*deep breath* AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!

My stupid computer did it AGAIN!!! It erased all the files off my disk…and this time it's the one with 98% of my stories on it! I managed to save The Grass is Greener, Ch. 3 (thank goodness…) But I LOST all I had done on this chapter, AND the start of my Ken fic, AND the start of my Devimon fic, AND this is the 3rd time I've had to re-write the beginning of Diamond in the Rough, Ch. 4!! CRI-MAN-NEE!!!

Yes, yes…in the last Chapter, I had to try about a dozen different names for that girl before I found the right one. When I changed it to Sara, I forgot to change it at the end to Karen. Sorry…

By the way…anyone know what Sylphymon is? Male or female? He or she? Which on is it?

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, nor do I own this Rent-a-mallet, useful for relieving myself of stupid pieces of junk…

The Future's Course

Chapter 4: Kao-Noshi

Kari told T.K.'s news to everyone the next afternoon. The others were shocked and amazed. But Kari was so depressed it was almost scary. And it was understandable: her boyfriend, the one she cared so much about, the boy who was her destiny, was curiously sick in a hospital thousands of miles away, and she couldn't even see him.

Now? The group of six…the five younger DigiDestined and Hikaru, that is…were trouncing through the woods of the Digital World. Izzy had quite rightly assumed that the sudden comma was none other than the work of Hikaru's mysterious paradox, and they were searching for some sort of clue on how to cure the future father.

They tromped through the woods in one big group, muttering to each other, telling jokes and laughing. Even Kari was starting to lighten up, just ever so little.

Hikaru suddenly stopped and glanced quickly into the trees. Kari stopped and looked back. "Somethin' wrong?" she asked.

"There's something over there." Hikaru whispered, pointing into the bushes.

Kari stopped too, and beckoned the others over. They leaned over Hikaru's shoulders to see into where he was pointing. "I don't see anything." Yolei muttered.

"It's out there." Hikaru was still talking in a low whisper. "There is something there…"

All of a sudden, Roarmon shouted, "Everyone get down!"

The group had learned that Roarmon rarely talked, and never yelled, so if he did shout like that, it was probably good to do what he said. They hit the ground as a blur zipped over them. All the lower branches dropped to the ground, sliced in an exact line, clean off by the sharpest sword.

"What…was…that?" Davis asked.

"Over there!" Hikaru was pointing behind them.

The blur, now clearly identified as a Musyamon, was preparing his sword for another attack. Veemon glanced back at his partner. "Davis?"

The boy nodded. There was a bit of a flash, then ExVeemon ran forward. "Vee Laser!" he shouted, firing his attack.

The Musyamon not only withstood the attack, but destroyed it completely, then slashed out with his sword. It was so strong that, one blow, ExVeemon went down and Veemon groaned in pain.

"Veemon!" Davis called, running for him.

"Watch it you two!" Ken called. Musyamon was heading for Davis and his partner.

Another flash, and Stingmon dove for his two friends, scooping them out of the way just in time. Davis noticed that the sword had given him a rather close hair cut and a few single hairs fell down.

"That…was…close…" Davis muttered. "Thanks, Stingmon…"

"No problem." the insectiod Digimon buzzed as he set them down.

Kari looked for their opponent and saw it first. "Stingmon, behind you!" she shouted, but Wormmon hit the ground.

Ankylomon suddenly ran up. He'd Digivolved while no one had noticed. "I'll keep 'em busy!" he called, "You figure out a plan!"

Cody left off a moment, then turned to the others. "What did he mean by that?"

"He means, this is no normal Musyamon!" Yolei insisted. "I say we DNA Digivolve, whattya say, Kari?!"

As Ankylomon wasn't gonna last much longer, Kari nodded. A flash, a blur, a mixed heartbeat, and voila…Sylphymon, the DNA Ultimate appeared in their midst, just as Ankylomon was thrown to the ground.

"You wanna fight?!" he/she yelled. "I'm ready for ya! Static Force!"

"Shogun Sword!" the Musyamon's blade sliced the attack, dispersing it instantly. The two Digimon ran straight towards each other and became locked in battle.

"I hope they can do this…" Kari muttered. "Sylphymon's the only chance we've got left."

"Not quiet." to the older one's surprise, Hikaru had stepped forward. "Sylphymon alone can't handle it, but I bet we can!"

He pulled a pale purple D3 out of his pocket. Roarmon leapt to the ground and ran forward. The light burst forth, and it happened…

"Roarmon, Digivolve to…Mezaramon!"

With a great roar, Mezaramon lunged forward. He was a huge white tiger with purple stripes and eyes, along with a pair of beautiful white wings. His teeth were sharp and his claws were even sharper.

"Tiger Strike!" he growled and a blast of purple energy burst from his mouth and struck Musyamon in the back. The Digimon cried out.

"Static Force!" Sylphymon shoved him off, and the evil Digimon went flying, then hit the ground hard. Brown dust flew into the air.

The kids cheered, at least until Kari noticed what was left. "L…Look at that!" she cried, pointing, and they all stared in amazement.

A black blob of unshaped goo seamed to be lifting itself from the place where Musyamon had hit. It looked to be forming a head behind white mask that looked, in full detail, like a Musyamon's face. But before they could do anything, it vanished into the trees.

"What in the name of heaven was that?" Yolei asked in a hushed whisper.

"I don't…know…"

~ * ~ * ~

The Kao-Noshi slid through the underbrush, hissing and whining to itself. Ahead of it, a box creaked open.

Bubbling with happiness…literally…the blob of black jelly a gray mask slid forward and vanished into the tiny opening of the box. The lid was shut.

"There there now…" Pandoramon whispered. "I saw everything that happened, the little meanies."

She set the box down and turned to the mirror hanging from a tree. Using a golden comb, she brushed out the long black hair that almost reached the ground and admired her own fine purple skin and black silk robes. Surely she was the most beautiful of all Digimon…

"Which reminds me…" she smiled, picking her box back up. "It's time to check in on our latest Noshi…"

She cracked the top of the box open again. Struggling this time, a black blob and white mask slivered out and stood up-right in a human form. The masked face was that of a handsome young man, but the serious nature of the glaring eyes did not suit him.

He looked sternly away from her. He couldn't speak, his voice was trapped inside that box. He couldn't run, his feet were bound wherever she sent him. At this point he was so weak it was hard to fight, but his mind was his and his alone.

"Defiant still, are you?" she growled at him, pulling a whip from her belt. "You think after a twice day's whippings you would've learned by now."

She struck out with her electric purple whip. It was special, because no normal weapons could harm her beloved Kao-Noshi. This was used for the disobedient servent, although she hadn't needed it before this boy.

It struck him on his right shoulder, leaving a red gash. He took it without complaint. This angered Pandoramon more. "So!" she snapped. "You think your will is stronger than my power?"

He whip cracked again, but this time the Kao-Noshi snatched it up. Pandoramon, unused to such ignorance, pulled at it roughly. Sparks flashed, and the Noshi would have screamed in pain if his voice had been in his throat. But no sound came until he released and fell back, hands bleeding.

Pandoramon loomed over him. "The wounds shall heal soon enough." she snapped, then spat in his face. "If you think you've won this, you are sadly mistaken. For such impudence, I shall make sure you receive your proper punishment!"

~ * ~ * ~

"Any idea what that…that thing was, Izzy?" Yolei asked after they gave their description of it.

"Black goo…and a white Noh mask that looked like Musyamon?" Izzy pondered for a moment. "Sounds like we're dealing with a Kao-Noshi…"

"A No-Face?" Cody translated.

"Yes, precisely!" Izzy nodded. "It reminds me of the Kao-Noshi demons in old legends. They were mysterious shadows that could transform into anything at will."

"Do you think this is what's causing the paradox?" Kari asked suddenly. "These Kao-Noshi…Do you think they're the ones who put T.K. in a coma?!"

Izzy once again thought before he spoke. "I do." he said finally. "But I don't think these Kao-Noshi can think for their own…"

"So they're just slaves, right?" Ken asked. "No conscience, no mind to fight?"

"Exactly." Izzy nodded. "In fact, I don't think they even have lives of their own. But whoever's controlling them does…"

Hikaru felt his mother's worry next to him. He knew she was longing for her dearest, his future father, and her heart ached for him to be well again. Hikaru touched her hand and put his head in her lap, the way he thought Carie would have.

Kari smiled down at him, running her fingers through his hair. Such a sweet little boy. I guess in his mind he was comforting her, and he was, but in a few minutes he'd fallen asleep.

"I think it's time we headed home." she whispered, trying not to wake him. She bid the others farewell, then scooped Hikaru up gently and carried him home, Roarmon and Gatomon running along behind.