Yes, I know it's been a while, but it's not completely my fault. I tried to upload this a couple of days ago, but that part wasn't working. Gomen Nessai. I made this one a little bit longer.........

Dria: So, Ken-kun... What are you dressing up for on Halloween?

Ken: I think I'll just go as myself.

Dria: C'mon, that's no fun.... *gets an evil gleam in her eye*

Ken: What? What are you planning?

Dria: Oh nothing..... *whistles and edges closer to him*

Ken: Help.... *thinking, `men in white coats....'

CHAPTER 4 Chantramon

His expression was so sad that she didn't even remember any time she had seen him so disheartened.

Flymon went to the predetermined meeting place. He reported everything that had just happened.

"Excellent, everything is going exactly according to plan." Lady Devimon was ecstatic. As Flymon flew away, she turned toward a floating mirror. "Master"

"How is the plan? It is not too much for you to handle, is it?"

She cringed, "No, master. Everything is perfect. The children are beginning to lose hope. Ken especially."

"Very good, but don't fail me again. I will not be so forgiving next time."

"Hai"

Daemon's form disappeared. Lady Devimon was left with her thoughts. And she was angry.....

The digidestined were still discussing what Flymon had told them. Ken looked tired. Matt looked defeated. He was twirling TK's ring in his hand, hoping he was all right, and trying not to think. It was nine o'clock and very dark by this time.

"I think we should go back, it's not going to do us, or TK any good if we get lost. We can come back first thing tomorrow morning."

Matt looked at Davis, he knew he was right, but he couldn't bare leaving his little brother alone. Finally he agreed that this was the best plan and reluctantly left the digital world. He was not looking forward to going home. He didn't want to face his family. All he had was more bad news. He knew he was going to have to face them sooner or later.

Later that evening at Tai's and Kari's house, the brother and sister were both having a difficult time sleeping. Both of them ended up in the kitchen for a snack. Tai looked at his sister. He saw the confusion in her eyes.

"Kari, what's up?"

"Huh?" Kari was startled out of her thoughts. She didn't really want to say anything.

Tai noticed his sister's reluctance and decided to try again, "Kari, Daijobu?"

She knew her brother well enough to know that he wasn't going to give up, so she answered him this time. "I guess I'm just worried about TK."

"Kari, I already know that," he said quietly, "What else?" He noticed his sister's surprise. "There is something else that's bothering you right now, please tell me about it."

There was a pause for a few minutes. This time Tai was smart enough to know he needed to wait for his sister.

"It's about Ken. Tai the darkness that covered him hasn't gone away, not completely. My crest is the crest of light and not even I could help him. I think Ken is really losing the battle. He's losing his hope, and I can't do anything about it."

"You have to trust Ken right now, Kari. Sometimes there are certain things that each person has to deal with on their own. This is one of those things."

"I know you're right, but it's so hard to sit back and watch him suffer."

"Uh............ Kari .........I think we need to get some sleep, or else we're not gonna be any help to any one tomorrow."

"Okay, good night, Tai."

"Night Kari."

As they both went to their rooms, Tai thought over what his sister had said. "Darn, I didn't know what to say to her."

Tk was getting tired and he still hadn't found anything to eat. He decided he would re-start his search after he got some sleep. Making that decision he found a cave and went to sleep, thinking of his family.

The next morning, at Ken's house, Cody, who had taken that night, was up before Ken. Cody went over the events of the previous day in his mind. He thought that something must be wrong, besides the obvious. Why was TK taken? Why had the flymon attacked? What made that one flymon talk? None of it made any sense, no matter how much he mulled it over. He was making himself crazy. The more he thought the less he understood. "Argh," He said it out loud, he didn't mean too, but he did. Ken woke up with a start.

"What happened Cody? Are you all right?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up. Everything's fine. I was just thinking about yesterday."

"Oh," He said flatly. He'd been dreaming about it all night. "What about it?"

"Mmm," Cody debated whether or not to say anything. He wanted too, but he feared no one would take it seriously, so he decided it might be best not to. "It's really nothing. It's 6:45 everyone'll be here in about forty-five minutes. Why don't we get cleaned up and have some breakfast."

Ken could tell Cody was keeping something from him. `I guess he doesn't trust me completely,' he thought.

When everyone arrived, they all went to the digital world, and they were shocked. There was nothing..... no buzzing, no hissing, no chirping, no wind.....nothing.

"Where's Augumon? He was supposed to meet us here." Tai looked a little worried. Not only had the Digital World's sounds disappeared but now Augumon was late. This had to be bad.

"He was supposed to bring Gabumon with him."

"I know, that's what worries me. I think they knew something they couldn't tell us over the computer. I hope nothing's happened to them."

Cody looked at the two friends. He spoke up quietly, "Maybe we should try searching for them. We couldn't find anything about how to help TK yesterday. If they really do know something, then that's our best bet."

Everyone agreed and once again decided it would be a good idea to split up. Remembering his sister's words the night before, Tai said they should shake up the teams a little bit. Maybe different people would be able to find something new. So that said, Tai Kari, and Ken made up the first team. Matt, Davis, Cody and Yolei went together. Tai's group went to the forest, that was the last place he had spoken to Augumon from. Davis' group went to the mountains because that was where Gabumon usually hung out.

When TK woke up he thought everything had been a dream, and he was relieved. However, it was short lived. He sat up and looked at his surroundings, and his heart sank. Once again his thoughts turned toward his parents and his brother. He knew that by now his parents new everything and must think he's dead. `No,' he thought as he sank to his knees. The same tears that had been stinging his eyes almost continuously pressed hard at him again and again he had to fight them. Something that was getting harder and harder. He knew the only way to fight was to go on, so he got up and continued his search for fresh water and food. `Maybe I'll even find my digivice,' he thought, not really believing it. It was also beginning to bother him that he had no way of finding out what time it was.

Tai's group had been searching the forest with no results. But Tai would not let it upset his team. Tai stopped suddenly. So suddenly that Kari bumped into him. She was about to ask him why when she heard what he had heard. Then she knew. It was the first sound they had heard since entering the Digital World, that sounded normal. All of them hurried toward it. When they reached the clearing they saw a village of Oopomon playing in a pond. When they saw the kids they scattered. Tai ran after them to tell them they weren't there to hurt them. As Tai disappeared back into the forest, Kari and Ken sat down to wait for him realizing that if they went after the Oopomon they would probably get separated. As they waited, they sat on some rocks next to the pond. Kari looked at Ken. She saw just how upset he was. She also noticed the darkness around him was getting stronger. Ken, oblivious to Kari's gaze, sat looking into the pond.

Tai soon lost track of the Oopomon. He stopped running to look for some clue as to where they went when he heard something that made him forget all about them. A little way away in a clearing enshrouded by foliage on all sides he heard two voices. He sneaked closer so he could hear what they were saying. When he had gotten close enough to hear them he could also see them. One of the digimon had his back turned but still Tai couldn't shake the feeling that he knew him. The other one was Lady Devimon. They were talking about TK.

"That kid is too stubborn for his own good. He's killing himself by not cooperating."

"Yes, he will soon be out of our hair for good."

Tai started. `that voice, it couldn't be...'

"What do you think Daemon will do if the kid doesn't talk?"

"Let's just say I'd hate to be either that kid or Ken."

"Speaking of Ken... How much longer?"

"Not much, he will soon know real suffering."

At this both of the digimon laughed and Tai almost lost it. He was about to jump out and ask them what they meant when the second digimon turns around. `No..... I was right.... Devimon.'

"Did you hear something?"

"Devimon, you are being paranoid."

"I guess you're right."

"Any way it's not like anyone could stop us. That kid is almost dead and Ken will be soon. We shouldn't worry about anything else."

They share another peal of laughter before they leave. When they had gone Tai was furious. His thoughts went immediately to Matt. `I sure am glad he didn't hear that.'

Davis' group wasn't having much luck at first either. The air between them was strained. Matt was looking sick. He felt like they were wasting time. Nothing they did got them any closer to TK. When they came to a waterfall the entire group was feeling discouraged. Davis suggested they get a drink of water before continuing. When they were done with their drink they all looked to Matt who sat at the edge of the water staring into it with his back turned. Davis was the first to notice a slight shaking of his shoulders. The group decided it might be best to leave him alone for a while. Yolei and Cody took their digimon a little way down stream to swim and cool off for the rest of their day's journey. Davis, however, wanted to do a little exploring. He went to the water fall and noticed that there was a way to get inside. He was about to call to the others but Yolei and Cody were too far away and Matt's head was now in his hands. So he decided to do his exploring with Veemon. The further they got into the cave the more beautiful it became. There were sparkles covering the walls of the cave. Davis noticed this but he had a feeling that he really needed to keep moving, almost as if something was pulling him forward. When they reached the end of the tunnel they had been moving through, Davis saw the most beautiful place he had ever seen. There were stalactites and stalagmites covering the top and bottom of the cave, also covered in sparkles. It wasn't until he had stood there for a full fifteen minutes that he noticed the last thing he had expected to see in the cave. There at the end sitting next to an underground river were Augumon and Gabumon. The two of them just sat there staring at the water, not even talking. Davis tried calling out to them but neither digimon seemed to hear him. As Davis got closer to the river he began to understand why. In the middle of the water there was a beautiful girl who seemed to be calling to all got near. Davis stared hard at her but for some reason he couldn't understand what she was saying. It was as if she were speaking another language. Davis wondered for a second why it wasn't really affecting him when he heard Veemon from behind him.

"Davis." Davis could hear the struggle in his voice. "That's Chantramon, she......" Veemon was really struggling now. "She...... has the......" Now he was panting. "the power to control--"