Disclaimer = Ken, Dai, Takeru and all the original digimon characters you'll see in this fic belong to their rightful owners. The world where this fic takes place, the plot and everything you don't recognize from the TV show, is mine. ^^
Couples = Hiyako galore!! Hints of Iokeru,
Daiken and Ken suke?
Warning = PG-13 for scenes of fights and mild-violence. Minor cursing, too.
Heart of Steel - part 5
~*~ Hikari's POV~*~
Nefertimon swings across the sky leisurely, letting me scrutinize the Shimmering
Lakes region with sheer attention. I reach up to rub at my cheeks, glistening
wet with azure water. Even the air is saturated with water here. Cotton candy,
greyish-azure clouds flutter around us, blocking out the warmth of the sunrays,
even if they can nothing against their brilliance, leaving us in an open cage
of dampness.
The ground's an endless, flooded valley, and wherever eye can see there are crumbled ruins and lush, immense trees surging from the waters, dark mementos of a past we've lost forever, as well as wordless encouragement toward a renewed future.
Water water has been a dream for centuries and this place this place seems to keep all the water of the world, all the water of all time, here, nursing it gently in-between its greenish arms, shielding it from every danger. Despite its dangerousness, this place is the epitome of Gaia's will to keep living. It's so beautiful despite the predicament we're in I find my self enchanted by this place.
Nefertimon lowers down to brush the tips of her wings and her claws in the water, tracing swiftly, foamy lines over the glimmering surface and swings back up when a Seadramon leaps up from the flooded maze to greet us. I cling onto her neck, looking down as the huge serpent like creature struggles in the air for an endless moment, his wet scales refracting the light in a multitude of opalescent, pale blue-ish hues. Then, in a twinkle of blue, it tips his head down, and dips underwater, a shower of shimmering droplets welcoming its return. Its head emerges immediately afterward, though, and it scuffs across the lake to coil around the remains of a ruined tower and glares up at us, russet eyes blazing.
His crimson blazing orbs follow Nefertimon's lean figure as she swirls in the air, and then, resignedly, tip his head backward to let out a roaring howl, before sliding under the surface again, few ripples on the sapphire blue surface of the lake the only hint of its passage. I guess my brother was right about this place being dangerous. That's the 15th digimon we met since we arrived here and it was just few hours ago.
As I gaze down at the lake, I slowly dry my forehead
yet again, pressing my palms against my face. So wet so wet
I feel a small breeze graze the right side of my face and lean unconsciously
in the faint, fresh caress.
"Are you ill?" I open my eyes, meeting Miyako's concerned hazel eyes
few inches in front of me, melted pools of honey that scream out with concern.
"I'm fine" I answer softly, reaching out to touch her, my hands
sliding down her tight and on Aquillamon's back, smoothening his russet feathers
slowly. "I'm just not used to such humidity, that's all."
"Are you sure you're not queasy?" She asks, and I smile at her, hearing
something different in her voice, an echo more tender than she'd use when someone's
around.
"Oh no!" I look at the surface of the
water again. "Don't worry about me, Miya-chan."
"How can I not?" she answers, grasping my hands in her and gently
intertwining our fingers together. "When I" she pauses, blushing,
and then looks away, a some kind of soft wonder igniting her eyes. I thought
she was about to tell me this time. Despite the kisses, the hugs, the fact we're
marrying shockingly, she never never told me she loves me.
Never. In her defence I must admit I never did that either. Maybe we're not
ready to say it but I love her so much.
She's so sweet and honest, something maybe I'll never learn to be. She has a big heart, bigger then she knows. She's like Daisuke. He's proud and bright... he's my sunlight. Miyako is exactly the same as him, but... different.
Maybe that's why I love her? Because she remembers
me of Dai? No Daisuke may be my sun, but Miyako Miyako's my moon.
So similar to him and yet so different. So special in her own way. So sweet
so kind so proud and strong so Miyako so like someone I could
fall in love with. And I did.
I love Daisuke.
I loved him.
I love her.
I could never tell her, though... those three
words never slide out my lips. No matter how hard I try, my throat always closes
around them painfully. My Miyako I love you. I can't tell you aloud, but
I can show you, for I really love you. You, and not any resemblance to Daisuke
I could see in you. You're the one I want, then one that has my heart and will
have it forever I wonder when I'll be able to say this aloud, though.
I love you.
"We should land." I'm startled out
my reverie by Koushiro's voice. I snap my hand away from Miyako's, as if burned,
and blush, lifting my gaze to the towering blurred shape of MegaKabuterimon
flying above my head.
"What?" Miyako cups her hands around her mouth, raising her voice
to a painfully pitched squeak. Koushiro's red head appears over the blur of
his digimon's translucent wings and points his laptop proudly. Thanking God
the war of One Thousand Year didn't erase every trace of technology from this
world.
"We found the temple." He grins, his
fluid cape billowing out gracefully behind him. Then, he disappears from view,
and the immense digimon hoisting him speeds forward suddenly.
"Even too easy." Miyako flashes me a grin, urging Aquillamon to fly
quicker with a pat on the side of his neck. I do the same, not wanting to be
left behind, and hook my gaze on our blurred reflection below. Nefertimon streaks
over the surface of the water as if it was no more than a blue carpet. It takes
only few moments for the shore to come into view, an ancient, half flooded epitaph
looming over the golden sand, mysterious and grotesque. I'm grateful when my
steed's feet touch solid ground, and slid down her back, holding onto her neck
half for support and half to praise her.
I move from her snowy, soft neck just in time to see Koushiro sliding off his digimon and leading it in front of the building, leaving him behind with a gently pat on his insect muzzle when he moves into the building through the broken front doors. Miyako climbs off her mount and leads it toward the small square where MegaKabuterimon is, and saluting him with a quick stroke on his golden beak, she follows Koushiro in, scanning her surrounding with fascinating intent. With a last stroke, I lead Nefertimon to the other two digimon, and move my first, hesitant step forward. I grimace as I pause outside the tower, though. I look up at this scattered heap of russet rock and emerald lianas, glimmering wet under the sunlight, towering and mysterious. With a deep breath I whirl around, my eyes focusing somewhere deep within the golden refractions that dance over the surface of the water.
The calmness of a water surface is supposed to soothe the soul of any creature, no matter how frustrating his or her situation may be. Then why there's this strange ache gnawing at my heart? Something's bothering me. It's more a sensation that anything else, but I know there's danger here. Not only because Tai said so. Not only because I saw the Seadramon and the other digimon chasing after us. It's dangerous here. I just know it.
I wonder briefly if with an Electro Shocker MegaKabuterimon could open a hole in the wall big enough for them to fit and follow us inside, and then shrug my fears off, labelling them as childish. Shaking my head, I take a deep breath and quietly open the door. Koushiro is here, sitting in the middle of a flower patch, fumbling with his laptop. Light crawls in from the hollows in the ceiling and walls, bathing in golden brilliance the pale rosy blooms embellishing the cold, hard rock floor. Lush plants cover the walls, wrapped around the looming, dark columns in a gentle and yet unbreakable hug. And despite the large cracks running across them and the walls, the floor seems undamaged. In truth, even if the Temple has been in disrepair for many years, the floor is clear and there aren't dust or spider webs, inside: it seems that the time stopped here
Koushiro seems strangely pleased of the almost perfect condition of this place, but I realize it's because that raises our chances to find what we came here for still intact. As he walks further in, me and Miyako look around, searching for any danger. Miyako catches a glimpse of puppy sized monsters running for the broken doors and her hands flew to the twin daggers secured at her sides. And I immediately reach down for my staff.
A monster, or a crazy digimon howls somewhere in the ruins, making me flinch. I surely don't want to meet it, whatever it is. Koushiro doesn't hear it, or doesn't care, I don't know, and keeps marching forward, seeming to know exactly where he is going. He stops in front of a wall and runs his fingers over the surface.
"There's an emergency panel here somewhere,"
he mutters, poking and prodding the wall. Somewhere behind us, something's making
tiny scratching noises. And it's coming closer. I shiver instinctively, and
Miyako quickly lets go of one of her weapons and slides her arm around my waist,
pulling me close to her.
"I dunno what you're doin', Koushiro-san." She mutters in a low, throaty
growl. "But whatever it is, do it quickly."
"Please." I agree with a nod, still searching the pale shadows for
the source of the noises.
"Judging on what my laptop says," he mutters as he keeps fingering
the wall. "There must be a statue here and not" Koushiro stops,
something skitters and scuttles behind us and at the same time the wall moves
with a crackly sound and spins around, revealing a magnificent statue of the
Guardian of Air.
Silphymon.
The statue's wonderful, a piece of art some careful
or maybe crazy artist spent his life on. Silphymon looks a lot like a human,
if it wasn't for his talons-like feet and for the huge, bird tail wavering behind
him. I take my time to relish in the beauty of this legendary creature, and
as I slowly move my eyes down his body, I notice the ruby shimmering gently
on his chest.
"His anima?!" I shriek, a little too loud it seems, since a monster
answers me with a roar. Koushiro nods reverently, bows furrowed in thought.
"There's a shield, though. I can't take the gem or decipher the inscription
if I don't turn it off first."
"Do it quickly." Miyako orders, "I'll take care of them."
"Them?" I fear what I could see even before I turn, and when
I do, I'm suddenly aware what I've in front of me is ten time worse than what
I've been dreading to see.
Tens of humongous, covered with long reddish
brown fur monsters are surging from each and every shadow, whistling lowly.
Blackish wings fan around them as their yellow eyes run over us. Their eagle
heads dangling back and forth, they move closer, long whip-like tongue flickering
out their beaks to snap several feet in front of them.
"Chimeras" Miyako mutters, and then her voice raises to mock-outrage.
"Those ugly bastards don't move in packs!"
"They do here," I reply, sounding a lot more confident than I'm. Behind
me I hear Koushiro snapping the magazine halfway out of his pistol. "Take
care of the shield," I order, raising my voice a little.
"Yeah." Miyako agrees. "A little help from that bird up there
would be really appreciated."
I look at the redhead at the corner of my eyes,
and nod at him when he slams the clip back into his weapon and -with a nod-
resumes working with his laptop. "Are you ready?" I call out to Miyako.
"I was born ready." She murmurs.
Koushiro connects his computer with the statue. I grip my staff tighter. Miyako
unsheathes her daggers, sending silvery bows of light to scatter the dimness.
And the battle begins, the sound of Koushiro's fingers tapping the keys the
only cheer we have.
They creatures jump and leap toward us, screeching loudly. Miyako ducks and one of the beasts leaps over her head. Unimpressed, she quickly swirls around and throws it her dagger. The weapon slices through its neck and returns in her hand, almost gracefully. I use my staff on another one as it rushes for Miyako's back, sending it to crash to the ground at her feet. Promptly, I throw a fire orb at the three Chimeras surging from behind Miyako's back, while she takes care of the one squirming at her feet. More Chimeras come thought, a seemingly endless stream of hellish creatures seems to be born from the darkness itself, ravenous and mad. Too much too much
Soon, me and Miya are forced to retreat under the force of their attacks, remains of burnt, frozen and electrified rocks lay, scattered, all around us, as reminiscences of our elemental attacks. One Chimera gives Miyako one blow to the stomach, throwing her back a foot. She reels, clutching her right hand, the dagger that belonged there laying, bloody and cracked on a corner, long forgotten.
We're quickly running out of Orbs, and in truth,
the healing one I'm using right now is my last one. A greenish, soft light erupts
from my hands, clasped together above my head. It slowly swirls around me and
then streams, gently, toward Miyako, engulfing her body in a soft glow. I pray
until the last moment for a newborn orb to appear in my hand, but when the greyish
smoke sliding through my fingers disappears, it's clear mine was just wishful
thinking. I grimace, falling out of breath on my knees as I cast my last healing
spell on Miyako. My lavender haired companion leaps up to her feet, renewed
in strength and will, slicing three monsters with a single attack.
We won't lose. We're not going to. No. Even if my body will turn to ash, I'll
win. I have to.
* * * * *
That's no good.
Miyako and my attacks barely deal any damage at all, and for each monster we manage to knock unconscious on the ground, ten new nightmares leap up from the shadows, hungry for battle. As I dodge yet another attack - something that's becoming more and more difficult with each second that passes- another Chimera falls on its knees under Miyako's attack, but she too -tired- falls beside it, breathing heavily. New monsters approach her, and with a huff she leaps to her feet, grimacing in exhaustion. I try to reach out to her I really do but my hand's too heavy even my lids are My lungs burn I'm tired I want to sleep. Taichi Taichi I'm sorry you told me, but I I can't even think right now. I'm sorry. We've been fighting for hours, but they're endless. Hell keeps throwing them out at us even as I slowly sink down, curling in a lethargic ball. Everything is enfolded into a sickening blurred shade. I'm tired I want to sleep Taichi Dai Miyako
I look up, noticing Gatomon and Aquillamon sitting quietly in a corner, as if waiting. I wonder for a moment when and why Nefertimon wore off her armour, and what are they doing here, but then I'm once again losing my battle against sleep. Out of the corner of my eyes, they're waiting. But I'm tired. Miyako's fighting but I can't I'm tired I can't go on maybe if I die and go to Heaven I'll see mom and dad again? Maybe Miyako will reach me, pick me up and spin me around, telling me over and over that she loves me? Maybe maybe Yamato's there, too. Maybe I'll get to see him again, and I'll ask him where he's been. Or maybe he won't be there, and I'll be able to look after him and Takeru and Daisuke, Taichi from there.
I'm tired something red and wet is pooling
at my side, and I gently lay down, looking up at the brilliance that spreads
inside the room. Koushiro Koushiro's still typing. And once in a while
his pistols cry out in anger, trying desperately to help us.
I'm so tired
Miyako's fighting. I can see her dancing across the room like Dai but thousand times more beautiful to me. I love her. I didn't tell her. What a pity. Miyako, I love you. I don't mind if you can't hear me. I have to tell you. I love you. My Miyako
And Gatomon's waiting. Her blue eyes are calling
out for me. She's waiting. She's needing. She's
I'm tired
Miyako
The world becomes a dark void as I slip my eyes
shut Miya I'm tired let me sleep let me
"HIKARI!" I'm suddenly swung up and held carefully against something
warm something I find to be Miyako's body as I open my eyes groggily.
"I'm tired" I whisper, looking at the wounds flawing her cheeks
and chest. "Let me sleep" She must be sick herself but she grips
firmly at my wrist.
"No!" She says it so resolutely... "Hika, don't give up"
She adds softly, moving few locks of brown from my face. "I've always admired
that in you that you always hanged on so brave and strong
my Hikari" Miya your face blurs as you talk let
me sleep. When I'll wake up, we'll go back home. I promise. Just le me sleep.
Let me sleep forever, endless sleep.
"It's you who keeps me going, Hika
without you I'm nothing no one." She pauses, shaking her head, tears
forming in her eyes. It's heart-wrenching but my heart I fail to
feel it beat in my chest. It's nothing but a faint noise right now rhythmical
thump-thump distant thump-thump distant
"Hold on. Please. Hold on. Without you, I couldn't go on""
I cry. How can she say such things? I'm the one that depends on her I
try to say her name, but I just watch, numbly, as she reach inside her jacket
for a healing Orb.
Her last Orb no I cannot allow her
to do that. She pulls me to her, but I resist, trying to escape the soft glow
generating form the gem. Miyako's too drained wounded to go
on fighting without that last Orb. It think she's too tired to even
cast the spell and survive.
"No" I croak, and she tightens her grip.
"Hikari one of us has to make it." No no, no, no! NO!
I cannot let you do that to me! What right do you have to give your life to
save mine? Save yourself... please please
She moves to hold onto me, burying her face in my hair. Please Miya, just
keep holding me. Let me sleep and hold me while I do. Please
She moves away, kissing me hungrily but
her kiss tastes as goodbye. And then I feel it. The energy flowing inside
me like warm water. Her life offered for mine. She's doing it, she's----
"Hikari" she murmurs against my lips. "I love you."
In a flash, I open my eyes, seeing everything
and nothing at the same time, the world crumpling down around us. Miyako
kissing me and Gatomon, behind her, waiting and Koushiro, at my
side, fighting and Silphymon looking at us no waiting
for us for me Before the spell's completed, I grip onto Miyako,
returning her kiss with a force of my own.
"I love you Miyako! I love you I love you"
And Gatomon suddenly stops waiting, smiling at
me. A light permeates her, coming from nowhere and every direction at once.
Koushiro's laptop's glowing the shield fades and Aquillamon and
Gatomon begin glowing intermittently, the light engulfing them turning brighter
and brighter with each second that passes. And above all, Siplhymon's anima's
red light spills across the room, blinding and unstoppable. With one last smile,
Gatomon nods at me, the same way she does when I scratch her behind her ear,
a look of pure happiness on her face.
"Hikari" She whispers, and then she disappears, swallowed into
the light that then ascends toward the ceiling in a spiralling column, electric
sparkles dancing around it.
Aquillamon too disappears in a similar way and then the twin pillars of light intertwine and bound, falling down to meet Siplhymon's Anima and when they finally meet, a holy white light showers down on us, fragments of sun spiralling toward the ground.
The room starts shaking, collapsing, destroying itself from within as reality itself starts to crumble. In the middle of the unreal light, generating and absorbing it, Selphymon's statue's begins letting out a soft, cracking sound. Ruptures appearing in his stone skin, the noise escalates quickly into something that resembles a human scream, the red of his eyes burning incandescent behind the visor. The energy within the statue rips through the little shred it itself has created, exploding out of his cage of marble.
I squint my eyes as the light intensifies even more, and when I finally reopen them, my wounds are disappeared, my clothes are intact and unspotted and Miyako too seems renewed, her arms strong around my shaking frame. I look around, expecting to find the Chimeras trying to leap at us, but to my surprise, they're not around. And if it wasn't for the glowing eyes looking at us from the shadows, it could seem like they have never been. Koushiro's on the floor, agape, staring up at something. Something that floats in the hair, generating rosy, holy light. I slowly raise my eyes to it and I find Gatomon's smile on the pale, half hidden face of the Guardianmon.
"Hikari. Miyako." He she
they said, his voice sounding like Gatomon and Aquillamon's melted in a single
tune. "Your quest is over let's go home."
"Gatomon?" I ask, shocked. She =he= nods, reaching out
to help me to my feet. Then, he moves to help Miyako up, chuckling at her shocked
expression.
"A-Aquillamon?" Again, Silphymon nods, turning around to check if
Koushiro can move and finding him gawking up at him few steps behind his back.
"But but how?" I shake my head, honestly confused, reaching
out to grasp Miyako's hand in mine.
"Me us, Gatomon and Aquillamon, were
one once, before the war of One Thousand Year. Then, that sad day, when Kariul's
human form attacked me and my brothers Guardianmon, we've been separated, our
mind and heart split in two pieces that have kept calling out to each other
until we finally meet, in Aria. We were at last complete, and yet we weren't,
still needing to find our Anima to be one again. Whole again." He reaches
down to slid a finger across my cheek, then lowers it to my and Miyako's intertwined
hands, and when he slides it back up, it rests in Miyako's hair, softly. "Sincere
and loving hearts summoned me." He explains. "And I came. Guided by
their light I reborn, now and here, to stand against Kariul."
"The Deity of Darkness," I whisper. "Kariul, split you
in two bodies?" Selphymon nods, lowering his eyes to the ground.
"And did the same to my brothers. Imperialdramon, Omnimon, Shakkoumon.
All of them. I felt their screams in my head as their minds were being shattered,
their hearts torn. And I could do nothing but echo their screams."
"But" I grip Miyako's hand tighter, feeling her squeeze mine
in return. "You've us now."
"I know." He replies and then looks away, turning toward the sky eyes
I know to be as blue as sapphires behind his visor. Just like Gatomon's. "I'm
here thanks to you for you and I'll always be."
We did it. Taichi, Takeru, Dai Yamato.
We did it.
"Miyako?"
"Hm?"
"I love you."
"I love you too."
~*~ Takeru's POV~*~
Jyou sighs in frustration and rubs his face harshly with both of his hands,
letting out a small moan as he slides his fingers through his marine hair.
"That's =stressing=" he whines, carefully erasing his notes with his
pencil and then deciding against it, crumbling the whole page in a heap and
tossing it into the fire. "This symbol represents Mind. This other one
stands for Action. This other one"
I huff, my distressed sigh turning immediately into a tired yawn, a hot wetness
appearing at the corner of my eye.
"this one means Trustworthy and this other one Presence. Linked together"
"Oh my" I lower my hat to my face, squeezing my eyes shut.
Megillah Desert is just =boring=. And endless field of nothing. No monsters, no plants, no life, NOTHING. No, wait. There's something here. The boredom. And the heath The temperature is terribly high during the day, with a killer sun that tries to squash your head and have a snack with the insides of your brain-pan, while you're left to freeze to death when night comes. And Jyou's grumbling doesn't help. Wonderful. JUST wonderful.
I sound just like Dai. I think
lack of water has on me effects even more dreadful than I could think of. And
I'm talking with myself, too. Amusing. Riiiiight
"I just don't get it!" Jyou explodes, and from the other side of the
camp Iori sighs, and slowly raises to his feet, walking toward Armadillomon,
that's slumped in a corner, snoring soundly. I think it had been harder than
he let us know to take us all here on his back under such weather.
Iori goes to him and lays his head back on the little cushions and covers his armoured body with two of the remaining blankets. His and Armadillomon's. With a nod, I signal him to take mine, too, and when he smiles gratefully up at me, I can't help but grin at the sweet red that colours his cheeks. Still blushing, he takes the last blanket from our bags and puts it over his digimon's body, careful not to wake him, but he doesn't react, instead snoring louder and burrowing under the covers, making Iori smile sweetly. How cute. He looks good with that smile, especially while blushing like that. Involuntarily, I reach out to him, despite the distance, when a distressed yell snaps me back to terra firma.
"What could a Trustworthy Presence be?!"
"For the Guardian, Jyou!" I shriek, laying down on the flat rock I've
been sitting upon. "RELIABILITY!" He pauses, a strange silence following
my statement.
"Oh right!" he scribbles something on that notebook of his,
and I smile, picturing the satisfied expression on his face. Even though Jyou
is the most reliable and intelligent guy I know, traducing that inscription
is turning out more difficult that we thought. "Ehm Takeru?"
"What?" I say, flatly, my frown back to its righteous place on my
face.
"Ehm Carefree Optimism?"
"JYOU!"
"Doesn't fit!"
"HOPE, dammit!"
"Right!" He chuckles, turning back down to his studies. My Goddess
why us?! Why had we to stumble across an half erased inscription that's written
in a language ways older than the one we use to call 'ancient', and that we
barely understand?! Not mentioning that whatever is written in that inscription
is coded Well, at least we're with Jyou. If it was for me, I would look
at that inscription and see just a long sequences of pretty icons.
With a sigh, I open my eyes to the enchanting sight that's the starlit sky, so deep and dark and yet soft, in its lonely shade of blue. Just like Yamato's eyes. I block the sight out, closing my eyes with a mute sigh. Yamato I wish you were here. You always have the solution for everything, I always get the feeling that you know more than you should, since you always solve all the problems with incredible ease. How come I can never do that? You were are so honest. Even the day you left, telling me you were going to stop your happiness from causing pain, I'm sure that, even if I didn't understand what you meant and still don't, you were being honest with me. Trying to let me take a peek into thoughts and things that weren't thought for my young eyes to see. Yamato
"Are you okay?" I crack one eye open,
looking into sparkling green eyes in a face framed by saggy brown hair.
"Yup." I reply, sitting up and shifting away to give Iori room. He
makes himself comfortable on the rock, just few inches at my left. "Something
on your mind?" He inquires, yet his voice holds this almost rueful politeness.
In a way, I think it's almost my duty to tell him. But I'm not really sure why.
There is something about his eyes
I shake my head, and when he raises an eyebrow,
I know my answer didn't seem quite honest. Maybe because it wasn't.
"Just tired." I assure, and then cough to clear my throat, his tiny
hand immediately placed on my back for help. "I think the sun's fried my
brain, my stomach feels like something alive is moving inside it and yet is
so empty I could eat your Armadimon." Iori chuckles briefly at that.
"It would be a terribly amusing display."
"What, watching my brain being cooked or watching me eating your digimon?"
I poke him friendly. Clipping his chin, Iori burrows his eyebrows in a look
of thought.
"Uhm I was referring to the latter, but I admit both would make quite
an interesting sight." I chuckle at that, hearing his laughter mix with
mine few seconds later.
We both lay back down on the rock, letting the
heat it emanates penetrates our clothes and bodies.
"I love to watch stars." I whisper, suddenly. Iori nods, his body
even too stiff, and rearranges his weight, sliding closer to me in the process.
He mumbles a quick apology, and I gesture at him to let it go, focusing on the
stars.
"I like them too." He eventually whispers, voice awed. "I loved
to watch starts with my Grandfather when I was littler. Now, I've barely time
to stay with him. We've been always together, and drifting far from him is painful,
even if it's just for few, little details, like childish games." I nod,
knowingly and sadly at the same time.
"I know. I miss the time I spent with Matt, too." I gasp quietly,
wondering if that sad, wavering whisper was really my voice or just a faked
imitation.
//Why did I bring that up?// I wonder mutely, rolling onto a side and curling slightly. Taking a deep breath, I swallow down the bittersweet rush of nostalgia in the back of my throat. I don't want to break down. Not here in the open. Not without Dai, Pegasosmon, Tai or Kari to hold to. Yamato where are you? I miss you I miss you so much why did you have to leave me?! What's this happiness you could reach only without us in a land that isn't yours without me?
"Takeru." Iori sits up slightly, and reaches down to cup his hand around my shoulder. His touch is warm comforting, despite being nothing more than a faint brush. I sniffle, but refuse to turn around, still battling my tears. There's the sound of Jyou's scribbling, and the rustling sound of Iori's hand running over my shirt, and then both stop and there's silence. I want to look up and see the kind expression on Iori's face, but I'm frozen. "Takeru" he whispers again, his touch gently firm. I turn my head away from him, not wanting Iori to see my wall of calm finally crumbling down.
"I won't ask you to tell me anything," He says, and there's something in his voice that makes it sweet and concerned and serious at once. The bloom of pain in my chest withers and dies away at the sound, making my eyes sprung wide. I turn on my back, my face burning, and smile tentatively when his face becomes parallel to mine. "Just know I'm here for you, and if you'll ever need me, I'll always be." He's smiling and serious at the same time, something wavering inside his eyes.
Some of my blush has spread over Iori's cheeks it seems, since now they're of this delicious tone of pink. He keeps smiling, and I'm half aware of my movements as I slowly prop myself up to my elbows. He's leaning toward me too, slowly, and I get caught in his eyes. He has emerald eyes, you know? So beautiful they seem jewels We keep inching forward and forward, as if some magnetic force is making us to, but even if that was it, I doubt I'd try to break free. I think I'd be still leaning forward, closing slowly my eyes.
Behind us, Jyou leaps to his feet with a cheerful shriek.
"YATTA!" Both me and Iori jump away,
laying rather roughly on our back, yelping and -for my part- blushing like crazy.
It's not like I'm looking up to check if he's blushing too
"Takeru? Iori?" I hear Jyou calling over the sound of my thumping
heart. He sounds excited little a little kid that has just seen something terribly
amusing, like his first bug, or that has just flied his first kite, but I just
can't stop a sigh.
"What?"
"Knowledge's power resides in the mind, leaking out in droplets of shiny
confidence. Reliability's power is born in the actions, spreading its glorious
mark in waves. Hope's power is in the heart, for it's steady rhythm of warm
affection. Don't be scared then, to join mind, body and heart's powers to fulfil
dreams, for that's the basic of human nature. Harmony in its purest essence."
I widen my eyes, rolling around and nearly falling
on top of Iori in the process. "WHAT?!" I choke out at last, not daring
to hope, and below me Iori tilts his head, agape, searching for words. Jyou
rubs the back of his head, an unconscious gesture and yet a sign of innate insecurity
I immediately try to melt away with a grin.
"Oh, well that's the first part of the inscription, I think. It should
hint to the two digimon we're searching, but I still have only one name"
"Only one?!" I scream, and Iori fidgets, my yell clearly too high
pitched for his hears. "Jyou is wonderful! You ALREADY found one! That's
fabulous!" Jyou grins, dark eyes gleaming with amusing mischief.
"Won't you ask me who the digimon is?"
"Uhm?" I blink, taken aback, but Iori promptly pushes me away and
raises himself to his knees, over excited like a little child.
"Who? Who is it Jyou-sama?!" Jyou offers a laugh at that, waving his
hands dismissively at Iori's polite informality. Then, he turns partly around,
raising a finger to a heap of grey blankets snoring in front of the fire. I
can only blink, and Iori's surprise isn't far from mine. Maybe he's even more
shocked.
"Armadillomon?" He asks, cautious voice
wavering.
"Ankilomon." Jyou corrects. I look down at Iori with a grin, and he
suddenly throws himself against me, wrapping his arms around me and burying
his face against my chest with a swoop of joy. Surprised, I stagger and put
my arms around him, partly out of natural reaction, partly to steady us both,
partly because it feels oddly right. With another cry of joy, Iori
holds onto me tighter and I find myself drawing him closer, even if I've to
quit when he stiffs.
Again, Jyou speaks, and again we jump apart,
eyes wide.
"W-What?" I call, turning slightly toward Jyou but not moving my eyes
from Iori's.
"This isn't good, boys." He mumbles darkly. "The second digimon
is Angemon."
"Well?" Iori blinks, tipping his head to one side extremely cutely
err I mean, slowly.
"I never heard about that kind of digimon before." I admit, turning
around to face Jyou as he raises to his feet.
"I have." Jyou nods, strolling toward the two of us and sitting before
the fire, rubbing his hands in front of the dancing flames.
"and?" I urge slowly.
"they're extinct. The last one died centuries ago."
~*~ Dai's POV~*~
Ken brushes back his unruly hair with his hand and looks down at Wormmon sleeping
peacefully in his lap. My Prince stifles a yawn, unconsciously leaning against
me not to fall off Pegasosmon's back. I tilt my head slightly, looking at him
rubbing his eyes groggily, moving his cheek against my back like a puppy. I
can't stop the stupid grin that tugs at my lips, and face forward, closing my
eyes in bliss.
I'm flying on Pegasosmon's back. Clouds are our earth and our sky, the wind our travel companion. I've Ken snuggling against me, jewel eyes closed peacefully. And Wormmon's sleeping quietly in his arms, as if giving us his silent approbation. He's like Ken's bodyguard, I think. And it makes me proud that he had enough faith in me to want me to comfort Ken in that clearing, when he always eyes suspiciously whoever tries to touch the prince.
Still grinning like a damned fool, I pat my digimon's neck, gesturing at him to land. Ken's head moves from my shoulder as Pegasosmon's feet touch the green pavement of Aegis forest, and then lays back on its previous position, a yawn chorusing the movement. Ken rubs his face against my shoulder, and I feel thingy all over. Wow I don't know why it is so cool to be around Ken, but I hope nothing will ever separate us.
"We'll spend the night here," I whisper
to him, and he rubs his face against my back again, yet another yawn escaping
him to warm and tickle me.
"Too tired" he mutters, and his arm tightens around my waist.
"Want to sleep" I chuckle, feeling my face heat up. I don't
know why this happens, but in the long run it isn't a displeasing sensation
"I don't think it would be comfortable to sleep sprawled across my back,
you know?" I feel Ken stiff and I chuckle again when he jumps away from
me, cheeks tinged in red. I've seen a lot of people get their cheeks changing
colour while looking at me, and I've always wondered why.
"Oh ah err y-you're right." He murmurs, holding
onto Wormmon for dear life as he slides down Pegasosmon's back.
I follow him with a snigger, and Pegasosmon immediately
kneels down, ocean eyes silently asking me permission to have a rest.
"Go on, dude." I reassure with a grin. "You can rest, now."
I pat his muzzle affectionately, and he leans into my touch before laying his
head on the ground with a yawn. I turn toward Ken with a grin, and find him
shivering as he looks at the shimmering surface of the little lake that lays
in front of us.
"What about the monsters?" he asks, concern tingeing his voice as
he slowly tips his head to one side to look at me. "They're sure to come
out at night."
"Oh, leave them to me." I reply with a shrug, reaching out for our
bags. "That's only a forest, you know? Nothing worrying That's fun,
though! I can't believe you're scared of such a silly thing, Ichijouji!! What
a chicken!" I chuckle.
"Oh." He whispers, heartbroken, and I suddenly wish I'd bitten my
tongue over that one.
Nothing for Ken is "only" something.
He has been confined in that tower for years, and I doubt he's ever been allowed
to see the world outside his Palace. Everything for him is new, fascinating
and more than anything, scary as hell. With a sigh, I lower our bags on the
floor, a beaten puppy expression on my face. Ken casts me a quick glance, and
blinks at my funny look.
"Sowwy. Dai's been a ba' boy an' hult Kecchan." I mutter sheepishly,
putting up my best I'm_adorable_you_know_you_love_me look. He immediately begins
giggling, covering his mouth with one hand. Cool! It worked! I'll have to thank
Hikari and Takeru for teaching this trick to me, sooner or later
Forgot the sheepishness, I pat my chest proudly,
grinning widely. "Don't worry, Ken! Dai's here to protect you!" I
don't know if it's because I said the wrong thing or just got lucky enough to
say the perfect one, but Ken's cheeks turn red again and he nods, hiding his
face in Wormmon's back.
"I know" he mutters slowly, and I've the impression he didn't
really want me to hear that. I did, though and that damn sensation of
my skin being on fire is back. Okay, okay it IS nice, but why the hell does
it happen?! Ehm forgive the question is that bulge in my pants supposed
to be there? Err just checking.
As I hurry setting up the camp, trying to stare at him and not to at the same time, Ken gracefully lowers himself on the silvery grass of the riverside, and Wormmon finds a resting place in a corner, curling under a tree. I fish in our bags two canned drinks and some dried meat, already missing Hikari's cooking. Damn, she might burn whatever she cooks half of the time, but I'll surely miss the delicacy she makes me when she'll be married. Little Hikari married in two months I still can't believe it. After the Emperor built his Orbs Factories and began attacking us madly, no one has had time for romance, and Tai and all the older kids are the living proof.
With a sigh, I turn back toward Ken, banishing
thoughts of romance from my head. He looks half asleep.
"We can't light up a fire," I tell him, sitting down between his spread
legs and putting a hand on his cheek to wake him up a little. "Lighting
up a fire in the middle of the dark is like telling any tough guy 'Here we are,
please kill us!'" He nods, accepting the food gratefully and taking it
slowly to his mouth.
"It's not like it will be dark for long, anyway."
"Yup." I shrug, moving away from him to spread my blanket beside him
and crash down. "Sorry, 'bout that. We marched for almost all night"
I say sincerely, glancing at the drowsy prince as he lays off his cloak and
also uses it as a blanket to wrap himself in. I lay his head on my jacket, carefully
folded to work as a pillow, put his feet out of the wet grass and on his cloak.
It's not like he'd yell at me, having it already gotten grass stains all over.
I cover him with two of the remaining blankets, and when he doesn't react I
don't know if it's just because he's fast asleep or because he doesn't mind
my touch, knowing all too well I'm only trying to help. I turn back toward the
lake with a sigh, thoughtlessly playing with a piece of grass.
I've always thought the moments just before dawn were the saddest. When the sky is still trying to decide which colour's better, if a lonely, deep blue or a informal grey. When time itself seems to hold still for what feels like an eternity, but at the same time a mere instant, and you're not absolutely certain you're awake. But this dawn these hours are the most happy I can remember. Ken's with me and isn't disgusted. The sky's clear, the water whispers a sweet lullaby to both of us and I can forget till daybreak about war.
Involuntarily, I reach out to move his hair from
his face and catch myself just in time. His eyes flutter open though, and move
over my chest and up to my face, cloudy with sleepiness. I smile at him, gently,
and he closes his eyes again only to snap them open and sit up with a
start when a monster calls out somewhere in the near distance.
"Fuck." I mumble, bolting on seated position, fists ready at my side.
"What was that?" Ken whispers, voice tinged with fear.
"If we're lucky, a bystander." The roars creeps closer almost too
quickly and again I find myself cursing lowly. "Guess we're not."
The roar comes again, much louder and closer. Ken wraps his cloak around his
shoulders, shivering. "I'm here." I assure, trying to sound as much
confident as possible, my hand flying to the handle of my dagger.
The roar fills the air again, and Ken crawls closer, wide eyes scanning our surroundings. Soon enough the roars establish a regular rhythm, sounding like a low, menacing drum. Ken nuzzles closer to me, wrapping his arms around me and burying his face against my chest. Surprised, I put my arms around him, pressing him closer to me. I found myself stroking his hair and force myself to quit, not wanting to add more distress to the fear he's surely feeling right now. Whatever it's out there is big and hungry, and we've just few orbs, one dagger and two dead beat digimon as protection. I hope we won't be forced into something drastic.
The next scream's followed by a loud crash and
even in the thick shadows I can clearly see the trees crumple down few thousands
of metres at our right. Whatitis lets out another scream, louder, more threatening,
and more than all, closer. Its claws scarf the ground, its tail drags on across
the field. I hold Ken closer, gritting my teeth at the darkness. Please, let
it be something I can handle with my dagger. Please, please, please I
don't want to fight to put Ken in danger to have him see me kill
to have him see me fight I grip him even tighter and this time he looks
up, concerned and scared.
"Motomiya?" I look down at him and I know I did the wrong move.
His eyes inches from mine. His lips inches from mine his breath
mingling with mine and I can't seem to look away. "Motomiya?"
again he tries, and again I find myself fascinated by the way my name slides
out his lips. The way they vibrate pleasurably when he whispers it.
"Motomiya!" He tries again, eyes squinted
in fear. I snap out of it somehow, gently pulling him away.
"Stay here." I say confidently as I move to my feet and step forward,
drawing out my dagger. And what exits from the darkened bushes, claws raised,
fangs bared and eyes glowing is something I thought I'd have never seen. It's
one of the digimon from the legends. One of those they told us was extinct.
One that's trying to kill me. I dodge his first attack and let him taste one
of my own, but my generosity gets wasted when the enormous dragon dodges my
blade with surprising agility and leaps into the air, sustained by creamy wings.
"Ex-Veemon" I mutter, swinging my weapon in a wide arc. Finally
a worthy opponent. This is going to be fun watch me Ken. Humph just
watch me fight.
~*~ End of chapter 05~*~
*looks around* Uuh want explanation about Dai's behaviour? Ask them! *jerks
thumb to point muses lazily laying on their back behind her* 'cuz I've no idea.
Not exactly I mean, I have but err okay let's drop this. -_-;;
Questions? Comments? Constructive Criticism? Write a review! =D Flames? I was
high on chocolate when I wrote this, so every denigration must go to Nutella
s.p.a. ^^;; *points*