Chapter 4: A Path Unwanted but Taken

~Kouji's POV~ I'm in last period now. I have no idea what the teacher's jabbering on about, not that I didn't try paying attention. My mind keeps wandering into the digital world and I can't concentrate.

Finally the bell rang and I dashed out of the room. I met up with the others at the street corner.

"What now?"

"Nothing, but we better get into the digital world," Takuya said with ease. If it only our quest was that easy.

So we all decided to meet at Kouichi's house. I ran home and packed some food. After past experiences I didn't want to go hungry at night.

Then I dashed over to Kouichi's house.

"Hey Kouichi," I greeted him panting and clenching my side. His house it pretty far from mine.

"You're just in time. Everyone's here already."

"Okay"

I followed my brother into him room where everyone was stiff. It seemed as if they brought some stuff along too.

"Kouji what took you soo long?" Takuya asked.

"I was packing soo lay off."

"Alright let's go."

He held up his cell phone which automatically turned into his d_terminal. We put them up to the screen and were sucked into the Digiworld.

We landed with a bang. I was some where in the middle of the pile. I felt bad for Asia. She was waiting for us and we fell on top of her out of nowhere. And just so you know J.P. the heaviest one, got to land on top of the rest of us.

"EEEP! GET OFF!"

"OUCH!"

"HEY THAT'S MY FOOT!"

"QUIT COMPLAINING! I'M ON THE BOTTOM!"

"NO YOU'RE NOT! I AM!"

"OUCH"

"SORRY"

After a few minutes we finally got untangled.

"Takuya, I knew you like to arrive in a bang but this is absolutely ridiculous," Asia exclaimed.

"Very funny"

"Well anyway here," Asia said handing us some weapons.

She threw Takuya and me swords. Zoeie got a bow and arrows. J.P. got a spear. And Asia had a bit of everything: sword, daggers, bows and arrows, you name it she probably had it; well except a spear.

"Did any of you get the location of where we're supposed to go?" Asia asked us.

"No," I answered.

The ground beneath us began to shake.

"Some one please tell me that was an earthquake," I heard Zoeie say.

"There's no time for that," Asia said calmly grabbing her d_terminal.

"Right," I agreed.

We all digivolved into our beast spirits, with the acception of Asia.

~Asia's POV~

From the ground came a snake-like digimon that was being ridden by a warrior. Well actually the warrior was standing on top of it but still you know. She was on it so that kind of is ridding it.

The warrior was in a stone armor, which I found tacky. I mean what is she from the Stone Age?

But some how, the warrior's sense was familiar.

"So you finally came," the warrior said. Her voice was rough and gruff but it was a sicking high pitched sound. It sounded like the sonar for a battle ship or when a microphone is too close to the source so it makes that irritating screech or even when someone scratches a chalkboard.

Then I realized, the warrior was Kim.

"Kim," I said. Well it was more of a statement than a question really.

"Yes, remember you said I was no match for you. Well let's battle right here, right now, and I will prove you wrong."

"As a digimon?"

"Of course, slow aren't you. But what should I expect from a mere girl like you?" she started laughing and the laugh just made me wanna puke.

"Ugh! What a sickening sound I think I'm going to regurgitate now."

"You are soo pathetic. Don't you know you shouldn't tease your betters?"

"You aren't my better. You're a power hungry dweeb hiding behind a heavy armor from the Stone Age."

"How amusing, if my heart wasn't set on destroying you I would let you be my court jester."

"Give me a break. The day I serve you is the day- ah never mind. Besides my real question is: Why are you doing this? Never mind, forget I asked that. I know the answer to that since you went berserk. No change the question to: Why the heck are you soo power hungry?"

"Why shouldn't I be? Power is the key to life."

"No it isn't."

"Oh what is it then? Making friends? Being happy for others?"

"I didn't say that. The key to life isn't power or money. It's learning to care for something or someone. It doesn't matter if it's a small thing or a big thing. You just don't go on a crazy rampage-"

"Who ever cared for me?! No one! That's the answer!"

"No it's not! What about your parents? What about me?"

"What about you?"

"I always made sure you were okay! I never let any harm befall you! How can you say that's not caring?"

"Yeah you really cared when you chose him over me!" She flung out her arm and pointed at Kouji.

"Don't be soo ridiculous! You're worth as much to me as he is! But you made me chose! It was either him or you! Which is the truer friend?! The one that makes you chose or the one that doesn't care if you're a bitch?! The one that deals with the one you love just because they know how mush that person means to you or the one that's all like I don't like him so chose?! If you were a true friend you would have tried to be civilized to him for my sake! But no! For you it was him or me, who are you going to chose? Real friends don't make you chose them over your friends!"

"The point is you chose him!"

I was soo angry with her that I couldn't even form words of comeback. How dare she do this?!

Finally I roared back, "I tried to talk to you about this, but NO! It was 'my way or the high way' for you! You didn't even try to get to know him! You gave him less than two days and it's 'Oh I don't like him!' What type of friend are you?!"

"What type of friend are you?!"

"One that speaks the truth no matter what!"

With that she attacked me. I drew my sword as she did. He kept attacking top left to bottom right. She thought she could catch me off guard. Yeah fat chance! The day that happens is when I'm dead in a coffin and can't defend myself because I can't move my dead body.

Finally I knocked the sword out of her hand. My sword went straight for her neck then stopped. The sword was millimeters away form her first layer of skin.

"Go ahead, kill me. I don't care any more," she hissed at me.

I shook my head slowly never taking my eyes from her. I wanted to make sure she didn't try anything funny. What were you thinking when I sad that? I'm not lesbian.

"I'm not like you. You're willing to kill me for power. But I can't kill you because you're my friend. You-"

I was cut short when she grabbed a dagger concealed in her pocket. She threw it at Kouji, who had di-digivolved.

"You're going to pay for that one," I said my anger building up once again.

I took her sword which wasn't as fine as mine and sliced her leg softly to take away the first few layers of skin. I wouldn't do it all the way even it was my worst enemy, I just wanted her to feel a bit of pain.

But as the sword touched her she began to turn into a snake that twitched in pain and died. I had destroyed my own friend.

I sank to my knees as she disappeared. When she was gone it felt like the world was gone and I was all alone in the darkness.

Then I heard their voices.

"Kouji stop-"

"Lay down would you?!"

I got up and went over.

"Takuya give me your jacket."

He took it off and asked, "Why?"

"Because I don't have one." I balled up a sleeve and held it.

"Kouji this is going to hurt. Please try not o scream. Put this in your mouth and bit down hard when it hurts. Trust me on this," I pleaded him in a comforting voice.

"I've always trusted you with my life," he mumbled.

I placed the sleeve in his mouth.

"Okay I'm going to pull this out as fast as I can. Ready?"

He nodded. In a quick swipe I withdrew the dagger as in a flash. I tore off strips of my silk pants and tied them around the wound to stop the bleeding, or at least to apply pressure so it wouldn't hurt as much.

"I'll be able to heal it a bit once the bleeding stops a bit," I whispered to him I a soft voice.

I placed his head on my shoulder and helped him sit up. After a few minutes the bleeding stopped and I placed my hand on top of the wound. Slowly the muscles grew back and the skin repaired itself.

When I took me hand off the place where the dagger was reveled a bit of redness.

"You should keep off that leg until we get to my house. I can't heal it that well right now because-"

"I understand."

We helped him stand up. Takuya and I had him put his arms on our shoulders and we helped him walk back into the real world.

But the thought remained in my head. The thought haunted me. I had killed my friend. What could I do? It was a road that I didn't mean to take. I didn't know her own sword could destroy her.

I always thought killing was wrong. And I still do. I wish I knew why she had done this. But there was no point in wishing. Is there ever?