that you truly belong to us now…welcome home."
"Yes Daisuke. Welcome home." Hotaru added. She crossed over to him and placed a kiss on his cheek, which he gladly accepted.
"Come." Sealya commanded, getting up from her food. "I have much to teach you in a very short time."

~*~*~

By the end of the day Daisuke was exhausted. Sealya had worked both his mind and body to it's limits. She was teaching him the beginning stages to Digimon Corruption. She had been doing all the taking over with her mind...all those Digimon had been corrupted by Sealya and Hotaru's physic powers.
Sealya had been very pleased when discovering that Daisuke too could manipulate the minds of the Digimon. 'Not everyone possesses that power' she had said.
Daisuke flopped down onto his bed...his head was swimming, so much learned...but something seemed wrong...in the back of his mind. A soft knocking broke him from his thoughts. "Hai?" he asked. "Come in."
The door slowly opened and Hotaru peaked her head through. "Daisuke? I was wondering if you wanted some company..."
"Yeah sure." he said. "That is...if you want to."
Hotaru smiled and crossed the room, sitting on the bed next to him. Swinging her feet she searched for something to say.
"So you like being here with us?" she started.
"Yes, of course I do...other wise I wouldn't be here...would I?"
"No I guess not." She sighed. "So you don't wish to stay with your former friends?"
"I told you this morning that I never had any friends...I thought that's why you brought me here." Daisuke stated, confused.
Hotaru looked curiously at him. "You really *don't* remember them...do you?"
"Should I remember something? Because...I really *don't*. I remember being alone...I remember being scared and angry...Then I remember here."
"No..." She sighed. "There really isn't anything for you to remember...just think about what Sealya teaches you."
"She's taught me a lot...I seem to be good at corrupting Digimon...I...I like to bend them to my will, I know it might sound sick and twisted but..."
"But it's not!" Hotaru cried. "We're only doing to them what every person in the world tries to do to each other! The ones who are the strongest survive." She paused. "Did Sealya ever tell you why we started corrupting Digimon?"
"No."
"When we first came here...we were happy, we left everyone alone, we went about our business and were content. But soon we started being attacked all the time...we didn't have time to eat, time to sleep, it was always run, run, run." She clenched her fists in anger. "They were trying to make us leave! But the Digital World belongs to everyone, and we weren't doing anything to harm a single being! Soon Sealya realized that she could manipulate their minds...and to punish them we corrupted them...And we still are. We have found a place where it is very easy to begin corruption...and it lasts. I'd tell you where, but Sealya doesn't want me to..."
"It's okay Hotaru...you can tell me when you're supposed to." Daisuke said, very sympathetic of her story.
Hotaru looked away for a time. "I'm really glad you came with us. I've been lonely. Sealya is a good person but I like having a boy my own age...And..."
"And...?"
She blushed. "Well, ever since she saw your potential she has shown things to me, images...of you. And I guess...well I guess I'm in love with you. I want you to be with me...and maybe love me back?"
Daisuke smiled a true smile, then took her hand and squeezed it. "I think that might be able to be arranged."