A/N = Okay, uhm… I've a bad news… or good, it depends… -^^- Basically, I decided to cut chapters to make them shorter, for I know it can be annoying to read too much of the same fic all together. But… this fic was already long with 8-pages-long chapters… and my muses are growing more excited about this with each second that passes, so… err… "The Game that Gods Play" is officially a LONG saga, now ^^;; Hope you don't mind… *coughs* (-- added after she finished typing this chapter) anyway, this chapter =is= fairly long… I couldn't allow myself to stop typing if I hadn't reached =that= scene… *coughs*
Disclaimer = *growls* I'm going to pay someone to say this in my place . That's torture, I'm telling you! *sighs* Anyway… *sighs again* I do not own any of the characters… yet. ;) I'll do one day. Honestly. But, since that day, all characters belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo, Toei Animation. TM, Bandai and all those lucky, =lucky= people.
Warnings = The same as last times - This fanfic is the culmination of too many rainy evenings spent playing the Digimon RPG games and various Squaresoft RPG, reading manga whose plots remind the Pink Panther's and watching Neon Genesis Evangelion. As a result it is very long and very twisted, not to mention that it sports a lot of religious stuff and an enormous amount of heterosexual, yaoi and maybe yuri couples. Main couples? Kensuke, Wallsuke and… we finally know =who= is the one Daisuke loves!!! *cheers*
Dedication time!! = To my cousin Kyle, who's been pestering me to death. To k-chan, *huggles* plus, Lord Van's feelings for Tai are a tribute and a gift to Kendra =)
*attaches to readers* Review! Please? Pretty please with the Kaiser on top?! *makes huge Wormmon eyes*
The Game that Gods playChapter 04 – Doukei (emotion)
* Wallace's POV *
I move inside the hall slowly, drinking in the beauty of this marvel of white and gold. I've stood in front of the gold gilded door for what seemed an eternity, contemplating billionths things flowing in and out my head randomly. As I stood there, a strangely disturbing feeling had begun to lurk at the bottom of my stomach, and my mouth went dry with the acid taste of regret. Angrily, I opened the door and stepped in, instantly amazed and blinded by the luminosity inside. The glimmering snowy walls arched into a high ceiling that seemed to point to heaven, golden columns standing proudly against them, a procession of still and proud ancients knights, shimmering under the artificial lights.
As I advance, ignoring the guards bustling around me, the tall, white marble Angel looms in front of me. I smile at her form, arms outspread, wings folded at her back and her chin raised in contemplation. I walk up to her, and place my palm on the cold marble. I look up at her stone smile -half-afraid that she'll blink at me- prior to turning around and leaning my whole back against the strangely pleasant coldness, allowing it to penetrate my uniform and kiss the tense muscles squirming under the heavy fabric.
I can't say I'm at ease. I'm about to shed blood and spot this nearly luminescent pureness with it. It feels like a sin to me, but the blood I'm about to shed is impure. Sinner blood. I'm here to accomplish my mission. I'm here to purge. And that's my only consolation. Lurking in the umbra of the angel, cloaked in pale darkness, I follow Daisuke's each movement with a smile. Daisuke and his digimon are pacing back and forth quickly across the opalescent marble flood; it's obvious he can't bring himself to stand still, and this energy of his only makes him all the more desirable in front of my eyes.
I'm about to shed blood.
He stops, as if sensing my gaze waltzing along his deliciously tanned body, built up by years of trainings, and looks at me, cocking his head and blinking at my sight like a newborn owl. Despite myself I chuckle, and walk over to him, keeping in my heart the memories of what he liked about me back when we were children. My innocence, my kindness, my sweet, carefree attitude. I try to be once again the blonde Angel he used to love years ago, smiling as warmly as I can.
I'm about to shed blood.
Frowning for an imperceptible moment, I scold my look back to my previous smile. I can't afford the luxury of breaking down right now, and wouldn't again until I manage to accomplish my mission.
I'm about to shed blood.
"Hi, Dai."
I'm about to shed blood.
"Ehy, Wal—I mean, Chief." He nods politely, and I barely suppress a chuckle, somehow confining this inexplicable regret in a far corner of my soul.
"No need to be so formal Dai. Call me Wallace, ne?"
"Okay Chi—Wallace." This time I chuckle freely, putting an arm around his shoulders.
"I love ya, Dai!" I may have said the wrong thing, 'cause I feel his muscles tense under my touch. But I'm too tantalized by his proximity too care. So I reach over and down, my tongue teasing playfully his earlobe. "I really do, Dai…" I whisper, in a voice husky with desire. He doesn't move away, but once again he tenses up, frowning a little.
"But I don't." I chuckle again, the tip of my tongue tracing a moist line across his cheek to brush the corner of his lips. Here I stop, placing a soft kiss on the wet caramel skin.
"But I do."
He doesn't jerk away from my touch as I expected. This both excites and worries me, so I reluctantly move away, locking my eyes with his.
"Dai?"
"He's here." He whispers quietly, and I know he didn't move away only because he barely acknowledged my presence. My eyes narrow in anger, and I pull away with a rough jerk, pale azure eyes darkening.
"I'm waiting." I say dryly, whirling around so that I won't have to look at him as he literally shuts me out, focusing only on his case. Yeah, right. His case my ass. He's ignoring me, and a sudden wave of panic washes away my previous regret, making me focus solely on his cold behaviour. What if he won't want to talk to me? What if I did my best to be as good as him – a 1st level citizen- so that nothing could stop us from being together… and I did all in vain? What if he doesn't want me? Not even as a friend? What would I do, if he told me clearly he's disgusted by what I've become? I did what I did only for him… only for him… what would remain for me if he refused me? Where's my place if at Daisuke's side there's no room for me? Where's my home, if his heart is already taken? I've tried to be the little child he knew until now, but there's no need to fake anymore, for I'm feeling very young. All too young. Wishing that I was never chosen to come to the Sephiroth before him. That he didn't reach me up here only to live in the Academy core, a place secured from me. That we didn't exchange letters and whispered calls late at night. Calls that fanned the flames of my love and shattered my hopes to be with him with each word he said about the one I know he loves.
The little boy you knew grew up.
I've, indeed. I'm not surrendering. I'm not giving up. I'm about to shed blood.
Around me, the room is suddenly flooded in a scentless, tasteless gas that shrouds everything until nothing is visible anymore. I grit my teeth, the sound of Daisuke's surprised (excited?) cry brushing my ear numbly. But I can't turn. Veiled by the mist, I can see him fall down from above, arms spread out at his sides and cloak wavering behind his back as outstretched wings. He lands noiselessly, shielded from our gazes by the complicit greyish cloud, but he's too close to me to miss his movement.
I'm about to shed blood.
"Freeze!!" I order, my knuckles turning white around my D3. Once again Daisuke's shriek reaches my ear, but I don't pay attention to it. I can't.
I'm about to shed blood.
* * * * *
* Daisuke's POV *
I've whipped around as soon as I sensed him come closer, and when I turned, my eyes widened at the sight of my sworn enemy landing gracefully few feet in front of me. He moves like dancing, fluid grace and almost sensual flawless guiding each of his movements. I'm mesmerized, for –in nearly 6 years- we've never been so close, and it shocks me that I could reach out and take a hold of his arm with ease. The Kaiser's in front of me…
…and I can't move. It's a wonder I manage to open my lips and squeal in surprise. I'm trapped in a some sort of spell, staring at him swimming in the cloud of gas, barely seeing him and yet missing not even a single movement.
That is until Wallace's angry shout grabs me roughly and slams me back on the cold pavement of reality.
"Freeze." I let out another strangled gasp, for I see clearly the Kaiser hold up his hands in defeat. No… please, no…no!!
The cloud of gas dissipates completely, and he's in front of me, slender and strong body wrapped in a purple, white and yellow jumpsuit. Heavy metal manacles and golden armour glimmers coldly over his wrists and shoulders. His purple cape waves behind his back, swimming an wavering as if these insect wings are real and ready to let him take fly. His hair purple hair frames his face and falls over his eyes -shielded with a pair of tinted purple lenses- in a spiky fashion.
"Now, where do you think I could go?" Behind the glasses, the Kaiser's eyes glow with an evil flash. "I'm surrounded, am I not, Lance?"
I narrow my eyes, not surprised at all, but Wallace shrieks in frustration, recoiling a step backward.
"How did you know?"
A proud smirk blossoms over the Kaiser's lilac-hued lips and he gives his head a slight toss, moving some purple spikes from his sight.
"Why, I'm just good at guessing, I suppose."
Wallace grits his teeth, putting so much pressure over them it seems they're about to break.
"Surrender now, for I'm authorized to kill you if you resist. And I'll be forced to hurt you, if you don't follow us quietly."
Barely stifling a bitter chuckle, I whip my head around, eyes darting to the floor. Oooh… 'forced to'. Yeah, right. As if I believe it. The true meaning of his words, what he really wanted to say but couldn't, is 'try to move and I'll have the pleasure to kill you.' It pains me to think about Wallace this bitterly, but… he's a Lance after all, I don't have to forget this.
The Kaiser blinks, tilting his head to the other side, folding his arms in front of his chest, palms placed loosely over his supple triceps clothed in purple.
"Follow you? Sure. Whatever you say, Lance. But why don't you come here and get me? You may already know it, but I've a certain prestige… I'd rather being dragged out of here, than follow as a puppy following his owner… or better yet as a Tamer following his Lord Van…" He laughs mockingly at this, his eyes flashing and his lips drawing back to let his row of perfect white teeth flash in the still clouded air. By now, Wallace's literally growling, and he dashes forward wildly before I can stop him.
"You blaspheme!" As if this is what the Kaiser has been waiting for, his eyes flash wide behind the glasses. And I find myself swallowing.
He drops his hands and bends forward, as if he's moving toward Wallace. As if welcoming him… as if falling for an embrace. Then, mere instants before Wallace's raised fist connects with his face, the Kaiser leaps up, in a jump that has nothing human. Answering the angry screech Wallace lets out, all the guards around us dart forward. They come from every direction, leaping out from shadowed corners, from behind columns and statues, from under desks and caskets. Some of them run past me. Some bump into me, pushing me toward the two duellist, and yet I still can't move.
Much to my own surprise, when the sentinels jump and leap forward, the Kaiser doesn't retreat. On the contrary, he dashes forward, grinning like a madman. One of the guards leaps forward and shoots him with his energy gun, missing him as he dodges and kicks him in the shins. The Kaiser runs past the guard, elbowing in the mouth the one behind that. Another guard –equipped with a slim blade- dashes toward him from behind, and I hold my breath in, with a strangled gasp.
The purple haired thief jumps back the same moment the blade rushes down toward him like a guillotine. Flicking his head backwards, he watches with insane wide eyes as the blade skilfully sliced the tips of the spikes that weren't fast enough. Without warning he swings backward, kicking the foolish guard under his chin, throwing him backward violently. He remains suspended in the air, taking his time to rotate -arms outspread and head tilted- and lands down gracefully. He moves as if dancing, at the rhythm of a waltz inaudible for everyone but him. The other man goes flying backward, knocking down two of his companions as he hits the ground.
Tossing back his wild hair, the Kaiser flashes a grin to Wallace, and then whirls around, darting toward yet another one sentinel. He gives him one blow straight in the centre of his stomach that throws him back a foot. He reels, holding his stomach and gasping mutely as if he can't even breathe. Using the poor man as some sort of support, the Kaiser steps over his still bent back and jumps…no flies, forward. He lands noiselessly in front of the huge golden door, laying his back against it with a look of cockiness written all over his face. Eyes narrowed in burning fury and teeth still gritted and bared, Wallace spreads out an arm, mutely ordering the guards to stop from doing anything. He slowly composes himself, and raises his eyes to watch the purple haired young man cautiously.
My eyes dart from one face to the other as they stand, eyes locked, each studying the other carefully for the first move. Slowly, a grin blossoms on Wallace's lips and I frown at his rather disturbing expression. At first, only the corners of his lips curve up, but then he draws back his lips, grinning widely.
"I take you're escaping Kaiser. Are you giving up?"
I gasp, whipping around to look at him. He doesn't move or speak for an eternity that most likely is only few seconds long, and then, all of a sudden, the Kaiser's face lights up with a grin even wider –if possible- than before. His eyes flash in the burgeoning darkness and I suddenly know exactly who is in charge here.
"And leave such a wonderful jewel," he says slowly, raising one gloved hand in front of his face. "To you?" He opens his fists, and from the single outstretched finger dandles a silver necklace. And I'm not surprised that a tear-shaped emerald is shimmering gently at its end.
Kaiser 1 –Wallace 0, then!! A part of me is happy, and the other part is disgusted with it. Be happy that your enemy has fooled your comrades isn't right… yet… Wallace failed! The Kaiser's still mine! Yessssss!!!!! I grin to myself, barely restraining from jumping and doing cartwheels, shouting like a damned fool. As Wallace tightens his fists, the Kaiser's eyes flick towards me, and I've this sudden need to know what's lurking behind the leer in his eyes.
The thief half-bows, mockingly, and when he raises his head, he's licking his lips like a cat who just got to savour the mouse. "Arigatou gozaimasu, for the entertainment you provided me, young Lance. But I fear I've to go. This sublime beauty has better places to go." He whispers, dangling the Mermaid's tear in front of his eyes. Then, in a swirling of purple cloth and bluish spikes, he's gone, swallowed by the darkness floating in the corridor. Wallace stands still, his anger radiating from his body in waves. I can't help but grin, satisfied that I'm still the Kaiser's number one rival. He *never* paid me so little attention as he did with Wallace…
I'm basking blissfully in this contentment of mine, and that's why I'm not ready when he shouts a feverish "FOLLOW HIM!" and dashes after him full speed, followed by dozens of guards. "THE ONLY WAY OUT IS THE ROOF! HE'S IN TRAP!!!" For a long instant, I'm petrified. Then I leap forward, barely holding on to Chibimon as he jumps in my arms. I dash for all I'm worth after them until…
…I run by a large corridor…
…and I stop…
…feeling like is someone's calling me from the end of it…
…I cast a glance at Wallace running toward the stairs that leads to the roof…
…and I turn to dash in the other direction.
The corridor is long and dark, the only light here are the large beams of moonlight flowing in through the high windows. An emergency door welcomes me at the end of the hallway. Not thinking at all, I stretch my arms out, dropping my poor digimon and push it open with all the force I've in me. Stepping out in the coldness, I stop sharply, my whole torso bending forward in reply to the brusque movement. I gasp for a moment, the cold air burning my lungs as I inhale mouthful of needed air, left breathless by my crazy dash. I've to blink too, for there's an almost blinding brilliance flowing through this place. When I raise my head to take a better look at my surroundings, I find myself in a forgotten old garden, where an ancient statue stands ostentatiously in the middle of wild plants, full blossomed roses embellishing it with pois of crimson.
My eyes rake over the rather looming block of dark marble and they nearly pop out my head as they lie on the figure standing proudly on top of the sculpture, a dark shadow against the snowy disk of the full moon. My voice gets caught in my throat as he looks at me, eyes narrowed and arms crossed against his lean and supple chest. Unwillingly, I take an half-step back, still panting for air.
"K-Kaiser…" To my own surprise, he looks away, pouting like a little child. I arch an eyebrow, sort of puzzled. "What?"
"Who is =that= guy?" His voice rings through the relative silence of the garden. His tone is raw and harsh, domineering and demanding to be answered.
"Uhhh…" he faces me again, one eyebrow raised in a 'well_?_I'm_waiting' look. "My… partner. They assigned him to me, I was forced to accept, it wasn't my idea!!!" I hurry to add, blurting the sentences out at full speed. He 'tsk'ed, looking away again. Wonderful. Here I'm justifying my actions to my sworn enemy and *he*'s the one looking upset! *HIM*!!!
"Is he the reason that prevented you from coming yesterday night?"
"Aaah…" my mouth opens, and I look around with lost eyes, wide and pleading to find something to say. "Well… n-no."
"Oh?" He tilts his head, leaving me to interpret the gesture as a sign of his mistrust.
"I had…" I shift from one foot to another, looking something behind me out the corner of one eye. "I was… doing something… for… a … friend." I swallow. There. I said it.
"Who?"
"My Ken-chan" CRAP! I press both my hands over my open mouth, shutting shocked eyes that –however- go wide when I hear the Kaiser gasp. My head snaps up and I'm once again looking up at him. He has disentangled his arms and evidently retreated one step, as if in shock. My hands drop from my mouth and I advance one step, one palm pressed to my chest.
"It was important! I know I didn't maintain my promise to be there each time you'd try an heist, but it was important! It was… for my… Ken-chan…" I lower my voice to a whisper. Am I being naïve hoping he can understand something that's an enigma even to me? That he can understand why I broke a vow I repute as important as my own life for someone he doesn't even know? He looks away, troubled eyes closing painfully.
"Liar." He mutters under his breath, and my eyes go huge once again.
"What…?" I whisper, and actually leer backward when he looks at me with eyes of embers.
"LIAR!" He shouts, voice quivering with rage.
"EHY!" I clench my fist, moving closer to the sculpture. "What gives you the right to--"
At that moment, I'm cut off by the beam of light running in a mad rush toward the Kaiser. Quickly, he flips backwards and lands few inches at my right, and the floor where he used to stand sports now a huge crater, from which grey smoke floats skyward in streaming clouds. Our heads snap up simultaneously, and we meet with the sight of Wallace riding proudly the hugest MegaSeadramon I've ever seen.
"Good. But can you keep it up?"
A toss of his head and we are at the mercy of a rapid salvo. Snarling, the Kaiser dodges and dodges, until he's trapped in a corner. Wallace snaps his fingers and his twins Galgomon and MetalGalgomon appear behind him, surrounded by a HighAndromon, a Valkyrimon, a SkullMammon and a ShimaUnimon. To make things worse, Miyako, Iori, Hikari, Takeru, Hiromu and his two fellows are quickly gathering above us, their digimon's dark shapes concealing the moon and the brilliant stars as stormy clouds, but thousands times scarier.
"Now you die!!" He hisses as another blast of shimmering white energy is thrown from the MegaSeadramon's mouth full speed.
"NO! KAISER!!!!" I throw myself at him, sending both of us to roll across the grassy ground. We go downhill, our arms and legs tangled up. Each time I try to free myself, we grow more entangled. Somehow we land safely and we roll over so that the Kaiser's on the ground, and I'm on top of him. I open my eyes, looking at liquid pools or marvel staring at me behind purple lenses. I blink quickly, dimly aware that this had already happened before. For a moment neither of us move, and I'm not sure if one of the other Tamers does either, for I'm too focused on the boy immobile below me.
With infinite languor he blinks, reaching up to breath something in my ear. "You seem like you've had a little fall. Was your body broken?" I gasp, and the Kaiser uses my surprise against me, pushing me off his body and leaping up to his feet. Once up, he moves a wild spike from his forehead, glaring at me scornfully. "Or does it take much more pain to get Daisuke Motomiya down and out for the count, uh?"
A bell rings in a far corner of my head, and a feeling of deja-vu encloses me in its sticky hug. This… already happened… didn't it? This fall… this words… these bottomless eyes melting and wrapping themselves around me…
I'm snapped out my dazed state when Wallace growls from high above me.
"Get out of the way, Daisuke!" He shouts heatedly as bubbling white energy gathers in his MegaSeadramon's wide mouth.
"No!" I shout back, with equal force. "I won't!! NEVER! You won't kill him! You'll have to kill me too!!"
"Come back to your senses!" He yells even louder. "Get away! I wouldn't want to hurt you!"
"NEVER!" I spread out an arm, shielding the Kaiser from Wallace's burning gaze just like I protected Ken from Hiromu earlier this afternoon. Strangely enough, I feel like I've never been more worthy to wear Taichi's goggles. I'm being courageous. A courageous fool, but a courageous one, nevertheless.
"Very well, then!" He rages, raising his hand over his head, ready to lower it and order all the digimon around him to attack. I *know* he's only trying to scare me. And I've the proof when he stops his hand in mid-air, waiting for me to 'come back to my senses' as he put it. But Chibimon must think differently, since he jumps up from the bushes he was hiding in and flies toward Wallace, screeching loudly, baring his teeth and narrowing his nearly glowing crimson eyes. Both me and the Kaiser erupt in a worried call for the foolish digimon. Chibimon may be a little fella, but it seems he has inherited his courage that resembles foolishness (or foolishness that resembles courage, your pick) from me. I try to jump forward and stop him, even if he's already too far, but strong arms encircling my waist from behind put a stop to my rather foolish attempt. I cry Chibimon's name out once again as he flies straight toward the enormous digimon's mouth…
And then the most amazing thing happens. A bright halo engulfs him, and he traces a burning tray in the deep blue of the starry sky, like a comet moving upside down from the earth to a desperate dash for the heaven. I can only blink, and when the grip around my mid-body loosens, I don't even try to move. The shining comet that's now my digimon hits the MegaSeadramon's chin with a yell, causing the huge serpent-like creature's head to snap up. Wallace loses his balance and falls down, while his digimon's attack loses itself in the sky above, exploding like an incredibly bright firework and raining down over us all as shimmering rain of fire. My companions are all too shocked to move, and I see this as the occasion for the Kaiser to run away. I swirl toward him and he's at my side, eyes lost in the wonder of white fire dancing above us. I take a moment to look at him and then call him, and when our eyes links, I can see a hint of their colour even behind the tinted lenses, thanks to the bright light bathing us. They're blue… or better, amethyst hued.
"Run!" I cry desperately, clenched fists placed over my chest. "Hurry up! Please! Run away now that they're distracted!"
He nods slowly, but doesn't make any other movement, eyes linked with mine.
"…why?" He finally asks, and I turn away not able to bare his gaze anymore.
"Please… just go…"
"Why?" He asks in voice a little louder than before, bowing forward to be close to me without move his feet. "I'm your enemy! You're supposed to catch me and not help me escape… so… why…?"
I shake my head, eyes burning with unwanted tears. "I swore I'd be one to catch you… and I won't let them catch you… I won't let them kill you… I… couldn't… let it happen… I can't… I…" I squint my eyes, hardly taming the sob thrusting to escape my lips. Take a hold of yourself Motomiya! "I… I can't… I…"
"Why?" He asks again and my head snaps up so that our eyes are linked once again. On his face there's a statement almost as painful as the one playing over my features, and I shake my head. "Go…"
"Why?" He shakes his head slightly, sounding desperate. But I sound even more desperate than him.
All of a sudden Wallace's shout brings me back to reality, and looking up at him I see him scramble up to his feet, burning eyes focused on me.
"PLEASE!" I cry, turning back toward him. "There's no time! Go away!!"
"WHY?!"
"GO AWAY!"
"TELL ME WHY YOU'RE …"
"BECAUSE I COULDN'T'T BEAR TO LOSE YOU! I LOVE YOU!"
Burning breath escaping my lips in jagged mouthfuls of air, I look up at him pleadingly, watching the Kaiser's eyes go huge. He's trembling slightly… and quivering is the hand he's raising tentatively toward me. Hesitantly, I reach out to him, trembling fingers and burning eyes blinking quickly. I look first at our palms creeping closer and then at him, catching his eyes do the same voyage. Then, all of a sudden, a flash of green hurries toward him from behind, grasps him and carries him away from me.
"DAISUKE!" He cries, arm outstretched in desperate attempt to reach me as his huge digimon carries him away, one muscular arm tucked under his tinier ones and wrapped around his chest, while the other spread in front of him. "DAISUKE!!"
"KAISER!" I yell just as desperately, trying to run after him and tripping. I land face first in the grass and then look up to see he and his digimon disappear as a dying star in the depths of the night. "KAISER!"
I told him.
I told him how I feel.
I told him.
I told him in front of Wallace.
I told him in front of my Chief.
I told him in front of Hikari, Takeru, Iori and Miyako.
I told him in front of my friends.
I told him in front of Hikari, Takeru, Iori, Miyako, Hiromu and his friends.
I told him in front of my companions.
And he…
He didn't say anything.
* * * * *
My only love sprung from my only hate
Too early seen unknown and known too late
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy.
-Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare)
