A/N: Raine please forgive me for taking so long with this part, I ran into some writers block and needed to get other ideas out of my head. Hell's Hauntress glad to see you liked this one, it seemed very few people did and I will hold you to your side of the bargain. As for the rest of you readers thanks for your continued support and please let me know what you think.
Disclaimer: See chapter 1.
Lady Devimon stepped into the darkened lab looking over the room carefully. Maliki stood at his computer running over the information he had gathered from each of the children. He noticed her entrance but didn't turn to see her merely speaking instead "So has the angel come around?" he asked in a bored voice. The dark angel decided to let it slide.
"No, he needs a little more encouragement" she said, "I need Takeru". Maliki stopped his typing to glare at her but the glare faded away and a cruel smile crossed his face "Take him now before his brother wakes up, the disappearance of the young one may be just enough to send Yamato over the edge to our side". The virus in Lady Devimon stirred again and a wicked smile crossed her face "Let me know when he's about to wake I want to see it".
Maliki nodded and waved his hands quickly bringing the pod holding the Bearer of Hope down without a sound. Lady Devimon scooped up the boy noting the dried tears on his face placing a hand over his mouth should he wake. "What was his deepest desire?" she asked curiously wondering what could ever upset the happy child. Once again the madman smiled "He comes from a broken home, parents splitting up when he was very young, taking him from his beloved big brother, and all he wants is for his family get back together".
'That's why they try to stay together' she thought leaving the room without another word to Maliki leaving too his work. Once she was out of sight she let out a sigh of relief that she had gotten away with it "One down seven to go" she whispered too the slumbering Digidestined in her arms "Angemon will take care of you". For now she was safe playing both sides of the fence, but how much longer she would go undetected was up to the Fates.
Angemon lay on the small cot in his cell staring at the door waiting for it to open. He could hear the heeled footsteps of Lady Devimon coming too his cell, probably with one of his meals. He had been locked away so long he had no idea where he was, how long he had been there, or where his digidestined was. One thing he did know was the other guardians had been put into stasis and Genni's brother was trying to turn to children evil in order to take over the world.
He was forced from his thoughts when the squeaky door to his cell opened and as he had thought Lady Devimon entered carrying a small bundle. Angemon's heart fell when he saw the golden blonde hair shimmering against her gray skin. "I thought you'd want a show of how serious I am about you becoming mine" she had forcing her voice cold and evil just as it had been the first time she had attacked the chosen children. As she spoke she could sense the panic growing his body, his wings twitching in their restraints.
"You haven't…" he began in a shaky voice moving as far forward as the chains would allow. "No he's just sleeping…Maliki put them all through his machine to learn there dreams and weaknesses, its very painful and over a long period of time can cause death. Now that you know that I have a proposition for you. If you agree to become my mate I will allow little Takeru to stay here in this cell with you rather than give him back to Maliki".
The angel looked down at his digidestined his heart pounding on the one hand he would be protecting Takeru from a terrible fate but on the other by giving himself to the dark angel he would be betraying his heart…a heart that was already bound to another. Angewomon was his soul mate, bound mind body and soul. The mere thought of leaving that behind was devastating…but duty was duty and Takeru was his duty.
Another thought crossed his mind; he may be able to give his love one last gift. "I'll do it," he said pulling off his helmet for the first time revealing his stunning blue eyes to the world "I'll do it if you bring Kari as well". Lady Devimon was speechless so entranced by the angels hidden beauty that she would have brought him Maliki's head if he had asked. It was only TK stirring in her arms that brought her coherent thoughts back and the words to her mouth "Done".
Angemon let out a sigh of relief holding out his arms for TK. Lady Devimon carefully handed him off not surprised that once the boy was out of her arms Angemon retreated to the back of his cell once more wrapping his chained wings around the bearer of hope giving him a cocoon of love and protection. Assured TK was okay he spoke again holding his hand out taking hers gently in his own "When Kari is here I will do all you ask" he said kissing her palm before letting go.
Happy shivers raced up her spine as she forced herself to hold her composure for the seemingly endless walk out the door.
Matt's eyes slowly opened pain ravaging his body with every slight movement. So with that knowledge he only moved his eyes scanning the other pods floating among his. Izzy was up rubbing his temples his eyes closed trying to fend off the pain, Joe, Sora, Mimi, and Tai still slept their eyes squeezing tighter from the pain that breathing brought. Kari was sitting up tears streaming down her face as she held her knees rocking herself. His heart began to break and he forced his body to roll over to make sure TK wasn't in the same state.
A scream ripped through his throat when he saw there was no pod next to his containing his brother, only empty air. "Maliki where is he!" Matt yelled forgetting his pain and standing up banging on the glass, TK had just gone through the torture and if luck held out not again until the next day "Answer me or you'll regret the day you were born!" The shouting had awakened those still sleeping, the digidestined keeping quiet allowing Matt to get his questions answered.
Maliki came into the room laughing, "I was wondering when you were going to wake…"
"Shut up and bring me my brother" Matt yelled once again hitting his glass so hard it finally cracked. For a brief moment Maliki looked surprised for the glass was made of the strongest material in the digital world and not even an angels attack could break through it. But he quickly recovered his composure "Your brother is none of your concern…"
"He's my brother, my concern!"
Maliki could tell the boy was blind with love and grief and ready to do anything, anything as in joining his cause "I'll give him back if you join…" It wasn't Maliki's day for finishing sentences only it wasn't Matt interrupting him this time it was Lady Devimon "Now now Yamato settle down" she chided shooting him a cold glare pulling Maliki aside.
The madman looked at her ready to kill "I almost had him" he seethed. She merely ignored him "Yes you did but thanks to his little burst of emotion up there Gabumon is about to break free and I don't know how to stop it". A curse escaped his lips his thoughts of claiming one of the digidestined going down the tubes especially if one of the megas got loose "I'll get Gabumon you take care of the rest".
Lady Devimon bowed with respect "Before you go I do have some good news, Angemon will be mine if I bring him Hikari as well". Maliki looked at her nodding again having both brothers in a fit would work to his advantage and this time he could be ready if the stasis broke "Do it, but give me five minutes before you take her that way I'll be in the lab".
Maliki shot one last look at the seething Matt enjoying the digidestined screaming after him. Lady Devimon watched him go taking to the air hovering before Matt her eyes actually taking on a sympathetic look "Calm down Takeru is safe" she said in a soothing voice "I took him to Angemon so he wouldn't be put in that chair anymore".
The anger melted away from Matt's face relief taking its place yet still tainted with distrust "He's really safe you're not lying to me". The dark angel nodded "Angemon has agreed to become mine in return for a few favors, Takeru was one of the favors".
"I thought all the digimon were in stasis?" Izzy stated finally speaking through his pain. Lady Devimon shook her head "Maliki's plans haven't deterred me from my own…and now I need the final part of the bargain". She flew over to Kari's pod her dark heart nearly breaking at the terror filled eyes that were flashing between the oncoming digimon and her brother begging for help.
Tai saw this and went into the wild mode Matt had been in minutes before "Don't you dare?" he said his voice dark hoping against hope his would scare her off. It didn't and she scooped up the weakened girl before moving in front of Tai's pod "I'm taking her to Angemon with TK, I promise no more harm will come to her". The looked helpless for his beloved sister was about to be taken from him, but at least she wouldn't have any more pain. So it was with that knowledge he lowered his head in defeat "It'll be okay Kari" he said pressing his hand to the glass "I promise everything will be all right".
Despite knowing she was going to a safer place she struggled hard in Lady Devimon's grasp "Please don't take me from my brother" she begged when Lady Devimon ascended to the floor holding her tight fighting tears of her own. "Trust me little one this is what's best".
As Lady Devimon flew away Sora's gentle voice attempted to sooth the distraught brothers.
"Angemon will protect them but now I'm confused, who's side is she on?" the bearer of love asked creasing her eyebrows looking to Izzy out of habit more than anything else. Not surprisingly the genius was way ahead of her the possibilities running through his hear turning into organized thoughts "Her own" she said confidently "She's playing both sides of the fence. One that keeps Maliki from doing whatever he was going to do to her to get her to cooperate and the second is helping us. Just today's she's gotten TK and Kari out of here and away from the torture and dropped a hint on what could help us escape".
Now Joe was confused he may have been half asleep from the interaction but was sure he would have picked out a hint to escape "I don't follow she didn't say anything about escape". Mimi and Matt nodded their agreement never sure where Izzy was going with a theory.
"When she said Gabumon was escaping because of the jump in Matt's emotions," the red head replied his voice growing excited "It doesn't matter that the digimon are in stasis they still respond to our thoughts and emotions, so our pain over the past few days has been their pain. Matt's anger a few moments ago was Gabumon's if our digimon get enough they'll be able to break free".
For the first time in days smiles spread across the captives faces "Now that we know that how do we do it?" Mimi asked nearly shattering the frail hope they had created. Izzy didn't answer shaking his head "I don't know but give me time".
Tai looked at the doors leading in expecting them to open at any time "Time is something we don't have, I can feel myself getting weaker with every session". The others nodded in agreement for their resolve was firms but their bodies were giving out at darkness was at their door.
Kari continued to whimper in Lady Devimon's arms as the moved through the halls of the massive complex every step farther away from her brother. The young girl couldn't explain why she was so attached to her brother right now; perhaps the endless pain or it was her darkest fear…losing her brother. She hadn't been with the digidestined long but had watched TK and Matt interact with each other and how every moment they had was precious.
Kari loved her brother more than anything and looked up on him, her protector. The mere thought of him not in her life make her shake even more and a fresh wave of tears to come. And it was when that wave came that Maliki came out of the chamber holding the digimon. Seeing her tears brought a cruel smile to his lips and his arms out to pluck her from the dark angels hold.
Lady Devimon looked with narrowed eyes and a hiss when her prize was taken "You said she was mine" she hissed her hands itching with her dark powers wanting to be released. Maliki walked back into the chamber "I just want her to see one last thing before she lives out the rest of her life in that cell to keep your slave in line…pity to give her up though I just found her weakness"
Maliki walked in stopping before the stasis tubes "Look child of light, look at your guardian now" he said turning her in his arms to the sight of Gatomon floating unmoving in the tube a steady beeping representing her heart beat, a beat that got stronger in Kari's presence. "See she knows you're here" he taunted stirring her anger getting more of a reaction from the digimon.
Though Kari was young she wasn't dumb and picked up on the reaction quickly turning her thoughts to what they had been doing to her and those she loved over the past few days. The love, hurt, and hope she was feeling began to run like a river through her body fueling more tears. Maliki too pleasure in the tears until he saw what was happening…. Gatomon was stirring.
The white cat digimon's eyes where opened and narrowed especially at the sight of her digidestined in enemy hands and crying. With a curse he threw Kari to the ground hard his fingers flying over the keys faster than the human eyes could see. The furious motion brought forth a burst of purple liquid into the small chamber dousing the guardian just as she raised her claws above her head to strike her way free.
The claws hit the glass just as the liquid took affect sending the digimon back into her stasis. Her claws did manage to leave a few scratches but not enough to get free but enough to send Maliki into a fit of rage. "You little wretch" he bellowed turning to strike her getting nothing but air, Lady Devimon had gathered the girl once more into her arms.
"Now Maliki you should have been more careful," she cooed "Now if you'll excuse me I want to get my reward from this venture".
"This is not a joint venture" the ancient seethed "I am in control and if you don't remember that your obsession will die and you will be tortured so much you will be begging for death…and you have gotten a taste of what I can do too you I trust you don't want an encore".
The pain of his attack in her home came back to her, the pain that had her wishing for death and willing to betray the digidestined, her saviors. "No master" I won't forget," she said meekly lowering her head and walking out the door more somber than before. When she was gone the wheels in Maliki's head were turning for his plan to get the digidestined was taking longer than he had expected so long that he needed to speed it up.
He knew their weaknesses, now he just had to utilize them. Maliki then turned to his sleeping brother "You tried so hard to protect them brother but you failed, you failed and now I know their downfalls. Friendship and Courage love their Hope and Light to a fault, Knowledge wants to know his true past and who his birth parents are, Reliability wants to live his life as he sees fit not in the shadow of his father, Love wants her mother to listen and understand, Sincerity fears being alone, Hope wants his family back, and Light doesn't want to lose her brother as Hope did".
Genni's unmoving form didn't respond not even with a twitch "So you see brother it is only a matter of time…and they and the digital world will be mine". With those closing words he left for the lab he knew that there was no holding back now every session would be full throttle until they fell.
Angemon rocked TK in his arms using his wings to enfold him until he woke up. He had merely stirred in Lady Devimon's arms before and had settled back down once he was reunited with his guardian. With a sad sigh the angel brushed stray hairs away from his face pondering how long they would have to live like this, caged like animals him subject to a virus's every whim.
The virus chose that moment to re-enter the chamber carrying Kari tears still soaking her delicate face. Lady Devimon sat her down allowing her to run to the safety of her friend's arms nearly landing on TK when she jumped into his arms. The jolt finally woke up TK with a start his puzzled blue eyes filled with joy at the sight of his digimon.
"Angemon I knew you'd save us" he said proudly looking to Kari his smile fading when he saw the look on her face "we're not saved are we?". Kari shook her head looking to Lady Devimon giving him his clue. The dark angel didn't allow him to speak first though knowing the words would probably give her more guilt "You are in a better place than before, here Maliki can't touch you".
TK looked at her skeptically the fragile trust he had built with her during his kidnapping was broken and she would have to do a lot more than put him in a cell to earn it back "What about Matt and the others are they coming too?"
"I'm working on it, but for now its just you two" she replied softly turning her attention to Angemon "I have done what you asked and will return in an hour we are having a quiet dinner just the two of us". Angemon's stomach fell at the thought of it but a deal was a deal so he nodded in head in acknowledgment before turning to the digidestined. His helmet highlighted possible injuries the worst of which being a bruise on Kari's left arm from where she was throne on the floor.
Lady Devimon knew he was done with her until the dinner date and took her leave ready to slip into the little black dress she had made for just such an occasion. This was the beginning the rest of her life, a happy life that would soon be free of any distractions those distractions including the digidestined and Maliki.
Izzy closed his eyes as tight as he could fighting the pain as more memories shot back from the past rattling his mind. Over the pain he could hear Maliki's cruel voice taunting, offering, anything to get him to turn. "Come on Koushiro you're a smart boy give in and the pain will end and you will get the ultimate question answered…your past".
As much as the bearer of Knowledge hated to admit it the offer was sounding more tempting by the minute and the silky voice continued, "Yes that one question you could never figure out. Imagine you will know what your parents looked like, where they are now, whose eyes you have, and what your first home looked like. All that and all you must do is give yourself over to me".
The tears were coming now as Izzy willed forth his final reserves long enough to open his eyes and hiss "Never". That single word took everything out of the young digidestined sending him back into the tortured slumber they had all been in most of their tenure. A vile curse escaped the madman's lips as he tossed Izzy back into his holding pod already scanning to see who would be next.
Joe and Sora had already both of them giving the same answer of defiance "I'm not getting anywhere" he muttered walking from the lab back to the stasis chamber. No change of the digimon put him a little at ease as he walked to his collection of drugs pulling out a specific bottle reading its affects carefully before inserting two needles drawing out the liquid.
Assured he had the right dose he strode out of the stasis chamber and down toward Angemon's cell. Lady Devimon had taken the angel nearly a half hour ago for their candle light dinner that would some how woe him to their side. That thought made him snort for she was a fool and had already served her purpose meaning he could kill her as soon as she became a hindrance…which meant if she kept up what she was doing would be very soon.
He came to the cell door throwing it open easily startling the two digidestined who looked to have broken part of the bench off to make weapons from. "Nice try" he spat swooping in on them slamming the door shutting off their escape route.
"What do you want?" TK demanded stepping in front of Kari holding his arms out to guard her from danger. Maliki chuckled "I came to give you one last chance to join me" he said taking a measured step forward "If you do you will both get what you so badly want…your families together forever". He knew he had hit a note by the looks in their eyes "Yes forever that means not divorce, no brother's moving away to college or after a girl. They will always be there to stop a nightmare or take you to the park, so what do you say".
Silence lingered in the small room for a few seconds and Maliki thought he had finally got them…he was wrong.
"It doesn't matter what we want," Kari said quietly from behind her small shield "we were chosen to protect this world and should it mean our lives so be it". As she spoke both of the boys jaws feel open and TK knew what was happening, the entity that had come to her in Puppetmon's forest was back "Light will always break through the darkness Maliki, a lesson you should have learned by now".
Maliki was still too stunned for words; she was eight and talking like one of the ancients. TK however did have something to say, "She means no" he states simply "now go away your supposed to leave us alone".
"I lied" Maliki hissed coming out of his shock bringing out the two needles "I tire of waiting for you to come so I'm going to speed up the process". He then lunged out grabbing TK by the arm getting a scream from the young boy partly from pain partly from fear. The needle went in quickly as TK cried out for Matt his fear getting the best of him before the needle was pulled out and he was tossed off to the side.
Kari's chocolate eyes were filled with terror; thanks to all the doctors she had seen throughout her young life she had developed a healthy fear of needles. TK tried to get up and help her but found his legs would respond to his commands as a paralyzing darkness took him over. Kari screamed again when her friend fell to the floor making a run for it getting feet before she met the same fate.
The door burst open as the final drops of liquid were forced into her system and Angemon soared in Lady Devimon at his heels. The angel looked frantic his sensitive system able to pick up Takeru's fear miles away. Untold horror ripped through his body as Maliki stepped away from the unmoving bodies "I gave you all a chance" he said simply removing his key ring. Angemon felt his weakened power surging as his eyes rested on TK, his fist glowing in response.
"Hand of…" he screamed suddenly stopping when the chains that kept him in his celestial form were removed sending him into his rookie stage. Patamon was in a daze for only a few moments before he regrouped firing a flurry of bubbles at the madman having not affect but to get him to laugh "Pitiful".
Turning to Lady Devimon he spoke again "Your needs were stalling by plan now gather them and follow me or you will have more than these two hanging on you conscious". The dark angel didn't know what else to do giving Patamon a sorrowful look as she gathered the limp forms into her arms sensing nothing from the tiny pair. Her plan had backfired in her face and now her soul wasn't the only one lost.
Angemon wasn't the only one who had responded to his partner's terror for Gatomon too was awake and this time there was no one there to stop her.
"I'm sure their fine" Mimi said ringing her hands together looking at Matt and Tai pale as death a few feet away. They had all heard the cries and how each one was suddenly cut off with only silence following. Matt shook his head "No they're not" he whispered his blue eyes glued to the door his soul telling him that something horrible had happened. Therefore he wasn't surprised in the least when Maliki strode in Lady Devimon carrying two limp forms in tow.
Twin screams echoed from the bearers of Courage and Friendship knowing who they were and deep down knowing what had happened even before Lady Devimon looked up and mouthed an 'I'm sorry'. The screams gave way to tears when their pods were lowered disappearing as they hit the ground.
Being and athlete Tai could run faster but still only got to Kari only seconds before Matt got to TK. He took her still form from the dark angel cradling her in his arms his eyes confirming what his heart already knew, she was gone. Her heart wasn't beating and her chest wasn't moving this igniting a fire deep within the bearer of courage, a dark fire.
Matt sobbed openly pleading with TK "Come on Takeru open your eyes". Nothing happened and the same fire spread to Matt working like a wildfire through his system obliterating the virtues he had worked so hard to protect, what was the use anymore.
"You failed" Maliki said simply showing no remorse "you couldn't even protect your siblings, your failed your sacred duty"
High above Izzy saw what was happening "We're losing them" he said in a panic. Sora shot him a quick look wiping away her tears "What do you mean we already did".
The genius shook his head frantically pointing to the dark auras forming around the distraught brothers "Matt and Tai the grief is too much for them and we're going to lose them".
Sure enough Izzy was right, as the dark auras surrounding Matt and Tai grew blacker than the darkest of nights only off set by the red glowing of their eyes. Slowly they stood gently easy their siblings to the floor as if afraid to hurt them. Once they were standing tall their chests began to glow and their crests symbols burst forth in a blast of orange and blue light.
The symbols hovered above their masters for a few moments before the darkness began to creep into them, distorting them until courage was cowardice and friendship was foe. With the transformations complete the new symbols returned to their homes eliciting a dark rumble from the hallways followed by a great crash.
Dust filled the room sending all enclosed into coughing fits forcing tears from their eyes in order so see. Joe was the first to regain his sight with his glasses taking the brunt of the blow, but he soon found he hadn't for standing in the center of their room before their master's were the fiercest monsters ever to set foot in the digital world, one from their past the other not.
Two boned digimon knelt before Matt and Tai their pink hearts standing out against the bones their growls now quiet as they awaited orders. Sora looked to Mimi and Mimi looked to Izzy "What now?" she breathed afraid to draw any attention their way.
Izzy had one simple answer that was now their only hope "We pray".
To Be Continued…
A/N: Okay I know this was a really crappy part but I wanted to get it out. It's been a long time since I wrote on this one so my original inspiration was gone. I will continue it and hopefully the next part will be better, and Hell's Hauntress here's my part now where's yours.