Chapter 12: Trell

Chapter 12: Trell

Iris groaned rubbing her hair out of her face and rolling over in her warm soft bed. As she did the sheets covering her body slid off leaving her feeling bare and cold. She shivered and reached over the side of the bed searching for the sheets with her hand. As she did her hand landed on something soft and warm, something much to solid to be her sheets. She pried her tired red eyes open, closing them as soon as she did from the bright morning light that flooded into her vision, nearly blinding her. She tried again, blinking a few times to adjust to the bright light. She groaned and yawned sitting up and stretching her arms out. She quickly regretted it though as pain shot through her arm and stomach making her flinch.

"That probably wouldn't be a good idea right now." Someone beside her bed said holding her shoulder and gently forcing her back down.

She glanced around the room in confusion, not making eye contact with the other party. Where was she? This place looked familiar, the wooden walls and roof, the scenery out the glass window, it all looked very familiar but she couldn't put her finger on it. In fact she couldn't even remember going to sleep, she couldn't remember anything except that cell, with Kari. She finally looked over to the person beside her bed her eyes falling on Davis' familiar chestnut eyes. But they somehow looked different. Sadder, tired, the glow was gone.

"Where are we?" She asked involuntarily glancing around the small room again.

"You should get some rest." He said pushing her gently back down onto the bed replacing the sheets on top of her.

"How did I get here?" She asked lying reluctantly back on her elbows.

"Get some rest and everything will be explained." He replied standing up from the side of her bed and walking over to the door.

"Wait Davis." She called out sitting back up again, "What's going on here?"

"Get some rest." He said more forcefully this time spinning around to look her in the eyes, "You wouldn't get that much information from me anyway." She said softer bowing his head and quickly exiting the room.

Despite her reluctance Iris could feel her eye lids get heavy as she let out a yawn. Where was she and how did she get here? She wanted answers but Davis was right, she'd have to find out later. Without another though she laid her head on the soft pillow and was asleep.

**

"Iris," The voice called beckoning her, "Iris…"

Iris glanced around her at the unfamiliar surroundings. She stood on a large cliff overlooking a lush green valley. Birds flew below her sweeping over the trees and cliffs effortlessly. She walked dangerously close to the edge of the cliff, looking out over the beautiful scenery below. A river, as blue as the sky ran through the valley, disappearing behind a mountain in the distance. Everything looked so beautiful and perfect as if she had walked into a painting and everything had come to life.

One thing bothered her though. In the distance, so far she could barely make it out, a purple cloud stained the perfect green mountains. She could feel it; the waves of energy it emitted gave her shivers. She shielded her eyes as her hair blew around her face. It didn't move, or grow it just hovered ominously over the lush green valley like and omen. The wind grew stronger and colder, but Iris hardly noticed her mind focused on the black, purple cloud.

"Iris…" The voice called her again.

She looked around her but there was no speaker, just the wind and the trees.

"Iris…" It called again.

It seemed to come from all sides of her, echoing off the walls of the cliffs and reverberating to her ears. And it came across with the wind whispering into her ears and through her hair blowing it about her face. She glanced back at the cloud, was it speaking to her?

"Iris…" It called in its sweet voice beckoning her to come.

She felt mesmerized by the voice. Compelled to follow it to see the speaker. To gaze upon the being with a voice like the most beautiful angel of all the heavens.

"Iris…"

Iris took another step closer to the edge of the cliff, feeling as the wind blew the voice through her hair and over her face. She could bath in this voice for a lifetime. It drifted again to her ears, beckoning her closer to the valley, and the cloud. Willingly she stepped again; now precariously close to the cliff. The wind blew stronger than before bringing the voice to her with such vehemence, but still she was drawn closer. It called her one last time indicating for her to move closer still over the cliff. And despite the warnings in her head she stepped falling gracefully over the edge the wind carrying her down.

"Iris!"

Iris sat up her eyes shooting open, her lungs heaving for air. She glanced around the empty room clutching the sheets that covered her tightly. Her body dripped with a cold sweat that soaked her clothes and sheets.

Once her breathing lightened she took time to take in the surroundings. She was in that same familiar room she had been in when she had first woken up. Out the window vast green plains rolled by, unlike the ones she had seen out the window in that cell.

She thought back to what happened, Her memory being triggered by anything. She couldn't remember much, mostly just pain. She could remember being held in a cell, with Kari, but everything after that became blurry. Vague memories of dimly lit rooms and disfigured faces drifted to her, but over everything the memory of pain stood out.

Unimaginable pain, like nothing she had felt before. Torture tools, that seemed to jump out of the most inventive horror movies screaming before her. Monsters that only children could see appeared before her eyes as relentless pain shot through her body.

She wasn't sure how long it had lasted but it had seemed forever. Strapped to a hard, cold metal table, her limbs so weak she couldn't even attempt escaping. Watching as faceless monsters tortured her best friend, and not even being able to move. Waking up, without even falling asleep to pain. All these things flooded back to her.

It was all too much for her; she felt like crying, but no tears came. She felt like screaming, but her voice wouldn't work. She could only sit there as nightmarish memories barraged her mind; tortured, corrupted her soul. She rocked back and forth on the bed, her limbs stiff from so long with out being moved. Her eyes glazed over as if her mind had been turned off and left somewhere else.

Voices floated to Iris' ears; but they were muffled, as if the speakers were underwater. Slowly she focused her mind on the voices, trying to grasp what they were saying. She blinked and focused her eyes on the door; it was slightly ajar allowing a thin strip of light in. She located the voices, still muffled and unidentifiable, but clear.

She shakily pushed the sheets of her body, moving her legs around to place them on the floor. She breathed deeply, gathering all the strength she could; she felt so weak, but she pulled herself off the bed and stood next to it. She held tightly onto the head of the bed, supporting her most of her weight on it. Her limbs still ached from the pain, but she ignored it.

She walked slowly over to the door, falling on the frame and supporting her weak body on it. She glanced out the small crack in the door out to where the voices were coming from. Sitting around a small wooden table, Davis, Kari, TK and another man sat. She couldn't see who the other person was, his back was turned to her, but he seemed familiar somehow. She shook the feeling concentrating on their conversation.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Davis asked leaning forward on the table and rubbing his temples.

He looked terrible, Iris noticed. His eyes were red, probably from lack of sleep; and dark rings surrounded them. His skin looked unnaturally pale and sweat glistened on his forehead. His hair was a mess, if it could get any worse; and his eyes looked dead, glazed, as if he hadn't slept in lazed, as if he hadn't slept in replied.

Again familiarity struck Iris; where had she heard that voice before? She studied the man, digging deeply into her memory for anything. His long brown hair spread over his back, being held at the base of his neck by a thick leather band. She couldn't see anything else; his face completely concealed by his body. Her head hurt too much for her to worry, she could barely focus her attention on the conversation.

"I could have done something." Kari said leaning on TK her eyes filling up with tears, "I was right there and I couldn't do anything."

She shouldn't be crying. Iris' had been right there but couldn't help her at all. She could feel tears build up in her own eyes; why was Kari crying? She shouldn't feel guilty; it should be her there apologizing for her weakness. She had seen her; watched as those monsters tortured her. But she had merely lain there, helpless, weak. She didn't even try to help. She was weak; she didn't deserve Karis' tears.

"Kari you couldn't do anything, you were just as hurt as she was… there was nothing you could do," TK said trying to calm her down, "It wasn't your fault."

He was right; it wasn't Karis' fault. It was hers. She had done nothing; lay there as Kari writhed in pain. Lay there as she was inflicted with physical and mental torture. She knew what it felt like, but she had been helpless. Helpless to stop it.

"He's right," The man said, "We can't be sure right now, we don't know if she has been infected by the virus. She hasn't shown all the symptoms yet so there still might be hope."

"How can you be so sure?" Davis said pulling at his hair, "She could be rotting away right now and your saying there's no need to worry?"

"You're wrong Davis," He shot back standing up from his chair, "There may be no cure for the virus, but I know. I've seen people; digimon affected by this virus and let me tell you something it is not a pretty sight. We need to have as much faith as possible that she is strong enough to escape the virus or she will fall victim."

"How can we have faith when her life is at stake?" Davis yelled back, "What are the chances of her not being affected by the virus? Hmm say it again Trell… What are the chances?"

Trell? Was that really him? Iris stepped back from the door; all this was too much. What was it they had been talking about? Were they talking about her? What was this virus they spoke of? Was that really Trell? The same Trell that had raised her, nurtured her like a little sister?

Memories involuntarily came flooding back into Iris' head. In her mind she saw that same familiar scene that had haunted her since that fateful day. She saw herself as a child, no more than nine years old; standing, crying outside a burnt down house. She knew this scene well; it was the night after the Tyrannomon had attacked.

After she had come into the digital world she had met Trell. She wasn't exactly sure how he came to the digital world but he had rescued her from a pack of Wolfmon. She had been so scared and lost, she had cried for two weeks straight when she had been transported. But Trell helped her; he took her into a small cottage he had found and they lived there together.

But fate had played a cruel game on her; laughed in her face once again. One night a Tyrannomon, maybe two had attacked their cottage. Everything she had known had been burned to the ground. And Trell, she hadn't seen him since. She had presumed him dead, or the Tyrannomon had taken him. She had been lost without him, alone and sad. That was when she found Polarmon; She never forgot Trell, but remembering him brought back painful memories. And now here he was, right in front of her, alive.

"Is there any cure?" Kari asked.

Iris turned her attention back to the conversation. She had missed some of it but she still listened intently. She had to find out as much as possible. If they were talking about her they probably wouldn't tell her; they wouldn't want her to 'worry'. But she needed to know.

"Yes… I think," Trell answered, "I heard of it once of an old man…"

"Well what is it?" Davis asked obviously frustrated at Trells' hesitation.

Iris leaned forward more; she needed to hear this. She placed her hand on the door; pushing it open a slight bit more. Iris cringed as it let out a loud creaking groan. Everyone turned to face her, their eyes lighting up with surprise.

"Iris?" Trell asked standing up out of his seat.

Iris pushed the door open and stared Trell in the eyes. He had changed, so much. His eyes looked older, wiser than she remembered. As if he had seen things no one should ever see in his lifetime. His face was taunt and gruff, as was his body from years of labor and survival. The thing that caught her eyes the most however was the huge pink scar that ran from his left eye to his chin.

"Trell I can't believe you're alive." She mumbled stepping closer and raising her hand to touch his cheek.

"It's been a long time…" He replied gently holding onto her hand and lowering it from his face.

"What happened?" She asked tears starting to sting at her eyes, "I thought for sure you were dead."

"You know me, I'm a survivor." He said smiling.

"But how? I thought for so long…" Iris trailed off, choking back sobs.

She didn't want to cry but she couldn't help it. So much had happened over the last hour; she couldn't contain it. She took a deep breath and wiped the wetness off her face.

"I know… I thought you too were dead and when I saw you. When they brought you in here I couldn't believe my eyes," Trell replied wiping another tear that threatened to spill over her eye, "Ever since those Tyrannomon destroyed our house I've been looking for you."

"But I was right there." Iris protested pulling away from Trell, " I waited there for two days hoping you'd come back, but you didn't, how could you have been looking for me?"

"I thought… the Tyrannomon, they captured me… I came back…" He said softly

Iris stared deep into his eyes; she knew he was telling the truth but she didn't want to believe it. She wanted to blame someone for her loneliness; wanted to lift the burden of her life's' hard trials. It was true she hadn't been alone; she had had Polarmon there the whole time. But she wanted something else, something bigger, better. She wanted the companionship of another human; even if she did have to live in the Digiworld forever she still wanted the one small thing.

"I know… I know you came back but… I was so lonely, so scared… I missed you Trell…" She said leaning up against him letting her tears roll down her cheeks.

"It's okay Iris, you never were the one to cry." He mumbled

"I know but you don't know what I've been through…" She whispered back

"I heard… I wish I could have been there. I should have known; I should have been there. What kind of big brother am I?" He pulled away from her looking into her sky blue eyes.

"It's okay, I'm fine now aren't." She said forcing a smile through her tears.

"No you're not, I can see through your little act. You're hurt and it's going to take more than just two weeks to heal the scars you've received."

Iris couldn't reply; it was true. She was hurt deeply from Black Gatomon, deeper than anyone could possibly fathom. Not just physically, though that made up a great portion of it. But mentally, the memories that plagued her, even now were torturous. Her dreams, no nightmares were riddled with visions of blood and pain, and helplessness.

"I'm sorry…" She heard Kari whisper.

Iris pulled away from Trell and stared at Kari; watching as tears rolled down her already stained cheeks. Why was she apologizing? If anything she should be apologizing. She had left Kari to die; left her as she, her selfish self wallowed in her own pain. What kind of friend would do that?

"Why do you say that Kari?" She whispered forgetting about Trell for the moment.

"I-I couldn't help you…and… I mean… I'm sorry." She said biting her bottom lip, trying in vain to stop her tears from flowing.

"Kari you don't have to be sorry," Iris said walking over to hug Kari, "It's me that should be sorry, I couldn't help you…"

"No don't you remember?" Kari said pulling away from Iris, "I couldn't choose, I didn't choose you…"

"What do you mean?" Iris said cocking her head to the side.

"When she said I had to choose, between you and the others… I couldn't do it…" Kari replied slowly stepping away from Iris.

"… Kari, that's okay… If I had known…" Iris said moving closer to Kari, "If I had known I wouldn't want the others to die…"

"But you… you were sick and I couldn't help you… you're my friend and I couldn't help you…" Kari sobbed

"Kari…" Iris whispered hugging Kari once again, "I don't care, in fact I feel in debt to you because I couldn't help you and I should have…"

"But don't you see," Kari said between sobs, "It was you I should have helped, you were in worse condition than me and I couldn't do anything, I didn't do anything."

"I wasn't in any worse condition than you."

"Yes you were, you were out for a week longer than I was… everyone thought you were going to die"

Iris couldn't say anything. Had she really been that bad? She felt terrible right now it was true, but she didn't know it was that bad.

"… Was I really that close to dying?" Iris whispered feeling her arms get weak.

Kari glanced up at her; her wet apologetic eyes filled with sorrow and fear.

"Iris… I was so scared; we sat by your bed the whole time. I thought, we all thought you wouldn't make it. You had a terrible fever and sometimes you would get so hot; Davis but you in a bath once you were burning up. And you would yell things out… Iris I'm so sorry." Kari said looking away to avoid Iris eyes.

"I-I had no idea… " Iris mumbled.

What could she possibly say to that? She couldn't remember yelling anything out, she didn't even remember dreaming about anything. She only remembered waking up and being alone.

"I'm so sorry… "Kari whispered bowing her head; her shoulders and body shaking with tears.

TK was instantly at her side, his arm over her shoulders trying to sooth her. Iris felt like crying, she felt like screaming; but she didn't. She was too tired, too weak; the only thing she could do was stand and stare at TK and Kari. She felt Trell behind her; he didn't move though just stood there as everything sunk into her skull.

Iris felt her legs get weak her whole body started to go numb. She shook her head her breathing becoming heavier. She could hear her heart beating faster and faster in her chest and a cold sweat break out on her forehead. The room started to spin around her; colors from everything splashing together to form a blur of nothing. Black spots started to form over the blur growing until they consumed her vision.

**

"I hate you so much! Do you know that?" Yolie yelled at Clive

It seemed to Yolie she had been yelling an awful lot lately; nothing this idiot did was right. Not even Davis was this stupid. Once she had found Clive and Armadillomon nothing went right; it was much worse than walking through a never-ending forest with Hawkmon. No now she was walking through a never-ending forest with an obnoxious little twerp that thought he was much too good for anyone.

She felt like killing him, ripping his ugly head off and using it as a soccer ball. Then she could kick it at Davis and because it's so big and hard it would bowl him over and her life wold be perfect. No more annoying, bigheaded jerks.

"Whatever." He mumbled back pushing a branch out of his way letting it slap Yolie in the face.

"What did you do that for!?" She growled at him stumbling over a tree root in her anger.

"Do what?" He asked sarcastically

"I hate you!" She yelled again kicking his back causing him to lose his balance and fall to the ground

He slowly pulled himself to his feet dusting his clothes off. He wasn't facing Yolie but she could probably guess what his face looked like. She wasn't scared though; what could he possibly do? And plus he deserved it; he did throw that branch in her face; she had no regrets.

"You know it's not a walk in the park being with you either," He said spinning around to glare at Yolie, "I'd heard about this before but I never knew PMS could be so bad."

"What do you mean PMS?" She yelled grabbing Clive by the shirt, "I don't have PMS I'm perfectly level headed."

"Tell that to all the digimon you woke up in a twenty mile radius to us." He said, a smile creeping up to his lips.

"I don't have PMS!!" She yelled again throwing him to the ground.

"I don't know… I've never seen anyone yell so much in my life, its definitely PMS."

Yolies' face turned red with rage as she glared at Clive. Without a second thought she jumped at him tackling him to the ground. Hitting him with her fists as hard as she could. Clive was so taken by the attack all he could do was block her fists with his arms.

"Hey, hey Yolie break it up." Yolie felt herself being pulled from Clive, her fists still swinging furiously at him.

"Let me at him!" She growled pulling against Hawkmons' grip

"Yolie settle down." Hawkmon pleaded yanking on her shirt.

"Hawkmon let go of me I've got to teach this punk some manners." She argued pulling roughly away from Hawkmon.

"Get over it Yolie." Clive said folding his arms across his chest and turning his back on her.

Yolie stood shocked for a moment staring at Clives' back. She had never been told to 'get over it' and she found it very rude. She tried to reply with something equally as smart but nothing came to her mind. She had always thought herself very witty; but she now realized that fighting with Davis didn't really improve anything. A trained monkey could fight with Davis, you only really need one or two comebacks and he'd be stumped. Clive however was a challenge; and though he was so very annoying, Yolie like it.

"I'm outta here," He said walking off without looking back, "I'm not going to stand around all day waiting for you to catch up."

Yolie still stood like a statue staring at his back. It was true her brain was still catching up to the fact that she might have to use it while arguing with Clive but she eventually managed to talk.

"Fine go, I'd rather be by myself than with some obnoxious jerk like you!" She yelled after him

"Suit yourself." He mumbled back disappearing behind a thick tree.

"Yolie lets think rationally here." Hawkmon pleaded running half the way after Clive, "Do you really want to be alone?"

"Yes let that idiot go off by himself I don't care!" She yelled after Clive, expecting he would hear it

"But Yolie do you want to be by yourself, because I sure don't."

"What are you trying to say Hawkmon? That you don't want to go with me?" Yolie asked, her face expressionless but her voice filled with venom, "Fine go with Clive, I'll be fine without you anyway!"

With those words Yolie stormed off into the forest behind them, heading the exact opposite direction from Clive. Quickly disappearing from Hawkmons view. He shook his head slightly; she could be so stubborn sometimes. She would be back, he knew it; she was alone without any food, it wouldn't take her long to give up and come back. Or get lost and wait for him to find her, she was going the wrong way after all.

"Where's she going?" Hawkmon turned to look at Armadillomon; he had slept through the whole ordeal and still looked drowsy.

"She'll be back." Hawkmon replied

"But she's going from where we just came." Armadillomon pointed out

"I know…"

**

The cottage was eerily quiet as Melodye made her way in. It was late twilight and none of the lights had been turned on leaving her very little light. She walked slowly to the small kitchen and lit up the gas lamp flooding the room with light. She wandered around the cottage checking each room for any signs of her friends. There was one room she knew Iris was in, she probably hadn't woken up yet so Melodye didn't bother checking. There was no sign of them anywhere.

She hadn't been gone from the cottage very long, at least she hadn't thought she had been gone for long. She had found a field of dandelions not far from the cottage and had obviously spent longer there than she had expected. She had been so enveloped in memories and thoughts she had lost track of time completely.

She wandered still around the cottage checking every room again in case she had missed something. That was when she heard a door creak open. She spun around to find the source of the noise and was surprised to find Davis coming out of the room Iris had been sleeping in. He looked terrible as well, dark circles around his bloodshot eyes. And his face white, as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Your back?" He asked rubbing his eyes with the back of his fist

"Where is everyone?" She asked walking into the light

"Out the back." He stated sitting down heavily at the kitchen table

"Are you okay? Where's Iris?" She asked taking a seat next to him

"She's still asleep, she woke up earlier but…" He trailed off squinting against the light.

"She woke up?" Melodye asked in surprise

"Yeah, she had a real shock when she saw Trell." Davis replied a smile creeping to his lips.

"What about you, you look like your going to fain any moment." Melodye said peering into his half closed eyes

"I'm fine," Her replied nonchalantly rubbing his eyes again

"Oh well I'm going to go find the others." She said standing up and walking slowly out of the room.

Poor Davis, he looked terrible. She knew he had been sitting by her bed again, sitting, watching her as she slept. That's all he had done the whole time they had been here. At first he had switched between Iris' and Karis' rooms; but once Kari had woken up and completely ignored him he spent all his time in Iris' room.

Melodye walked slowly out the back of the cottage. Blinking to adjust her eyes to the sudden darkness. She followed the hushed voices of her companions to a large oak tree that stood proudly behind the small house. She stumbled over to them falling over at TKs' feet.

"Are you okay?" He asked reaching his hand out to her

"Yeah, I can't see a thing." She replied getting up and brushing her clothes off, not sure weather they had anything on them or not.

"I guess it is a little dark," Karis' voice floated over to her

"We should go inside soon," Trell added

"But what are we going to do?" Kari asked bringing up their previous conversation.

"Well first we have to wait until Iris wakes, then I suppose you should try find your other companions," Trell replied

"Will you come with us?" TK asked finally coming into Melodyes' focus

"I cant…" He replied lowering his head slightly

"Why not?" Kari asked regretfully, "You've been such a good help we wouldn't want to leave you behind."

"I know but… oh never mind." He trailed off shaking his head

"I wont bother you anymore about it…" Kari said softly seeing the obvious reluctance in his eyes

"Thank you, but you might want the help of some of my friends." Trell offered rising his head again

"Who do you have in mind?" TK asked intrigued

"Don't worry, they're trust worthy."

"Well if you say so then…" Kari added

"Hey it's getting really dark and I'm getting eaten by mosquitoes, lets go inside." TK said getting up and offering Kari his hand

"Yeah, I hope Iris wakes up soon." Kari said accepting TKs hand and walking into the cottage with him

"Hey Trell." Melodye said stopping Trell from entering the cottage," Um when do you think Iris is going to wake up I mean with the…"

Trell hung his head, half in thought, half in despair. He sighed and replied quietly

"I'm not sure I just hope she's strong enough."

Trell had told them all the virus Witchmon had inflicted in Iris could very well be deadly if the host was not treated properly before it could spread. Melodye wanted more than anything for Iris to be okay, it took a long time for it to spread so that gave them plenty of time, but the antidote was very rare and could probably not even exist in this time span. That was what Trell had said, but Melodye would do all she could to help her friend even if it meant… even if it meant traveling back in time or something, she'd do it in a heartbeat for her friend. She just hoped Iris would wake up soon so they could go.

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