Disclaimer: Never said we owned Digimon. We'd like to, however, so if you know a way, email is the messenger.

A/N – PC, what an awful place to end (again). But this is one of my longer chapters. Would you believe it only took me a half hour to write? Well, this is what happens at the base of the Others. I can't really say more (no time).

Love, Hate, Pain, War

Chapter 10 (ooh, double digits) – Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

By: Hopeful Writer and PhoenixChild

This chapter by: Hopeful Writer

"Hikari, he is an army soldier for the government," Taichi patiently reminded his little sister for the seventh time in less than five minutes.

"I know, Taichi," she replied plainly, wearing a small smirk on her face.

"You know, you're the leader of the rebel army last time I checked," Takeru exploded, having put up with this for long enough.

Taichi stared at him for a moment before smiling and nodding. "Good choice, Hika. He'll be able to help us."

Little Iori had been watching the entire conversation with his emerald eyes wide. "Um, I have a question. What are you fighting for?"

Hikari studied the small boy with her keen crimson eyes. "You're really into having a reason to fight." She sighed. "The Others fight for what's right, Iori. Peace."

Iori shook his head. "How can you *fight* for *peace*, Hikari?"

There was a brief moment of silence. No one in the base could answer the boy's profound question. "That's a good point," Taichi confessed. "My younger sister exaggerates a bit. We don't fight for peace as much as we fight for the end of the war. Hikari, do you have the package for the general."

"Yes, Taichi." She handed that little box to her brother, who held it with caution between his thick fingers.

"Are you sure this is it?"

"Yes, Taichi," she echoed.

"Do we get to find out what's in it yet?" Takeru asked anxiously.

Taichi had to laugh. "Not yet, tadpole. When the time is right, you will get to see it. And then you will wish you never did." The blond boy was silent.

Hikari suddenly spoke up. "Takeru, come with me for a second. I need to talk to you in private." He nodded and followed her, not giving a thought to the glare they received from Taichi.

Iori didn't want to eavesdrop, plus he wanted to talk to Taichi. The leader intrigued him. "Do you hate the government?" Iori wondered, watching the glare on Taichi's face change to a soft look as the older boy turned around.

"Hate them?" Taichi shook his head. "No, I don't *hate* them. I don't like them either though. I don't like that the government thinks that they can control us because they have weapons and bigger armies. Violence is never the answer, Iori. Hikari tells me you wanted to join this war. I pity a misinformed child like yourself. War is not glamorous. You do not always die with honor. It's not worth it, not for anyone."

"Taichi, did Hikari tell you about my father?"

"Yes. She told me about everything. You should have stayed home and been safe. What will your mother think if you get hurt?" The child was silent. "You didn't think this through carefully enough. Now you're stuck here with this war so very close to you."

Iori choked back the sob that threatened to expose itself. He cleared his throat several times before he could speak. "I understand, Taichi. I'm starting to wish I'd never made this decision."

"Unfortunately, it's too late to back out now. Just be careful and stay away from the fighting as much as you can. Use your head, not your heart, Iori."

Meanwhile, Takeru was wondering why Hikari was dragging him down several long hallways. "What is it, Hikari?" he finally demanded, planting his feet firmly and refusing to be moved.

Hikari sighed. "I know you do not trust my brother and my brother doesn't trust you. I don't trust Taichi either, Takeru. I haven't told you everything about him. He was never really on the rebel's side, but he supports them more than the government. The thing is, he lied to my parents. He truly told them that he was going to someone's house to spend a few nights . He lied to me and told me the same thing. I was smarter and quicker than my parents and I followed him, and now look where it got me. In fact, I'm... I'm..."

"What, Hikari?" Takeru's voice was gentle now.

"I'm terrified of my brother. He's insane when he's angry. He's got a gun and that scares me more than an onslaught of troops. I can't shoot my brother, or kill him like I would enemy troops. How do you fight something you can't kill?" By now, Hikari was sobbing and Takeru wrapped her in his arms.

"Don't worry," he whispered. "We'll get out of here."

"Then where will we be, Takeru? Alone."

Takeru thought for a minute. "Then we'll stay for the night. But if he even tries any funny business, then I'll teach him a good lesson."

"My hero," Hikari joked, wiping the lingering tears from her cheeks. "Thanks, Takeru."

"Don't mention it."

"I'll pay you back somehow."

"Okay, Hikari. But you really don't have to."

* * * * (A/N - Sorry, PC, but I really had a good idea.)

"Takeru, you and Iori can share those barracks over there," Taichi offered, motioning in the general direction of the sleeping areas. "Hikari, you will be over there." He pointed in the opposite direction.

"Okay," she replied quickly, so not to make her brother even more angry.

"Hikari!" Takeru suddenly called. She walked over to him. "Take this," he whispered, handing her a tiny whistle. "It's one of the loudest things in the world. Really," he added, noticing her skeptism. "Only blow it if you're really in trouble. I'll be here before you can say help me."

"Thank you, Takeru," she hissed, shooting a glance at her brother, who's back was turned, then pecking the boy's cheek. "You're a lifesaver."

"I hope I'm cherry flavored."

Hikari couldn't sleep. She kept tossing and turning in her bed, afraid of Taichi and his wrath. She also knew that her brother liked to get drunk on nights when they weren't fighting. That's when she heard the gunshots, then that very same brunette crash through her door, aiming the gun at her head.

Hikari couldn't breathe. She clutched the whistle in her hand, terrified to blow it for fear the Taichi would fire the gun. But suddenly, almost by her will power, Takeru was there, using ordinary martial arts to break Taichi's arm and throw the gun away. "Let's go!" he yelled to Hikari, who needed no second warning. She tore off after Takeru, who was going to get Iori.

"Come on," he prodded the younger child, who was clumsy in his quick movements. "Let's get out of here before the locals decide they don't like us very much."

"We don't like you," someone said, and the trio found themselves facing a very angry mob of soldiers, led by Taichi Kamiya himself.

A/N – So what do you think? Hope it's good enough. Good luck on the next part, PC! I gotta go to bed, so see ya!