The Dark Bandit

The Dark Bandit

Part Eight

Taichi grit his teeth as he felt the whip slash across his back once more. He refused to cry out, but it was difficult. He shut his eyes and grimaced in pain as the lashes came harder and more frequently.

Hikari was chained to the opposite wall. Tears ran down her face as she watched her brother's severe beating. "Hang in there, Taichi," she whispered softly, though she knew he wouldn't be able to hear her.

***

"I suppose things are at a standstill now," Ken noted. He had, at Daisuke's insistence, taken over the job of cleaning the wounds on his back. Yamato had not protested.

"Seems that way," Daisuke replied. He and Ken were sitting far enough away from the others that he felt safe to whisper something to his friend that he wouldn't have mentioned in front of the others. "I was really afraid the King figured it out today," he confessed in a low voice.

Ken nodded his agreement, placing the wet cloth on a particularly nasty wound. "I was too," he confessed. "If you think about it, all the times he showed up, I wasn't there."

Daisuke chuckled slightly. "True," he agreed.

"I guess that the King has the next move," Miyako commented as she walked toward the boys.

"Certainly looks that way," Ken agreed. He frowned as he placed the wet cloth on a nasty wound. He applied pressure, and the blood began to soak into the cloth. He held it there for a few moments, and then removed the blood-soaked fabric, reaching for a new one.

Miyako was peering over his shoulder as he worked. "You do that very well," she noted.

He shrugged. "Lord Jyou and Koushiro were my tutors for a brief period when I was young," he replied with a dismissive shrug. "I remember a bit of what I was taught."

Miyako nodded and sat on the window seat directly behind his chair. For a few moments, she silently watched his work. "I'm worried," she confessed suddenly.

"Oh?" he asked, not really looking up from his work.

"This Dark Bandit guy - he hasn't shown up in a few days. I wonder if he's alright?"

"Probably," he replied calmly. "He most likely understands that it's a risk for him to show himself right now."

"I suppose. I think there's another reason behind it, though."

He paused in his work, intrigued enough by her comment to respond. "Oh?"

She shrugged casually. "I've been thinking that perhaps he's someone I know."

"Why do you think that?"

Another shrug. "Well, he did help to save my life a few times. Most random strangers wouldn't do that. Would they?"

He looked back to his work but did not continue. "Depends on the stranger," he replied cryptically.

There was silence for a few moments. He returned to his work, picking up another clean cloth and dipping it in the water.

"Do you have any theories?" she wondered.

He held the cloth securely on the wound directly below the neck. "Not a clue," he replied casually. "Do you?"

"A few," she replied. There was another pause. "I think Daisuke has fallen asleep sitting up."

"Daisuke?" Ken asked. He turned himself, looking around. The boy had indeed closed his eyes and was now snoring softly, leaning his head against the window seat next to him. "It appears so," he reported. "In a few moments he's going to be snoring."

"He snores?"

"Loudly."

"Must be hard to live with."

"Very. But I've gotten used to it," he answered with a shrug. "Tell me about these theories."

Miyako blinked. "Theories? Oh, about the bandit. Right."

"Right. So?"

She shrugged with forced casualness, though he wasn't looking her way. "Well, I was going over who it could be and who it could not. You see, at first I thought it might be Daisuke, but it isn't."

"It isn't?"

She shook her head. "No. He was there a few times when he showed up. That same thing rules out Taichi, Hikari, Yamato, Takeru, Sora, and myself."

He nodded. "Yes," he agreed.

"The only people that weren't there when he appeared are Jun, the King and Queen, Lord Jyou, Lord and Lady Motomiya, and Koushiro. And you," she added.

He nodded again after a moment's thought, appearing to ignore his own inclusion. "So you think it's one of them?"

"Well, it couldn't be the King. It's obvious he hates him. Why would he be someone he hates? Why would he send Leomon to fight himself? I doubt it's the Queen for a similar reason." "Reasonable."

"I really doubt it's Jun," she continued. "I've only known her for a short while, but she doesn't seem to be very adventurous."

"I can agree with that," he replied.

"Lady Motomiya seems quite like her daughter," she explained. "Besides her illness. And Lord Motomiya appears too old and preoccupied with his wife at the moment to be a bandit."

"Indeed."

"I doubt Jyou and Koushiro for the same reason as Jun."

"Agreed. Doctors and wizards aren't exactly action-oriented." There was a short pause. Then they were interrupted again by Daisuke snoring softly.

"That's not too loud."

"Yet," he replied. "Just wait."

She nodded, uncertain of what to say.

"So you think it's me?" he wondered, turning away from Daisuke, who was by now entirely cleansed of his wounds.

Again, she nodded nervously.

He appeared thoughtful. "What do you plan to do with this theory?" he wondered.

Miyako blinked. "I actually wasn't sure," she confessed. "I was planning to confront you."

He nodded, frowning thoughtfully again. "Ah. Consider me confronted. Now what?" He stood up, lifting the bucket of bloody cloths with him.

"Well, now is a good time to ask you if my theory is correct," she responded. He nodded again and walked away from her. She watched as he handed the bloody bucket to Sora, who was talking with Yamato and Takeru. She thanked him, and immediately returned them to the attached washroom, where she had gotten them, before returning to her conversation.

Ken returned to the window seat and began to lift Daisuke. "Help?" he asked.

Confused, Miyako stood and helped him lift the boy onto the couch. There, they laid him, face down so as not to cause him further discomfort, and pulled a blanket over him. She followed the dark-haired boy back to the window seat. He turned the chair so it was facing the window, and gestured for her to sit. She did so, and then he sat on the window seat, glancing out for a few moments in silence.

Miyako was about to repeat the question when he suddenly spoke. His voice sounded distant, as though he was thinking of other things when he spoke.

"You understand that such information as his identity is very dangerous," he stated. It wasn't really a question.

"Of course I do," she replied. She glanced towards the snoring boy. "I can see what happened to Daisuke because of it."

He nodded, still staring out the window with a thoughtful expression. "Have you discussed your theory with anyone else?" he questioned.

She shook her head. "No. Only you."

He turned back to her then, a surprised expression on his face. "Why not?" he wondered.

Now Miyako looked out the window in thought. After a few moments, she replied. "I understood from the first time I saw him that he was on my side," she explained. "I would not risk the life of an ally." She turned back to him with a serious expression on her face.

He nodded in understanding, a slight smile appearing on his face. "You're a good ally, then," he complimented.

She smiled in return. "Are you confirming my suspicions, then?" she wondered, tired of beating around the bush.

"I might," he replied. He was silent a moment. He glanced toward the sleeping boy. "I ask one request in return."

"What is that?"

"Say nothing to Daisuke. He'll figure it out eventually, but keep quiet for now."

"Why?"

He looked into her eyes for a moment, and a mischievous look appeared in his own. "Just because I'd like to confuse him for a bit," he explained.

She laughed softly and nodded. "Agreed. Does this mean I have your confirmation?"

He nodded. "As long as I have your help tonight."

"Tonight? What are you going to do tonight?"

He frowned, glancing about the room and lowering his voice. "Several things, actually. I don't like that our digimon are separated. That doesn't mean anything good. I need to find them all. Second, I need to return to my room. If it hasn't been searched already. If it has, I haven't much time left alive."

She blinked. "Your disguise is hidden in your room?" He shrugged, glancing out the window.

"Very well. You've got my help. But how are you going to get out of here?"

Ken shrugged again. "The window, of course," he replied, pointing towards the window they were sitting near.

She nodded. "What do I need to do?"

"Cover for me if I'm discovered," he replied simply.

***

When the harsh lashings had finally been completed, Taichi felt himself thrown harshly to the ground. A few moments later he heard a similar thump and then a loud bang as the door was shut. Hikari was by his side only seconds later.

"Taichi? Are you alright? Please tell me you're alright." Her voice betrayed the tears she'd been crying.

Sitting up as much as he could bear, he coughed and spit blood on to the ground from where he had been punched in the jaw. He was surprised only a few teeth had been loosened. His sister winced as she saw the blood and rushed for the water bucket in the corner. Carefully, she dipped her hand in the cool liquid and held it to his face. "Drink," she told him, and he did so eagerly. She refilled her hand a few times, and when he could drink no more, she used the water to wash some of the blood and dirt from his face.

He groaned again and sat up the rest of the way. "Thank you," he whispered. She reached out

and pushed the hair from his face. She peered into his determined but tired and pain filled eyes.

"That was really bad," she told him sympathetically, and he nodded in agreement.

"I wonder," he began hoarsely, and paused to clear his dry throat. When he spoke again, it was only slightly clearer. "I wonder what he did with the digimon."

Hikari frowned. She herself had been worried about Tailmon almost as much as she'd been concerned for Taichi. "I have no idea," she replied. She held out her hand again. "More water?"

He drank eagerly. "Agumon," he said in a voice that was a bit clearer. "I hope he's alright."

Hikari placed a hand on his shoulder. "Taichi, I'm sure Agumon can handle himself," she assured him, hiding her own fears.

***

Ken noted the soft snores from much of the group. Cautiously, he sat up and moved from his sleeping place. He placed his pillow and another spare one under his blanket so it would appear as though he was sleeping if any of the guards should peek in.

He crept quietly to the window that he had been sitting near with Miyako only hours earlier.

It was locked, of course, since they were supposed to be confined, but he had no doubt of his

ability to pick the lock. After all, his specialty was springing people out of jails,

dungeons, and prisons. If only he had something to pick it with.

As softly as possible, he crept to the nearest sleeping female. Miyako had two pins in her

hair - he could see them, glinting in the moonlight. Somehow, he managed to remove one of

them without her noticing. She didn't even stir in her sleep.

Relieved, Ken let out a silent sigh of relief and sneaked back to the window. He fiddled with

the lock for a few moments, having never used a hair pin for this purpose or any other before, and then it opened with a soft clicking noise.

He froze, hoping that no one had heard the noise. Thankfully, none of the sleepers stirred except Daisuke, who chose that moment to snore loudly. He slipped out the window, sticking the pin in his pocket for future reference and shutting it behind him.

Outside the window was a small and not very sturdy veranda. It was a significant height from the ground. Below, he could see two guards standing watch. The roof was only a story above him.

Gripping his fingers in the side of the castle, Ken scaled the wall with the ease of practice. The flat stone roof in this wing was empty, and he ran quickly and stealthily along it until he had reached the roof above where he knew his and Daisuke's rooms were. He lowered himself down into the tree beside his window and peered into his room.

Ken's room was rather disorganized. With a frown of anxiousness and fear, he slipped in through the window.

His bed had been torn apart, and the drawers of his temporary dresser opened and flung about. The entire contents of his traveling trunk at the foot of his bed had been removed and tossed around the room.

Ken lit the candle kept by his bed and peered about the room in the dim light. Under his bed was the small flat box he was so worried about. He had decided to hide it in a different spot each night, being quite unsatisfied with simply one. The last had been in the corner under his bed. Wisely, he had hid it in a spot near the wall, where the candle's light from either side did not touch it.

With relief, he removed the quite familiar outfit from the box and slipped into it, putting his clothes in the box. He took the hat and placed it on his head, and then triumphantly tied

the mask around his face. However, he was weaponless. After a bit more searching, he was still unable to locate his sword.

Disappointed, he put his old clothes in the box and departed through his window, dousing the candle as he went. He peered into Daisuke's room. It had been dismantled as much as his own, which did not surprise him. However, they had left the ceremonial sword that the boy kept on hand for special occasions. Brandishing that weapon, he slipped out the window again.

His spare clothes were easily hid in a tree near the room where the others were located. Judging from the sky, the Dark Bandit estimated he had a few hours left to search for the digimon. He also would have liked to check up on the royal children, but he knew it would be next to impossible to find or release them.

Swiftly, he moved along the roof, pausing at every window to peer inside. Most of them were dark, due to the late hour, but he checked them all, finding most of them empty or occupied with sleeping servants.

One room had a light in it, however, and he peered into that one with curiosity. He was surprised to find it was Daisuke's parents' room. Lord Motomiya was sitting beside his wife, wiping her head with a cool cloth. Jun stood in the doorway, watching the scene and wiping the tears from her eyes.

He considered his surrogate sister's dilemma. She was most likely greatly worried about her brother and her mother. He wondered how much she and her father had been told about Daisuke's imprisonment.

Suddenly, he had a new mission. He slipped back to the roof and made his way to the suite Jun had shared with Sora and Miyako. He entered her room and managed to locate a small notebook on her dresser. He recalled her passion for journal writing.

Quickly, he scribbled a short note on the top page of the book and left it open on her bed.

He debated signing it for a few moments, but decided against it. It might confuse her or scare her in some way. He assumed that she would know who it was. Suddenly, he heard a noise in the hallway, and slipped out the window as she returned.

***

Alraumon observed her partner as they returned to her chambers, carrying a single candle. "There are so many things to worry about," she noted with some concern.

"There are," Jun agreed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "First Mother, and then Daisuke. Now Mother is worse, and I'm not sure what has happened to Daisuke. Or Ken," she added. "I hope they're alright." She made her way to her closet and located her nightgown.

Alraumon had climbed on to the bed and noticed the notebook lying there. She began to read aloud. "Jun," she began. "I assure you that your brother is safe for the moment, though I cannot assure you of how long this will last. If you wish to send him a message, leave it on the balcony and it shall be delivered."

Jun stepped away from the closet, nightgown now over her head. "Where did you get this?" she demanded of her digimon.

The plant type shrugged. "It was written in the journal," she explained, holding it up.

"Who's it from?" she wondered. A shrug was her only answer.

"Are you going to write to Daisuke?"

"Are you kidding? Of course I am. I'll have it finished in a half-hour. I just wonder who the delivery boy is."

***

The aforementioned delivery person was making his way to another room. This one was dark, but a single candle could be seen if one looked at it from the right angle. The room was located in the top of one of the castle's numerous towers. It was surrounded by guards, making it quite suspicious looking.

At first, this confused the Dark Bandit. Surely the King would not be awake late plotting his next move in a tall tower room. And he would not have left his children imprisoned in a tower. He would have most likely put them in the dungeon, same as Daisuke.

Because of its location, the tower room was difficult to get to. He could not simply stroll over and scale the side of the building. As it was also taller than the rest of the castle, he could not simply walk along the roof and slide down the side, either.

In the end, the Dark Bandit was forced to climb from the roof up to the side of the tower. This was easier said than done, but he managed to succeed.

When he reached the window with the candle light, he discovered that it was, to no surprise, barred. Peering with the aid of the single candle, he was attempted to discern just what occupied the room.

At first it appeared to merely be a group of small, dark, shadows clustered together. When he squinted, however, he was able to make out exactly what they were.

***

Daisuke felt the sunlight hit his face early that morning, though he hadn't recalled falling asleep the night before. As he sat up, he noted that he was the privileged one to get the couch.

The others were scattered about the floor, most of them still asleep.

Miyako and Takeru were beginning to awaken at the same time. Daisuke noted that Ken, Yamato, and Sora were still in dreamland. He yawned slightly and swung his legs over the side of the couch, sitting up. Accepting the unspoken invite, Miyako and Takeru joined him after a moment.

"I wonder if we'll eat today," Takeru wondered. They had not been given food the evening before, despite his and Yamato's protests to the guards outside the locked door.

In a flash of déjà vu, Daisuke frowned. "I wonder what happened to our digimon," he wondered.

Miyako yawned, unconcerned for the moment about food. "They're probably somewhere like us," she commented.

The redhead frowned even deeper, shaking his head. "That's just not right. Digimon shouldn't be separated from their partners."

"Normally, they aren't," Takeru reminded them. "But this is not a normal situation."

"Does the King hope to weaken us by separating us?" Daisuke demanded. He stood up and paced back and forth, managing to avoid the others still asleep.

"Probably," the girl replied, yawning once more. She blinked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and peered past Daisuke. "Hey - what's that on the balcony?"

Daisuke paused in his pacing to turn to where she was pointing. A small wooden box sat on the veranda just outside the window, gathering dewdrops in the early morning.

"Good question," Takeru agreed. He followed her to the window. All three of them pressed their faces to the glass and peered at the box. "It wasn't there last night, was it?"

"I didn't see it," Miyako noted, and Daisuke agreed.

"Well, let's bring it in," he decided.

"Daisuke, how?" Takeru wondered. He pointed to the lock on the window. "We can't open it."

"Sure we can," the other boy replied. He looked to Miyako. "Haven't you got a hair pin?"

Miyako reached into her hair and felt around for a moment. "Somewhere," she mumbled. After a

while, she located one and handed it to him. "Funny. I thought I had two in here," she commented with a slight frown of confusion.

Daisuke lifted the pin and stuck it in the lock. For a few moments he fiddled with the thin metal accessory.

"Daisuke," Takeru began, ready to suggest that they simply break one of the panes of glass.

Suddenly, there was a soft click, and the window opened. He and Miyako stared in surprise.

"How did you do that?" she wondered as he returned the hair pin.

"Luck, I guess," he replied with a shrug. He slowly opened the window and crawled out into the air. For a moment, he paused, having not breathed fresh air in a few days. Then he recalled his mission and crawled on to the veranda. A few moments later he had retrieved the box and returned to the others.

"What's in it?" Miyako demanded as he shut and therefore locked the window.

"I don't know, I haven't opened it yet," he replied, sitting down on the window seat and removing the top.

Inside were a few folded pieces of paper and some small jars. Daisuke recognized them as

healing salve, and smiled to himself. Not only was it healing salve, it was his healing salve, from his box of medical supplies. The papers were more ambiguous.

They were grouped into two piles. One had curved, flowery writing on it and had his name written on the outside. The other was not addressed. Miyako lifted the blank one and began to skim the words.

Takeru examined the healing salve, wondering where the mysterious box had come from. Daisuke read the papers addressed to him. Immediately it became obvious they were from his sister.

"Daisuke, I have received word that you are alright. It will please Mother and Father greatly to hear of this," he read softly. "A letter informing me of your safety was written in my journal last night. I am uncertain if I will see you again, but I am certain that your disappearance has something to do with the current situation with the King's children. We were told that you had been imprisoned for defying the King. That most certainly sounds like you."

Miyako and Takeru could not resist laughing in response to that statement. Daisuke frowned at them momentarily before continuing.

"I don't know what you have been told about Mother, but she is progressing badly," he continued slowly. "She developed a fever recently, and has been floating in and out of awareness daily. Father hopes to beseech the King on her behalf that she might see you before she must pass on. She continues bravely, Daisuke, but I know she has little time remaining. I'm certain you are aware as well."

Daisuke paused and collected himself before he continued reading. Takeru placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder, and Miyako hugged him slightly.

"I hope this letter finds you in decent conditions. I would hate to see you in too much pain. I hope that this situation passes soon enough and you are freed again soon. Until then, I will assure our parents of your safety and continue hoping. Your sister, Jun."

Daisuke refolded the letter with a frown. The fact that a letter had been delivered to his sister both disturbed and pleased him in many ways. He had no doubt as to who had written the letter - or who had delivered this one. His eyes fell on a sleeping figure.

Miyako interrupted before his thoughts could go any further. "This letter is important as well," she told them. "I think we should wake the others and read it to them."

Daisuke and Takeru shrugged in agreement.

***

Sora slept fitfully that night. Her dreams were filled with violent images. Blood spraying,

flashes of red light. She winced in expectant pain.

"Sora," she heard Miyako's voice call from somewhere in the darkness. She tried to run, to get to her, but found herself lost in the inky blackness. "Sora."

The face of the King flashed before her, insanity twinkling in his eyes. He had once been so kind. What had happened since she had last seen him?

"Sora, wake up," the girl called again.

There was a screaming noise from somewhere, and she turned to see what it was. She was unable, though. With great fear, she sat in the darkness and huddled her legs to her chest.

"Sora?"

There was a shaking noise. Then the hideous sound of a whip cracking, and that screaming again.

With a shock, she sat up to find herself asleep in the parlor they had been confined to. She

grasped her chest, feeling as though her beating heart would leap from her body.

"Sora?" Miyako's voice asked again, this time filled with worry and concern. "Are you alright?"

She blinked a few times to assure herself that this was, indeed, reality. "I think so," she replied. "Just a scary dream."

"You too?" she heard a voice question, and turned to see Yamato a few feet away. He was sitting up in bed. Though he asked it in a solemn, dry, emotionless voice, she could see that his eyes were wide and wild and she guessed that he'd had a similar dream.

"Yeah," she replied. "It was weird. There was screaming, and some sort of pain and the King's face. His eyes looked insane."

Yamato's face grew pale, and Takeru gripped his brother strongly, holding him up lest he faint. "The same dream," he whispered. "I had the same dream." He stood up, brushing his brother away. "What does it mean?"

Sora's eyes were filled with fear. "I don't doubt what it means," she replied sensibly. "Our

digimon are in serious danger."

Miyako blinked in surprise and glanced at the letter in her hand. She held it up. "We received a message from our ally," she reported.

Yamato frowned and sat on the couch. "What does it say?" he demanded.

"Hey, wait, we've got to wake Ken," Takeru reminded them. Daisuke sat near his friend, who was just now sitting up, yawning.

"Did you dream it too?" Sora wondered.

The dark haired boy blinked in confusion. "I dreamt, but as far as I know it was my own dream," he replied shortly.

"Read the letter, Miyako," Yamato prompted.

Miyako nodded. "Allies," she read. "Apologies for the lack of help in your situation. I have been delayed by other matters. I have information that may be of use to you. It involves the location of your digimon. They are currently unharmed, but in a tower room in the east wing of the castle. Upon recent inspection, I found them all to be malnourished but safe. I don't doubt that the situation may change if the King is provoked in any way."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at hearing of the digimon's safety.

Miyako peered up from the letter. "That's all it says," she finished.

"That's awfully short," Takeru commented. "I thought perhaps he'd give us some information on Taichi and Hikari." He frowned thoughtfully.

"It's probably very difficult to get into the dungeon, even late at night," Yamato reminded his brother. "And it would be very risky for him to go down there only for a short visit."

Daisuke nodded his agreement at that statement, having had an extended visit in said dungeon himself. "If they're being held where I was, it's at least two or three floors under the castle," he reported.

"So the digimon are safe, for now. What do we do in the meantime?" Sora wondered.

"It's still the King's move," Yamato decided. He folded his arms against his chest and frowned in thought. "Our side had a move, but it wasn't really much."

"As long as we're trapped here, we can't really do anything," Takeru agreed, gesturing to the room around him.

"I really don't think the King is merely going to keep us here indefinitely," Sora stated sensibly. "Surely he has other plans."

"Right now Miyako and Daisuke are the most at risk," Ken said with a half-yawn that came from getting only a few hours of sleep.

"We are?" Daisuke and Miyako repeated blankly, and he nodded.

"Miyako has been at risk the entire time," he reminded them both. "That hasn't changed. The King wanted you for some purpose. We still haven't figured out what that is. I'm sure we will eventually."

Miyako shuddered slightly, and Sora reached out to comfort her friend with a smile. "We'll try to keep you safe as best we can," she told the girl, though they both knew that if the King was after her for any reason they would be quite powerless.

"And Daisuke is the only one who knows the identity of our ally," Yamato reminded the confused boy. He gestured towards the sheet of paper Miyako still held. "As long as the King feels he is an enemy, and, the way it looks now, he will be for quite some time, Daisuke is at risk."

Daisuke nodded his own agreement. "If Hikari hadn't stepped in for me, I would be in that dungeon right at this moment," he recalled. A single tear formed in his left eye, and he looked at the ground, hoping to conceal it from the others.

There was a moment of silence. "The King will make a move soon," Takeru sighed. "He's not going to sit quietly now that he has what he wants."

***

The day passed slowly. Around noon, the group was fed bowls of the gruel Daisuke recalled from the prison. As before, it was tasteless but not excessively vile. There were complaints about the consistency of the goop, and jokes about it, but spirits were low.

Shortly after the meal had been finished, the door opened again and a figure entered, flanked by two guards.

At first, no one was certain who – or what - it was. It was dressed in raggedy clothes that were covered with filth, and its head was bent in exhaustion. The guards roughly tossed it into the room, and Daisuke, being the closest to the door, was surprised to find a human being suddenly occupying his lap.

"Hikari!" he gasped, once he had recognized the girl. She managed to pull herself off of him sheepishly, taking a seat instead beside him.

"Sorry, Daisuke," she apologized in a soft voice.

He shook his head. "Are you alright?" he demanded, pushing his half-empty goop-bowl aside and leaning towards her.

She nodded, and he could now see the tear streaks in the dirt beside her face. A few swipes of dried blood were on her face, especially around her eyes, but Daisuke could not see any wounds. "I wasn't hurt, Daisuke," she explained.

"But –," he protested, and faltered momentarily. "There's – there's blood. And – you look – well," he stumbled over his words for a moment.

"I think he means you look horrible, Princess," Ken commented wryly from his seat somewhere behind the boy.

Hikari glanced down at herself and nodded. "It's dirty in the dungeon," she answered, by way of explanation. "But I wasn't hurt. The blood is from my brother."

There was a gasp from the rest of the group. "He had Taichi hurt?" Yamato gasped.

The Princess nodded. "Whipped," she answered, looking away. "Severely."

"His own son," Yamato repeated in a whisper.

"Who knew he could sink that low," Sora agreed with a shake of the head. She stood up from her seat and slipped into the small washroom off to the side. It was a tiny, closet-sized room, but it was kept supplied with water. Another locked door led out of it, and servants would occasionally enter and leave, replenishing the water supply.

When she returned to the main room, she found the others were briefing Hikari on the situation, showing her the letter they had received and explaining about the dreams Sora and Yamato had both experienced the night before.

Hikari was not surprised to hear of that, at least. Her brother, she reported, had experienced a similar nightmare the previous evening. "He woke up shouting in the middle of the night," she explained. "At first I thought he was just scared, and he told me that, but then he confessed that he had actually dreamt that Agumon was hurt."

Sora nodded. "I don't doubt they are in serious danger," she repeated. She held out a clean cloth and some water and wiped the blood and dirt from her face. Daisuke offered her the rest of his gruel, which she gladly accepted, having not been fed either.

"I wonder why you were returned here," Takeru wondered thoughtfully as he slurped his own food.

"Perhaps to attempt to teach his son a stronger lesson," Yamato mused. "If Taichi is alone, it's more difficult for him to resist the torture. Especially if he is uncertain of his sister's safety."

"It's also possible he's rescinding on our deal," the Princess theorized. She turned to Daisuke. "If I was released, you may be in danger once more."

The redhead sitting beside her frowned shyly and peered at the ground. "I'd rather be whipped a hundred times than have you imprisoned for me, Hikari," he said in a quiet voice.

Hikari smiled softly. "That is sweet of you to say, Daisuke, but it isn't necessary for you to risk yourself for me."

Daisuke smiled shyly back at her, turning slightly red.

Yamato pretended to ignore the blushing faces and awkward scene in front of him. "It would be so much better if we knew what he wanted," he grumbled, and several of the others agreed.

There were a few moments of silence before the door opened again and the guards reentered.

***

Taichi groaned half in pain and half in delight as he devoured the gruel that had been placed before him. Hikari's disappearance this morning worried him, but served to strengthen his resolve. He was more determined than ever that his father was wrong in his beliefs and he was being punished wrongly.

He emptied the bowl entirely and tossed it aside. It was edible. He wasn't used to food like that, being raised as a Prince, after all, but he supposed he could survive on it if necessary. At the moment, it certainly seemed necessary. He hardly had the motivation for a hunger strike.

From the hall there was suddenly a loud clanking. 'Hikari?' he thought. He stood up and stumbled weakly to the door. Through the tiny barred window he was able to make out two guards leading a third figure as it stumbled down the corridor. He peered closely through the bars, and was able to discern that it was definitely not his sister.

"Daisuke," he noted. "What happened? Why is he here again?"

***

The recent exchange of hostages left everyone confused and tense. Ken and Yamato paced

alternately across the room. Takeru sat on the window seat, watching with some amusement as they avoided walking into each other by only narrow spaces. Hikari was managing to nap on the couch, having been kept awake the previous night worrying about Taichi. Miyako was lost in thought in one of the chairs, and Sora in another.

"It just doesn't seem to make any sense," Yamato grumbled for the thousandth time as he passed his brother.

"It doesn't," Takeru agreed. "Why would the King treat his own son so harshly?"

Yamato paused momentarily to shrug in response. "I think that he had high expectations for Taichi to succeed him," he replied as he resumed his walk. "Maybe he thinks that if he beats his opinions into him, he'll be more obedient."

"That's not going to work," the younger brother commented.

"No. I know Taichi. Being beaten and tortured will only make him resent and dislike his father even more."

"I don't understand this," Sora spoke up. "When we were children, the King seemed to be so nice. Now, it's almost as though he were a different person."

Now it was Ken's turn to pause pacing. "When I spoke with him after Taichi and Hikari were

led away, he seemed to be a different person," he recalled with his own thoughtful frown. "He seemed to be genuinely concerned for my father. One would think that he would hide such information from me at a time like that, but he didn't."

Sora was about to respond to that when she heard a soft scraping noise. "What on earth?" she wondered, standing up and following the noise.

"Sora?" Miyako questioned.

"I hear something," she reported. She paused and cocked her head to one side. "Listen. Hear that?"

Miyako shook her head blankly.

"I hear it," Takeru replied. "It's coming from over there." He pointed towards the attached washroom.

Sora opened the door to the washroom. The sound was louder now and she could hear it coming from the other side of the opposite entrance. Curiously, she placed an ear to the door, and then stepped back. "Hello?" she asked cautiously.

The scratching noise stopped momentarily. A voice answered from the other side. "Hello? Who's there?"

"Sora. Sora Takenouchi," she replied. "Who are you?"

"Izumi. Koushiro," the voice answered. "I come seeking information."

"Koushiro, what are you doing here?" Yamato demanded from behind her.

"Just what I said," the wizard replied. "Seeking information. Please stand back."

"Stand back?" Miyako repeated. "Why?"

"When it comes to a wizard, don't ask questions like that," Ken advised. Everyone obediently stepped back a few steps. A moment later there was a puff of smoke and the door swung open with a creak. Miyako blinked in surprise.

She had only seen Koushiro a few times before, and this was the first time up close. He was a short man with wild red hair that nearly rivaled Daisuke's. He was dressed in a simple brown robe and carried a leather pouch which he tied around his waist. He smiled pleasantly as he entered.

"Greetings," he announced cheerfully. "I come seeking and bringing information."

***

Daisuke sighed slightly as he was returned to the cell he had left only a day before. Once again he was chained, arms to the wall, standing uncomfortably. "Great," he grumbled. "This time there's no one to talk to." Not surprisingly, he found himself missing V-mon quite a bit.

From behind him he could hear a pounding noise. "What is that?" he wondered. Annoyed, he kicked his foot into the wall, the only solid thing he could reach. He succeeded in only mildly injuring his foot as it banged into the stone wall.

"Ouch!" he shouted louder than he had originally intended. He swore under his breath and favored his opposite foot.

***

Taichi heard the loud shout, though not the colorful word that followed. He smiled slightly. "That's Daisuke," he whispered to himself. "Act before you think."

He realized that he was going to have to find some way of communication that was more effective than simple banging. He took the rock that he had found and searched the wall for a weak spot. He found one in the middle of the wall close to the ground. It was a long crack that was nearly a foot long.

***

Daisuke frowned as the banging continued. His head began to ache. He repressed the impulse to bang his bare foot against the wall again, deciding instead to swear under his breath once more.

It was going to be a long day, a long night, and a long prison stay, he decided. Especially if that noise continued.

****

Okay, raise your hand if you saw that coming. If you didn't, yea! I'm trying to be creative and different. ::shrug::

I wasn't certain at first if I wanted Miyako to discover the Dark Bandit's identity. But, as I was writing it, it became obvious that she could figure it out. She's the only one to notice that both Ken and he have a Wormmon for a partner, and she notices that he's the only one to not be there when the Bandit shows up. Since I think Miyako's pretty smart, she figured it out. Apologies for any gross OOC-ness in that scene.

In the next part, we finally see Mimi, Koushiro explains a few things (about time!), and some other stuff happens. This is ALMOST over. Of course, there may be a sequel, depending on how I work the ending. Enjoy! ^_^