Legal crap: I don't own any of these characters so after I'm done I'll put there slightly wrinkled forms back in order. I have no money, I am currently putting myself through college, and the only thing I could give you if you sued me is debts. So for both our sakes, please don't sue me, it really wouldn't be worth it.
Author's notes: I really wasn't sure about posting this. Please give me some feedback; I'd like to know what you think. Thanks so much I hope you enjoy this.
It is very Alternate Universe, but I think it does a pretty good job of keeping the characters how they would be had they gone through what they have (I think anyway).
It's pretty dark so far and has some definite adult themes. Oh yeah and watch our there's a little bad language here and there. My roommate told me it was worth having people look at so here goes!
My Enemy; My Love
Yolei Inoue took another drag of her cigarette, and then slowly breathed out the smoke. 'Gods, I am one screwed up chick.' She laughed out loud at the thought.
" You know, smoking is bad for you." Davis Motomiya informed her, cracking his knuckles. His dark brown hair was so long it almost looked neat pulled back in a ponytail. He wore blue jeans, a red t-shirt and a pair of red gloves for protection.
Yolei adjusted the ties of her nearly backless shirt. " So is getting wasted every night. If you can drink yourself into a stupor night after night and Cody can wear nothing but black and preach about coming darkness. I can smoke with a clear conscious." She rolled her eyes and unconsciously rubbed the scars on her back.
" Fair enough. But you gave all this up, why the hell come back?" He questioned.
" Because we all know we failed and what we must do." The chilling voice of Cody Hida rang in the ears of the other two chosen. His height had increased over the years, but all that time had done nothing for the brooding personality he had acquired after it happened. His leather jacket showed off how the once smallest digi-destined was now the most formidable of them all. " Nice hair Yolei, are you trying to completely conform to society." His cold emerald eyes bored holes through both of them.
" I can't exactly do that with two 7 ½ inch scars running down my back, now can I?" Yolei pushed her braids out of her face as she snapped.
Cody pulled off his hat and smirked, " Better scars than horns." The two golden spikes that protruded from top of Cody's head curved back to follow his brown hair.
Davis fidgeted with his gloves, pulling at them randomly, refusing to speak for the moment.
" What wrong Davis? Are they hurting you again?" Cody asked before laughing, " At least you learned to control 'em, so you aren't smoking people anymore."
Davis looked away, " They're fine, as long as I keep 'em covered."
" He didn't mean anything by it." Yolei touched Davis's shoulder to comfort him. " Cody leave him alone."
Cody looked away, and shoved his hands roughly into his pockets. " Whatever."
Yolei opened her mouth to say something, when she heard it.
An inhuman, evil, tormented sound, like a creature screaming in pain and anger all at once. The three destined looked towards the sound, as creature came over the hill. It was combination of the previous destines' digimon; it started towards them throwing all sorts of attacks as it charged.
Yolei froze, her heart stopped beating in her chest; she could feel the chill of evil. It was just too familiar, too much like it had been the first time they'd seen this creature.
" No." Davis took an involuntary step back in fear, shaking his hands vigorously.
Cody threw off his jacket, " Drop dead sucker! GOLD RUSH! " He screamed as he leaped at the monster.
Yolei ground her teeth together, before slamming her fists hard against her breastbone. She could hear herself scream, and felt a searing pain as two brown wings erupted from her back. Yolei stood on shacking feet as a bit of blood ran down her back, from the re-opening of the old wounds. She spread her wings and took flight, " Davis, we need your help. We trust you come on."
Davis looked from his hands to the creature to his friends. He took a deep breath and seemed to be moving forward.
" Come on Davis we need you." Yolei was concentrating solely on getting Davis moving, ever since they lost Kari and TK, Davis just wasn't himself.
*** Begin Flashback
" Hold your ground guys! We can beat this guy!" Davis shouted above the explosions.
TK nodded, "Pegasusmon, give him another shot!"The horse-like digimon complied, "STAR SHOWER!!!"
" That's the way! Nefertimon, keep it up!" Kari encouraged.
" ROSETTA STONE!"
" Give up you pitiful fools!" The Kaiser shouted from his position aboard another digimon.
" We'll never stop fighting you, ever!" Cody shouted sticking his chin in the air.
Suddenly there was a blinding explosion, lots of screaming both human and digimon, and it seemed that the whole world had been pulled out beneath them.
When the dust settled the Kaiser was nowhere to be seen.
Davis stood up, picked up his now-in-training digimon and looked around what now was creator. " YOLEI! CODY! KARI! TK! WHERE ARE YOU GUYS???"
Yolei stumbled forward cradling, Poromon in her arms. " I'm right here Davis. You're enough to wake the dead. What happened?"
" I don't know. CODY! KARI! TK! KKKKAAAAAARRRRRIIIIIIII!!!!" He continued to shout.
Yolei smirked trying to lighten the mood. " I certainly wouldn't want to come back to that."
" I guess I'm a little braver than you." Cody smiled, although he was covered in dirt.
" Ha, Ha." Yolei responded dryly. " Is Upamon okay?"
" Yeah, he's fine. Just dirty." Cody rubbed the digimon's head.
" And hungry." The little critter piped up, " Don't forget hungry."
" Where are TK and Kari?" Davis wondered aloud.
" Oh chill they're probably together." Yolei smiled.
" That's what worries Davis." Cody giggled.
Poromon was struggling to get down.
" Hey what's wrong?" Yolei questioned.
" Down. Put me down." Poromon continued to wriggle.
" Alright, Alright." Yolei set down her digimon and watched him hop over a little ridge. " Hey don't go to far. We're leaving as soon as we find TK and Kari."
End flashback ***Yolei kept yelling at Davis, until she felt a sharp pain in her neck. She grabbed the back of her neck trying to fight the pain, when her arms started to feel numb. 'No. No.' She thought desperately, trying to stay conscious. She felt herself begin to lose attitude when a pair of strong arms caught her. She sighed, 'Cody may be downright mean now, but at least he's still reliable.' She glanced up knowing it would be her last intelligible thought for a while, and saw him. Fear gripped her soul, but then her whole body went completely limp.
***
Her head was throbbing, but there was something else bothering her too. Her scalp felt as if it were moving on it own, like little bugs were working their way through her hair. Trying to remain as still as possible to avoid further injury to her pounding skull, she slowly reached her fingers into her hair. It was down, someone had taken out her braids, 'Okay that explains the moving sensation. But where am I?' Yolei opened her eyes cautiously, than blinked a few times to let her eyes adjust. The room wasn't quite as bright as she first thought, but it still hurt her eyes.
" Oh, your awake." A quiet voice came from her right.
Yolei turned her head to look at the little worm-like digimon and instantly remembered where she was. " Yeah, but nobody needs to know about that." She winced, and stretched back her arms; she panicked a bit feeling in vain for her wings.
" They retracted when you became unconscious." He answered seeing her fear. "Is your head still bothering you?"
" Yeah, feels like I got hit by a freight train." Yolei didn't know if she should be talking to this digimon, but she really didn't care. She couldn't see a dark ring so he must be here of his own volition.
" Oh, I'm sorry. I'll see if the master will allow you to have something." The digimon started to leave.
" Wait don't…." Yolei paused she needed an excuse for him not to leave immediately, the longer she could avoid Ken the better. " I don't even know who you are."
" I'm Wormmon."
Yolei sat up slowly and jumped as a pack of cigarettes was dropped near her lap.
" He's also incredibly loyal." The voice of, Ken Ichijouji, or better known here as the Kaiser broke into her thoughts, " I thought you might be looking for those." He smirked at her with a sort of cruelty that made her blood run cold.
Yolei knew better than to stare for long, but damn, the years had been more than kind to him. He had filled out nicely, he probably stood about six feet, his cold indigo eyes stood out with the charcoal gray long-sleeve shirt and black slacks he was wearing. His haircut was the same as it had been the real world, good lord it just wasn't fair; he was better looking then he had ever been. Yolei picked up the pack, withdrew a cigarette and placed it in her mouth, while looking for her lighter. She looked up at him with the cigarette hanging out of her mouth, " Yeah I was, but they don't do me much good without a lighter." She smirked, not knowing if it was her best move, but he was looking her over so she obviously had some affect on him.
He snapped his fingers and a digimon opened the chamber doors.
" Gatomon?" Yolei gasped the nonchalant attitude lost for a moment.
The cat-like digimon merely glanced sadly at Yolei than handed the Kaiser, a lighter. " As ordered sir."
Ken offered the flame to Yolei, who had momentarily recovered from her stupor. She lit the cigarette, while holding it in her teeth.
" Not scared of me huh?" He asked with arched eyebrow.
" My head hurts too much. Once it clears I'm sure I'll be shaking." Yolei kept trying to catch Gatomon's eyes but the digimon refused to look at her.
" She's not the same digimon you remember." The Kaiser laughed.
Yolei bristled, " Where are her gloves? She doesn't like those scars to show."
" We don't hide scars here." He informed her.
Yolei squirmed a bit, having no comeback for his last remark, but she noticed a long scar on right side of his neck. Without realizing she was speaking she commented softly, " That must have hurt."
" And these must hurt every time." His fingers trailed down both marks on her back.
Yolei stiffened terrified, 'How did he get over here so fast. Either he moves faster than humanly possible or the drugs are still affecting my head. I think I like the second option better.'
" You are never to hide these in my presence." He whispered into her ear, keeping his hand moving up and down on her back.
Yolei tried unsuccessfully to stop the tremors that ran through her body. " That's an awful lot of skin your asking my to show."
His other hand turned her cheek so she would be facing him; " I've seen you out there. Besides, you've shown a lot more to certain people."
Yolei's mouth dropped open; shocked. ' How he could have possible known?'
Ken caught the cigarette effortlessly and took a drag on it before handing it back to her. He stood up and walked to door, " I expect to see you for dinner. Look nice. Wormmon will show you where your new clothes are."
Then he closed and door and was gone with Gatomon in tow.
Yolei let out a breath and took a much-needed drag on her cigarette. " I'm gonna die."
***
The Kaiser ordered Gatomon to go check on one of his pets, while he leaned against Yolei's door. He heard her lament about her fate. 'Oh no my beautiful distraction. I've seen you with plenty of others and not die. Now you will be mine to play with.'
***
" Not much to choose from in here." Yolei commented, as she lit a new cigarette with her old one. " This is an awfully small closet."
" You can use the file-pad in the corner." Wormmon gestured to the back of the closet.
Yolei picked up the small black thing it looked like a glorified etch-a-sketch. "What do I do with this?"
" You can use it to design whatever clothes you want." He explained.
"Thanks." Yolei muttered before smiling sweetly. " Can I ask you something?"
" Ummm…I can't stop you, but I might not be able to answer."
" That's okay. Why do you stay?"
" Because I know the master needs me. Now if you'll excuse me."
" Whoa wait. I need to take a shower, or my hair is gonna be huge." Yolei pulled on the crimped ends of her hair.
" The bathroom is through the red door. It should have anything you need."
" Thanks. How long do I have 'til dinner?"
" About three hours."
" Eep. I better get started."
***
Yolei sat in a huge bathtub; the water covered everything but her neck and head. "Hmmm… I may argue everything he does, but the boy has taste." She muttered to herself soaking in the bubbles and water. The sandalwood scent of the bathwater relaxed her all too much. Her brain was drifting back to what Ken had said to her, 'How could he have known about that.' It had only been that one time, unless she had done a topless dance that one time she got wasted with Davis. But that would only make two people that had ever seen her chest. She wasn't the most pure person in the world but she didn't sleep around. She climbed out of the tub, not wanting to leave the water, but not wanting to be prune either.
She wrapped a black towel around her body and used another to wrap up hair. She looked in the full-length mirror. She had definitely changed since the days of old. She had stayed about the same height keeping her at 5'6", but she had filled out her body. The once stick-straight form she had been cursed with was long gone and now she had what she considered to be nice curves.
'Izzy certainly thought so. Ahh!! Out impure thought!' Yolei banged her head against the mirror. "It wasn't even like we were in love or anything. We just got carried away." She scowled at herself. "Whore." She sighed, "Well best make my appearance worthy of three hours."
She designed herself a black bra, with halter-top style straps and no back. "Black thong, back pantyhose, and black dress." She muttered punching the information into the file-pad. " I wonder if I can do jewelry with this thing?" Yolei laughed out loud. "Perfect. I may be your prisoner, but just you wait, Kaiser I'll make you mine."
***
Wormmon knocked on Yolei's door, " Are you ready miss?" He called out to her.
The door opened slowly to reveal Yolei, who held out her right wrist to the digimon. " I take it this little devise is why I can't use my powers."
The digimon nodded sadly before taking a better look at her. " The master will be pleased about how you look."
Yolei smiled, " That's the idea."
***
Ken growled angrily, it had not been his day. He had lost more ground in the North to the rebel faction of digimon that opposed his reign. He looked up at the opening door, and instantly forgot about the way the day had been going. Yolei stood in the doorframe her purple hair was in a bun with a few curls lining her face. Her black dress was a halter-top style with a plunging neckline, and the long skirt was accented by the two very high slits. She fingered at her necklace, which was a tiny onyx framed in gold. "I just realized that you don't wear glasses anymore." He smirked.
" I'm so sure that's the first thing you noticed. But no I don't; I've been wearing contacts for a couple years now." She smiled sweetly.
He scowled, " Don't be rude to me. I'll make you regret it."
Yolei gulped, not the reaction she wanted. " I'm sorry." She tried to sound as sincere as possible as she half bowed, giving him an even better view at her chest. She hoped to distract him; she looked up through her eyelashes at him. 'Bingo. Wonderful predictable male.'
" Shall we." He motioned towards a long table.
" Of course." She walked over to the opposite side he started towards and sat down. 'Now what, Brilliant.' She thought at herself.
***
Yolei kept resisting the urge to drum her fingers on the table; he was driving her insane. He hadn't said fifteen words since they had sat down to eat, and she couldn't think of anything to say. 'What do you say to the conqueror of the digi-world anyway? How was your day? I think not'. She didn't realize it, but while she was thinking her expression had deepened into a scowl.
" Don't do that." He snapped at her.
" Huh?" Yolei jumped and she instantly tried to figure out what she wasn't supposed to do.
" Don't scowl." He persisted.
" Sorry." She dropped her head a little, trying to focus on the table. She pushed her food around on her plate.
" Not hungry?" He questioned.
" Not particularly." She shook her head avoiding his gaze. Suddenly her glass flipped off table, she looked at the Kaiser who was recoiling his whip.
" I have very good aim. You will look at me, when you speak."
" Okay."
Snap. The whip cracked over her head and she stiffened trying not to break down crying. She took a deep breath and looked at him expecting the next order.
" You will affirm with 'Yes master', understand?" He sneered.
" Yes Master." Yolei held his steely gaze, with a certain amount of fear.
" Come with me." He stood up and offered her his arm.
Yolei threaded her arm through his, allowed him to lead her down another hall and into a quiet study with a fireplace.
He allowed her sit on the hearth of the fireplace she turned to look back at him. She made quite a lovely picture with the fire for background. " Do you like this room?" He questioned as he shut the doors.
" It's nice, really pretty in here. You must read a lot, Master." Yolei couldn't help but wonder what sort of answer he wanted.
" I do." He sat down next to her. " In this room, you will be my equal. I need someone to talk to on an intellectual level that won't fear trying to be right."
Yolei blinked, " Why not Wormmon?"
" Because he all he talks about is the past, and tries to make me remember things I have no purpose to remember." The Kaiser looked away angrily.
'Great. Got him mad again. Are we trying to get whipped or killed tonight? Quick think of something.' Yolei's head spun trying to think of something to say. " Well master if I am to treat you as an equal, then may I not be punished if I speak to you informally." 'That's the best you could come up with?!? I am officially a moron.'
" Very well, but only in this room."
" Thank you." She smiled sweetly, but froze as his hand was once again on her back feeling its way up and down her scars. " Um…if we aren't to be formal here, then what should I call you." Her brain was jumping between going a 1,000 miles per hour and dead stop.
He chuckled, his breath tickling her ear, " Do I make you that nervous?"
" No." Yolei lied miserably, eliciting another laugh from him. " Since when do you laugh?"
" I laugh when something gives me pleasure." His hand now concentrated on the right scar. " What is it like?" He had pulled away slightly.
Yolei was thankful for the fire it disguised the little chill she felt when he moved away. " Um… well if you mean the flying. It's the most amazing thing in the world. Your so free, it's like nothing can touch you."
"Hmm… something to consider, but that isn't what I was asking about. What was the merge like?" He persisted.
" Well, it's kinda impossible to explain. But for me it was like Hawkmon died. I couldn't talk him anymore, or hear him. Although Tai says he can still hear Agumon, but I don't know." Yolei looked into those indigo eyes and found nothing but interest, it was unnerving so she continued talking. " It's not that I doubt him, it's just..."
" You think he's crazy." Ken finished with a smirk.
" Well, maybe a little. But Matt says thing about Gabumon. Of course they haven't had it easy losing their siblings. I mean poor Tai, losing Kari. And Matt still won't believe TK's dead. He says until he sees a body he won't believe it." Yolei realized she was rambling, but his hand was driving her a nuts, and not in the bad way. 'Down girl, no thinking of the enemy naked, bad thought… very bad thought… well AAAAHHH! Bad thought. Focus.' She continued. " The poor guy; it just would have been better if we could have found the body."
" He's not dead." Ken answered simply.
" He isn't?" Yolei sat up straighter, using a shocked motion to pull away a bit without being noticed.
" No. He's in the dungeon." He looked at her curiously.
" You've had him all this time? Why not use him against us?" Yolei racked her brain for answers something had to be wrong with her friend.
" I didn't see any reason to."
" May I see him?" Yolei requested dropping her head for emphasis, hoping to get some pity.
" Tomorrow." He answered and clipped her chin forcing her head up.
" Very well." Yolei knew better than to push her luck. " You seem to have work clothes for me. If you mean to have me work, could one of my jobs be to take care of TK?"
Ken looked confused, " You haven't even seen him yet. You don't know what condition he's in."
" It doesn't matter. He's my friend." Yolei insisted.
Ken scoffed, " More like used to be. Besides why should you care so much, he was in love with the one who died."
Yolei smiled, " I know he loved Kari." The she froze, what if TK still thought Kari was alive. " You did tell him that she died didn't you?"
" I told him, I don't know if he heard."
Yolei wanted to question the last part of his statement, but Ken was speaking again.
" I tire of this topic. Pick something else." He waved his free hand while keeping the other resting on her back.
" Very well. Um… I really don't know what to talk about. Can I ask you a question?" Yolei put on her most flirtatious smile.
His eyebrow arched, but he seemed to remain calm, " Fine."
" Do you ever leave here?"
" Why should I? Everyone out there is a moron." He half-growled.
Yolei winced, " Fair enough, but don't you get lonely. I mean talking to Cody is like talking to a brick wall, but if you need company it's better than nothing."
" I would have thought you would preferred more intelligent company." Ken cracked the knuckles on his free hand.
'Damn you; get your hand off me. I can't think like this.' Yolei sighed, " Cody's smart, just jaded. But I understand where you're going, and yeah for my more deep discussion I usually talk to Izzy." Yolei realized that was a mistake the second the words came out of her mouth.
" I'm sure that's all you use him for." Ken sneered.
" That's not fair." Yolei put her hands on her hips. " It was only once. Things got out of control. We both felt so bad about it. His girlfriend forgave him, but it took forever for her to stop shooting daggers at me whenever she saw me."
Ken smirked, " I wonder why." His fingers led trails down her face, her neck briefly nudged at the strap of her dress before continuing to run down her arm.
Yolei caught her breath in her throat. 'Oh come on we're allowed two mistakes aren't we?' She took a deep breath and in a voice shakier than she would have liked, "I'm really tired."
Ken stood up and offered his hand to her. " Very well."
Yolei stood up and once again took his arm. He walked her all the way to the room she occupying.
" Gatomon will get you up in the morning in time for breakfast." He informed her.
" Thank you, Master." Yolei responded wary of the rules.
Ken brushed the curls away from her face and tucked them behind her ears. He rested his left palm against the side of her face and with his right hand forced her to face him. He leaned down and kissed her lips.
Yolei at first tried not to stiffen up, then it was fight not to surrender, a fight she lost. She wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to hold him there as long as possible. His soft searching lips were driving her insane.
Ken smiled against her lips as her arms held him there. He continued kissing her softly, yet demandingly as his arms trailed up and down her back. Then suddenly he pulled completely away, not missing her disappointed whimper. " Go to bed." He ordered her.
Yolei blinked a bit dazed, than curtsied low. " Good night my Lord." She then retreated into her room, and closed the door behind her. She slid down to the floor once inside. " Where did he learn to that?" She wondered aloud quietly. " It's gonna be a long enslavement."
*Begin flashback
" Promise you won't tell a soul?" Kari's crimson eyes shinned with a secret.
" Of course. You can tell me anything." Yolei looked at Kari excitedly. " What is it?"
" I think I'm in love with TK." Kari flushed with embarrassment.
" Well, duh." Yolei laughed.
" You mean you knew?"
" Kari, we all can see it on both your faces. Well all of us but you, TK, and Davis."
" This is so embarrass… Wait both of our faces?? You mean you think he likes me too?" Kari wondered astonished.
" You are both so blind. He more than likes you, he loves you, girl. You should tell him how you feel."
" Ya think?" Kari bit her lip nervously.
Yolei grabbed Kari by the shoulders, " If I had a guy like TK interested in me I'd jump at the chance to be with him. Don't let him get away."
" You're right I'll tell him…" Kari decided before her terminal beeped furiously. " The e-mail's from Izzy, the Kaiser's on the move again."
" Let's get going." Yolei jumped up and grabbed her own D-terminal.
" Hey, Yolei, thanks for the advise." Kari gave her a quick hug. " Come on let's go get that cute evil guy."
" Y'all just can't let that go can ya?" Yolei laughed as they walked out the door.
*
" So exactly what happened?" Matt questioned.
Davis jumped up angrily, " We've been over this. Kari and TK are still out there somewhere; we have to find them."
" Davis," Tai put his hand on Davis' shoulder, " We're all upset, but we have to know what were getting into. Believe me, Matt and I want to find them more than anyone."
Izzy walked into the room and handed out the maps, " Judging by the description of the explosion, these are the direction that they should have been thrown in. If we split up we should be able to cover more ground."
" Sounds like a good plan Izzy, thanks. Are you gonna stay out here and monitor." Tai took a deep breath.
" I think it's best that way." Izzy nodded.
" Okay," Matt took one of the maps, " Me, Sora and Yolei will take this area."
Tai nodded. " Okay guys, lets find them? Davis, you and me are gonna met up with Mimi there." Tai looked at Joe and Cody, " Can you two take the third section."
" No problem." Joe took the map.
" Okay good we'll have the digimon spread out over the larger area just in case they're out there on the move." Tai took a deep breath and looked at Davis, " Let's get going, open the portal."
*
" Up you go." Matt pulled Sora up over the ridge. " You okay?"
Sora hugged Matt, " I'm just worried, that's all."
Matt sighed and kissed the top of her head. " It'll be okay."
" Um… guys I hate to break up the moment, but I need help." Yolei called from the bottom of the ridge.
Matt let go of Sora and leaned down to help Yolei. " Sorry about Yolei."
" It's okay." Yolei started walking in the left direction. " TK! KARI!" Yolei kicked a stone with her toe idly as she walked over a small hill. Something shinny caught her attention, and she knelt down to inspect it. " Kari's camera." She whispered shuddering at its possible meaning. Yolei opened her mouth to call for Matt and Sora, when she heard Sora's anguished scream. ~No~ Yolei thought desperately as she ran towards the sound.
Sora was kneeling on the ground her face covered with her hands, as she sobbed.
Matt's face didn't hold much expression except shock, he reached into his pocket for his terminal, " Izzy, we found her send the others." Matt whispered as he typed the message.
Yolei shook her head in disbelief and shock, " No. I won't believe it. It can't be. I won't accept it." She started to sob.
*
Tai held his sister bawling in anguish begging Kari to open her eyes. He yelled at her; screamed at her; and pleaded with her trying to force her awake. " Please Kari. Please wake up. Kari, answer me! Wake up! KARI! KARI!"
*
Sora and Matt finally prided Tai away from Kari's body. Sora held onto Tai and the two friends rocked back and forth in their grief.
*
Davis stood in silence, his body shacking in disbelief. He looked at Tai, than walked over to Kari's body. " I'm so sorry." He whispered, than he reached into his pocket and transported back to the real world.
*
Joe and Mimi were comforting each other the best they could. Mimi, just not understanding how it could have happened and Joe berating himself for not being there.
*
Cody unwrapped a sheet from his backpack and covered Kari with it. " Rest in peace sweet Kari." He whispered before breaking down.
*
Matt stood alone, on the edge on the ravine, silent tears rolling down his face. He clenched his fist and screamed for all he was worth, " TK! Where are you?!?"
*
Yolei kept hearing Kari in her mind ~ I will tell him~. " But you never got the chance." Yolei whispered to the wind.
End flashback*
Yolei thrashed wildly in bed, her body flipped from side to side and she moaned in anguish. " No please. You can't tell him if you're gone."
A hand touched the side of Yolei's face causing her to flinch, but not awaken. "Be still." The quite voice commanded, " You're keeping me awake." Yolei eventually sighed and her body stilled. " That's better." The bed creaked as the lone figure left the room.
***
Yolei's pounding skull woke her up from her restless sleep. She looked where her alarm should be but all that was there was an empty table. She sat up slowly her brain trying to function, " Oh right, I'm a prisoner." She muttered crawling out of bed. She yawned and stumbled into the bathroom.
Yolei had just finished a long, hot shower and was slightly more awake. After taking a dose of what looked like painkillers she sat down on the bed and sighed, when there was a soft knock on the door. She looked down at the bathrobe she was wearing and shrugged her shoulders. " Come in."
Gatomon entered the room and closed the door behind her. " Good morning."
" What are you doing here?" Yolei snapped, her mind instantly clearing.
Gatomon looked at her without expression, " I'm here to make sure you are on time for breakfast with the Master."
Yolei glared at the cat-like digimon " That's not what I meant. I mean what are you doing here serving Ken…"
" You will refer to him as Kaiser or Master." Gatomon ordered.
" Fine, the Kaiser than. What you doing serving the Kaiser? You are the digimon partner for the Crest of Light." Yolei put her hands on her hips. " You have a responsibility…"
" Light doesn't exist in this world anymore, it died with Kari." Gatomon growled.
" It did not! Kari would have wanted you to keep going, not surrender to Ken and his twisted plans."
" And I'm sure your living up to your crest." Gatomon mocked, folding her arms over her chest. " Pure-Love was it?"
Yolei dropped her head and took a deep breath, " Whatever. When's breakfast?"
" In about a half hour." Gatomon turned to walk out of the room. " I'll come back to get you."
Yolei turned to the closet and pulled out the file-pad. Tears fell from her eyes as she tried to concentrate on the task at hand. 'Kari, would have kept us together; it should have been me that died. Ken would have been defeated long ago. I'm so sorry Kari, I've failed you and everybody else. Some crest holder I turned out to be. Pure-Love Ha!'
Yolei glared at her own reflection, the girl glaring back was wearing a dark red sweater now and black jeans. Yolei suddenly felt very uncomfortable looking at herself. She could hear her own voice ringing in from the past. 'Look, Lexi, he said he's sorry that's more than you would have got from most. But I can tell you this much; he's good.'
She fought back more tears as she put on her make-up. "Stupid useless whore." She cursed slamming her fist against the glass. " I almost cost him the thing he loved the most, and I wasn't even sorry."
" Sorry about what?" Gatomon questioned as she crossed the room.
" Nothing I'm going to tell you about." Yolei stuck her nose in the air and sniffed.
" Breakfast is ready."
***
" You're awfully quiet today. Didn't you sleep well, or perhaps you had a rude wake-up call?" The Kaiser questioned Yolei as she looked up from her bagel.
Yolei bit her lip, if she wanted, she could get Gatomon in trouble. Her brain drifted back to everything she knew about the Kaiser and his punishments. " Master, I quite often have nightmares, last night was no exception. So no, Master I did not sleep well." She dropped her head back down to stare at her bagel.
" Would you like me to give you something at night to stop the nightmares." The Kaiser stretched his arms over his head in a lazy motion.
" Yes, Master, that would be very kind of you." Yolei didn't have any energy. She pulled at her bagel listlessly, " Master, I'm really not hungry." She pushed the plate away timidly.
" Very well, Wormmon, take care of Yolei's plate." The Kaiser snapped his fingers twice and the digimon came scurrying into the dinning room.
" Right away, Ken." The digimon started to take care of the dish, but the Kaiser cracked the whip against his back.
" I've told you about using that name." He growled.
" I'm sorry Master." Wormmon sadly repented and took the dish away from the table.
Yolei felt tears stinging her eyes as she kept them glued to the table. She could sense the Kaiser's presence at her left and she felt a tremor pass through her.
" Look at me." He ordered, placing his hand her shoulder.
" Master, I don't want to; let me compose myself, please." Yolei begged softly.
He turned her to face him and wiped her face. " I am lord here. They don't feel anything anyway, so it really doesn't matter."
Yolei felt her jaw drop against his palm.
The Kaiser abruptly stood and turned towards the door. " You wanted to see your friend. Let's get this over with."
Yolei forced her body into action; maybe she could help TK. " Yes, Master I did, and thank you."
He gave another one of his blood-chilling smiles, " Don't thank me until after you see him."
Yolei took a deep breath more afraid than ever about the condition of her friend.
***
The dungeon was everything Yolei feared: dark, cold, damp and lifeless. Yolei shivered, the backless sweater she wearing, wasn't doing much to protect her from the cold. The pair walked down the spiraling staircase until they reached a small cell.
The Kaiser stopped in front of the door and ordered an ogremon to open the door. " You wanted to see him, well come on." He sneered.
Yolei forced herself to move, despite her growing dread. She peered into the cell, trying to find some sign of life in the nearly pitch-black hole. After her eyes adjusted she could make out a figure huddled against the corner of the room. She stepped in, her legs shaking in fear. " TK? It's Yolei." She called out to him.
The figure didn't even move.
Yolei inched close enough so she could get a better look at the prisoner. She looked back at the Kaiser, who stood at the entrance, arms folded arrogantly over his chest. She knelt down in front of the figure and at this distance she could make all the features out. His blond hair was dirty and matted; she touched the top of his head. " TK, it's okay, it me. It's Yolei."
TK didn't look up or acknowledge her presence.
Yolei drew in a trembling breath, as she slid her fingers under his chin and forced his face up. He didn't fight her, but when Yolei looked into his eyes all she saw was nothing. She held back a sob, but the tears rolled down her cheeks. 'Oh, TK, what did he do to you? Have you been alone all this time?' She looked at him more closely; his clothes were mere shreds, he was obviously malnourished. ' Why did he do this to you?' Yolei happened to look at his left arms and noticed the scars running down it: whip scars.
The Kaiser stood watching Yolei, the look of indifference written all over his face. His eyes were following her every move, every gesture and his ears picked up every sound. He watched her kneel in front of TK, touch his hair, touch his face and he heard her soft cry as she looked at his eyes. It was strange, he couldn't understand: why would she even care?
Yolei stood up angrily, " You monster!" She spat drawing herself up to full height. " What have you done to him!?! You kept him down here alone in the dark, for your own little toy! You beat him! Why?!?" Yolei took a deep breath and pulled out the lighter she'd been allowed to keep and lit the wick of the candle in the cell. She looked at the Kaiser who was now uncoiling his whip. 'Go ahead. I don't care.' She thought standing perfectly still.
The Kaiser grabbed her arm and jerked her to the right, throwing her against the stone wall.
Yolei held onto her aching head and looked up at the scene unfolding in front of her. TK was on his feet and he was walking towards the Kaiser.
TK's eyes were still void, but he was moving. Suddenly he turned towards the candle, grabbed it, and flattened his palm against the flame.
Yolei winced in pain as TK threw the candle to the ground and crouched back in his corner.
His broken, rasping voice echoed from the walls as he began to scream with all he had in him. "LIGHT IS GONE! NO MORE LIGHT! NO LIGHT!"
Yolei covered her ears in a vain attempt to block out the sound.
The Kaiser lifted her to feet and half drug her from the cell. He looked at her tear stained face and gave her condescending look. " I told you."
" YOU TOLD ME NOTHING THAT WOULD PREPARE ME FOR THAT!!!" Yolei screeched at him her body quaking in rage and anguish for her friend. " YOU DROVE HIM MAD! YOU…"
The Kaiser slapped her hard across the cheek flinging her to the ground and completely disorienting her. " You," He directed towards the ogremon, " take her to her room."
The ogremon picked up Yolei and all went black for her.
***
After Yolei had awakened in her room she'd cried for hours. TK wasn't even there anymore, it was just a shell, just the body; his soul was gone. It wasn't fair all the Hell she and others had gone through, only to find him dead anyway.
*Begin flashback
The group had been on the move for almost twelve hours straight. They were all tired and heartsick. After finding Kari's body the previous day, none of them had much hope for finding TK, but they kept going for Matt. Tai was with them, no one could get him to stay at home; he kept insisting that Kari would have wanted him to help find TK. Davis gave about the same excuse when he was questioned. Joe and Izzy were in the real world, covering tracks and monitoring the situation from the outside. Cody had nearly fallen sleep on his feet, when Sora walked up to Matt.
" We need to stop." She whispered catching his hand. " They're all exhausted."
Matt pulled away roughly and glared at her, " Let them rest. I'm finding my brother."
" Matt, please, you're going to drop." Sora fought back tears. " I'm worried…"
" I can worry about my own damned self. I've done it for years, I don't really need you." He growled stalking ahead.
Gabumon sighed, " Matt, Sora's only worried about you hurting yourself."
Matt whirled around and opened his mouth to yell, but nothing came out, a tear rolled down his face, and he turned his back on the others and whispered, " And I'm worried my brother."
" Yolei! Yolei! Come in!" Izzy's panicked voice came over her voice-com.
The others turned to Yolei as pulled the little devise out of her pocket. " Yeah, Izzy, I'm here."
" You need to get out of there now!" He demanded.
" Why?" Yolei questioned.
" I'm not leaving without my brother." Matt snapped.
" You have to leave! This is not up for discussion!" Izzy yelled.
" Izzy, why? What's going on?" Yolei ignored the rest of the conversation.
" That energy flux I picked up before it's back and stronger. It looks like it's sweeping over the digi-world." Izzy explained exasperated. " Now…"
The world turned upside down for the second time in Yolei's life. The screams both human and digimon resounded loudly, but the sounds of the digimon quickly disappeared.
Yolei stirred to the sounds of Mimi's screams.
"Palmon, where are you?" Mimi looked frantically from left to right.
" Mims," Matt stood up on shacking legs. " you okay?"
Yolei blinked in disbelief. Matt looked stronger than he had before, and his hair had black streaks. Mimi's eyes were brilliant green and her hair was longer.
Mimi shook her head. " No, I hurt all over. I think something happened to Palmon. I can't find her."
Matt looked around. " I don't see any of the digimon."
Sora screeched in pain, and cradled her hand.
Davis jumped away from where he had been attempting to help her up. " All I did was touch her hand. I'm sorry. I didn't mean any harm."
Matt walked to his whimpering girlfriend, " Hey sweets, you okay?"
Sora shook her head and showed Matt her hand silently.
Matt gasped; her hand was red and blistered, it looked as if she had second-degree burns. " Don't worry sweets, we'll get you help."
" My…my… back." She trembled. " It hurts so bad."
Matt knelt down beside her and looked at her back, " Oh god…" His mouth dropped open. " Yolei get a hold of Izzy and Joe. Sora needs help."
Davis was looking down at his hands, " I burned her." He whispered.
" Don't be stupid, Davis, there's no way you could've done that." Matt snapped.
" But he did." Sora whispered. " He touched my hand and it felt like holding a flame."
" I'm not worried about that right now. Yolei, how's it coming?" Matt looked over at the purple haired girl and his mouth dropped opened again.
" My back feels funny." She murmured, as she grabbed the com-link. She noticed a few of Hawkmon's feathers, but didn't really pay attention to how close they were to her. " Izzy, are you there?"
" Yolei, thank goodness. You've been silent for hours. Is everyone okay? I'm getting some really strange readings from your last positions."
" Just get Joe here. We need help."
End flashback*
Yolei sniffled as she stood up, she grabbed the data-pad and punched in the information. She walked over to the closet and took out the sweatshirt and sweat-pants. She opened the small refrigerator, took out some ice, wrapped it in a towel and placed it against her cheek. After changing her clothes she curled up on the floor and sobbed. She could remember all the reporters and television cameras, trying to find out more about the missing best friend of the dead girl.
The main door clicked open and heavy footsteps walked towards her shacking body. Yolei lifted her head and looked up at the Kaiser, his superior look bore holes in her.
" What?" she whispered.
He knelt down and touched her swollen cheek.
Yolei flinched and pulled away with a start. "Don't."
" What's wrong with you?" He questioned.
" What's wrong with me?!? What's wrong with me? One of my friends that I thought was dead is insane and you have the nerve to ask me: What's wrong?" Yolei cried out.
" You will not speak to me like this!" He stood up and glared down at her.
Yolei looked up at him, with tears running down her face. Her voice broke as she screeched. " Why Master? Isn't this what you wanted: me on my knees broken before you. Well here I am just like TK: broken."
A silent stony glare was all she got in response.
" I'm sorry, Master, I forgot the rules." She grabbed the edges of her sweatshirt and jerked it off her shacking body. She sat for a moment: still crying, breathing heavily, in just her bra and sweat-pants. " Isn't that good enough, for you? Well here!" Yolei reached behind her back and started to clasp her bra, when a pair of large hands covered hers.
His low voice echoed in her ears, " Don't."
Yolei trembled in terror as his strong arms lifted her up and carried her to the bed. He set her down gently and turned away from her. She heard the sound of a zipper and she clamped her eyes closed. She felt him lift up her right arm and place it in a sleeve; she opened her eyes and found him doing the same to the left.
He knelt in front of her and zipped up the front, " This will do for now." He retrieved an ice pack and set it against her cheek.
Yolei placed her hand over the ice pack as well, and the Kaiser removed his hand. A few more tears escaped her eyes, and he wiped them away.
As he knelt there touching her face as he softly assured her. " I didn't drive your friend crazy. It just happened. I'm sorry." With that said he stood to his feet and left Yolei alone in her room.
***
The Kaiser stood inside his control room, breathing deeply as he stared at his hands.
" Isn't this what you wanted?" Yolei's voice rattled in his mind, the image of her looking up at him with her bloodshot eyes haunted him.
'It shouldn't bother me. I'm stronger than this stupid obsession.' His fingers traced an old picture of Yolei. It had been cut from a newspaper, some article written about her family's store. 'Weak moron.' He thought at himself. Why had he comforted her; what was it in her that drew him? He needed a distraction, something to get him away from all of this.
" Excuse me, sir." Wormmon's little voice drew the Kaiser's attention.
" What is it?!? This had better be good." He growled.
" Um… well that is to say…Master, we've had another uprising in the North." Wormmon winced and prepared for the beating of his life.
" Perfect." The Kaiser muttered under his breath. " Fine ready the Seadramon, I'll be overseeing the battle myself."
" If that's what you wish, Master."
The Kaiser pulled on his leather, trench coat and headed towards the door. " Oh yes, Wormmon?"
" Yes Master?" The digimon looked hesitantly at the Kaiser.
" Make sure Yolei gets dinner this evening. I doubt I'll be back in time to dine with her."
" What should I serve her?"
" Whatever she wants, just handle it. And make sure she actually eats." The Kaiser hollered at the digimon as he walked away.
***
Yolei sat on the bed staring into space, holding the icepack on her face. There was a knock at the door. " Come in." She called out.
Gatomon entered with a small tray of food.
" Oh it's you." Yolei slumped back against the bed.
" Who did you expect it to be?" The digimon set the tray on the desk beside Yolei.
Yolei looked at the items on the tray, " What is it?"
" This would be your dinner, Princess." Gatomon snipped.
" I can see that. Why am I being served in my room?"
" The Master isn't here. He thought it best that you rest after your ordeal this afternoon." Gatomon looked at her curiously, " Where did he take you?"
" To see my friend." Yolei cynically responded.
" I see. I can't go down there." Gatomon sadly shook her head.
" Can't or wont?" Yolei opened the can of pop and took a drink.
" Can't. He doesn't allow me down there anymore."
" How come?"
" I upset TK too much. He tried to hurt me last time."
Yolei took a deep breath, " So what happened to him?"
" I'm not sure, but I do know that it happened at the time of the merge."
" How did that affect you?" Yolei questioned pulling at her sandwich.
Gatomon looked away, " It didn't Kari wasn't in the digital world. It didn't matter."
" Did you know she was dead?" Yolei quietly inquired.
" Of course I knew she was dead!" Gatomon snapped before sighing. " Would I have let him do this to me otherwise." She shook her tail at Yolei, showing off the now gray tail-ring.
" Gray? I thought it was gold?" Yolei took a closer look at the piece of jewelry.
" Mine is; this is my present from the Kaiser. Just like your bracelet."
Yolei looked at the band on her wrist. " So you're not completely controlled."
" Nope, just enough to keep me in line. Just like you."
Yolei laughed in spite of herself. " Aren't we a pair then?"
" Something like that." Gatomon smirked.
" Hey what's this?" Yolei picked up a small black book off the tray.
" It's a journal, I remember you used to keep one. There's a pen in there."
" Used to, seems like a life-time ago." Yolei wistfully remarked, tracing the cover with her fingers.
" I know what you mean." Gatomon hesitated a moment before blurting out. "How are they?"
Yolei cocked her head to the side, " You mean the destined? You've been dying to ask haven't you?"
Gatomon nodded.
" Well let's see…wow so much time has gone by it's hard to know where to begin."
" How many years?"
" Well, I was twelve then, now I'm eighteen. But I was almost thirteen at the time. So that would make it about five years."
" That's an eternity here." Gatomon's eyes misted with tears. " What was her funeral like?"
Yolei was silent for a moment, than drew a breath. " It was so sad. We were all there, except TK of course. Most of us were still in shock from the merge. I mean Davis wouldn't touch anyone for fear of what happened with Sora."
" What did he do to Sora?"
" He accidentally burned her. The heat from his digimon's power made his hand so hot that he gave her second degree burns in a matter of seconds."
" What about the others?"
" Well, Sora has pink wings, although they aren't much like mine. Hers never retract and they're more for looks then for use. She's developed some sort of sonic scream too. Poor Tai."
" Poor Tai?"
" Yeah they're engaged now."
" They are? I thought Sora had Matt under control."
Yolei huffed, " Fifty heavy armed men couldn't control Matt, but Mimi's doing okay at it."
" I always wondered about those two. What happened with Matt and Sora though?"
" Sora couldn't handle it. Matt was just too much after we lost TK. He would run himself past the point of exhaustion, and when he wasn't searching he was either drunk or severely depressed or both. Plus everything other thing that came out of his mouth was verbally abusive."
" How did Mimi handle it?"
" Basically fought fire with fire. Although she did punch him once; broke her thumb if I remember correctly."
Gatomon laughed out loud, " Sounds just like them."
" So where was I? Oh yeah, Tai. Tai's a lot stronger now, breathes fire when you really piss him off too. Matt's even stronger than Tai, which was really scary for a while, but eventually we got him to cool off a little. His hair is streaked with black, and he's got a horn on his head, but that developed later, no one is sure why. He wasn't very happy about that at first. Mimi, well, her hair got longer, her eyes turned green and she has this ivy tattoo on her back. She can give you poison ivy too, which is a pain in the butt to get rid of. Joe and Izzy, weren't with us they were monitoring so they were both unaffected. Davis has the whole fire from his hands and that's about it, I think. Cody's got two spike horns and his back is covered with armor plating. He was affected so badly by everything. I don't even know him anymore."
" You mean by losing Kari?"
" Losing Kari, the merge, and constant stream of reporters always banging down the door."
" What did they want?"
" A story; what else?" Yolei ground her teeth together. " A reporter doing research on Kari noticed in most of pictures she was in, TK was next to her. So she started researching TK and came up with a real fucked up scenario. I can still remember the stories the news ran, with shrinks describing TK as a killer."
" But TK was here they couldn't accuse him. There was no evidence."
" His absence was the evidence. You know he killed her then ran."
" But…"
" I don't want to talk about this anymore! It was hard enough to live through!" Yolei snapped.
" I'm sorry. I didn't mean to press."
Yolei rubbed her temples, " It's all right. I'm just tired from everything."
" I need to get back."
" Okay. Hey, am I allowed to leave this room?"
" Yeah, but don't worry if you aren't allowed to be somewhere, you'll find out fast." Gatomon smirked.
***
Yolei stretched her arms over her head as she walked out of her room. Her cursed insomnia was keeping her up again. " I can't decide what's worse not being able to sleep or sleeping with nightmares." She muttered as she sauntered towards the study.
" Oh Miss Yolei, you're still awake." Wormmon greeted her.
" I'm always awake, Wormmon. Could you show me where the study is? I'm a little turned around already." She confessed embarrassed.
" It's alright. I'll show you where to go." The little digimon led her all the way to the door.
" Thanks Wormmon. I can get back on my own." She assured him.
" Very well. Have a good night, Miss Yolei."
Yolei shook her head as Wormmon shuffled away. She looked at the bookshelves and sighed. " Now lets see if we like any of the same books."
***
The Kaiser walked into the study, shedding his coat and throwing it to the floor with a grunt of disgust. He had won the battle, but the Northern forces were more of problem then he had expected. It had been poor planning on his part to ignore that part of the digital world. He'd flopped down in the armchair and glanced in the direction of the couch, when he noticed her. He smirked as he stood and moved towards her. He touched the side of sleeping girl's face. She smiled and moved against his palm. He took the book that had been resting on her chest and chuckled quietly. The irony of her falling asleep with a book like Interview with the Vampire then being found by him was too much. He sat watching her for a while, her peaceful expression and the rhythm of her breathing was putting him to sleep.
" You are a difficult prisoner to keep." He informed her as he kissed her cheek.
Yolei smiled in her dreams and muttered almost inaudibly, " Ken."
The Kaiser blinked; he stared at the woman trying to understand where that had come from. " Probably some damned ex." He cursed angrily, at the girl who scowled at the change in his voice. His face softened slightly as he brushed at her nose causing her to twitch a little. " Let's get you to bed."
He picked her up and carried her to her room. He awkwardly managed to pull the covers back before he set her down on the bed. He tugged her sweatshirt over her head and gently laid her back on the bed. He retrieved the tee shirt she'd used the night before and put it on her. " You are actually quite the pain at the moment." He smirked pulling the covers up to her chin.
He was almost ready to leave when he noticed the black book sitting on her table. He picked it up and opened the cover; the first page was covered with her handwriting.
"Dear Kari, I haven't kept one of these since you died. Maybe I'll leave it on your grave one day or maybe I'll give to TK if he ever comes back from inside his mind. I don't know where to begin so much has changed in the past few years. The most recent change being that I'm a prisoner of Ken. I can just hear it now, you're laughing at me in Heaven wondering if I'm some kind of willing prisoner. Gatommon is here, she's okay, but she serves Ken. Don't be angry with her Kari, she was just too sad after you died. Anyway, the next time I write I'll tell you all about your brother and Sora. –Yolei"
He shut the book and set it back on the desk. He studied her face she looked so serene. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, " No war and you have me at your mercy." He whispered against her skin.
" Stay." She whispered.
He visibly jumped and looked down at her to make sure she was still sleeping. To his relief and surprise she was. He didn't really want to leave her; logically it made sense for him to stay. He'd have to come back calm her, when she started her nightmares; there really wasn't any point for him to leave. He walked over to the other side of the bed and climbed in next to her.
***
Yolei yawned, and attempted to look at her clock, which still wasn't there because this still wasn't her actual room. Her internal clock was telling her that she should still be sleeping. So she sighed and closed her eyes, when she felt the other person move against her. Her eyes shot open, and she cautiously looked over her shoulder. Ken was asleep next to her, and now that she was more awake she noticed that his arm was draped over her stomach. He was spooned against her; they must make quite the picture at the moment. Yolei closed her eyes, and immediately started drifting off to sleep, in fact it was almost as if a missing piece of her had been returned.