IAK: Here's the next chapter _
KC: Really? Amazing. Absolutely thrilling.
IAK: You're still mad about the skillet thing, aren't you?
KC: rubs head What? No. Of course not. WHY would I be MAD about THAT?
IAK: I dunno! Anyway, stated yet again, there is no owning between Digimon and me. All created characters here belong to moi. And…uh…skillets! Not just for cooking anymore!
KC: Doh…X_X;
IAK: This chapter explains just about everything, and sets the stage for the danger ahead… hope you enjoy! Please review, as I need a few reviews before uploading another chapter.
KC: gets out a skillet Hee-hee-hee… dramatic piano music begins to play
IAK: Uh-oh…BYE! takes off running
KC: HEY! chases
Chapter Five
"That was fun!"
Kari cast a suspicious glance at Gatomon. "Hmm?"
"Er…it was." Gatomon grinned sheepishly at her as Kari flopped on the bed, her front half hanging off the side.
"I didn't even get a decent tan…just my luck," Kari grumbled. "I'll always be a white blot on this colored world. But it was fun. I could have sworn I saw you in the water."
"Your eyes must have been playing tricks on you," said Gatomon breezily. She scaled up onto Tai's bunk, then froze. Her nose crinkled up, and with the tip of her tail she flicked his undies down onto Kari's head. "You can have those."
"EW!" Kari responded by throwing them off, only to and on Tai's head as he entered. He blinked, then rolled his eyes up.
"Uh…these are my underwear," he said lamely. Coughing, he picked them up with two fingers and dropped them in the basket. "Anyway. How was your trip today?"
"It was okay…" Kari replied sunnily. Her eyes were dark though, focused on something else.
She was thinking about Tao again.
"You stink…" Tai added helpfully.
"It's the sun tan lotion!" Kari screeched. "TAN lotion. Which didn't work. Which is why I am still white! YES, it stinks! I stink like sun TAN lotion! Which is what I get for trying to TAN! Do you have anything else to say?"
Tai's eyes bulged and Gatomon snickered at him from his bed. "Uh…" he muttered. "…It's a nice kind of stink?"
"Get. Out." Kari grabbed a pillow from her bed. "As in get your behind in motion!" Tai yelped and dropped to the ground as the pillow sailed by overhead, only to smack into Agumon's face as he began to enter to see what was going on.
"HEY! I didn't do anything!" he whined.
Kari rubbed her head, looking to the clock that said 8:03 PM in red, digital letters.
"Let's finish our program," Tai offered. "The dude was about to light himself on fire and run amidst a clan of cannibal marshmallows in the jungles of the Amazon!" With that he grabbed Agumon and quickly exited the room. Gatomon leaned over the bed and flicked an ear at Kari.
"You love your brother, it's so easy to tell," she grinned, and Kari grinned back. There was a heartbeat of silence, in which Gatomon took the opportunity to study Kari more. Kari closed her eyes then reopened them, glancing up to Gatomon. "…What?" she asked blandly.
"There's something else," Gatomon said. "I don't mean to pry, but there's something else you haven't told me. What is it?"
Kari sighed and sat up, rubbing her neck. "…I met Tao again."
"Again? Was she at the beach or something?"
"Yeah. I went to get something at the stand and she met me. She…she knew about my dreams, Gato."
Gatomon tensed, entering her protective mode. "How does she know? Did she tell you?"
"No…she just said she was in touch with someone who wanted something from me. What is this all about Gatomon?!" Kari could feel herself trembling now, her teeth gritted. "What does this person or thing want from me?? Why me?! What do I have that it doesn't?! I can't even sleep now, I'm scared I'll have those dreams again, and now I'm scared I may never wake up in the morning…" She could feel the cold tears well up in her eyes, and then burn hot as they trickled down her skin. Gatomon leaped down from the top bunk and slipped beside her, cuddling next to her in her feline way.
"We'll figure this out, Hikari…" Gatomon purred, using Kari's full name soothingly. She wiped away a tear with her paw. "We've done it before…" Unused to being in this sort of situation, Gatomon wasn't sure what to say.
"I don't want to go through something like the Dark Ocean again…I was almost lost, Gatomon, when I went there…I was almost lost in the blandness, the darkness…I almost lost myself…" Kari was muttering now, glad for Gatomon's support.
"I came for you then…" Gatomon snuggled closer. "I'm here for you now."
"I don't know what to do…I can't stop thinking about Tao…whenever I see her, there's this chill…" Kari took a breath. "…I must sound like a baby right now."
"No, you don't." Gatomon shook her head. "You sound like a girl who's faced with something no one can understand, something dark and looming and something dangerous. But you also sound like a girl who wants to keep all this to herself and not tell anyone else, which makes it worse."
Breathing deeply, Kari smiled wryly. "Fine…I'll tell them…I'll call them." She reached over to the phone, then stopped. "They may not be home yet. I'll call them later…I wonder how they'll react?" Kari gradually felt herself calming down, her heart beating normally again.
"It doesn't matter how they react, just that they know," Gatomon said.
"You think I should tell Tai?" Kari asked, wincing.
"He may be stupid, but he is your brother. And he is more mature then he puts on. I think you should tell him."
Kari gave a swift nod, clambering up and making her way into the living room. Gatomon followed, and they stuck their heads in the doorway. Tai and Agumon were stretched out on the couch watching a soap on TV. Kari took a breath and entered, standing just behind the couch. "…Tai?"
Tai looked up. "Yeah?" He studied her a minute. I wonder if she's going to tell me what's been bugging her for the last few days…he thought. I can tell something's wrong…
"Well…" Kari began.
Buzz!
Kari leaped about a foot in the air and Agumon rolled off the couch in surprise. Gatomon looked toward the door and Tai sat up. "The doorbell," Gatomon said coolly.
"I'll get it…" Kari walked to the door, her hand pausing on the handle. After a moment she took it and pulled the door open.
"Hello," said Tao.
Kari felt her heart stop and her blood run cold. "What the…"
"Who's that?" Tai asked from the couch.
Tao brushed pass Kari and bowed to Tai. "I'm Tristie, Kari's friend. She invited me over. You must be her brother." With that Tao marched back into Kari's room, leaving Kari standing by the door with her mouth open in shock.
"Why that little…" Gatomon, unable to keep her temper checked, began to stomp to Kari's room when Kari grabbed her tail.
"Wait," she hissed. "Tao might have come to talk. Act like she's a friend." Forcing her heart to slow down, Kari smiled at Tai. "I was going to tell you I had a friend coming over, that's all. Glad you've met." She then rushed down the hall, leaving Tai and Agumon sitting there with a dazed and confused look on their face. Gatomon grumbled, to show she wasn't happy with the situation, but followed. When the two reached Kari's room they could see Tao standing by the window.
"What…WHAT are you doing here?" Kari growled, trying to sound intimidating. Gatomon scaled onto the bedpost of the top bunk, staring hard and long at Tao and the bulge under her hat, letting not one movement escape her.
Tao turned, looking a bit annoyed. "I can't come over and say hi?" she mocked.
"What do you want?" Kari continued, taking a step forward yet trying to look cool.
"Well…it's not fun when you're confused." Tao looked a little bored. "My Master wants you to understand. It's funner that way."
"Enlighten me," Kari snapped. She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowed angrily.
Cystamon slipped out from under Tao's hat, perching atop her head. Keeping an eye on the ever-alert Gatomon, she focused the other on Kari.
"Well…" Tao began. "My Master is very, very interested in you, Child of Light. You see, He's been constantly pushed down by Those of the Light, and He can never seem to find a hole in their defenses. If He ever did, He would come to this plain of existence and plunge this entire world into utter Chaos. Beautiful, destructive Chaos. He is powerful, but can't get a firm footing on this plain. So He has constructed a Plan. His Master Plan. And this Plan comes to one end: To use Light against Light. To turn Light into Dark Light and to defeat the opposing Light with it. But He can't seem to achieve that either…He needs a subject to do this with. Someone who has all the properties, but can easily be dealt with. A key, you could say." Tao's breath came faster as she got more and more excited. "Someone He can channel this change with and into. That key, that someone, that channel…is you."
Kari kept her face utterly blank, but she felt her heart was going to burst out of her chest. The world felt as if it was turning upside down and she was falling. Gatomon emitted a low growl from her throat, but Tao and Cystamon paid her no heed.
"The Ones of the Light, of course, suspect something. They got scared, and decided to try and warn you. But they can't, not directly; it's too complicated. So they've been channeling you. The dreams. They created the dreams as a way to communicate, a warning, a vision. Flawless knows this."
"Flawless…is your Master…?" Kari somehow managed to keep her voice from sounding choked.
"Yes, yes."
"The dreams…can you explain them to me…? That poem…?"
Tao yawned. "The poem, another indirect way of warning you.
The missing piece of light;
One fallen angel
A soul afraid of dying
That never learned to live
A heart afraid of breaking
That was too afraid to give.
It's simple, really. Basically, it's about you. Your flaws. They'll defeat you in the end," she said nonchalantly.
"The dreams themselves…?" Kari asked softly.
"Even better." Tao's eyes glittered, filled with malice and deadly energy. Kari looked into those eyes and felt a black void in Tao's heart, and it chilled her to the bone.
"The dreams," Tao began again, "are warnings, as I have said. Simple, yet effective. It begins with white, right? And then you, as your younger self…innocent, new, and so easy to deal with. Then there is the shadow, the person, trying to warn you without directly telling you. And then the void in the sky and the shadow-person being sucked in, lost to you forever…"
Tao paused a moment, then continued.
"That void is Flawless' Chaos. And that shadow, that person being taken away from you…that person…"
Tao leaned forward, an evil glint in her eyes.
"…Is you."
*************************
-??????????-
-Meanwhile-
Flawless watched them.
He peered into their thoughts, watching with little interest as his servant Tao explained everything to the girl named Hikari.
Feeling a shift in the field of time and space around Him, Flawless shifted His piercing gaze to the being occupying his area.
-What do you want?- He asked, already knowing the answer. His 'voice' filled every crevice in the air.
The being, only taking the form of a mist of white, shifted its 'weight'. -It's useless. She's one of Us,- the being of Light said simply. The mist packed in tighter until it formed the image of a man, neither young nor old, weak or strong.
-You're not hard to manipulate,- Flawless answered.
-The Dark Ocean was an unfortunate accident. But it made her stronger,- the 'man' argued.
-It left a scar,- Flawless replied darkly. -Besides, my business is not yours. You know the Rules of Engagement. We both work on the mortal plain and play out our war down there, so why bother coming to see me?- He was in a rare 'good' mood, everything going to plan. The unexpected visit by one of the Light's soldiers didn't bother Him.
-I just came to warn YOU,- the being persisted. -You'll fail, like all other minions of the Dark before you. You will never win. The Light will always prevail.-
-Darkness is born from Light, Light is born from Darkness.- Flawless 'breathed' heavily. -We are equal.-
-No!- the being replied angrily. -Evil will never be equal to goodness.-
Flawless 'laughed', and the being angrily disappeared. Turning His gaze back to the mortal world, he 'smirked'.
-This world is my playground...-
*************************
-Takaishi Residence-
-8:26 PM-
T.K. snuck inside the door, Patamon perched on top of his head. Glancing around the room, he inched towards the hallway where his room was located.
"Hey!" Matt got off the couch where he had gone unseen and walked over to T.K. "How was your day?"
"Oh? I thought you were asleep." T.K. dropped a bag of takeout on the counter. "How about lunch?"
Matt nodded eagerly and both sat at the table, Patamon and Gabumon joining them. While Matt was tearing into his hamburger, T.K. replied, "I had a good day. The beach was nice. Sort of too bad you didn't come, bro."
Matt looked up, finishing off some tofu. "I would have, but it was more of you guy's thing. Us older kids, we need a vacation once in a while too." Matt leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "It's been a while since all of us were together, anyway. I haven't yelled at Tai in who knows how long!" T.K. grinned, sipping at his coke. "Yeah, the memories. By the way, Dad's still at work and Mom's out for the night. We have the house to ourselves. What do you want to do?"
T.K. raised an eyebrow. "Jam to techno music?" he teased. Matt rolled his eyes.
"In our underwear?" T.K. added. Matt rolled his eyes again but grinned anyway.
"That would be something," he said after a minute. "And we could get it on tape, sell if for a few hundred bucks?" It was T.K.'s turn to roll his eyes.
"What if Sora got her hands on it?" Gabumon asked Matt. Matt blinked, then coughed.
"Aw. Sweet," T.K. teased.
"What if Kari got HER hands on it?" Matt shot back.
It was T.K.'s turn to blink and cough.
"Speaking of which, do you think Kari was acting a little weird today?" asked Patamon to T.K.
"I don't know…what do you mean? She seemed normal to me."
"Well…when I was sort of hovering around in the air with you guys while you were playing in the water, I saw her talking to someone. When she came back she looked shook up," Patamon replied.
"Was it…a guy?" T.K. asked haltingly.
"No. It was a girl."
T.K. breathed a sigh of relief.
"Did it look like anyone you know?" inquired Matt.
"No, not that I can think of. Sort of mysterious looking if you ask me," Patamon said thoughtfully. "I didn't really get a good look at her."
"Maybe you should call her," Gabumon proposed, looking to T.K. T.K. nodded, then reached for the phone. The second his hand touched it, it gave a loud 'Ring!'. He glanced to Matt, then picked up the phone. "Hello?" he asked.
"…T.K.?"
"Kari!" T.K. gave a thumbs-up to Matt, Patamon and Gabumon, then focused his attention back to the phone. "What's up?"
"I…I have to tell you something."
T.K. took a deep breath. He was relieved and yet nervous all at once. The sound of her voice was anything but warm and happy. "What is it?"
"…Well…"
*************************
-Motomiya Residence-
-8:45 PM-
Veemon was lying stretched out on the bed in Davis' room, looking dreamily to the ceiling. His thoughts continued to drift off to Gatomon, and he pinched his arm whenever that happened. After a few minutes, his arm was throbbing and he gave up altogether. "I can't stop thinking about her," he mumbled as Davis entered the room.
"Dude, Veemon. You were all dazed out on the bus, and now you're all dazed out on my bed. Ya mind moving to the floor? I'm about to-" Davis yawned. "-retire for the night."
Veemon rolled over to the opposite side of the bed, giving Davis enough room to plop down by him. "You're going to bed this early?" Veemon asked suspiciously.
"Well, while you were off flirting with Gatomon, I was playing Frisbee AND flirting with Kari. Not to mention working out my handsomeness. I'm pooped," Davis replied, grabbing his Teddy Bear off the floor and hugging it. "Mister Winkles agrees with me," he added, patting the teddy fondly.
Veemon blushed some as the phone rang. Davis rolled over and grabbed it before Jun could answer it. "Hello?"
"Davis?"
"Kari!" Immediately Davis wasn't tired anymore. Sitting up straight in bed, he brushed back his hair. "What's up, Kari?"
"Uh…this isn't Kari."
"Huh?" Davis blinked.
"This is T.K.," the voice on the other end of the phone said annoyingly.
"Oh. Dang it. Hi T.K.," Davis sulked.
"But I am calling on behalf of Kari," T.K. added.
"Well, what's going on?"
"Something really big. Would you call the others for me after I tell you?"
"Sure," Davis replied.
T.K. took a deep breath and began to explain.
*************************
-Kamiya Residence-
-9:03 PM-
Kari stared out the window, feeling as though a big burden had lifted off her chest and another had been put on in its place.
"It was good you told them," Gatomon said, sitting beside her.
"Yeah…" Kari felt distant, distracted. "I just feel really tired right now…" She turned and made her way to her bed, plopping down on it. Tao had left around 8:10, just walking right out of the apartment without a word. Afterwards Kari had broke down and told Tai everything. Then she had called T.K. She felt easier talking to him, for some odd reason…like he would understand, and that they understood each other…she took a breath. Just hearing his voice on the other end of the phone was enough to make her feel slightly better. T.K. would call another Digidestined, who would in turn call another Digidestined, and soon they would all know about the trouble. She felt a deep exhaustion take over her. Gatomon hopped beside Kari in the bed, snuggling against her.
"Let's not think about all that stuff she told you," Gatomon offered.
"Okay…" Kari replied.
"I actually was in the water today," admitted Gatomon.
"Really?…"
"Yeah…Veemon was getting me used to the wet stuff."
"Ooohh…so you do have a thing for him?"
"Oh, stop that!" Gatomon rubbed an ear. "He was just helping me, that's all…"
"Who has a thing for who and who helped what?" Agumon entered the room, raising an eyebrow at the two. He spun around dramatically, then stopped. He was wearing a white jacket and carrying a notepad and pencil. Sitting on the floor beside the bed, he faked a serious cough. "I want to know everything!"
Kari managed a smile and Gatomon rolled her eyes. "None of your business, Agumon," Gatomon retorted.
Tai entered a second later, looking in deep thought. "Right now I think everything having to do with your two is our business," he said, looking directly at Kari. She winced.
"Look, Tai, I'm sorry for not telling you sooner…" she mumbled.
"I'm just glad you FINALLY told me. But what if something had happened sooner? Then we would be clueless to how to help you! You really need to get over your habit of keeping things to yourself, even if you think it might hurt others. I'd rather know and get hurt than to not know and watch you get hurt!"
Tai's words stung Kari like bullets. "…."
"Gah…" Tai sat on the bed by Kari, rubbing her head like he used to do when they were little. "I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you hurt, sis."
Kari smiled lowly. "I understand."
"It's getting late. We'd better be getting to bed." Tai got up and stretched, looking down to Kari. "You think you'll be okay?"
"Yeah," she answered after a moment. "Thanks." Tai nodded and climbed up onto his bunk with Agumon following. Kari got under her covers with Gatomon beside her, looking up at the underside of Tai's bunk. Rolling over, she closed her eyes, praying the dreams wouldn't come that night. As she began to drift off to sleep, she could hear Gatomon mumble sleepily, "Next time they won't ignore me…"
*************************
-Somewhere in the City-
-9:34 PM-
Tao leaned against the wall, watching the lights of passing cars streak across the road in front of her. The cold wind shifted, but she did not shiver as it blew fiercely at her.
"What do we do now?" asked Cystamon, barely visible in the dark as she sat in Tao's arms.
"We're carrying out another phase of Flawless' Plan. The Digidestined should know about us by now, if Hikari spread the word as planned."
"Oh, I remember." Cystamon smirked wryly, her gaze traveling up to the apartment they were standing by, the one that belonged to a certain someone. "We're going to show them how serious we are, ne?"
Tao smirked as well, pulling her hand just enough out of her pocket. Steel glinted in the light given off by the streetlights, belonging to that of a knife. "That's right," she whispered coldly. "They'll know this is no game…"
Cystamon turned her gaze up a few stories, narrowing her keen eyes until she could see the name written above one of the doors.
The sign read, 'The Motomiyas'.
Kari finally breaks down and tells the others everything, but is it already too late?
Tao explains everything, and Kari also realizes things are more serious than she ever thought possible…if Flawless succeeds in using her successfully, then the entire world would be plunged into a dark chaos…
It's Flawless, this Dark being, facing the forces of the Light, and the Digidestined are stuck in the middle…
And it seems Tao has other orders; orders that might prove fatal for somebody…
KC: Really? Amazing. Absolutely thrilling.
IAK: You're still mad about the skillet thing, aren't you?
KC: rubs head What? No. Of course not. WHY would I be MAD about THAT?
IAK: I dunno! Anyway, stated yet again, there is no owning between Digimon and me. All created characters here belong to moi. And…uh…skillets! Not just for cooking anymore!
KC: Doh…X_X;
IAK: This chapter explains just about everything, and sets the stage for the danger ahead… hope you enjoy! Please review, as I need a few reviews before uploading another chapter.
KC: gets out a skillet Hee-hee-hee… dramatic piano music begins to play
IAK: Uh-oh…BYE! takes off running
KC: HEY! chases
Chapter Five
"That was fun!"
Kari cast a suspicious glance at Gatomon. "Hmm?"
"Er…it was." Gatomon grinned sheepishly at her as Kari flopped on the bed, her front half hanging off the side.
"I didn't even get a decent tan…just my luck," Kari grumbled. "I'll always be a white blot on this colored world. But it was fun. I could have sworn I saw you in the water."
"Your eyes must have been playing tricks on you," said Gatomon breezily. She scaled up onto Tai's bunk, then froze. Her nose crinkled up, and with the tip of her tail she flicked his undies down onto Kari's head. "You can have those."
"EW!" Kari responded by throwing them off, only to and on Tai's head as he entered. He blinked, then rolled his eyes up.
"Uh…these are my underwear," he said lamely. Coughing, he picked them up with two fingers and dropped them in the basket. "Anyway. How was your trip today?"
"It was okay…" Kari replied sunnily. Her eyes were dark though, focused on something else.
She was thinking about Tao again.
"You stink…" Tai added helpfully.
"It's the sun tan lotion!" Kari screeched. "TAN lotion. Which didn't work. Which is why I am still white! YES, it stinks! I stink like sun TAN lotion! Which is what I get for trying to TAN! Do you have anything else to say?"
Tai's eyes bulged and Gatomon snickered at him from his bed. "Uh…" he muttered. "…It's a nice kind of stink?"
"Get. Out." Kari grabbed a pillow from her bed. "As in get your behind in motion!" Tai yelped and dropped to the ground as the pillow sailed by overhead, only to smack into Agumon's face as he began to enter to see what was going on.
"HEY! I didn't do anything!" he whined.
Kari rubbed her head, looking to the clock that said 8:03 PM in red, digital letters.
"Let's finish our program," Tai offered. "The dude was about to light himself on fire and run amidst a clan of cannibal marshmallows in the jungles of the Amazon!" With that he grabbed Agumon and quickly exited the room. Gatomon leaned over the bed and flicked an ear at Kari.
"You love your brother, it's so easy to tell," she grinned, and Kari grinned back. There was a heartbeat of silence, in which Gatomon took the opportunity to study Kari more. Kari closed her eyes then reopened them, glancing up to Gatomon. "…What?" she asked blandly.
"There's something else," Gatomon said. "I don't mean to pry, but there's something else you haven't told me. What is it?"
Kari sighed and sat up, rubbing her neck. "…I met Tao again."
"Again? Was she at the beach or something?"
"Yeah. I went to get something at the stand and she met me. She…she knew about my dreams, Gato."
Gatomon tensed, entering her protective mode. "How does she know? Did she tell you?"
"No…she just said she was in touch with someone who wanted something from me. What is this all about Gatomon?!" Kari could feel herself trembling now, her teeth gritted. "What does this person or thing want from me?? Why me?! What do I have that it doesn't?! I can't even sleep now, I'm scared I'll have those dreams again, and now I'm scared I may never wake up in the morning…" She could feel the cold tears well up in her eyes, and then burn hot as they trickled down her skin. Gatomon leaped down from the top bunk and slipped beside her, cuddling next to her in her feline way.
"We'll figure this out, Hikari…" Gatomon purred, using Kari's full name soothingly. She wiped away a tear with her paw. "We've done it before…" Unused to being in this sort of situation, Gatomon wasn't sure what to say.
"I don't want to go through something like the Dark Ocean again…I was almost lost, Gatomon, when I went there…I was almost lost in the blandness, the darkness…I almost lost myself…" Kari was muttering now, glad for Gatomon's support.
"I came for you then…" Gatomon snuggled closer. "I'm here for you now."
"I don't know what to do…I can't stop thinking about Tao…whenever I see her, there's this chill…" Kari took a breath. "…I must sound like a baby right now."
"No, you don't." Gatomon shook her head. "You sound like a girl who's faced with something no one can understand, something dark and looming and something dangerous. But you also sound like a girl who wants to keep all this to herself and not tell anyone else, which makes it worse."
Breathing deeply, Kari smiled wryly. "Fine…I'll tell them…I'll call them." She reached over to the phone, then stopped. "They may not be home yet. I'll call them later…I wonder how they'll react?" Kari gradually felt herself calming down, her heart beating normally again.
"It doesn't matter how they react, just that they know," Gatomon said.
"You think I should tell Tai?" Kari asked, wincing.
"He may be stupid, but he is your brother. And he is more mature then he puts on. I think you should tell him."
Kari gave a swift nod, clambering up and making her way into the living room. Gatomon followed, and they stuck their heads in the doorway. Tai and Agumon were stretched out on the couch watching a soap on TV. Kari took a breath and entered, standing just behind the couch. "…Tai?"
Tai looked up. "Yeah?" He studied her a minute. I wonder if she's going to tell me what's been bugging her for the last few days…he thought. I can tell something's wrong…
"Well…" Kari began.
Buzz!
Kari leaped about a foot in the air and Agumon rolled off the couch in surprise. Gatomon looked toward the door and Tai sat up. "The doorbell," Gatomon said coolly.
"I'll get it…" Kari walked to the door, her hand pausing on the handle. After a moment she took it and pulled the door open.
"Hello," said Tao.
Kari felt her heart stop and her blood run cold. "What the…"
"Who's that?" Tai asked from the couch.
Tao brushed pass Kari and bowed to Tai. "I'm Tristie, Kari's friend. She invited me over. You must be her brother." With that Tao marched back into Kari's room, leaving Kari standing by the door with her mouth open in shock.
"Why that little…" Gatomon, unable to keep her temper checked, began to stomp to Kari's room when Kari grabbed her tail.
"Wait," she hissed. "Tao might have come to talk. Act like she's a friend." Forcing her heart to slow down, Kari smiled at Tai. "I was going to tell you I had a friend coming over, that's all. Glad you've met." She then rushed down the hall, leaving Tai and Agumon sitting there with a dazed and confused look on their face. Gatomon grumbled, to show she wasn't happy with the situation, but followed. When the two reached Kari's room they could see Tao standing by the window.
"What…WHAT are you doing here?" Kari growled, trying to sound intimidating. Gatomon scaled onto the bedpost of the top bunk, staring hard and long at Tao and the bulge under her hat, letting not one movement escape her.
Tao turned, looking a bit annoyed. "I can't come over and say hi?" she mocked.
"What do you want?" Kari continued, taking a step forward yet trying to look cool.
"Well…it's not fun when you're confused." Tao looked a little bored. "My Master wants you to understand. It's funner that way."
"Enlighten me," Kari snapped. She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowed angrily.
Cystamon slipped out from under Tao's hat, perching atop her head. Keeping an eye on the ever-alert Gatomon, she focused the other on Kari.
"Well…" Tao began. "My Master is very, very interested in you, Child of Light. You see, He's been constantly pushed down by Those of the Light, and He can never seem to find a hole in their defenses. If He ever did, He would come to this plain of existence and plunge this entire world into utter Chaos. Beautiful, destructive Chaos. He is powerful, but can't get a firm footing on this plain. So He has constructed a Plan. His Master Plan. And this Plan comes to one end: To use Light against Light. To turn Light into Dark Light and to defeat the opposing Light with it. But He can't seem to achieve that either…He needs a subject to do this with. Someone who has all the properties, but can easily be dealt with. A key, you could say." Tao's breath came faster as she got more and more excited. "Someone He can channel this change with and into. That key, that someone, that channel…is you."
Kari kept her face utterly blank, but she felt her heart was going to burst out of her chest. The world felt as if it was turning upside down and she was falling. Gatomon emitted a low growl from her throat, but Tao and Cystamon paid her no heed.
"The Ones of the Light, of course, suspect something. They got scared, and decided to try and warn you. But they can't, not directly; it's too complicated. So they've been channeling you. The dreams. They created the dreams as a way to communicate, a warning, a vision. Flawless knows this."
"Flawless…is your Master…?" Kari somehow managed to keep her voice from sounding choked.
"Yes, yes."
"The dreams…can you explain them to me…? That poem…?"
Tao yawned. "The poem, another indirect way of warning you.
The missing piece of light;
One fallen angel
A soul afraid of dying
That never learned to live
A heart afraid of breaking
That was too afraid to give.
It's simple, really. Basically, it's about you. Your flaws. They'll defeat you in the end," she said nonchalantly.
"The dreams themselves…?" Kari asked softly.
"Even better." Tao's eyes glittered, filled with malice and deadly energy. Kari looked into those eyes and felt a black void in Tao's heart, and it chilled her to the bone.
"The dreams," Tao began again, "are warnings, as I have said. Simple, yet effective. It begins with white, right? And then you, as your younger self…innocent, new, and so easy to deal with. Then there is the shadow, the person, trying to warn you without directly telling you. And then the void in the sky and the shadow-person being sucked in, lost to you forever…"
Tao paused a moment, then continued.
"That void is Flawless' Chaos. And that shadow, that person being taken away from you…that person…"
Tao leaned forward, an evil glint in her eyes.
"…Is you."
*************************
-??????????-
-Meanwhile-
Flawless watched them.
He peered into their thoughts, watching with little interest as his servant Tao explained everything to the girl named Hikari.
Feeling a shift in the field of time and space around Him, Flawless shifted His piercing gaze to the being occupying his area.
-What do you want?- He asked, already knowing the answer. His 'voice' filled every crevice in the air.
The being, only taking the form of a mist of white, shifted its 'weight'. -It's useless. She's one of Us,- the being of Light said simply. The mist packed in tighter until it formed the image of a man, neither young nor old, weak or strong.
-You're not hard to manipulate,- Flawless answered.
-The Dark Ocean was an unfortunate accident. But it made her stronger,- the 'man' argued.
-It left a scar,- Flawless replied darkly. -Besides, my business is not yours. You know the Rules of Engagement. We both work on the mortal plain and play out our war down there, so why bother coming to see me?- He was in a rare 'good' mood, everything going to plan. The unexpected visit by one of the Light's soldiers didn't bother Him.
-I just came to warn YOU,- the being persisted. -You'll fail, like all other minions of the Dark before you. You will never win. The Light will always prevail.-
-Darkness is born from Light, Light is born from Darkness.- Flawless 'breathed' heavily. -We are equal.-
-No!- the being replied angrily. -Evil will never be equal to goodness.-
Flawless 'laughed', and the being angrily disappeared. Turning His gaze back to the mortal world, he 'smirked'.
-This world is my playground...-
*************************
-Takaishi Residence-
-8:26 PM-
T.K. snuck inside the door, Patamon perched on top of his head. Glancing around the room, he inched towards the hallway where his room was located.
"Hey!" Matt got off the couch where he had gone unseen and walked over to T.K. "How was your day?"
"Oh? I thought you were asleep." T.K. dropped a bag of takeout on the counter. "How about lunch?"
Matt nodded eagerly and both sat at the table, Patamon and Gabumon joining them. While Matt was tearing into his hamburger, T.K. replied, "I had a good day. The beach was nice. Sort of too bad you didn't come, bro."
Matt looked up, finishing off some tofu. "I would have, but it was more of you guy's thing. Us older kids, we need a vacation once in a while too." Matt leaned back in his chair, looking thoughtful. "It's been a while since all of us were together, anyway. I haven't yelled at Tai in who knows how long!" T.K. grinned, sipping at his coke. "Yeah, the memories. By the way, Dad's still at work and Mom's out for the night. We have the house to ourselves. What do you want to do?"
T.K. raised an eyebrow. "Jam to techno music?" he teased. Matt rolled his eyes.
"In our underwear?" T.K. added. Matt rolled his eyes again but grinned anyway.
"That would be something," he said after a minute. "And we could get it on tape, sell if for a few hundred bucks?" It was T.K.'s turn to roll his eyes.
"What if Sora got her hands on it?" Gabumon asked Matt. Matt blinked, then coughed.
"Aw. Sweet," T.K. teased.
"What if Kari got HER hands on it?" Matt shot back.
It was T.K.'s turn to blink and cough.
"Speaking of which, do you think Kari was acting a little weird today?" asked Patamon to T.K.
"I don't know…what do you mean? She seemed normal to me."
"Well…when I was sort of hovering around in the air with you guys while you were playing in the water, I saw her talking to someone. When she came back she looked shook up," Patamon replied.
"Was it…a guy?" T.K. asked haltingly.
"No. It was a girl."
T.K. breathed a sigh of relief.
"Did it look like anyone you know?" inquired Matt.
"No, not that I can think of. Sort of mysterious looking if you ask me," Patamon said thoughtfully. "I didn't really get a good look at her."
"Maybe you should call her," Gabumon proposed, looking to T.K. T.K. nodded, then reached for the phone. The second his hand touched it, it gave a loud 'Ring!'. He glanced to Matt, then picked up the phone. "Hello?" he asked.
"…T.K.?"
"Kari!" T.K. gave a thumbs-up to Matt, Patamon and Gabumon, then focused his attention back to the phone. "What's up?"
"I…I have to tell you something."
T.K. took a deep breath. He was relieved and yet nervous all at once. The sound of her voice was anything but warm and happy. "What is it?"
"…Well…"
*************************
-Motomiya Residence-
-8:45 PM-
Veemon was lying stretched out on the bed in Davis' room, looking dreamily to the ceiling. His thoughts continued to drift off to Gatomon, and he pinched his arm whenever that happened. After a few minutes, his arm was throbbing and he gave up altogether. "I can't stop thinking about her," he mumbled as Davis entered the room.
"Dude, Veemon. You were all dazed out on the bus, and now you're all dazed out on my bed. Ya mind moving to the floor? I'm about to-" Davis yawned. "-retire for the night."
Veemon rolled over to the opposite side of the bed, giving Davis enough room to plop down by him. "You're going to bed this early?" Veemon asked suspiciously.
"Well, while you were off flirting with Gatomon, I was playing Frisbee AND flirting with Kari. Not to mention working out my handsomeness. I'm pooped," Davis replied, grabbing his Teddy Bear off the floor and hugging it. "Mister Winkles agrees with me," he added, patting the teddy fondly.
Veemon blushed some as the phone rang. Davis rolled over and grabbed it before Jun could answer it. "Hello?"
"Davis?"
"Kari!" Immediately Davis wasn't tired anymore. Sitting up straight in bed, he brushed back his hair. "What's up, Kari?"
"Uh…this isn't Kari."
"Huh?" Davis blinked.
"This is T.K.," the voice on the other end of the phone said annoyingly.
"Oh. Dang it. Hi T.K.," Davis sulked.
"But I am calling on behalf of Kari," T.K. added.
"Well, what's going on?"
"Something really big. Would you call the others for me after I tell you?"
"Sure," Davis replied.
T.K. took a deep breath and began to explain.
*************************
-Kamiya Residence-
-9:03 PM-
Kari stared out the window, feeling as though a big burden had lifted off her chest and another had been put on in its place.
"It was good you told them," Gatomon said, sitting beside her.
"Yeah…" Kari felt distant, distracted. "I just feel really tired right now…" She turned and made her way to her bed, plopping down on it. Tao had left around 8:10, just walking right out of the apartment without a word. Afterwards Kari had broke down and told Tai everything. Then she had called T.K. She felt easier talking to him, for some odd reason…like he would understand, and that they understood each other…she took a breath. Just hearing his voice on the other end of the phone was enough to make her feel slightly better. T.K. would call another Digidestined, who would in turn call another Digidestined, and soon they would all know about the trouble. She felt a deep exhaustion take over her. Gatomon hopped beside Kari in the bed, snuggling against her.
"Let's not think about all that stuff she told you," Gatomon offered.
"Okay…" Kari replied.
"I actually was in the water today," admitted Gatomon.
"Really?…"
"Yeah…Veemon was getting me used to the wet stuff."
"Ooohh…so you do have a thing for him?"
"Oh, stop that!" Gatomon rubbed an ear. "He was just helping me, that's all…"
"Who has a thing for who and who helped what?" Agumon entered the room, raising an eyebrow at the two. He spun around dramatically, then stopped. He was wearing a white jacket and carrying a notepad and pencil. Sitting on the floor beside the bed, he faked a serious cough. "I want to know everything!"
Kari managed a smile and Gatomon rolled her eyes. "None of your business, Agumon," Gatomon retorted.
Tai entered a second later, looking in deep thought. "Right now I think everything having to do with your two is our business," he said, looking directly at Kari. She winced.
"Look, Tai, I'm sorry for not telling you sooner…" she mumbled.
"I'm just glad you FINALLY told me. But what if something had happened sooner? Then we would be clueless to how to help you! You really need to get over your habit of keeping things to yourself, even if you think it might hurt others. I'd rather know and get hurt than to not know and watch you get hurt!"
Tai's words stung Kari like bullets. "…."
"Gah…" Tai sat on the bed by Kari, rubbing her head like he used to do when they were little. "I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you hurt, sis."
Kari smiled lowly. "I understand."
"It's getting late. We'd better be getting to bed." Tai got up and stretched, looking down to Kari. "You think you'll be okay?"
"Yeah," she answered after a moment. "Thanks." Tai nodded and climbed up onto his bunk with Agumon following. Kari got under her covers with Gatomon beside her, looking up at the underside of Tai's bunk. Rolling over, she closed her eyes, praying the dreams wouldn't come that night. As she began to drift off to sleep, she could hear Gatomon mumble sleepily, "Next time they won't ignore me…"
*************************
-Somewhere in the City-
-9:34 PM-
Tao leaned against the wall, watching the lights of passing cars streak across the road in front of her. The cold wind shifted, but she did not shiver as it blew fiercely at her.
"What do we do now?" asked Cystamon, barely visible in the dark as she sat in Tao's arms.
"We're carrying out another phase of Flawless' Plan. The Digidestined should know about us by now, if Hikari spread the word as planned."
"Oh, I remember." Cystamon smirked wryly, her gaze traveling up to the apartment they were standing by, the one that belonged to a certain someone. "We're going to show them how serious we are, ne?"
Tao smirked as well, pulling her hand just enough out of her pocket. Steel glinted in the light given off by the streetlights, belonging to that of a knife. "That's right," she whispered coldly. "They'll know this is no game…"
Cystamon turned her gaze up a few stories, narrowing her keen eyes until she could see the name written above one of the doors.
The sign read, 'The Motomiyas'.
Kari finally breaks down and tells the others everything, but is it already too late?
Tao explains everything, and Kari also realizes things are more serious than she ever thought possible…if Flawless succeeds in using her successfully, then the entire world would be plunged into a dark chaos…
It's Flawless, this Dark being, facing the forces of the Light, and the Digidestined are stuck in the middle…
And it seems Tao has other orders; orders that might prove fatal for somebody…