Disclaimer: Digimon belongs to Toei, Fox Kids, etc., not me.
Light in the Shadows
By stormchild
Chapter Four: Grieving
TK followed the rest of his friends down the stairs of the mystical lake methodically, frowning. It had just occurred to him to wonder why he was here.
I mean, it's not like any good can come from this. Kari is dead, and we're probably going to die here as well.
That was it, he realized. The dying. Once he was dead, there would be nothing to eat away at him and make him miserable. Once he was dead, the living nightmare could finally finish.
He glanced at Patamon, flapping alongside him. TK had initially thought his Digimon would be surprised and saddened at the change in him, but instead Patamon seemed to accept it without question, and even act in the same way. Oh, well. This made it easier, not having to deal with his curiosity.
Nearly bumping into Ken, TK gave a start as he realized they had reached Gennai's little cottage. He remembered it as a peaceful, lovely place, all gardens and streams. Now it was barren. The cottage itself had something brownish spattered across the door—blood, he realized dispassionately.
The group all seemed to be staring at the door hesitantly, as if unsure of what to do next. "Well?" TK asked impatiently, pushing to the front. "Here's an idea. Let's go in."
"Wait, TK," Tai said urgently. "We don't know what could be waiting for us in—" He cut off as TK pushed the door open.
Everything happened in an instant. Someone grabbed TK, spinning him around, and the coldness of steel was pressed against his neck. A knife blade, he realized dimly. The arm holding him was grimy, and the—person?—smelled of unwashed flesh. The others gave a collective gasp. "TK," Patamon murmured worriedly.
"Don't move, or he dies," a high-pitched female voice said. "What are you doing here? Did you come to kill me and Jenny?"
"N-no," Matt stuttered. "We… were looking. For someone."
The blade pressed closer, enough to draw blood, TK thought. A tremor ran through him, and he realized he was afraid. Why? You wanted to die. He couldn't find the answer.
"You were looking for me and Jenny!" the girl shrieked, voice growing higher. "You were sent! Well, we are Digidestined! You can't kill us!"
Tai held out his Digivice, and, glancing at him, the others followed his lead. "We are Digidestined as well," he said softly, not seeming perturbed in the least. "We're not going to hurt you."
Slowly, reluctantly, the knife was removed and the girl released him. He turned around, back towards the group, and froze, staring at her.
She looked to be about his age, 15 or so, with disheveled, greasy blonde hair and dirty clothes. Her blue eyes were wide with feverish intensity, a mocking half-grin on her face. She looked positively crazy.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, slipping the knife into her sleeve somehow. "I didn't think there were any left. Just Jenny and me. I'm Adrian," she added as an afterthought. "Come in, come in." She looked at the group expectantly, and slowly they shuffled into the house, glancing about warily.
Following behind them, TK put a hand to his neck and looked at it. There was blood on it. She had nicked him slightly, apparently. Patamon perched on his shoulder silently. The group gathered in a dimly lit bedroom just inside the door, and Adrian cheerfully went over to the bed, where a dead girl lay.
She had glossy brown hair and dark eyes, still open. Her face seemed perfectly normal, as well as her body. She was probably pretty, but it was hard to tell with her neck tilted at such an unnatural angle.
"Jenny, we have visitors," Adrian said warmly, hugging the body. "Look, Jenny. They're Digidestined, like us. They're going to help us make everything better. We're going to get to go home." She stroked the brown hair soothingly. "Everything's going to be fine again."
TK was aghast, to say the least. She had looked less than sane, but this… this was sick. He was dimly aware of Ken retching nearby.
Adrian glanced up with a smile. "Me and Jenny, we're Digidestined from Canada. The others were killed, one by one, until it was just her and me. Now we have to hide here, but we're pretty happy. Yeah."
"Um… Adrian, excuse us for a moment," Matt said graciously, stepping out of the room and motioning for the others to follow. In the hall, TK studied pale, horrified faces. "Guys," Matt said, only slightly more collected than the rest, "We… have to play along."
"Play along?" Davis asked.
"Look, this girl has obviously lost it. She could be dangerous. Best we don't get her angry, right? And she might know something."
TK nodded slowly, then frowned. He was beginning to think like part of the group again. Maybe… maybe there was something he could do, still. For a brief moment he could almost feel the crest of hope well up inside of him.
*****
Yolei tried to avoid looking at the two figures as the Digidestined entered the bedroom again. She felt about ready to join Ken in puking her guts out. Don't think about puking, she told herself faintly.
"I'm Matt," the blonde boy announced, proceeding to introduce the others. He hesitated. "Adrian… do you know who Gennai is?"
"Oh, yes," she said, holding the hand of the corpse. "This was his house. He was a very nice man. But they attacked and took him away." She frowned. "Jenny got hurt then, but she is okay. Jenny can't die, you see," she explained. "Because then I would be alone. But I have Jenny, so everything's okay."
"Ah," Matt said awkwardly. "Um. Do… do you know who it was that took him away?"
Adrian grinned. "Of course. It was the new evil lord of the Digital World—" She trailed off, her face contorting with pain. "No," she grunted through clenched teeth. And then, she was ripped apart.
Limbs and head flew in different directions, a spray of blood showering the room. Some spattered onto Yolei's glasses, partially obscuring her view. As she stared in horror at the body parts—and the hand, still holding Jenny's—she fainted.
*****
Kari's face was fixed in a permanent snarl, it seemed to Gatomon. She curled up on her high-backed, throne-like chair, chin resting on knees as if sulking. "Stupid girl," she muttered. "Almost told them who I was."
Gatomon swallowed, remembering the scene anew, then scolded herself for being weak. She had seen it hundreds of times, after all.
"Gatomon," Kari suddenly said, unfurling herself, "I think it's time we started having a little fun." Her scowl turned into a maliciously gleeful grin, not much better. "We are going to weaken their defenses, and their confidence, by splitting them up."
Gatomon frowned. "Oh?"
"Yes. Each with those who are unable to work well together, unable to relate. It should be… amusing." She giggled. "I think I'll put Davis with Joe. They're complete opposites. And perhaps Tai with Cody…"
As Kari relayed her plans, Gatomon couldn't help noticing the maniacal glint her eyes that resembled Adrian's. This is what's right. I will follow Kari to the death, she vowed solemnly. To the very death.
*****
Ken sat numbly, eyes closed. They had decided to stay in Gennai's house for lack of better shelter for the night. He would rather have tried sleeping naked in a blizzard than stay here, but he felt it would be best to stay with the group.
The Digimon were all grouped together in a room, oddly, instead of their various human partners. Ken supposed they had all grown rather close during what had happened.
Even now, he didn't feel depressed or sorrowful or anything like that. Sick to his stomach at the carnage and its effect on the world, but not sad.
Sam—Ken growled audibly and ignored the voice inside of him. Sam was in the past completely, and besides, he had nothing to do with this.
So why do you keep thinking about him?Ken sighed and ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair, opening his eyes to gaze hollowly at the nondescript room. At least the house was spacious. He had chosen a room far from the one where… there were two dead bodies…
"Sam!" he howled, hunching over. "Why?! Why did you have to die?!" Sobs wracked his body as he cried with anguish, pounding his fist into the floor. He felt vaguely ashamed at carrying on this way, but that was nothing beside his grief. "Saaaam…."
The Japanese-style door slid open and Yolei, awake now if not looking particularly healthy, stared at him. Ken went on crying, uncaring.
Yolei slowly made her way towards him and knelt beside him, taking him into her arms and cradling him like a baby. He clutched at her, desperately trying to draw comfort while still sobbing.
"Sam, oh Sam…"
"It's okay to grieve, Ken," Yolei murmured, rocking back and forth with him. "You've kept it inside for too long. Let it out."
And Ken let it out.
*****
Kari opened her eyes and stretched languidly, smiling a bleary good morning to Gatomon. The cat Digimon grinned in return.
"Any news of interest?" she asked, stifling a yawn. Gatomon nodded.
"As you know, I was watching them through the night. Apparently the state of the Digiworld is getting to them. Even Ken, who was previously kinda indifferent, broke under the pressure."
Kari's eyes narrowed as her smile grew. "Perfect."
