A/N: Okay here's part two thank you sooo much for your patience I've had to work a little more than usual and school has started so I'm not able to write as often as I like. Anyway as always keep up the feedback and as always let me know if there is anything you want to see happen.
FYI- I did manage to post new chapters of Power Hungry and Divergence when ff.net was being reworked so if you missed them be sure to check them out.
Disclaimer: See chapter one
Lost Souls-
Lady Devimon could feel TK struggling in her arms as she
took to the skies flying along with Maliki and the other captured
digidestined. Her heart was aching
because of what she had done but the consequences made her blood run cold. "You will do what I say or I'll merely
kill them all starting with that Angemon you've grown so attached too…and mark
my words you will hear their anguished screams until the day you die".
So feeling she had no other option the dark angel caved to his will. "I thought you were our friend" TK said quietly as he stopped struggling realizing that his efforts were in vain. She couldn't tell him the truth so she chose to put on her icy mask and ignore his question all together, which hurt the boy even more.
Tears welled in his eyes "Angemon will stop you, he'll never let you get away with this". Again a ping of regret ran through her heart for the children had no idea their digimon were in stasis…all but one that is. Maliki had kept one of them out but still hadn't told her which one. Unfortunately Maliki had been listening in on their conversation and decided to drive another emotional dagger through his captives hearts.
"Your little guardians as well as Genni are in no position to help you," he said cruelly bringing his hands up as the imposing lab came into view.
He had made no effort to hide his base its walls about 20 feet high and made of the finest of chrome digiziod steel making it impervious to any attack. The doors were made of the same metal and engraved with an iron fist clutching the digital world.
Maliki's hands began to glow with a black light that sent shivers through everyone's spines. The black light triggered the lock opening the compound that looked more like a prison than a lab.
Mechanorimon lined the walls spaced a mere two feet apart each one armed with lasers ready to cut down anyone who breathed wrong. The digimon holding the digidestined landed following faithfully behind their master who again led them through steel doors slamming the door with an authoritive thud behind him.
The hall was blacker than the darkest of nights "I know every inch of my lab thus enabling me to keep it in total darkness should I see fit" he said proudly not revealing his other reason for keeping is so dark. If his test subjects couldn't see their chances for escape fell greatly.
Izzy however was keeping track, not of landmarks but how many steps were taken between each turn. He drilled this information into his brain keeping it fresh and accessible so the first chance they got to get out would be the only one they needed.
After what Izzy counted as fifteen total turns they arrived in what seemed to be the main lab. It too was made of the armor but large computers lined the walls each one teeming with a life of its own.
"Home sweet home" Maliki said happily once again bringing his hands up this time bringing eight clear pods from the ceiling. They were tinted in the crests colors easily identifying who was supposed to go where. The bottoms of the pods were filled with pillows, giving them a little comfort in an increasingly deteriorating situation. The digidestined were dumped into their pods and raised off the ground leaving them dangling high above the metal floor.
Tai let out an enraged cry and tried to climb the sides only to find they were slicker than black ice during an ice storm. Maliki let out an amused laugh "You didn't think I would make it that easy for you to get out now did you? Besides where would you go its twenty feet down and I'm the only one who has the power to bring you down".
"Why did you bring us here?" Matt demanded pounding on his glass for emphasis his eyes on his brother dangling ten feet away. Maliki had taken notice of this and a rush of memories came flooding back. For there was a time when he cared for Genni as much as this pair cared for each other…
The madman shook his head driving the memories away letting his ego take over. Once again someone wanted to hear his genius and he was only too happy to oblige. "Take over the digital world what else" he coed. "You see my brother wanted to bring you hear to seal away the darkness forever, I was honestly amazed he had figured it out before me but never the less I could never let that happen. The digital world is mine and mine alone so if he can use the power of your crests to lock out the powers of darkness why can't I do the same for the powers of light".
Izzy jumped on this quickly immediately seeing the flaw in his plan "Light can't stop light, for every action requires and equal and opposite reaction".
"Clever boy, you've honed in on the key if you give yourselves to the darkness the light will be stopped. You will receive power beyond your wildest dreams; millions will tremble at the mere mention of your names. The evilest of powers will be yours to command the world would be at your mercy".
Eight collective laughs filtered down from the small prisons and Mimi was the first to stutter and answer through her giggles "If you think we're going to do anything like that your nuts. Our crests our sacred to us and nothing…nothing will make us change that". Her normally sweet voice ended with venom in her voice and determination filled her eyes.
Maliki didn't look amused by this, in his delusional mind he had thought they would jump at the chance for power like that. So many others had before. Though he had hoped they would do it on his own he did have a plan B. "I have ways of making you turn. I can learn your darkest secrets and wildest dreams if your force me to do this you will suffer pain beyond your imagination".
The digidestined cast glances to each other silently taking a vote, coming to a unanimous decision. Tai looked down his eyes narrowed "Drop dead" he said simply turning his back along with the others.
Lady Devimon could hear Maliki grinding his teeth a deep shade of red working its way up his face. "I gave you a choice," he said forcing each word out "I suggest you rest up for tomorrow you will pay dearly for your defiance".
With that he wrapped his black cloak around his body once more and strutted out the door like a rooster guarding his hens. A wave of his hand summoned the angel who grudgingly followed casting one last glace at the captives sending a silent prayer that they would fine a way out on their own for she couldn't help them.
Angemon looked around his dreary cell for what seemed like the hundredth time since he had awakened. Just as when Lady Devimon had taken him he woke up in a cell as Angemon, his wings, arms, and legs all chained to the wall by chains tainted in dark magic.
He could feel the chains keeping his power in check only allowing him enough to stay in his champion form. He stopped with his chains and turned his thoughts to his digidestined. Last he knew Takeru along with the other digidestined were alone in the digital world without protection and whoever had taken him was after them.
The door creaking open turned his masked face to the door as a familiar figure walked in and a sense of déjà vu ran ramped through his body. Lady Devimon looked up at him giving him a weary smile. The angel had an idea of what was about to happen next but still allowed her to be the first to speak. "I'm so sorry about this" she said the sadness evident in her voice. The tone of her voice gave him a few answers right away, one of those being she wasn't acting on her own accord.
"Then why did you bring me here?" he asked quietly trying to keep his voice tender feeling it would keep her off guard and more willing to part with vital information.
Another wave of sadness made its way across her face a look of same occupying it. "He said he would hurt you and the children if I didn't" she confessed feeling part of her burden lift "because I agreed he allowed me to keep you out of stasis…in your weakened state of course".
Angemon accepted this "Who's he and what does he want with the kids?" Lady Devimon bit her lips as if debating whether to tell him, his digidestined was in danger and he did have a right to know "He's going to warp them and use them to seal out all the powers of light".
The angels blood ran cold at the revelation as the
protective instincts began to take over. "Set me free and let me get them out of here" he pleaded. At this she backed away shaking her head
sadly "You know I can't do that" she said walking out and closing the
door. Once out she lowered her head and
let Maliki's words comfort her. The
chains will drain his power and force him to depend on you for his every
need. I believe humans call it the
Florence Nightingale affect, where the patient falls in love with his
caregiver. Give it time and everything
you want will be yours.
Oddly enough she found comfort in this and smiled letting her virus side back out. Angemon would be hers and hers alone; it would only take a little time.
In the cell Angemon lowered his head in defeat closing his eyes he would have to save his strength and if he got lucky would be able to use it to escape.
Night had fallen over the digital word, the sun dipping below the horizon bringing the shadows out of their hiding places. Word of the digidestines capture had spread like wild fire leaving many of the inhabitants wondering if the sun would ever rise again. Deep with in Maliki's fortress the digidestined slept exhausted from the day's events. All but two were tucked into a tortured sleep. Matt and Tai sat awake in their pods watching their friends as they slept.
"So what do we do now?" Matt asked not breaking his gaze from his brothers sleeping form. Fear welled in his stomach, fear for his brother for he was his greatest weakness. 'Will he hurt TK to get me to turn? What will he do to get the little boy to turn?' he thought turning away to address Tai. The blonde knew the same thoughts had to be going through the leaders head, with Kari at the forefront of his mind.
Tai looked up with a weary sadness filling his chocolate eyes "I really don't know Matt. We've never been in this much trouble before, I mean this is the first time all of us have been captured and without the digimon no less".
Matt knew what he said was true someone had always made it out and was able to formulate a rescue. "Tai I'm scared" he confessed in a quiet whisper feeling a weight fall off his chest "It doesn't take a evil mad man to figure out my weaknesses and I don't want him to hurt TK in order to get to me".
"I'm scared too" Tai responded in the same shaky voice "She's only eight and she's in the battle between good and evil, darkness and light. I know he said he'll make us suffer for not obeying but will he hurt them to do it…"
The bearer of friendship could only listen and hold back his tears "Tai if it comes down to that I will sell my soul to the greatest of evil to save him". The leader could only agree he too would do the same a hundred times over "I know you would but lets get a little sleep and pray it doesn't come to that". The two boys settled into their pillows taking one last look at their siblings assuring them one last time they were safe before surrendering to the calls of sleep themselves.
Dawn broke sooner than anyone was ready for as the first rays of sunlight brought them back to the cruel reality of their situation. No sooner had the eight captives opened their eyes than their captor appeared bounding into the room happily as if he had had at least ten cups of coffee, on top of a few hand fulls of espresso beans. Lady Devimon followed moments later only her eyes no longer held the guilt of betrayal but the fire of a digimon on a mission.
"Good morning children I trust you slept well" Maliki chirped happily as he turned his computer on its hum sounding like music to his ears. When he received no answer to his question he continued his work without a word leaving them to wonder what he was doing, building the ever-growing tension in their hearts. He was enjoying every moment and decided it was time to take it up a notch.
"Now I'll give you one last chance to come over on your own before I get ugly" he said looking up at them expectantly. Once again the defiant stares answered his question "Then you have brought upon yourselves the oncoming pain". Maliki pushed one last button on his panel bringing up a nasty looking metal chair from the center of the floor.
Metal restraints were attached firmly to arm rests as well as the legs. The middle held thick leather bindings opened and waiting for its first occupant. On top of the chair stood a mounted headgear with blue sparks flashing out every few seconds. Maliki rubbed his hands together with a malicious smile he had designed the chair himself making sure his victims couldn't escape even if they wanted too. The sparking headgear had the ability to go into the deepest recesses of the victim's minds telling Maliki anything he wanted to know.
Dark eyes peered upward studying each of the children who were trying to hide their fear, though little actions gave them away. Mimi held her trembling hands tight trying to hide the shakes, Joe kept polishing his glasses, so much so the others were worried he would pop the lenses out. Izzy drummed his fingers on his lap absenting mindedly tapping the keys of his missing laptop, Sora merely bit her lip careful not to bring up blood. TK and Kari both held firm although their eyes would water and a rouge tear made its way down their cheeks every so often. It was Matt and Tai however who were having the hardest time. Their eyes constantly moving between their siblings and the chair.
"Who should be first?" he mused bring his hands up taking control of the pods "The little ones you seem so fond of". As he spoke the two pods began to lower to the floor eliciting cries from Matt and Tai. The pods rose again "Or the leader", this time Tai began to move down only to go up again after a few feet. For a few agonizing seconds Maliki randomly brought all eight up and down individually until Lady Devimon grew impatient "Get on with it already" she snapped her thoughts on the angel just a few hallways away ready for her to hand feed him his breakfast, whether he wanted it or not.
He gave her a look of mild annoyance before going back to his work "You" he said pointing at Izzy pulling the glass like bowl down "Genni's favorite". The kids gave a gasp of horror with Tai once again trying to climb out.
The pod touched the ground gently and Maliki reached in pulling the boy out by the collar of his shirt roughly, like a handler pulling out a mouse to feed a snake. The red head kicked his legs furiously hitting nothing but air. Maliki shoved him into the metal, the restraints fastening the second the pressure of a body was felt. Izzy struggled hard as he felt the cool metal clasp against his forehead and the pain exploded.
An agonized cry echoed off the metal walls and into the forest surrounding the compound. Izzy could feel the magic working its way though his memories going deeper and deeper to the ones he thought he had forgotten. The memories of the digital world, his adoptive parents, his real parents. That was when it stopped and a large hand fasted to his chin forcing him to look into dark eyes belonging to Maliki.
His vision was blurred with tears and his entire body throbbed in pain as Maliki shook his head "Parents, you want to know who your real parents are" he said slowing making sure his words made it through the boys pain. Izzy knew that was what he wanted to know more than anything in the world but he knew that he couldn't risk the digital world for it. "Answer me?" Maliki screamed slapping the boy hard.
Izzy looked up "Yes but I won't risk the digital world or the safety of the others for that knowledge" he said his voice full of pain. Maliki just laughed activating the contraption once more "You will change your mind…let round two begin".
Screams once again filled the air as digidestined began to beg him to stop their tear-filled pleas falling on deaf ears. Deeper within the compound was a large room with eight stasis tubes holding the seven destined digimon and Genni in the deepest of slumbers. The one containing Tentomon began to shake and a single tear slipped out of the guardians closed eye.
To Be Continued….
A/N: Raine I'm so sorry that took so long, school kept getting in the way. However everyone tell me what you think I really do enjoy feedback. And as always if there is anything you want to see happen let me know must suggestions get in.