Back to the plot…muahahaha. (Roxxstertrixie, you owe me big-time, sister!) The title of this chapter will make sense by the end, don't worry. Oh, and by the way, Leon and Jenna will get back together. I'm just not saying when. Heh.

Predestined

Chapter Nine: The New Goggle Girl

Kim propped herself up on her elbow. "Who are you?" she asked.

"We are Kanejamon," one of the mice-like Digimon replied. "We are Lady Kazuma's slaves." It shuddered. "That woman will be the death of us."

Lee crossed her arms over her chest. "And why should we believe that you're going to help us?"

In reply, the Kanejamon closest to Lee tossed her a pair of track pants. "Put them on," it said. "You look cold."

She held them up in wonder. "These are mine," she said. "How did you get them?"

"It doesn't matter. Put them on."

"Turn around!" Lee barked at Chris and the Kanejamon.

When she was finally dressed, she turned back around and said, "OK, you can look. Thanks," she added to the Kanejamon.

"We aim to please, Bearer of Independence."

"So when do we get out of here?" Kim asked.


"We'll talk later. For now, eat."

Who were they to disagree? After all, they had trays of hot food in front of them. They tucked into their meals with pleasure, while the Kanejamon smiled to see them so happy.

It finally stopped raining during the night. When the group woke up, it was to a bright sun and clear skies. Perfect travelling weather.

"Awright!" Holly crowed, pumping her fist in the air. "Let's goooooo!"

"OK, who let her have coffee this morning?" Tina groaned.

Holly led the way out into the sunlight. Upon seeing them exit the cave, the Fiannamon spread their wings out. "Do you want to fly today?" they asked.

"Nah," Holly said. "We're due for some exercise anyway…I'm only joking!" she cried when Leon punched her in the shoulder. He, if anyone, had kept in shape over the last four years.

"Suit yourself," they shrugged, taking to the skies. They barely skimmed the treetops.

"Whassat?" Lucas asked, pointing to a spot on the field just beyond the forest, where a glint of light lay.

"Something shiny, I would expect," Rachael said, approaching. There in the grass lay a pair of ski goggles, their lenses perfectly round and about the size of her palm. The strap was long and made out of thick black leather. "Cool!" she exclaimed, lifting them up.

Tania's eyes widened. "Those are Kim's," she proclaimed.

"How in heck did you know that? Um—never mind, I don't think I want to know." Rachael adjusted the strap and placed the goggles atop her head at a comfortable angle. "They fit perfectly! How do I look?" she asked, turning to her cousin.

"Like a freak," he instantaneously replied, earning him a sharp jab in the arm.

Tina regarded the small girl sharply. "You'll have to give those back to Kim when we find her, you know."

"I know. Wanna know what else I know?" Rachael shot back. "If her goggles are here, then they must have passed by this way!"

"She's right," Tania said quietly, but nobody heard her.

"But why would you want to help us?" Lee asked the Kanejamon again. Everyone was done eating now, and Lauren had just woken up with a gigantic headache.

The Kanejamon she was addressing looked sad and tired. "Lady Kazuma has some very cruel intentions," he said. "She intends to release an evil being of monstrous strength into the Digital World. She wants to rule this world, and many, many more. She already has six under her thumb."

"Six?" Lauren sat up straighter, Usaiamon cradled in her arms like a baby. "You mean, she's doing this to other universes as well?"

"Quite so," Kanejamon replied. "She is not from this plane, nor yours. But she comes from one quite like yours. She has this device that she built that allows her to slip from dimension to dimension with the press of a button."

Lee sucked in her breath, which hurt immensely.

"That's why we need you out of this cell, Digidestined!" a female Kanejamon cried. "Lady Kazuma will release the Beast in four weeks, on the night when the three moons are full and the Crests are illuminated in the sky. It only happens once every ten thousand years! And it can only be seen on Starlight Plains!"

"It's…all beginning to be clear," Hikaru said brokenly. "She said something about a prophecy, and about us being involved…my Crest…oh my God!"

"What?" Kim asked.

She smacked her forehead. "Maybe she thinks that we're part of this prophecy! That's why we're locked up!"

"Damn, she's smart," Chris said.

"As soon as you are all able, we will take you from this place to your fellow Digidestined," a Kanejamon promised. "Get some sleep. We will leave in a week."

They arrived on the outskirts of Starlight Plains at sunset; in fact, the same moment that Lady Kazuma left her base on Corona Island seven thousand miles away. The blood-red sun shone onto the emerald-dusted expanse, turning everything it touched a fiery crimson.

"Look over there," one of the Fiannamon said. She pointed at a strange formation of tall rocks placed in a circle the size of a football field. It kind of reminded everyone of Stonehenge. "That is where the Beast is sealed away. The standing stones around it are each engraved with a Crest symbol. As you can see, there have been many more Digidestined than you. There have been a total of fifty-seven in the last century."

Seeing the collective gasp of surprise, she added, "It didn't all start with your parents, you know. There was an original group of three, exactly ten thousand years ago. Their ascendants became two groups of Digidestined in the late 1970's. Then came your parents, then came you."

"Cool!" Jenna exclaimed. She turned toward the fields and said, "It's absolutely beautiful here."

Tania stood silently on a grassy knoll, a glassy gleam in her eyes. She was looking toward the slowly sinking sun. "It won't be when we're done," she said. Her voice didn't sound quite as childlike anymore.

Kiko looked at her sharply. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She faced them all, her small face set and hard.

"This land we stand upon is tainted by the soul of the Beast beneath the soil," she intoned. "We will have to fight until our blood runs from our veins into the earth. We will rend, tear and twist this beautiful landscape in our efforts. When we are through, this red sun will set over a field just as red as it is, and the sky will weep bloody tears over us…"

With a sharp cry, Kiko picked up his sister and shook her out of her reverie. "Tania, stop talking jibberish!" he cried frantically. "Just stop it now!"

The little girl's arms encircled her brother's neck, and she cried bitterly into his shoulder. "But I see it, Kiko!" she wailed. "It's so scary, and I don't like seeing it! But Kina sees it too, don't you, Kina?"

Everyone looked to Kinaka, who went over to Kiko and took her little cousin from him. "What I see and what you see are very different, little cousin," she said in a voice that only Tania heard. "You just have to learn how to interpret it." Then, in a louder voice, "Tania, don't be silly. Nothing bad will happen to us."

"But Kina, you just said that…"

"Never mind what she said!" Rachael said sharply. "Shouldn't we be making some sort of a plan right about now?"

Holly groaned. "Goggles. They turn everyone into a control freak."