Silver Lining
Well, not really AU, but they do go to one. Yaoi + Yuri + Het'.
It could be weird, save for the fact that I'm a logical person so everything makes perfect sense. If you don't get it you must be pretty stupid.
Chapter 1: Different Dimensions
Izzy frowned, either he was going crazy or two teenage girls were following him.
One was tall and slender, her most noticeable feature being a long corn gold braid that almost reached her knees. The other was only just taller then himself with almost unnaturally pale skin and deep chocolate brown, shoulder length hair with two platinum blond locks making up her fringe.
Some times he saw them together, sometimes separately. It had started two days ago, when the brunette had knocked on his door. She had said she was selling liquorice cake and he (being allergic to liquorice), had politely declined. The odd thing was that when Izzy offered to purchase a slice for his mother the girl hadn't had any.
Ever since then, whenever he went out side, if only for a moment, he would spot one of the two girls.
Even now as he talked to Tai in a public phone booth he could see the blond watching him from across the street.
"What do you mean you think you're being followed?" Asked Tai.
"Just what I said," Izzy hid his mouth with a hand, in case the blond could lip read. "I'd like to call a Digidestined meeting."
"Okay Iz', where and when?"
"My house, at noon. I don't want them following me to someone else's place and that gives you an hour and a half to contact every one and get there."
"Gee, that's not much time Izzy."
"I know Tai, but I'm pretty freaked. This kind of thing only ever happens to Matt or Ken."
"Don't worry Iz, We'll be there. Just sit tight."
"Okay thanks Tai." They both hung up and Izzy looked across the street.
The blond was gone.
Izzy didn't see the two all the way home. He came to his front door with a sigh of relief and fished through his pockets for his keys.
"Looking for these?" Asked a cheerful, yet unfamiliar voice.
With a squeak Izzy spun around and found himself staring at his two stalkers. The brunette had her hand out, offering Izzy his keys.
"Who are you? And why are you following me?" He asked loudly, trying not to panic. How could they have stolen his keys from his pocket when he'd been keeping a close eye out for them?
"Perhaps we should take this inside?" Said the blond in a soft musical voice.
"Well?" The brunette pressed the keys into his hand. "Stop being a jack ass, Koushiro and let us in!"
Gulping Izzy unlocked the door and waited.
"You go in first, carrot top, and keep your hands where I can see them." Instructed the blond.
He nodded and stepped inside, the duo following close behind. As soon as the blond had shut the door Izzy was startled to find himself pulled into a rib-cracking embrace by the brunette.
"Shit Izzy! It's great to see you again!" Cried the girl happily.
"I've never seen you before in my life." Wheezed the red head.
"Let him go Sedra. We don't even know if we're in the right dimension or not."
The brunette, Sedra, realised Izzy had turned to the stony faced blond. "Of course this is the place, Lee! Just look at him, he's our Izzy!"
Lee raised a sceptical eyebrow.
"Well, maybe not our Izzy," The girl amended. "But. You know what I mean!"
Lee sunk gracefully into one of the armchairs. She seemed rather determined to ignore her companions babbling.
"You called a Digidestined meeting. We will wait for the others to arrive before continuing." She said in her oddly musical soft monotone.
The blond was clearly one who didn't like to waste her breath unless she had to. Her entire presence radiated danger. It wasn't hard to figure out, Lee was a warrior who'd seen her fair share of battles.
However, it was the brunette, Sedra, that Izzy couldn't figure out. In a strange way she reminded him of Tai, or maybe Davis. Good natured, caring, a tad bit hyperactive.
What some one like Sedra could be doing in the company of Lee, he couldn't imagine.
Izzy was startled from his thoughts by the doorbell.
"That should be the others!" Exclaimed Sedra rushing into the hall to get the door.
The two left sitting in the lounge room heard a horrified scream.
Almost faster than Izzy could see, Lee was out of her chair and had a knife pressed against his throat.
Sedra backed hurriedly into the room, knocking over a vase in the process.
"What's going on?" Izzy heard Tai ask in confusion.
Lee tightened her grip on him and dragged him back to a window.
"How far down is it?" She asked the brunette, who'd joined them. Sedra looked over her shoulder.
"Ten floors. Nothing but the ground to break our fall." Answered the girl; her voice had lost all its hidden laughter.
Tai entered the room, his eyes widening at the scene before him.
"Sedra," Said Lee quietly. "Hold on to my shoulders and I'll break your fall."
Izzy's eyes widened in disbelief. Lee was talking about sacrificing her life, so Sedra could escape from TAI???
"Wait just a minute!" Squeaked Izzy, half wondering if this was all a strange dream. "There's no reason to go jumping out windows, just yet. You said you wanted to talk to the Digidestined. Tai's our leader, he's not going to hurt you."
Lee eyed Tai with mistrust, her icy green eyes glittering coldly.
"We'll listen to Koushiro." Said Sedra, placing a calming hand on the blonds shoulder. "I don't think the Taichi in this dimension will harm us."
Lee released Izzy but didn't put her knife away. "You're too trusting Sedra."
"Er, Izzy. What's going on?" Asked Tai.
Lee sunk back into her chair. "I shall tolerate your presence. But make no mistake Taichi," She said matter-of-factly. "One wrong move and I will gut you like a fish faster than you can blink."
"Um.Ooookaaay???"
"Hey guys! Sorry we're all so late." Matt paused in the doorway. "Um, did I miss something?"
It seemed the other Digidestined had arrived.
Lee stood silently in the corner as Sedra explained things to the Digidestined.
"My name is Sedra Wilder," She began, "and my brooding friend over there is Yaleea-"
"Just call me Lee!" Snapped the blond, shooting the girl a meaningful glare.
"Uh, yeah. Any way we're from a another dimension."
Izzy opened his mouth to ask a question, but Sedra held up a forestalling hand.
"Please save your questions until I have finished Koushiro. We were part of select few, chosen to protect a very special place, another world."
Miyako interrupted, "Wait a minute! You two were Digidestined?"
Lee scowled but Sedra smiled, "Yes. When we were twelve we were sucked from our summer camp to the Digital world."
The older Digidestined were exchanging shocked looks.
"There we fought and defeated several evil Digimon. Including Devimon, Eddamon and Piedmon. Everything settled down and four years later we were all shocked when two of our youngest members and their friends were called once again to fight for the Digital world."
Tai was nodding. "That sounds the same as what happened in our reality. When they got there they found some freak, no offence Ken, enslaving Digimon. Called himself the Digimon Kaizer?"
Sedra nodded sadly. "Yes, We fought the Kaizer, often barely escaping with our lives. But with his army of Digimon, he was too strong. Then, late one night the sky tore apart and the Kaizer entered the real world, bringing his hoard of enslaved Digimon with him. We faced him in the biggest battle of our lives." Sedra broke off, unable to continue or meet anyone's gaze.
"On that burnt and blasted field, as the rising sun stained the heavens crimson. We were defeated." Said Lee, her soft voice easily heard in the silent room.
"That's where I got these." Whispered Sedra, lightly touching her snowy strands. "A memento he called it, one for each world I'd failed. It's also where we lost Sora."
"So the difference between our realities is that Ken won." Concluded Izzy. Sedra looked confused.
"Were we all there?" Asked Tai.
"Oh, you were there, Taichi." Hissed Lee. "You were the one who killed Sora! You are the Digimon Kaizer!" She lunged forward. Matt was there in a flash, wrestling her to the ground. The fight only lasted for a few seconds and ended with Lee pinning Matt to the floor, her knife pressed against his throat.
"I don't care who you are!" She hissed menacingly, "That monster killed my little brother and he won't get away with it!"
"No! Don't hurt Matt!" Shouted Takeru. "Let him go!"
Lees eyes softened and she climbed to her feet. "There's not a person in this room I couldn't kill. Just be grateful that I'm not a murderer like him!" She spat glaring down at Matt.
Sedra hadn't so much as batted an eye at all this. "Don't try that again Lee." She warned. "It's not our place to judge those in this world. Even I can see that this Taichi would never hurt anyone."
The blond took a deep breath. "Please excuse me." She said before rushing out the door.
Sedra watched her go. "Sora? Please go after her? You two were very close in our world." Sora looked uncomfortable but nodded and went any way.
"Allow me to finish our tale. The Digimon Kaizer now rules both worlds, the governments tried to stop him but He crushed them easily. Life continues for most, but the Kaizer has recently been enslaving both Digimon and humans. And of course, the Kaizer hasn't forgotten about us. He's slowly killing us off. The last attack on our hide out was horrible, the Digidestined are scattered, I'm afraid we don't know who survived and who didn't." She sighed. "That's why I'm here. I've come to ask for your help. I know I have no right, but it's getting desperate. The Kaizer, he makes humans and Digimon battle each other in a huge arena for his entertainment. Children are being taken from parents and trained as soldiers. He cripples people with taxes and food is becoming so expensive that some families can't afford to eat. He makes unfair laws and gives them extreme penalties. My world needs the Digidestined."
She looked around at them. "It would be foolish to answer now. But I would appreciate it if you would think about it."
Tai had tears in his eyes. "Why would I do something like that? How could I? That's not me! I would never!"
Sedra stood from her seat and hesitantly touched the boy on the shoulder. "I'm not too sure. But my informants tell me that when the Kaizer was a child a Digimon came out of his computer." Tai nodded. "He raised it, but it wasn't supposed to be there so another Digimon managed to get through a gateway. That Digimon was much stronger than the Kaizer's and destroyed it. Then the Digimon took the Kaizer back to the Digital world and raised him. They became lovers before the Kaizer conquered the Digital world."
Tai stared at her for a moment. "What was this Digimon called?"
"Myotismon."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Sora halted in the shadow of a tree and looked towards the beach. Lee sat on a lone bench looking out across the bay. A breeze ruffled her blond fringe, causing golden strands to dance over her pale face. Sora was strongly reminded of someone, though she couldn't quite think who.
She had a dark brooding expression on her face, she looked sad.
Sora seated herself beside the girl. They sat in silence for a while.
"It's only been four years," Said Lee abruptly, "But It has changed so much I can hardly recognise it."
"What's different in your world?" asked Sora.
Lee pointed to the gardens that could be made out on the other side of the bay. "That is where the Kaizer built the Arena. Sometimes you can see the water Digimon feeding on the bodies of the humans killed in the fights. Kenta and Kazu died in there. I remember my brother and I trying to stop Takato from going after them." She didn't take her blank stare off the park. "For some reason the Digimon didn't eat Kenta. His body washed up on the shore. Rika, Henry and Iori found it."
"That's horrible!" Gasped Sora. Lee shrugged.
"That's life. Over there is the slave markets." She pointed to a shore side theme park. "It's actually where we found the little ones. Some 'Okiowa' guy was trying to sell Ken to some of the Kaizers scientists. We didn't know how valuable Ken's dark spore was until then. Anyway, we busted him out and as we were running for it Kari and my brother saw little Takato playing with his Digivice in one of the slave pens.
In the west are the factories that manufacture Dark Rings and Modems."
"What are Modems?"
"They are small chips that are inserted under the skin at the base of the neck and are used to rewrite a humans thought patterns. Like Dark Rings, only for humans."
Sora was quiet for a moment. "Anything else?"
"Those Skyscrapers were demolished and that's the Kaizers palace. Digimon roaming the streets. The park a few streets over grew wild, that was the main entrance to our secret underground base. After his last attack, it's a burnt twisted pile of rubble now, still smouldering I imagine."
"It wasn't that long ago?" Asked Sora.
"It'd be three days ago, now."
Sora hesitated before asking. "Is that where the Kaizer.?"
"My brother and I survived the attack and we decided to find Sedra. I knew she'd gotten out okay and I didn't want her coming here by herself. He caught up with us and-" Her breath caught and unshed tears sparkled in her icy green eyes. "We gave it every thing we had, but He was too strong. The Kaizer was about to Mode me again when my brother - he, he fought the Kaizer for me. The whole time the Kaizer was laughing at him. At the very end my brother told me not to watch as the Kaizer did it. My brother died a hero." Her musical voice was raw with grief, but held an undeniable note of pride.
Sora pulled Lee into a comforting hug. "It's okay to cry Lee, you don't have to hold it in."
"I haven't the time to grieve, not while my brothers murderer still lives." She answered stiffly.
"What was your brothers name?"
"Takeru Takashi. Our parents were divorced in my reality."
Sora stared at her. "What's your full name?"
"Yaleea Ishida."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
"We'll all think about it for tonight." Resolved Taichi. "But it's everyone's own choice if they go or not. It's not a vote." He looked over at Sedra. "Do you two have a place to stay?"
The strange girls face gave away nothing. "Lee and I have been. roughing it, shall we say."
All the Digidestined looked around at each other. Sora and Lee entered the room.
"We have been sleeping in the vicinity of our old base."
"Hold on a minute!" Interrupted Sora. "You two have been sleeping in the park for - How many days was it?"
"Two." Answered Lee.
"Is there a problem with this? We've slept in worse places in the Digital World, and in our world." Said Sedra with a confused expression on her face.
"Well, what about rapists or murderers, or something?" Asked Sora.
Lee snorted indifferently. "We ran into a few of those. But a knife wielding drunk is nothing compared to fighting hand to hand against a Digimon."
"We'd all feel a lot better if you weren't sleeping on the park benches, if only for the knife wielding drunks sake." Said Tai with a rueful smile.
Lee glared and Sedra grinned. "Thanks! Where do we crash?"
Tai thought for a moment. "Well, one of you could stay at our house." He offered. "And Matt has a spare room for when Takeru sleeps over."
"No way, Tai!" Interrupted Matt.
"I would rather take my chances in the park." Sneered Lee.
Sedra stood stiffly and looked down at the braided girl. "Who is the leader of the Digidestined?" She asked coolly.
Lee scowled. "You are."
"And whose orders do you follow?"
"Yours."
Sedra gave a small nod. "You will spend the night at Yamato's, that's an order."
The two glared at each other, finally Lee looked away. "Understood." She muttered.
"Excuse me?! Isn't any one going to ask if it's okay with me?!" Snapped Matt peevishly.
"No." Sniffed Lee.
"Bitch."
"Man."
"Ice queen!"
"Slut!"
"Hey!" Cried Davis. "Don't talk to Matt like that."
"Hey," Sedra mocked, "Don't talk to Lee like that. or I'll have to confiscate Ken for a few days."
Both Davis and Ken looked nonplussed. "Huh?"
Sedra gave a small shriek, "What? You guys aren't together? What sort of crazy world is this?"
"It's unnatural." Agreed Lee.
"What! Why would Davis and I be together? I don't like Davis, I mean I do but as a friend. I don't want to be with Davis, we're friends. Just friends. Right, friends?"
Davis blinked still trying to comprehend the idea,
"But Ken's a boy," He commented quite stupidly.
Sedra snorted, "You'll get there one of these days."
Mimi giggled shrilly, "Oh my god. Davis and Ken, they'd be so cute together." Her voice rising in pitch as she hit the 'cute'.
Lee covered her ears, glaring at Sedra. Sedra shrugged,
"I didn't know she'd react like that," she mouthed, "Our Mimi wouldn't have."
"Yes she would."
Davis continued to blink.
"So, you're staying at my house, right? Hope you don't mind sharing Kari's bed."
"Of course not." Sedra tried to hide her smirk. "We always share a bed in my reality."
Izzy blinked and then looked mortified. Tai didn't seem to notice.
"That's good. Kari and I share a room," Sedra looked faintly disappointed, "And I think it'd be pretty scandalous if we shared a bed."
"Probably more scandalous if she shares with Kari," Izzy mumbled, then squeaked as he noticed Lee had drawn closer threateningly.
Sedra smirked. "Well we may as well be going. Kari still has to show me her bed." She looked very pleased by the concept. Izzy stopped her before she could leave,
"A word?"
"Yeah, sure thing," She said. He waited for the rest of the Digidestined to leave.
"You're with Kari aren't you," He said very bluntly, fully expecting her denial.
"Shit yeah!" Sedra crowed, "I mean God, the girl is Talented, with a capital T. She does this amazing thing with her tongue and her back-" Izzy covered her mouth,
"That's more then I wanted to know."
She shrugged, "No problem. Before you go, what's the deal with, Matt was it? Who is he?"
"Yamato Ishida? Well he's T.K.'s older brother and one of the original Digidestined." He wondered what exactly she wanted to know.
Sedra let out a bark of laughter, "Holy shit! No wonder she hates him."
"What?" Izzy asked, "What's so funny."
"Just think about who Lee reminds you of." She walked out still laughing
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Suddenly out of the blue Davis stopped, head shooting up,
"Hey, she thought we were gay!" Davis cried, suddenly realising what the girl had meant.
Ken stopped as well, turning slightly pink,
"I guess she did."
"Well I'm not," Davis said firmly, "I like Kari, you know that, right Ken?"
"Everyone knows that Dai," Ken said scuffing his foot and refusing to meet Davis's eyes.
"That's what I thought!" Davis said glomping on to Ken's arm, "She's just stupid. We're just friends! Friends that's it. She was just jealous. She wants Kari for herself. Well Kari's my girl. If I can wrestle her from TL I can wrestle her from what's-her-name, Faydra."
"That's Sedra."
"I knew that, I was just. testing you. Yeah that's it. I was testing you." Davis said.
Ken sighed, "C'mon Dai. Let's go home."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Lee's eyes widened as she surveyed Matts apartment. Matt noticed her look,
"I'm sorry that my apartment isn't as good as the park," he said sarcastically.
Lee brushed past him and settled on the couch,
"It is satisfactory, I wasn't expecting anything more from you."
"Ouch," Matt said sarcastically, "You sure know how to hit me where it hurts."
Lee sniffed,
"Man-whore" She hissed under her breath.
Matt didn't seem to hear,
"Would you like me to cook you dinner or are you just going to drink my blood?"
"It probably has some sexually transmitted disease. I'd rather drink Sedra's then yours and that's saying something."
Matt sighed,
"Fine, I won't make you anything. Starve!"
Lee didn't bother looking at him, "Highly unlikely. I have lasted three weeks without food and water."
"What exactly is your world like?" Matt asked worriedly.
"Home." She shrugged. She got up and walked over to the fridge took a sip from the jug of juice and pulled out one of Matts chocolate bars.
Matt blinked, "Hey that's mine! And don't drink out of the jug!" Matt realised he was sounding hypocritical, as he usually did exactly the same thing, right down to stealing T.K.'s chocolate bars out of the fridge.
Lee shrugged, biting into the chocolate bar and leaving the room.
Matt glared after her then pulled a saucepan out of the cupboard and filled it with water and rice. That girl better not be anywhere near his room.
Lee opened the door and gave the room a cursory once over for weapons, and noticed something she hadn't seen in a long time propped up in one corner of his room.
Carefully she picked it up, running her fingers along the strings like a child with an old toy,
"I wonder if I can still play it?" Idly she plucked at the strings trying to recreate a melody she'd once written for her brother.
Matt dropped what he was doing as he heard the music,
"She's playing my guitar!" He paused in the doorway of his room, recognising the tune. After all, he'd written it for T.K.
She stopped abruptly and repeated the last chord.
"Why are you stopping?" He asked carefully.
She shrugged, "That's all I wrote. I never got around to finishing it."
Matt carefully sat down next to her, pulling the notes out from under his bed,
"Try this."
"My song!" Her green eyes widened in surprise, and she began to play, "How did you know?" She asked as she finished.
"I wrote it for my younger brother T.K."
Her grip on the guitar tightened, "I wrote it for my brother too."
The smell of something burning caught their noses,
"Shit!" Matt cried, "I forgot all about dinner."
Lee laid the guitar down and followed him out, she recognised the meal he was trying to make.
"You've made it too complicated," she said, brushing the various herbs he'd set out aside, "Go and get me some thyme out of the balcony garden."
Matt obeyed, giving her the thyme along with a very confused look.
"In my world we couldn't afford to waste food," She explained quickly, "do you have any chicken carcases?"
Matt nodded, "Yeah, for soup." He pulled one out of the freezer.
She dropped it into the rice, along with the chopped thyme.
"Wow, you're really good at this." Matt complimented.
She shrugged, "It's a survival skill."
Matt stared at her, "Don't you know how to have fun?"
"Sparring with the little ones is fun, as well as practical," She gave Matt a small smile, "This needs to simmer for about an hour, do you want to go to the park. We can spar."
Matt nodded.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Sedra sat up in bed, heart still pounding, fighting the urge to wake Kari and demand evacuation. It had been that dream again, or rather, that memory.
She didn't even know if they'd made it out alive, Ken, Davis, Mimi, Joe, Iori, Izzy and Miyako. And Kari. Somehow that last one hurt the most. She should have listened to her dreams. She'd been arrogant, what had made her believe he wouldn't be able to find them? Because of her Takeru was dead, and the others could be. Kari could be.
She stared over at the sleeping girl beside her. So similar, and yet so completely different. She lightly ran her fingers down where the scar would have been if it had been her Kari there slumbering so peacefully. Then again, the light touch would have woken her Kari.
She slipped out of the bed before she could do anything she regretted. It was hard to remember that this wasn't her Kari, and never would be.
She padded over to the balcony, stepping out onto it to stare up at the full moon. Was Kari out there, staring at the full moon as she did. What did it matter, they were worlds apart now.
"I'm sorry," She whispered through the tears she hadn't known were there, "I'm sorry I didn't protect you. I'm sorry, please wait for me. I love you Kamiya Kari."
Tai froze behind the curtains, not quite sure if he'd heard correctly.
He stepped out onto the balcony. Sedra looked up from the photo he hadn't realised was in her hand.
She looked startled and hastily wiped her face, a cheerful smile pasted on her face,
"Guess you couldn't sleep either, hey?" She said brightly.
Tai snatched the photo out of her hand. It took him a moment to recognise the two girls. Sedra had her arm draped around another smiling girl. Kari, he realised, although this Kari had far longer hair then his sister ever had, and darker skin, causing the white scar on her temple to stand out even more then it already would have.
"Who?" He asked, despite the fact he already knew the answer.
"My girlfriend, Kari." She sighed, "I don't even know if she's alive." She looked up at Tai, "You don't have to worry about your sister Taichi, I could never be with anyone besides my Kari."
Tai placed a hand on her shoulder, "It's okay. I trust you."
She nodded, "I'll sit watch for the rest of the night. I don't think I'll be able too sleep again."
Tai nodded and went inside, and over the other side of Odaiba Lee kept watch too.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Kari woke up and scanned the room for Sedra. She'd had the sweetest dream involving the two of them, but now that she reflected upon it, she hadn't really looked like herself.
And on further reflection, she couldn't think why she'd had that sort of dream about herself and another girl.
"I need to ring T.K." She said quite firmly, "After all dreaming about a girl does not make you a lesbian." Dr Markandoo had told her that the first time she'd dreamt about kissing Miyako. She'd gone with T.K. and he'd told her it was perfectly natural to dream about having sexual relations with someone of the same sex. It was exploring your feelings in a safe environment. T.K. had thought exploring his feelings for Davis in any environment was unsafe. Although he hadn't said the same thing about his more frequently occurring dreams about Iori.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
"So," Izzy began, "Has everyone decided whether or not they want to go?"
The room burst into conversation. Lee sidled over to Sedra,
"We got the wrong world Sedra."
"What?" Sedra sounded confused.
"None of them know how to fight. They'd be helpless in hand-to-hand combat. When I was in the park with Matt last night he couldn't even fend off a drunkard."
"Shit." Sedra said softly, "Well, it's too late now. Besides we can teach them. If Sora could teach a band of untrained misfits like us, we can train them."
"I hope you're right," Lee said just as softly, "Because we're not Sora."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
"I'm going!" Cried Tai and Davis simultaneously. Everyone giggled.
"I'm going too." Announced Kari. "It wouldn't feel right turning away someone who desperately needs our help like them."
"Me too." Said T.K quickly.
"I'll go." Said Sora, "After what I heard from Lee, I could never live with myself if I left people to die in a place like that."
"I'm rather intrigued by the idea for travelling to another reality." Confessed Izzy.
"I better come along in case one of you get sick." Said Joe with a wiry smile.
"I'll go." Said Ken quietly. Everyone waited to hear his reason but Ken just blushed at their attention.
"We're Digidestined." Smiled Iori, "It's just what we do."
Miyako gave a small cry. "Now I have no excuse for staying! Thanks a lot Iori!" Everyone laughed at the boys confused expression.
"Let's do it!" Squealed Mimi.
They all looked at Matt, the only one who hadn't announced his decision. "I'd better go, in case they think no one's good looking from our reality." He said with a wicked grin.
Both Tai and Davis grabbed cushions and started to bash a protesting Matt with them.
Izzy looked over to the two off-worlders as they watched on with sober expressions. "So, could one of you please explain how we are to travel to your dimension?"
Sedra hit herself in the head. "Uh! Stupid me. Right. Sorry I forgot. When you first returned to the real world did you use a gateway? This big door thing inside a castle? You have to use cards laid out in a certain order to open them."
Izzy's eyes widened. "Of course! Gennai said that if we got the cards wrong we could end up in a different reality!"
The brunette winked and gave him the thumbs up. "Got it in one. Lee and I have the cards that will dial our world and get us through. But once we're through the cards we have are rendered useless and it'll take a while for our Izzy to synthesise some more to get you back to your own world. Is this coming too fast for you?"
Izzy shook his head. "No, I understand."
"Good," interrupted Lee, "We leave tonight. That gives you a day to get ready."
Sedra glared at the blond. "Excuse me? I thought I was the leader?" Lee rolled her eyes,
"Fine."
"Great! What Lee said before. We'll meet in the park by the swings at 6:00."
She grabbed Lees arm and dragged her out the door. "See ya then!" She called back over her shoulder.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
At 6:00 pm all the Digidestined were gathered in the park.
"Where are they?" grouched Miyako.
Izzy shrugged. "They said they'd be here."
"And we are." Called a cheerful voice from above. Every one looked up to see Sedra and Lee sprawled comfortably on a thick tree branch.
"How you survived the Digital World is a mystery." Sniffed Lee and she dropped lightly to the grass. "This is going to be like looking after a bunch of rowdy children."
"Do you want our help or not?" Snapped Matt. The braided girl turned her back on him in a gesture of dismissal.
"Of course we want your help, we need all of you." Sedra interrupted hastily, before the two could start squabbling again.
Davis noticed something strange about the pair. "Hey, look Ken! They have swords!" He pointed to the long curved blade strapped to Sedras hip, in case Ken couldn't spot it. All the Digidestined stared at the weapon.
Sedra smiled fondly and petted the hilt. "It's a sabre, Daisuke. Shiva and I have seen our fair share of battles." She drew the wide, flat blade that glittered blue-silver. The hilt was made from a strange ebony black steel studded with white diamonds the grip had been wrapped in silver wire. On the pommel was a white globe that had a strange black symbol floating in it. It looked like an Egyptian eye with a star for a pupil. "What's that symbol stand for?" asked Iori. "That's my crest. It stands for my Sight." Explained Sedra. "Your 'Sight'?" Asked Tai. "I have visions of the future. It's my brains reaction to my Dark Spore." She said offhandedly. Ken looked slightly sick, "Your Dark Spore?" He asked weakly. "It's time to go." Interrupted Lee. She pressed a button on her watch. "DIGI-PORT OPEN!" Out of nowhere mist began to swirl in front of them. "What's that?" Asked Kari. Lee sent her a cold look and stepped through the small patch of fog, only she didn't come out the other side. Sedra clapped the smaller girl on the back. "It's a Digi-port! What'd you think it was?" She teased. "We travel through a computer." Explained Izzy. "A computer?" Sedra raised an eyebrow. "You guys still do it that way? Well, I guess you were never pushed to the same extremes as us. That could be why you haven't reached the same level as us, because you never needed to." The red head looked rather impressed. "That is theoretically sound." He agreed. "You guys are giving me a headache." Complained Davis. "C'mon Ken. Last one in is a rotten egg!" Laughing the boy raced into the mist. "Davis!" Cried Ken as he hurried after his friend. Sedra shook her head, a small smile on her face. "Some things just never change," she observed dryly.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
"Before we do this I want to be sure you all know the risks." They were inside Myotismons old castle. Sedra stood in front of the small stone pedestal. "You'll all see things you'd rather you didn't. There's the possibility of death or torture, maybe both. There'll be bloody battles that you'll have to fight, do not expect your Digimon to fight your battles for you, they have enough to worry about. Ours is an enslaved world, don't expect to see much happiness." She looked at them all. "You'll meet yourselves, if they survived, and that will be weird. You might learn a thing or two about yourselves you did or did not want to know. When we get to my world you will all be fugitives, on the run from the law. The Kaizer is the law now and that makes us the bad guys. You will all be trained in the art of fighting and survival. You will not be able to return to this world for a month." She paused. "That's about it. Do you all understand?" They all nodded. "And do you still wish to do this?" Asked Lee. "We're not cowards!" Shouted Miyako, in a familiar keyed up style. "I say 'Bring it ON!!!!!!" The other Digidestined cheered. "Very well." Smiled Sedra and began laying out the cards. Ken wandered over to Lee. "Do you all have Dark Spores?" He wanted to know. Normally Lee would have ignored the boy but she could see that it was important to him. "Yes." Ken hesitated. "So, the other me has one to. D-Does it have an effect on him like it does Sedra?" Lee studied him through ice green eyes. "We found that the Dark Spore affects everyone differently. It gave Sedra the Sight, you have a unique condition we call 'Feral', great stress or feelings set it off. It gives you unnatural strength and speed, but you also revert back to an animal state of mind and tend to lash out at anything. Usually only Daisuke and Osamu can calm you down and often it's those two things that send you Feral in the first place." "I-I don't think I understand." Lee patted him on the shoulder in an out-of-character gesture of kindness. "When one of those two are in danger it triggers your Feral. Last night Matt told me how you were the Kaizer in this world. What he described sounded like your Dark Spore playing up. Don't worry yourself over what you did as the Kaizer. You couldn't control your actions any more than you could stop Osamu dieing. Which is what triggered it in the first place I imagine." "So I turn into a power hungry lunatic?" Ken gave a sour smile. The blond slapped him playfully on the back. "It's a bit more primal than that. But never mind, it'll be fine as long as you have your Davis." Ken could feel himself blushing. "Thanks." He mumbled. At that moment the huge double doors opened in a rush of blinding light. "Here we go." Said Lee with a soft smile for Ken, which reminded him a whole lot of some one he knew. "See you on the other side." And she stepped through the doors, disappearing into the white light. "I'll go last, to make sure nothing goes wrong." Sedra was explaining to the others. "All right!" Cried Tai. "Let's head out!" Then he too leapt through the door, followed by Matt and the other Digidestined. Ken felt a hand grip his. "Let's go through together." Said Davis. Ken smiled and together they stepped through into the light. "Ah, young love." Grinned Sedra. She looked around one last time and sighed wistfully. "One day." She vowed, "My world will be this happy again." Then she picked up a large sports bag, stuffed full of something and stepped through the door. The cards laid out on the pedestal shimmered and dissolved into bits of data. The two large doors closed with a rumbling boom that might as well have not existed, as no one was around to hear it.
End Chapter one.
Well, not really AU, but they do go to one. Yaoi + Yuri + Het'.
It could be weird, save for the fact that I'm a logical person so everything makes perfect sense. If you don't get it you must be pretty stupid.
Chapter 1: Different Dimensions
Izzy frowned, either he was going crazy or two teenage girls were following him.
One was tall and slender, her most noticeable feature being a long corn gold braid that almost reached her knees. The other was only just taller then himself with almost unnaturally pale skin and deep chocolate brown, shoulder length hair with two platinum blond locks making up her fringe.
Some times he saw them together, sometimes separately. It had started two days ago, when the brunette had knocked on his door. She had said she was selling liquorice cake and he (being allergic to liquorice), had politely declined. The odd thing was that when Izzy offered to purchase a slice for his mother the girl hadn't had any.
Ever since then, whenever he went out side, if only for a moment, he would spot one of the two girls.
Even now as he talked to Tai in a public phone booth he could see the blond watching him from across the street.
"What do you mean you think you're being followed?" Asked Tai.
"Just what I said," Izzy hid his mouth with a hand, in case the blond could lip read. "I'd like to call a Digidestined meeting."
"Okay Iz', where and when?"
"My house, at noon. I don't want them following me to someone else's place and that gives you an hour and a half to contact every one and get there."
"Gee, that's not much time Izzy."
"I know Tai, but I'm pretty freaked. This kind of thing only ever happens to Matt or Ken."
"Don't worry Iz, We'll be there. Just sit tight."
"Okay thanks Tai." They both hung up and Izzy looked across the street.
The blond was gone.
Izzy didn't see the two all the way home. He came to his front door with a sigh of relief and fished through his pockets for his keys.
"Looking for these?" Asked a cheerful, yet unfamiliar voice.
With a squeak Izzy spun around and found himself staring at his two stalkers. The brunette had her hand out, offering Izzy his keys.
"Who are you? And why are you following me?" He asked loudly, trying not to panic. How could they have stolen his keys from his pocket when he'd been keeping a close eye out for them?
"Perhaps we should take this inside?" Said the blond in a soft musical voice.
"Well?" The brunette pressed the keys into his hand. "Stop being a jack ass, Koushiro and let us in!"
Gulping Izzy unlocked the door and waited.
"You go in first, carrot top, and keep your hands where I can see them." Instructed the blond.
He nodded and stepped inside, the duo following close behind. As soon as the blond had shut the door Izzy was startled to find himself pulled into a rib-cracking embrace by the brunette.
"Shit Izzy! It's great to see you again!" Cried the girl happily.
"I've never seen you before in my life." Wheezed the red head.
"Let him go Sedra. We don't even know if we're in the right dimension or not."
The brunette, Sedra, realised Izzy had turned to the stony faced blond. "Of course this is the place, Lee! Just look at him, he's our Izzy!"
Lee raised a sceptical eyebrow.
"Well, maybe not our Izzy," The girl amended. "But. You know what I mean!"
Lee sunk gracefully into one of the armchairs. She seemed rather determined to ignore her companions babbling.
"You called a Digidestined meeting. We will wait for the others to arrive before continuing." She said in her oddly musical soft monotone.
The blond was clearly one who didn't like to waste her breath unless she had to. Her entire presence radiated danger. It wasn't hard to figure out, Lee was a warrior who'd seen her fair share of battles.
However, it was the brunette, Sedra, that Izzy couldn't figure out. In a strange way she reminded him of Tai, or maybe Davis. Good natured, caring, a tad bit hyperactive.
What some one like Sedra could be doing in the company of Lee, he couldn't imagine.
Izzy was startled from his thoughts by the doorbell.
"That should be the others!" Exclaimed Sedra rushing into the hall to get the door.
The two left sitting in the lounge room heard a horrified scream.
Almost faster than Izzy could see, Lee was out of her chair and had a knife pressed against his throat.
Sedra backed hurriedly into the room, knocking over a vase in the process.
"What's going on?" Izzy heard Tai ask in confusion.
Lee tightened her grip on him and dragged him back to a window.
"How far down is it?" She asked the brunette, who'd joined them. Sedra looked over her shoulder.
"Ten floors. Nothing but the ground to break our fall." Answered the girl; her voice had lost all its hidden laughter.
Tai entered the room, his eyes widening at the scene before him.
"Sedra," Said Lee quietly. "Hold on to my shoulders and I'll break your fall."
Izzy's eyes widened in disbelief. Lee was talking about sacrificing her life, so Sedra could escape from TAI???
"Wait just a minute!" Squeaked Izzy, half wondering if this was all a strange dream. "There's no reason to go jumping out windows, just yet. You said you wanted to talk to the Digidestined. Tai's our leader, he's not going to hurt you."
Lee eyed Tai with mistrust, her icy green eyes glittering coldly.
"We'll listen to Koushiro." Said Sedra, placing a calming hand on the blonds shoulder. "I don't think the Taichi in this dimension will harm us."
Lee released Izzy but didn't put her knife away. "You're too trusting Sedra."
"Er, Izzy. What's going on?" Asked Tai.
Lee sunk back into her chair. "I shall tolerate your presence. But make no mistake Taichi," She said matter-of-factly. "One wrong move and I will gut you like a fish faster than you can blink."
"Um.Ooookaaay???"
"Hey guys! Sorry we're all so late." Matt paused in the doorway. "Um, did I miss something?"
It seemed the other Digidestined had arrived.
Lee stood silently in the corner as Sedra explained things to the Digidestined.
"My name is Sedra Wilder," She began, "and my brooding friend over there is Yaleea-"
"Just call me Lee!" Snapped the blond, shooting the girl a meaningful glare.
"Uh, yeah. Any way we're from a another dimension."
Izzy opened his mouth to ask a question, but Sedra held up a forestalling hand.
"Please save your questions until I have finished Koushiro. We were part of select few, chosen to protect a very special place, another world."
Miyako interrupted, "Wait a minute! You two were Digidestined?"
Lee scowled but Sedra smiled, "Yes. When we were twelve we were sucked from our summer camp to the Digital world."
The older Digidestined were exchanging shocked looks.
"There we fought and defeated several evil Digimon. Including Devimon, Eddamon and Piedmon. Everything settled down and four years later we were all shocked when two of our youngest members and their friends were called once again to fight for the Digital world."
Tai was nodding. "That sounds the same as what happened in our reality. When they got there they found some freak, no offence Ken, enslaving Digimon. Called himself the Digimon Kaizer?"
Sedra nodded sadly. "Yes, We fought the Kaizer, often barely escaping with our lives. But with his army of Digimon, he was too strong. Then, late one night the sky tore apart and the Kaizer entered the real world, bringing his hoard of enslaved Digimon with him. We faced him in the biggest battle of our lives." Sedra broke off, unable to continue or meet anyone's gaze.
"On that burnt and blasted field, as the rising sun stained the heavens crimson. We were defeated." Said Lee, her soft voice easily heard in the silent room.
"That's where I got these." Whispered Sedra, lightly touching her snowy strands. "A memento he called it, one for each world I'd failed. It's also where we lost Sora."
"So the difference between our realities is that Ken won." Concluded Izzy. Sedra looked confused.
"Were we all there?" Asked Tai.
"Oh, you were there, Taichi." Hissed Lee. "You were the one who killed Sora! You are the Digimon Kaizer!" She lunged forward. Matt was there in a flash, wrestling her to the ground. The fight only lasted for a few seconds and ended with Lee pinning Matt to the floor, her knife pressed against his throat.
"I don't care who you are!" She hissed menacingly, "That monster killed my little brother and he won't get away with it!"
"No! Don't hurt Matt!" Shouted Takeru. "Let him go!"
Lees eyes softened and she climbed to her feet. "There's not a person in this room I couldn't kill. Just be grateful that I'm not a murderer like him!" She spat glaring down at Matt.
Sedra hadn't so much as batted an eye at all this. "Don't try that again Lee." She warned. "It's not our place to judge those in this world. Even I can see that this Taichi would never hurt anyone."
The blond took a deep breath. "Please excuse me." She said before rushing out the door.
Sedra watched her go. "Sora? Please go after her? You two were very close in our world." Sora looked uncomfortable but nodded and went any way.
"Allow me to finish our tale. The Digimon Kaizer now rules both worlds, the governments tried to stop him but He crushed them easily. Life continues for most, but the Kaizer has recently been enslaving both Digimon and humans. And of course, the Kaizer hasn't forgotten about us. He's slowly killing us off. The last attack on our hide out was horrible, the Digidestined are scattered, I'm afraid we don't know who survived and who didn't." She sighed. "That's why I'm here. I've come to ask for your help. I know I have no right, but it's getting desperate. The Kaizer, he makes humans and Digimon battle each other in a huge arena for his entertainment. Children are being taken from parents and trained as soldiers. He cripples people with taxes and food is becoming so expensive that some families can't afford to eat. He makes unfair laws and gives them extreme penalties. My world needs the Digidestined."
She looked around at them. "It would be foolish to answer now. But I would appreciate it if you would think about it."
Tai had tears in his eyes. "Why would I do something like that? How could I? That's not me! I would never!"
Sedra stood from her seat and hesitantly touched the boy on the shoulder. "I'm not too sure. But my informants tell me that when the Kaizer was a child a Digimon came out of his computer." Tai nodded. "He raised it, but it wasn't supposed to be there so another Digimon managed to get through a gateway. That Digimon was much stronger than the Kaizer's and destroyed it. Then the Digimon took the Kaizer back to the Digital world and raised him. They became lovers before the Kaizer conquered the Digital world."
Tai stared at her for a moment. "What was this Digimon called?"
"Myotismon."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Sora halted in the shadow of a tree and looked towards the beach. Lee sat on a lone bench looking out across the bay. A breeze ruffled her blond fringe, causing golden strands to dance over her pale face. Sora was strongly reminded of someone, though she couldn't quite think who.
She had a dark brooding expression on her face, she looked sad.
Sora seated herself beside the girl. They sat in silence for a while.
"It's only been four years," Said Lee abruptly, "But It has changed so much I can hardly recognise it."
"What's different in your world?" asked Sora.
Lee pointed to the gardens that could be made out on the other side of the bay. "That is where the Kaizer built the Arena. Sometimes you can see the water Digimon feeding on the bodies of the humans killed in the fights. Kenta and Kazu died in there. I remember my brother and I trying to stop Takato from going after them." She didn't take her blank stare off the park. "For some reason the Digimon didn't eat Kenta. His body washed up on the shore. Rika, Henry and Iori found it."
"That's horrible!" Gasped Sora. Lee shrugged.
"That's life. Over there is the slave markets." She pointed to a shore side theme park. "It's actually where we found the little ones. Some 'Okiowa' guy was trying to sell Ken to some of the Kaizers scientists. We didn't know how valuable Ken's dark spore was until then. Anyway, we busted him out and as we were running for it Kari and my brother saw little Takato playing with his Digivice in one of the slave pens.
In the west are the factories that manufacture Dark Rings and Modems."
"What are Modems?"
"They are small chips that are inserted under the skin at the base of the neck and are used to rewrite a humans thought patterns. Like Dark Rings, only for humans."
Sora was quiet for a moment. "Anything else?"
"Those Skyscrapers were demolished and that's the Kaizers palace. Digimon roaming the streets. The park a few streets over grew wild, that was the main entrance to our secret underground base. After his last attack, it's a burnt twisted pile of rubble now, still smouldering I imagine."
"It wasn't that long ago?" Asked Sora.
"It'd be three days ago, now."
Sora hesitated before asking. "Is that where the Kaizer.?"
"My brother and I survived the attack and we decided to find Sedra. I knew she'd gotten out okay and I didn't want her coming here by herself. He caught up with us and-" Her breath caught and unshed tears sparkled in her icy green eyes. "We gave it every thing we had, but He was too strong. The Kaizer was about to Mode me again when my brother - he, he fought the Kaizer for me. The whole time the Kaizer was laughing at him. At the very end my brother told me not to watch as the Kaizer did it. My brother died a hero." Her musical voice was raw with grief, but held an undeniable note of pride.
Sora pulled Lee into a comforting hug. "It's okay to cry Lee, you don't have to hold it in."
"I haven't the time to grieve, not while my brothers murderer still lives." She answered stiffly.
"What was your brothers name?"
"Takeru Takashi. Our parents were divorced in my reality."
Sora stared at her. "What's your full name?"
"Yaleea Ishida."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
"We'll all think about it for tonight." Resolved Taichi. "But it's everyone's own choice if they go or not. It's not a vote." He looked over at Sedra. "Do you two have a place to stay?"
The strange girls face gave away nothing. "Lee and I have been. roughing it, shall we say."
All the Digidestined looked around at each other. Sora and Lee entered the room.
"We have been sleeping in the vicinity of our old base."
"Hold on a minute!" Interrupted Sora. "You two have been sleeping in the park for - How many days was it?"
"Two." Answered Lee.
"Is there a problem with this? We've slept in worse places in the Digital World, and in our world." Said Sedra with a confused expression on her face.
"Well, what about rapists or murderers, or something?" Asked Sora.
Lee snorted indifferently. "We ran into a few of those. But a knife wielding drunk is nothing compared to fighting hand to hand against a Digimon."
"We'd all feel a lot better if you weren't sleeping on the park benches, if only for the knife wielding drunks sake." Said Tai with a rueful smile.
Lee glared and Sedra grinned. "Thanks! Where do we crash?"
Tai thought for a moment. "Well, one of you could stay at our house." He offered. "And Matt has a spare room for when Takeru sleeps over."
"No way, Tai!" Interrupted Matt.
"I would rather take my chances in the park." Sneered Lee.
Sedra stood stiffly and looked down at the braided girl. "Who is the leader of the Digidestined?" She asked coolly.
Lee scowled. "You are."
"And whose orders do you follow?"
"Yours."
Sedra gave a small nod. "You will spend the night at Yamato's, that's an order."
The two glared at each other, finally Lee looked away. "Understood." She muttered.
"Excuse me?! Isn't any one going to ask if it's okay with me?!" Snapped Matt peevishly.
"No." Sniffed Lee.
"Bitch."
"Man."
"Ice queen!"
"Slut!"
"Hey!" Cried Davis. "Don't talk to Matt like that."
"Hey," Sedra mocked, "Don't talk to Lee like that. or I'll have to confiscate Ken for a few days."
Both Davis and Ken looked nonplussed. "Huh?"
Sedra gave a small shriek, "What? You guys aren't together? What sort of crazy world is this?"
"It's unnatural." Agreed Lee.
"What! Why would Davis and I be together? I don't like Davis, I mean I do but as a friend. I don't want to be with Davis, we're friends. Just friends. Right, friends?"
Davis blinked still trying to comprehend the idea,
"But Ken's a boy," He commented quite stupidly.
Sedra snorted, "You'll get there one of these days."
Mimi giggled shrilly, "Oh my god. Davis and Ken, they'd be so cute together." Her voice rising in pitch as she hit the 'cute'.
Lee covered her ears, glaring at Sedra. Sedra shrugged,
"I didn't know she'd react like that," she mouthed, "Our Mimi wouldn't have."
"Yes she would."
Davis continued to blink.
"So, you're staying at my house, right? Hope you don't mind sharing Kari's bed."
"Of course not." Sedra tried to hide her smirk. "We always share a bed in my reality."
Izzy blinked and then looked mortified. Tai didn't seem to notice.
"That's good. Kari and I share a room," Sedra looked faintly disappointed, "And I think it'd be pretty scandalous if we shared a bed."
"Probably more scandalous if she shares with Kari," Izzy mumbled, then squeaked as he noticed Lee had drawn closer threateningly.
Sedra smirked. "Well we may as well be going. Kari still has to show me her bed." She looked very pleased by the concept. Izzy stopped her before she could leave,
"A word?"
"Yeah, sure thing," She said. He waited for the rest of the Digidestined to leave.
"You're with Kari aren't you," He said very bluntly, fully expecting her denial.
"Shit yeah!" Sedra crowed, "I mean God, the girl is Talented, with a capital T. She does this amazing thing with her tongue and her back-" Izzy covered her mouth,
"That's more then I wanted to know."
She shrugged, "No problem. Before you go, what's the deal with, Matt was it? Who is he?"
"Yamato Ishida? Well he's T.K.'s older brother and one of the original Digidestined." He wondered what exactly she wanted to know.
Sedra let out a bark of laughter, "Holy shit! No wonder she hates him."
"What?" Izzy asked, "What's so funny."
"Just think about who Lee reminds you of." She walked out still laughing
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Suddenly out of the blue Davis stopped, head shooting up,
"Hey, she thought we were gay!" Davis cried, suddenly realising what the girl had meant.
Ken stopped as well, turning slightly pink,
"I guess she did."
"Well I'm not," Davis said firmly, "I like Kari, you know that, right Ken?"
"Everyone knows that Dai," Ken said scuffing his foot and refusing to meet Davis's eyes.
"That's what I thought!" Davis said glomping on to Ken's arm, "She's just stupid. We're just friends! Friends that's it. She was just jealous. She wants Kari for herself. Well Kari's my girl. If I can wrestle her from TL I can wrestle her from what's-her-name, Faydra."
"That's Sedra."
"I knew that, I was just. testing you. Yeah that's it. I was testing you." Davis said.
Ken sighed, "C'mon Dai. Let's go home."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Lee's eyes widened as she surveyed Matts apartment. Matt noticed her look,
"I'm sorry that my apartment isn't as good as the park," he said sarcastically.
Lee brushed past him and settled on the couch,
"It is satisfactory, I wasn't expecting anything more from you."
"Ouch," Matt said sarcastically, "You sure know how to hit me where it hurts."
Lee sniffed,
"Man-whore" She hissed under her breath.
Matt didn't seem to hear,
"Would you like me to cook you dinner or are you just going to drink my blood?"
"It probably has some sexually transmitted disease. I'd rather drink Sedra's then yours and that's saying something."
Matt sighed,
"Fine, I won't make you anything. Starve!"
Lee didn't bother looking at him, "Highly unlikely. I have lasted three weeks without food and water."
"What exactly is your world like?" Matt asked worriedly.
"Home." She shrugged. She got up and walked over to the fridge took a sip from the jug of juice and pulled out one of Matts chocolate bars.
Matt blinked, "Hey that's mine! And don't drink out of the jug!" Matt realised he was sounding hypocritical, as he usually did exactly the same thing, right down to stealing T.K.'s chocolate bars out of the fridge.
Lee shrugged, biting into the chocolate bar and leaving the room.
Matt glared after her then pulled a saucepan out of the cupboard and filled it with water and rice. That girl better not be anywhere near his room.
Lee opened the door and gave the room a cursory once over for weapons, and noticed something she hadn't seen in a long time propped up in one corner of his room.
Carefully she picked it up, running her fingers along the strings like a child with an old toy,
"I wonder if I can still play it?" Idly she plucked at the strings trying to recreate a melody she'd once written for her brother.
Matt dropped what he was doing as he heard the music,
"She's playing my guitar!" He paused in the doorway of his room, recognising the tune. After all, he'd written it for T.K.
She stopped abruptly and repeated the last chord.
"Why are you stopping?" He asked carefully.
She shrugged, "That's all I wrote. I never got around to finishing it."
Matt carefully sat down next to her, pulling the notes out from under his bed,
"Try this."
"My song!" Her green eyes widened in surprise, and she began to play, "How did you know?" She asked as she finished.
"I wrote it for my younger brother T.K."
Her grip on the guitar tightened, "I wrote it for my brother too."
The smell of something burning caught their noses,
"Shit!" Matt cried, "I forgot all about dinner."
Lee laid the guitar down and followed him out, she recognised the meal he was trying to make.
"You've made it too complicated," she said, brushing the various herbs he'd set out aside, "Go and get me some thyme out of the balcony garden."
Matt obeyed, giving her the thyme along with a very confused look.
"In my world we couldn't afford to waste food," She explained quickly, "do you have any chicken carcases?"
Matt nodded, "Yeah, for soup." He pulled one out of the freezer.
She dropped it into the rice, along with the chopped thyme.
"Wow, you're really good at this." Matt complimented.
She shrugged, "It's a survival skill."
Matt stared at her, "Don't you know how to have fun?"
"Sparring with the little ones is fun, as well as practical," She gave Matt a small smile, "This needs to simmer for about an hour, do you want to go to the park. We can spar."
Matt nodded.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Sedra sat up in bed, heart still pounding, fighting the urge to wake Kari and demand evacuation. It had been that dream again, or rather, that memory.
She didn't even know if they'd made it out alive, Ken, Davis, Mimi, Joe, Iori, Izzy and Miyako. And Kari. Somehow that last one hurt the most. She should have listened to her dreams. She'd been arrogant, what had made her believe he wouldn't be able to find them? Because of her Takeru was dead, and the others could be. Kari could be.
She stared over at the sleeping girl beside her. So similar, and yet so completely different. She lightly ran her fingers down where the scar would have been if it had been her Kari there slumbering so peacefully. Then again, the light touch would have woken her Kari.
She slipped out of the bed before she could do anything she regretted. It was hard to remember that this wasn't her Kari, and never would be.
She padded over to the balcony, stepping out onto it to stare up at the full moon. Was Kari out there, staring at the full moon as she did. What did it matter, they were worlds apart now.
"I'm sorry," She whispered through the tears she hadn't known were there, "I'm sorry I didn't protect you. I'm sorry, please wait for me. I love you Kamiya Kari."
Tai froze behind the curtains, not quite sure if he'd heard correctly.
He stepped out onto the balcony. Sedra looked up from the photo he hadn't realised was in her hand.
She looked startled and hastily wiped her face, a cheerful smile pasted on her face,
"Guess you couldn't sleep either, hey?" She said brightly.
Tai snatched the photo out of her hand. It took him a moment to recognise the two girls. Sedra had her arm draped around another smiling girl. Kari, he realised, although this Kari had far longer hair then his sister ever had, and darker skin, causing the white scar on her temple to stand out even more then it already would have.
"Who?" He asked, despite the fact he already knew the answer.
"My girlfriend, Kari." She sighed, "I don't even know if she's alive." She looked up at Tai, "You don't have to worry about your sister Taichi, I could never be with anyone besides my Kari."
Tai placed a hand on her shoulder, "It's okay. I trust you."
She nodded, "I'll sit watch for the rest of the night. I don't think I'll be able too sleep again."
Tai nodded and went inside, and over the other side of Odaiba Lee kept watch too.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Kari woke up and scanned the room for Sedra. She'd had the sweetest dream involving the two of them, but now that she reflected upon it, she hadn't really looked like herself.
And on further reflection, she couldn't think why she'd had that sort of dream about herself and another girl.
"I need to ring T.K." She said quite firmly, "After all dreaming about a girl does not make you a lesbian." Dr Markandoo had told her that the first time she'd dreamt about kissing Miyako. She'd gone with T.K. and he'd told her it was perfectly natural to dream about having sexual relations with someone of the same sex. It was exploring your feelings in a safe environment. T.K. had thought exploring his feelings for Davis in any environment was unsafe. Although he hadn't said the same thing about his more frequently occurring dreams about Iori.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
"So," Izzy began, "Has everyone decided whether or not they want to go?"
The room burst into conversation. Lee sidled over to Sedra,
"We got the wrong world Sedra."
"What?" Sedra sounded confused.
"None of them know how to fight. They'd be helpless in hand-to-hand combat. When I was in the park with Matt last night he couldn't even fend off a drunkard."
"Shit." Sedra said softly, "Well, it's too late now. Besides we can teach them. If Sora could teach a band of untrained misfits like us, we can train them."
"I hope you're right," Lee said just as softly, "Because we're not Sora."
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
"I'm going!" Cried Tai and Davis simultaneously. Everyone giggled.
"I'm going too." Announced Kari. "It wouldn't feel right turning away someone who desperately needs our help like them."
"Me too." Said T.K quickly.
"I'll go." Said Sora, "After what I heard from Lee, I could never live with myself if I left people to die in a place like that."
"I'm rather intrigued by the idea for travelling to another reality." Confessed Izzy.
"I better come along in case one of you get sick." Said Joe with a wiry smile.
"I'll go." Said Ken quietly. Everyone waited to hear his reason but Ken just blushed at their attention.
"We're Digidestined." Smiled Iori, "It's just what we do."
Miyako gave a small cry. "Now I have no excuse for staying! Thanks a lot Iori!" Everyone laughed at the boys confused expression.
"Let's do it!" Squealed Mimi.
They all looked at Matt, the only one who hadn't announced his decision. "I'd better go, in case they think no one's good looking from our reality." He said with a wicked grin.
Both Tai and Davis grabbed cushions and started to bash a protesting Matt with them.
Izzy looked over to the two off-worlders as they watched on with sober expressions. "So, could one of you please explain how we are to travel to your dimension?"
Sedra hit herself in the head. "Uh! Stupid me. Right. Sorry I forgot. When you first returned to the real world did you use a gateway? This big door thing inside a castle? You have to use cards laid out in a certain order to open them."
Izzy's eyes widened. "Of course! Gennai said that if we got the cards wrong we could end up in a different reality!"
The brunette winked and gave him the thumbs up. "Got it in one. Lee and I have the cards that will dial our world and get us through. But once we're through the cards we have are rendered useless and it'll take a while for our Izzy to synthesise some more to get you back to your own world. Is this coming too fast for you?"
Izzy shook his head. "No, I understand."
"Good," interrupted Lee, "We leave tonight. That gives you a day to get ready."
Sedra glared at the blond. "Excuse me? I thought I was the leader?" Lee rolled her eyes,
"Fine."
"Great! What Lee said before. We'll meet in the park by the swings at 6:00."
She grabbed Lees arm and dragged her out the door. "See ya then!" She called back over her shoulder.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
At 6:00 pm all the Digidestined were gathered in the park.
"Where are they?" grouched Miyako.
Izzy shrugged. "They said they'd be here."
"And we are." Called a cheerful voice from above. Every one looked up to see Sedra and Lee sprawled comfortably on a thick tree branch.
"How you survived the Digital World is a mystery." Sniffed Lee and she dropped lightly to the grass. "This is going to be like looking after a bunch of rowdy children."
"Do you want our help or not?" Snapped Matt. The braided girl turned her back on him in a gesture of dismissal.
"Of course we want your help, we need all of you." Sedra interrupted hastily, before the two could start squabbling again.
Davis noticed something strange about the pair. "Hey, look Ken! They have swords!" He pointed to the long curved blade strapped to Sedras hip, in case Ken couldn't spot it. All the Digidestined stared at the weapon.
Sedra smiled fondly and petted the hilt. "It's a sabre, Daisuke. Shiva and I have seen our fair share of battles." She drew the wide, flat blade that glittered blue-silver. The hilt was made from a strange ebony black steel studded with white diamonds the grip had been wrapped in silver wire. On the pommel was a white globe that had a strange black symbol floating in it. It looked like an Egyptian eye with a star for a pupil. "What's that symbol stand for?" asked Iori. "That's my crest. It stands for my Sight." Explained Sedra. "Your 'Sight'?" Asked Tai. "I have visions of the future. It's my brains reaction to my Dark Spore." She said offhandedly. Ken looked slightly sick, "Your Dark Spore?" He asked weakly. "It's time to go." Interrupted Lee. She pressed a button on her watch. "DIGI-PORT OPEN!" Out of nowhere mist began to swirl in front of them. "What's that?" Asked Kari. Lee sent her a cold look and stepped through the small patch of fog, only she didn't come out the other side. Sedra clapped the smaller girl on the back. "It's a Digi-port! What'd you think it was?" She teased. "We travel through a computer." Explained Izzy. "A computer?" Sedra raised an eyebrow. "You guys still do it that way? Well, I guess you were never pushed to the same extremes as us. That could be why you haven't reached the same level as us, because you never needed to." The red head looked rather impressed. "That is theoretically sound." He agreed. "You guys are giving me a headache." Complained Davis. "C'mon Ken. Last one in is a rotten egg!" Laughing the boy raced into the mist. "Davis!" Cried Ken as he hurried after his friend. Sedra shook her head, a small smile on her face. "Some things just never change," she observed dryly.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
"Before we do this I want to be sure you all know the risks." They were inside Myotismons old castle. Sedra stood in front of the small stone pedestal. "You'll all see things you'd rather you didn't. There's the possibility of death or torture, maybe both. There'll be bloody battles that you'll have to fight, do not expect your Digimon to fight your battles for you, they have enough to worry about. Ours is an enslaved world, don't expect to see much happiness." She looked at them all. "You'll meet yourselves, if they survived, and that will be weird. You might learn a thing or two about yourselves you did or did not want to know. When we get to my world you will all be fugitives, on the run from the law. The Kaizer is the law now and that makes us the bad guys. You will all be trained in the art of fighting and survival. You will not be able to return to this world for a month." She paused. "That's about it. Do you all understand?" They all nodded. "And do you still wish to do this?" Asked Lee. "We're not cowards!" Shouted Miyako, in a familiar keyed up style. "I say 'Bring it ON!!!!!!" The other Digidestined cheered. "Very well." Smiled Sedra and began laying out the cards. Ken wandered over to Lee. "Do you all have Dark Spores?" He wanted to know. Normally Lee would have ignored the boy but she could see that it was important to him. "Yes." Ken hesitated. "So, the other me has one to. D-Does it have an effect on him like it does Sedra?" Lee studied him through ice green eyes. "We found that the Dark Spore affects everyone differently. It gave Sedra the Sight, you have a unique condition we call 'Feral', great stress or feelings set it off. It gives you unnatural strength and speed, but you also revert back to an animal state of mind and tend to lash out at anything. Usually only Daisuke and Osamu can calm you down and often it's those two things that send you Feral in the first place." "I-I don't think I understand." Lee patted him on the shoulder in an out-of-character gesture of kindness. "When one of those two are in danger it triggers your Feral. Last night Matt told me how you were the Kaizer in this world. What he described sounded like your Dark Spore playing up. Don't worry yourself over what you did as the Kaizer. You couldn't control your actions any more than you could stop Osamu dieing. Which is what triggered it in the first place I imagine." "So I turn into a power hungry lunatic?" Ken gave a sour smile. The blond slapped him playfully on the back. "It's a bit more primal than that. But never mind, it'll be fine as long as you have your Davis." Ken could feel himself blushing. "Thanks." He mumbled. At that moment the huge double doors opened in a rush of blinding light. "Here we go." Said Lee with a soft smile for Ken, which reminded him a whole lot of some one he knew. "See you on the other side." And she stepped through the doors, disappearing into the white light. "I'll go last, to make sure nothing goes wrong." Sedra was explaining to the others. "All right!" Cried Tai. "Let's head out!" Then he too leapt through the door, followed by Matt and the other Digidestined. Ken felt a hand grip his. "Let's go through together." Said Davis. Ken smiled and together they stepped through into the light. "Ah, young love." Grinned Sedra. She looked around one last time and sighed wistfully. "One day." She vowed, "My world will be this happy again." Then she picked up a large sports bag, stuffed full of something and stepped through the door. The cards laid out on the pedestal shimmered and dissolved into bits of data. The two large doors closed with a rumbling boom that might as well have not existed, as no one was around to hear it.
End Chapter one.