Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of Digimon, Digital Monsters. This fic was written solely for recreational purposes, etcetera, and etcetera. So, please don't sue me.
They were at the ocean. All of them had matured, especially Tomoki. He had grown almost as tall as her and was such a handsome boy, no longer the crybaby they all once knew. Takuya had grown quite a bit and wasn't as reckless anymore, but still the fearless leader. Junpei still held an annoying crush on her, but his sarcasm showed at better times. He had become slimmer and stronger. Kouichi was doing so much better at accepting his place in their group. He was more open with others and actually smiled, trading jokes and sharing laughs. Only Kouji hadn't changed much. Sure, he had grown physically and mentally, but his icy personality and demeanor were still all there.
Her own metamorphosis was bringing along problems. To her, it seemed that all of the other Destined and evolved while she had devolved into a shadow of her former hopeful and independent self. Lately, she found her self drifting away at the oddest times, and a chilling voice would rouse all her secret doubts and fears, uprooting past memories that were best forgotten. But then, it would all disappear, and she would remember little of what the voice was taunting her about. But she would still feel the icy chill of fear. She just blamed it on the amount of sleep she was getting and left it like that. But secretly, she knew that something powerful was out to get her, and the methods it was trying on her were working. She didn't want to tell all of the others for fear of being the weak one, the one who would drag them all down.
Suddenly, she tripped, and the pull of gravity toppled her balance, sending her over the treacherous cliff trail winding down to the shoreline. A hand grabbed her, stopping her fall with a sudden jerk. She looked up and saw Kouji on his stomach with Takuya holding on to his ankles to prevent him from toppling over with her. She looked down. It was a long way to fall.
"Well, what are you waiting for? C'mon," an annoyed voice intruded upon her fear.
She was slowly pulled up. When she was safely on the rocky trail again, Tomoki and Junpei crowded around her, inquiring about her well-being.
"I'm fine. I'm fine," she answered, somewhat irritated and embarrassed.
Kouichi said, "Just be more careful. Let's go. We still have a long way to go."
With burning cheeks, she picked her way down the trail more carefully so she wouldn't have the same accident again. When she finally reached the shoreline with her friends, she felt completely drained of her energy. In the back of her mind, she felt her body swaying and Takuya's worried voice breaking through. But mind and body had already almost separated completely. She could barely muster the energy to reassure him.
"Are you alright, Izumi?"
"Yeah, sure. Just let me sit for a while."
Familiar blackness started to creep towards the edges of her vision. She felt as if she had plunged into a pool of ice-cold water. Voices started whispering in her head, and she clutched it, unable to stand the overload of mental activity. A hard, cold voice was most prominent in her mind. Suddenly, she was thrown back to a scene of her past. Her parents, whom were both very successful with their separate careers as scientist and archeologist, were rarely home. She was all alone in a big house with nobody but the housekeeper and the servants, and she was forbidden to associate with the servants. Having nobody else close to her age made her independent streak run rampant. She said what she felt and really did whatever she pleased, no matter what the consequences. She saw herself complaining to her parents that they weren't home all of the time.
"Why can't you guys stay home more often?"
"We told you already. We need to work. Don't you want us to have a more comfortable life? All we want is the best for you," stated her mother, hoping to soothe her daughter.
She muttered, "I'd like it much better if you'd be here with me."
"What?"
"Nothing. Don't you love me enough to stay home?"
"Love you?" echoed her father incredulously. "We're out on our digs working because we love you. We buy you expensive things because we want the best of you, because we love you. Frankly, Izumi, I'm highly disappointed in you."
She would've thrown a temper tantrum to get any of her parents' attention. She thought that their remarks wouldn't hurt anymore than the ignorance they showed when it came to her. But it did. It cut her, making her heart bleed. It echoed through the walls of her skull. I'm disappointed in you. I'm disappointed in you. I'm disappointed in you. I'm disappointed…
The voice started in. "See how selfish you've been? You're just like that with your friends. It's no wonder that they hate you."
"No… NO! It's not true."
But was it? Was she really self-centered because she wanted her parents to spend more time with her, to pay more attention to her? She didn't want anymore. She understood that her parents really had no time for her. The best that they could express their love for her was through the things they bought her. They weren't expressive people and were incapable of expressing their love for her in the form of complements and shows of affection. She accepted that as the harsh reality.
"Then open your eyes. Why are three of your friends, your leader, the one you secretly like, and his twin brother, standing whispering things about you? If they don't hate you, why are they plotting against you? You're just a disappointment."
She opened her eyes, and indeed, there were her friends that the voice described, standing in a semi-circle facing the ocean, whispering, and occasionally glancing at her.
"See…"
A sudden urge to climb up the cliff and to just stand there overpowered her. She knew that something big was going to happen, and she had to be there. Every instinct of hers was screaming for her to get moving, to go before any of the Destined could catch up with her. She had to do this alone. So, she bolted, not hearing anything, not seeing anything but her destination.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kouji, Kouichi, and Takuya were very worried about Izumi ever since that misstep she took.
"Have you noticed anything funny going on around her?" asked Takuya.
Kouichi and Kouji exchanged glances. "You explain."
"Kouji and I have somehow developed… um… 'powers' ever since our little trip from the Digiworld. We're able to see auras of the other Destined. It's sort of weird because it's white in the middle, colored around the edges, and molds itself to the shape of its owner. Yours is red. Kouji's is blue. Mine's a dark purple. Tomoki's is green. Junpei's is yellow. And Izumi's is usually pink."
Takuya frowned. "What do you mean by usually?"
"Well, as of now, it's melded with a black smoke-like substance tinged with a sick purple color. Kouji thinks she's battling something. And I agree with him. Problem is that it's overpowering her fast."
Realization dawned on Takuya. "So, that's why her choice of clothing and personality did an abrupt 180. She used to wear pink conservative clothes, but now she wears a black tank top with black Adidas sports pants. Two dark blue hair clips in her hair replaces her hat. She seems so depressed and distant all of the time, occasionally drifting. But what I don't understand is why she would want to hide it from us. We're her friends. We could help her, but she won't let us."
"You know Izumi. She won't show any weakness, even in front of the people who know her most. Have you noticed that she rarely talks about her family? Sure, she told us that she came from Italy, but she doesn't discuss anything about her parents or siblings, if she has any," stated Kouji.
A sudden movement caught their eye. They saw Izumi dashing up the cliff trail, heedless of their calls behind her.
Kouji threw out an arm, stopping the rest of the group from following her. "Just watch. We may see something."
So, they stood and observed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She reached the top of the cliff over looking one of the pristine white beaches of the continent of Server. The ocean winds blew towards her, refreshing her. The winds grew stronger, whipping her hair free of their clips. An abrupt change in direction of the winds caused her to look ahead of her, to see a portal of light opening in midair. The winds were drawing her towards it, and every fiber of her body was jumping towards it. She took a deep breath and tried not to think about how many feet she would fall if she didn't make it. After taking a couple of steps back, she ran as fast as she could to the edge of the cliff…
And jumped.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Back on the shoreline, Kouji muttered under his breath, "So it as begun."
Kouichi simply nodded in agreement.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She didn't land. She was in a world of white mist. They were curling in every possible direction, as if they had a mind of their own. It seemed as if the very air around her were alive, constantly churning in a low peaceful pulse around her. A woman of great beauty was gliding towards her, dressed in a white goddess' robe. Her long blond hair was moving in an invisible wind, and her cerulean blue eyes bored into the Child of Wind in front of her.
Izumi simply said, "Aliara, goddess of the wind and protector of hope." And curtsied deeply.
Aliara lifted her up into a standing position. "Here, we are equals. You will address me as if I were one of your friends, and I hope that you count me as one among them."
"I am honored. What will you have of me?"
"You have fallen ill." It was a statement not a question.
"I-" The goddess merely held up a hand to silence her.
"Do not lie to me. There shall be not secrets between us. Your sickness is not a sign of weakness. Evil clings to you like a plague. I can feel it. This is a test you must pass. But child, you must remember that you are not alone. Your friends will be of a great help to you."
"I don't want to burden them."
Aliara sighed. "They want to help you. In fact, I know that your leader is and will continue to be offended that you did not turn to him in your time of need. As for the others, they'll catch on soon. It'll be better if they hear about your problems from you than me."
"How could you?!? They're my own problems. I don't need anybody to help me through them. I'm strong enough. They won't know what I'm going through," said Izumi, her voice tinged with bitterness.
"The Children of Light and Darkness has already passed their tests during their first trip. Now it's your turn. You need not suffer alone. Remember, those who have the most hope are thrown into the deepest despair. Those who have the most light cast the most shadow. Those who are the darkest must always find light to survive. It's always balanced."
"But I don't understand."
The goddess smiled kindly on her young charge. "Oh, but you will. That is only if you can find it in your heart to be able to completely trust others."
"But I do."
"Oh really? When is the last time you poured your heart out to somebody? When is the last time you ever discussed your family with the others?"
Uncomfortable, Izumi nodded, took a close look at her surroundings, and gasped in surprise. "This a world of air and wind. Isn't it? This is where hope is most sacred and protected, and where peace is found within. Isn't it?"
Aliara smiled in genuine pleasure. "Yes. Indeed it is. I have kept you for too long. You might want to get back to the Digital World. Your friends are all very worried."
"How do I get back?"
The goddess merely gestured, and the mists parted, revealing a portal. As Izumi reached it, she heard, "Thank you for the blessing you made in my name on that rainy day a week ago."
Surprise registered on her face. She was absolutely shocked that her patron was thanking her. "It was my duty and obligation."
With that, she left the world where hope blinded and winds reigned.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She was suddenly thrown onto the sand, severely drained of much of her energy. Hands grasped her upper arms and held her upright. She slowly looked up and saw Kouji's intense eyes boring into her.
"I'll… pass. It… won't… win." And she passed out.