================================================================ *I'm terribly sorry for the HUGE delay for this chapter, it's just that writer's block is a bit of a drag. I started new stories though. I know I shouldn't be leaving this story, but I have nothing else much to do, till the block leaves*.

Nick: She runs around, whacking medevil princess and neemsters with her assignment notebook, yelling at the world, sticking her head out the school window when it's thundering and raining like crazy, and kicking the air aimlessly. That's her form of entertainment.

Alexa: The kicking looks painful. Don't know why she's kicking the air.

*Neither do I, but hey, as long it's fun and doesn't kill you, I'm cool with it!*

Nick: Rain can give you pneumonia.

Alexa: Only a bit of rain-

Nick: People were running like mice to get out, and she went out in the rain for fun.

Alexa: Good point.

*Thanks to Akino Ame and medevil princess for all of your reviews! (As for the rest of you who have been neglecting Jurkato, you will suffer! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA) Ahem. MOVING ON, I'll continue. Also, I forgot to tell you, but this takes place before Takato finds the portal at the end of the season. Sorry!*

Nick: *Now* she tells you.

Alexa: She's slow.

Nick: Very slow.

Both: gasp!!!!

*They *actually* agreed on something! YAY! It's a party!*

Alexa: NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nick: NO! THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END!!!!!!!!!!! SOMEONE HELP MEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*rolls eyes Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. I do own this plot. And Nick and Alexa. Ah, how good evil feels*.

*Also, thanks to Akino Ame for telling me Jeri's brother's name!*

*Oh, yeah. Anything in '....' from now on is Juri's thoughts*.

Chapter Two: My name is Juri???

I wake up and dress for school. I don't know what school is, I just know I need to go there.

I slowly walk outside of the door, as it groans loudly.

This seems like instinct. But I don't know what it is.

I slowly walk into the hall and reach for the doorknob into the bathroom. I slowly open it, sweaty palms caressing the surface. I walk in. Slowly, I turn around and look at my surroundings. Yellow wallpaper. Crafty borders. A small bathtub at the left with a flowering scene painted on the curtain. I slowly slide the curtain and look inside. I gulp. Time to take a shower.

As I walk to school I suddenly fall to my knees. I cover my ears as voices fill my head... '"She is going to summer camp!"

"No, she isn't! She's staying here to learn how to act like a young lady!"

"Mikio, she's only seven! You can't blame her!"

"Sure, I can't! She only broke the entire china set!"

I watch my parents fighting. As I hear footsteps approaching, I quickly run to my room, keeping the door open a bit. They can't know I'm listening. I watch my mother, tears falling out, as she walks into the spare bedroom and slams the door. I close the door, sinking to the floor. All my fault. My fault.'

More voices... 'Laughing...I jump on the trampoline as though there is no tomorrow. Me and Masahiko decided to check out the old basement behind the restaurant. We found this old trampoline, so, figuring there was nothing else to do, we bounced on it. I laugh as tears of joy escape mine and Masahiko's eyes.'

Another memory... 'I'm alone here. In the D-Reaper. There's no one else. Good. I can sit here, blaming myself for all that's happened. If I had only been able to fight back...Leomon would be alive, none of this would've happened... if only...'

What is going on with me?!

'I watch as I see Takato's hand outstretching towards mine. He grasps mine, and holds me in his arms. I suddenly feel strong, yet I'm so weak. I clung onto him. Now that I have a friend, I won't let go. Not this time. I feel serene. Strong. Loved.'

I suddenly hear voices...voices I have never heard before...

//This girl is perfect. Her initiative darkness is overwhelming. It seems to attract me to her.//

A dark, scathing voice, like a python. I cover my ears.

:::She does not have darkness in her. She is a pure child. What do I have to say to make you understand!:::

A steady, soft, gentle voice. Firm, like the wind. A soft, melodious tone.

//Ha! Foolish Light! You think this child has light, but she truly has been surrounded by Darkness all her life! She will never be a child of Light!//

The words strike me. 'Is that true? Of course it is...I've been surrounded by this darkness...all my life...Haven't I?'

:::Don't influence her! She is a child of Light! She has been able to withhold herself, and she escaped the darkness! :::

'That's true...I did escape...I was able to leave darkness..'.

'What am I thinking! Who are these people in my head?!'

//She left the darkness, but I have come back to haunt her...powerful and stronger than ever before! Not even you, Light, can fight me and hope to come out winning!//

'No! I don't want to go back...'

:::Darkness can never shadow the light! :::

//Ha! You are so naive! Don't you know that all of that boring 'Light defeats Darkness' junk is merely an entertainment for the children of Earth?! Those things don't really exist! Bah!//

'That's not true...'

:::The children have the ability to choose their own destiny!:::

//This child has no choice. She is a child of Darkness, and will not be brought over//.

:::She already is on the side of Light!:::

//Wrong again, Light. She is on the line that separates you and me. She is on the crossroad. She can and will choose to go to Darkness.//

It's her choice.

//Maybe so, but she will choose Darkness. I will make sure of that. //

I hear a laugh that sends shivers down my spine, and all of the voices and memories leave me.

I stand up weakly. I just fainted. That's all. I just fainted. I was dreaming that two forces, Light and Darkness, were saying that I was going to go on their side. Just a dream.

As I approach the tall cementish building, my breath falls short as I see an unfamiliar sight. Kids. My age. Younger. Older. Laughing. Whining. Yelling. A boy my age walks to me. He has brown hair and reddish brown eyes.

"Hey, Juri", he grins.

"Am I Juri?", I whisper. What does that mean?

'I chase Leomon around and around. I must get to him. We were meant to be with each other. It's my destiny. Takato comes by and asks me what I am doing. He seems to think I am insane. But I can't stop chasing Leomon. We will be partners. We have to be.'

Takato suddenly looks concerned. "Are you alright, Katou-san?". 'How do I know his name?'.

Another two boys walk to me. One has spiky brownish hair and a visor. The other has blue hair and glasses.

"Hi Juri. Come to die of boredom?", the one with a visor asks me.

I suddenly whip out my hand at him. When my arm leaves, I see a red mark on his cheek, his hand to his face.

"Hey, what was that for!", the one with blue hair asks of me.

But I can't hear him. I'm in another world of my own.

//Ha! I told the foolish Light that she would not prevail! Victory is mine!//

'It wasn't a dream!' I hear another laugh, female.

//Ah, so our young Katou-san thinks it was all a dream, eh! Well, it's not!//

I hear another haunting laugh.

//It is reality, Katou- san. You are mine. I am a part of you, Katou- san. And there is nothing you can do about it.//

"No!", I scream. I breathe quickly, short of breath again. Takato, HiroKazu, and Kenta (How do I know them?) look at me worriedly. HiroKazu still has his hand to his cheek.

I couldn't face what the Darkness said. I couldn't face what she knew about me.

'I won't let you rule me.'

//We shall see about that.//

And she leaves.

I run, pushing Kenta out of the way as I fly inside the school. "What's wrong with you, Juri?", I hear Takato ask me as I whip by.

I run into a dark, abandoned classroom. I pant, my hands on my knees. Closing my eyes, I try to recollect my thoughts. I begin to slowly move downward. As my face hits the floor, I feel a sudden inner peace within me. Is this death?

'I grin slightly as I realize that today's my birthday. I slowly walk out of bed, hoping that I will get some presents today. I walk out, still in my yellow pajamas, when arms go around me. I look up and see the smiling face of my father. "My little girl is six years old, isn't she!", he smiles, laughing, as he twirls me around in his arms.'

I walk out, and rush to Hirokazu "I'm so sorry, Kazu! I never meant to hurt you! Are you alright?!".

Kazu blinks. "I'm fine...Juri...", he says slowly.

"That's great!", I cry. 'Have I gone insane?! I know I don't usually hit people, but is this how I'd normally act when apologizing?'

He suddenly grins. "Juri, you're even more peachy than usual. Is today your birthday or something?".

"No!", I say shrilly, "I'm just so happy to see that you're okay!"

:::Ah, sweet, little child. You've been inhabited by the Light. Do you feel it? :::

'Light?'

:::Yes, Light! Are you alright? Darkness must have hurt you badly!:::

'I'm...fine...I think...'

:::Do not worry, Juri. I am here to help you. You have been surrounded with Darkness all your life. But I am here to change that. Do you accept?:::

'Do I accept? Do I accept what?'

:::Make a choice, Juri. Light or Darkness. :::

'Light or Darkness? Hold on! When was I pulled into this mess?!'

:::You've always been a part of us, Juri. Light and Darkness. We have come to enter you, Juri. To enter and bless your soul, in Darkness' case, destroy it. :::

'What? Why me!?'

:::Make a choice, Juri. You have been enclosed in Darkness, while others around you have been covered in Light. Do you wish for me to cover you?:::

'Who are you guys! Get out of my head'!

:::Alright, Juri. But we will be back. I promise you, Juri, I will not fail. I will be the one to help you. Do not be afraid. Think, really hard, Juri. The time is near. :::

'Time? What time?! Leave me alone!'

She leaves me; the presence she had instilled in me left.

I put my hand to my forehead. I don't feel so good. Quickly, I jump up and run out of the room, pushing some girls I know to get to the nurse's office. As I run in, I immediately collapse on the small bed supplied by the school. I breathe. I close my eyes, and I know no more.

When I wakeup, I feel a dizzy feeling in my head. Putting my hand to my forehead, I bite my lip, hoping against hope no one came in. I close my eyes again. The pain was so intense. Is this how I'm supposed to feel?

Blood is pounding through my head. I can feel a sledgehammer beating me. I can feel it. The pain is so intense. So real...

I sit up alert once I hear the door quickly creak open. Takato. He has a relieved look on his face. Why?

"Juri!", he yells, running in front of me.

"Are you alright?!".

"Yeah, I'm...fine...Takato".

"That's good to hear", he says, grinning suddenly, washing his worried features.

"Why?", I ask suddenly, cocking my head to the side.

He looks at me carefully, slowly, "Well...b-because I care about you?", he stammers slightly.

"Why?", I ask again.

"Juri, are you okay?", he asks suddenly.

I don't understand anything. Am I supposed to?

"No...I think I'll just lay down for a bit, you know, get my head back", I say, finding an excuse.

"Yeah, good idea...", he says, rushing out.

I stare blankly at the door, still swinging back and forth.

I don't understand. At all. I don't even know what it is that I don't understand.

All this thinking makes my head dizzy. I decide to actually lay down, and I fall into a frightful sleep...

'I'm holding my teddy bear, Lioness, to my chest as I sink to the ground, pity welling up in my stomach like a stone.

I know my parents will come. They'll come and then they'll ruin all of me left.

They'll begin fighting, and I'll have to run up to my room and sob in my pillow, trying to muffle out my thoughts.

My only friend is Lioness. She's the only one who understands me.

I have no friends at school. None. And even if I did, they wouldn't understand. They don't have to hear their mother cry and scream every day, they don't have to hear their father roaring into the night.

They have normal lives. Happy families.

I really wish I could be somewhere else.

"I want another family!", I cry into the pillow, hugging Lioness harder than ever.

Too bad I didn't know that my wish would come true...'

I wake up, blood coursing through my veins, cold sweat pouring down my face, mingling with hot, fresh tears of sorrow.

Wiping my eyes, I ask the nurse in the other room if I can go home. She asks if I'm feeling sick. I shrug, and say yes.

I grab my pack, and run out of the school grounds.

I have to get home. But what is home?

Home...I strain my memory hard.

'I walk towards my house and quickly push open the door, grinning from ear to ear as I smell the fresh and invigorating aroma of hot, sizzling chicken. Today's dinner will be great.

My father comes home, smiling cheerfully and sitting down to the extraordinary feast.

Mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, rice, not to mention that juicy chicken...

My mouth is watering faster than a hose.

Washing my hands, I sit down, eager to dig in.

My parents and I grin, and together, we wolf down our delicious food.'

Home....

I have to get home...

Home.

I walk as fast as I can possibly go, to my memory. I run, panting, running inside my house.

I look around, bewildered. But this wasn't home. Home was where I smelt the yummy food, where my mother and father sat and ate with me...

I saw nothing like that.

I run up to my bedroom, lock the door, and fall asleep.

I will figure out this home business in the morning.

Before my eyes close, I feel a sudden warmth in my stomach ,as though the sun is rising in me...

:::I am here, Juri Katou. I am here to help you...::

Before I can get up, a heavy lid, like lead, falls down over my eyes.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------- *This chappie took forever!* Nick: Nah, you just left it alone for a few weeks. Alexa: You were so cruel to it. You left it alone. *Yes, I am cruel. And so is writer's block. Anyways, I know this one was probably a drag, nothing like expected, but...review anyways. PLEASE!!!!!!!!*