The Footsteps are Fading
Chapter One
"War, Davis, is not about winning. It's not about courage, comradeship, or blood spill either. If you held war in any sort of white light, called it dignified in your mind, would you please strip it of those ideas. War is nothing more than ignorant, immature adults who are allowed to shoot a gun, and think they have found a reason, and a person, to shoot at."
Deep lines creased the brow of the team's brave leader as he said this. His gaze pierced well into the horizon from their high altitude, but a person didn't need to see far to watch the carnage. Deep in the desert large clouds of smoke billowed up to the gray sky, and at their bases were fiery orange moieties of explosions, half circles hugging the charred ground. There were no more towns or people down there now, and if there were they would be badly injured. The entire digital team was present to watch, to despair, as the angry explosions ripped through the digital world, and the scintilla scent of burning earth and bodies drifted up to them on a soughing wind.
"Who is doing this?" Jou mumbled, almost to himself. Far back in his thoughts he could remember the images of Hiroshima; the death tolls, the reason. Even after years of contemplating the motive didn't seem legitimate. He agreed whole heartedly with Taichi on the matter of reason; there was no valid reason to kill so many people.
"I wish that we could do something," stated Mimi quietly, "but I think that we just don't have that special something anymore."
Taichi set his jaw hard, thinking of all the things that they could have done against such a monster in their younger days. Even the second generation of the digital world saviors were loosing that "special something", and no word had been heard concerning children to replace them. Utterly worthless, though, to think about what could have been done in a different place and time. Now continued to be now, and no one had the option of turning that around. He studied the faces of his comrades and saw the same thoughts in their eyes. Either they wait for some replacements, or they try and fight anyway. Taichi knew that they would lose should it come to fighting, but he would be sure to make an end worth remembering. And yet, worth remembering by whom? His eyes glowered at this thought and returned to the explosion-riddled milieu. No one; because that was the warrior's way.
"You're not a warrior, Taichi, so don't force yourself to think like one."
For the first time that day, a smile creased the long-forgotten lines on Taichi's face at the sound of Jenai's old man voice. Finally the day of news would come to the digidestined.
"What long-expected news do you bring, Jenai? Don't mistake I've been biting my fingernails waiting for you, or is that the kind of grand entrance that you want?"
"No, no, Taichi, I would not wish to be so dramatic (bad for the heart). I had pressing matters to attend to, ones which needed my attention for many months. I am sorry I sent no word, but it was impossible, you see, for I was in the wilderness, making very careful and imperative decisions. Decisions that might be enough to stop this war," he sighed then, and he looked twice as old as he had ever been before. He scanned the faded line in the distance with his wrinkled and hazy blue eyes, bunching up his shoulders with copious amounts of worries by the minute.
"Jenai," Tai said softly, and placed a hand reassuringly on the man who was half his height, "did these decisions deal with a new generation of digidestined?"
The withered man raised his puffy white eyebrows high, clearly confused.
"New digidestined? Oh, no, no, that would take years and years to decide. Why, all of you were chosen at birth and so we had to wait quite a few years for you to save us." He laughed at the group's surprised visages and continued in his slow, comforting voice. "No, Taichi, I was deciding just who among you would become active as a digidestined again."
The group gaped at him openly, even Koushiro and Ken, who were now very refined gentlemen indeed. He chuckled a few times and then spoke again, much too slow to the likes of his impatient listeners.
"Yes, yes, I know what you all are thinking. You're probably thinking that you are much too old to do anymore adventuring."
"No, sir, Jenai," Koushiro said as he stepped in, "I always was under the impression that the possibility of digivolving declined at a certain age."
"Which it does, which it does. I never put it beyond all of you to figure that one out. I understand that even our brave and fearless leader Taichi is coming up upon his twenty-ninth year. Ha, you still look to be fifteen, with all your muscles and good looks. It's in my knowledge that your ability to have your digimon, Agumon was his name if I'm not mistaken, digivolve began to disintegrate around your fifteenth birthday. Now, that is why I said 'active again'. Unfortunately, only a handful of you can be selected." He took a deep breath and tried to meet their pressing eyes. "This, as it seems, is what took me so long to decide. I chose to not tell you as to not favor any of you. Five of you can be chosen, no more and no less. So, with much deliberation betwixt my instinct and my reason, I have chosen those I think would work the greatest together and would save this planet for sure.
"Daisuki: your natural leading skills have improved and blossomed since your first adventures here, as well as your control. Your strength, leadership, and courage are the first things essential to making this plan work. I have chosen you to be the company's leader. Do you accept?"
Daisuki nodded vigorously, not sure whether to be beaming or afraid for his life. He glanced over at Taichi, wondering if there would be any hard feelings after this. Perhaps Taichi would still tag along. In fact, he had no doubt that the ultra-perfect leader (in his eyes) would be chosen to go. It was no secret that Taichi was the strongest in the group.
"Good. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Daisuki. And in accordance to your personality, I have chosen a person that I think will be both helpful and invaluable. Koushiro: I need you to do the technical planning on this mission. Your brains and bottomless knowledge will surely make this mission possible. I know that you accept."
Koushiro smiled a gaucherie grin, also feeling the first seeds of fear plant themselves.
"Thank you. Hikari: Your grace and wonderful healing powers will undoubtedly be enhanced on this mission. When one is hurt, I need you to be there for them, both spiritually and physically. Can you do this for me and for the digital world?"
"I will do my best, Jenai," she said quietly. Catching Taichi's glance, she quickly slapped on a grin and forced a small "gee-no-pressure" laugh. Jenai smiled back at her seemingly irrepressible happiness.
"Takeru, your strength and cool head are needed to complete this group. Will you accept being the last member to this company?"
Takeru looked at him oddly, and then around at everyone else.
"I will accept, but weren't there supposed to be five people?"
"Yes, five. You, Hikari, Koushiro, Daisuki, and…" He trailed off slowly, his mouth closing up and then opening again. "Oh no…" he stuttered, "I forgot to put one more person in!"
He stared off into space for a long while, not even blinking, while the rest of the team stood on their toenails wondering who he would pick at such short notice. All thought that they would be helpful in some way, but mostly all wanted to feel the sensation of fighting again. Several moments passed until Jenai finally looked someone in the eye again.
"It seems that I have made a dreadful error, one not worth forgiveness. I need your help once again, digidestined, for I am too tired to make the decision. Choose among yourself who should go and I shall deem it correct or not."
With that, he sat back on a large rock and stared at the deadly silent group. Finally, Jou broke the silence.
"I think that Tai should go. He is the leader and the strongest of us all."
Surprisingly to all, Taichi shook his head. "No, Jou, being the leader is Davis' responsibility now. Someone strong should go, but they don't necessarily have to be the strongest of all."
"Then Matt would probably be the best choice, right?" Sora piped in, clinging onto her husband's arm tightly.
"I wouldn't want to leave you though. I mean, we have a family. What if I got killed?"
In the background Taichi rolled his eyes and spat, but all were too busy looking away from the swooning couple to see.
"What about Miyako? Or Mimi?"
"Well," Taichi hissed, "those are the only choices left, aren't they?"
"Iori."
Everyone coughed simultaneously and averted their eyes. No way Iori was going.
"Very interesting," Jenai said from his perch, "that you should pick one of your weakest. Actually, I take that back, because Miyako isn't very weak. In fact, if you give me those two to chose from, I would choose… ah, Mimi."
"Mimi!" cried the entire group, surprised at Jenai's reaction when they had only been kidding not a moment before.
"Me!" Mimi shouted, "but I'm just no good at those fights and all!"
"Perhaps, but that's what Daisuki and Takeru are for. You, my dear, are for spirit."
"Spirit? What is that supposed to mean?"
"You'll understand in due time. Do you accept or not?"
Mimi looked back and forth between everyone, caught like gum in hair. Ultimately she slumped her shoulders and gave in to the tenebrous eyes.
"Alright, I'll go, but those boys better promise to not get me killed!"
"They will," Jenai promised solemnly, and then turned to Taichi, "Taichi, thank you for understanding. I was afraid that…"
"I have other things to do, Jenai, and places to be where I'm needed more."
"I see. And my thanks goes to all the rest of you, and may you wish your friends the best of luck on this mission. It is a dangerous one. Now, I must be leaving you, for I have other things to do, more people to see." He hopped down from the rock and was already disappearing when Daisuki grabbed his arm.
"Wait, Mr. Jenai, you didn't tell us where to begin, or even who the target is."
"Target? Daisuki, you still have a lot to learn about war and its motives, and perhaps that is why I chose you, but all you have to know for your mission is to: follow those explosions, but be careful not to get hurt. Oh! And one more thing! Your digimon!"
The wrinkly fingers snapped loudly in the cold silence; even the explosion sounds rested for a moment. Out from the circumambient trees five digimon appeared and jumped into the awaiting arms of their masters. They looked healthy and in good spirits, particularly Gatoman, who's fur was shinning from a recent brushing. War was temporarily forgotten as human and digimon embraced. Jenai smiled his crooked toothed smile and turned back to the digidestined who weren't chosen.
"Seeing as you have no protection against this war, it would be wise to put all faith in your friends and not return to the digital world until I see that it is fit."
Six heads nodded in unity to the evaporating old man, each head holding its own not very risible thoughts. As the last particles of Jenai dispersed into the gathering wind, the digidestined team stared off after the inexplicable explosions, experiencing unwanted deja vus. Out there, they all thought, might hold death for one or more of their friends.
The sun was setting slowly to the east, yet the sky was still painted orange by the fire. Taichi embraced his sister affectionately, and kissed her forehead softly.
"Hikari," he whispered quietly into her ear, "be careful, and stay close to Davis, he'll protect you, I know he will." He stared at her smooth face, picturing her cherubic face as a child, and it was suddenly hard to accept her virago attitude now. He brought his hand up to touch her face, but she clasped it midway and squeezed hard.
"Even though I have Gatoman with me, I'll take your advice to the heart, big brother."
"Good, now get this job done fast, because I'll be missing you on Earth."
She accented her agreement with head movements, and then pushed him playfully towards the portal.
"Get going, we won't take long."
And so everyone said their farewells as cheerfully as they could manage, but there still hung a doom-riddled atmosphere over their heads - it showered them with rain when they said goodbye and deprecated their spirits with hail as they hugged their friends for perhaps the last times. At the end of all the mumbling and hugs, the sun was naught but a thin ribbon of red light on the horizon, and even that was engulfed by the mingling of explosions. Jou's thin chest heaved up in a heavy sigh, and his stomach ballooned outward with the exhaling of the forbidding air.
"I hope you guys don't come across too big of a monster out there," he murmured, actually quite convinced that they would.
"Alright," Taichi waved his hand, "I think it's time to leave our friends to their mission. Good luck on your fights guys, and...also good luck on your finding food and water to live off of."
Daisuki gasped in morbid realization of a serious problem, but Mimi just laughed and clapped her hands.
"Oh don't you worry about that, Tai! I brought plenty of food like I always do when we go to the digital world, so we'll be set for awhile."
"Yeah, but is it perishable?"
"Um...some is, yes, but we can just eat that first!"
"Hey, Mimi, I brought some food too that you can take along. All of it is pretty much nonperishable, so it'll last until the end. That is, unless you eat it all too fast."
"Thank you, Yolei! This will really help out a lot, I'm sure, but...does anyone have any water? I mean, I'm not sure we want to be drinking out of rivers if we're going to be following that trail of explosions, because of fall-out and all."
As everyone looked back and forth at each other, Jenai suddenly made another surprising appearance.
"Hello again!" he cried, "I almost forgot something!"
He threw out water bottles like Santa Clause to the five digidestined, and actually laughed like jolly old Saint Nick to go along with it.
"Yes, yes, I see you eyeing that small water bottle desperately, Daisuki, but fear not! for this is a special bottle, one that has a certain feature you will be most thankful for. Behold!"
He yanked out another water bottle, unscrewed the cap with one great spin, and downed the whole thing. Miraculously, the water seemed to regroup from nowhere to refill the bottle. After a mighty belch, he chugged it again, and the water came back again.
"You see!" he hiccupped, "this will be invaluable on your journey!" Then he nudged the nearest person to him and whispered, "A special gift from higher beings who thought you could use a hand, or a magical water bottle for that matter."
With another great bellow of laughter (much too cheerful for the situation ahead) he spun around and vanished.
"Alright, then I guess that solves that problem," Koushiro mumbled, staring at the ordinary looking contraption suspiciously.
And while the first stars of the digital world gleamed overhead, the five digidestined said goodbye one last time, and headed off on the trail of the explosions, hoping that they would lead them somewhere of importance.
Daisuki took the lead automatically, and led them southeast, where the fire was merely a dim glow on the farthest point of the horizon. They trudged in single file for a long while, without one word spoken since the descent from the mesa. Koushiro was behind the grim leader, then Hikari, Mimi, and Takeru brought up the rear. Their digimon walked alongside of their long-absent masters, somewhat disappointed with the greeting. Still, loyalty shined brightly in their eyes as they tried to match step with the digidestined, each feeling in their hearts the sense of danger again.
Dark smoke clouds cluttered most of the sky, resulting in a deep black night and few visible stars. The only light to guide them were the rapidly disappearing explosions, but not much light was needed for foot placement on this ground for it was barren and brown, with no living things or debris left to hinder their movement. The smell, though, was unbearable. The scent was a mixture of many things that the digidestined didn't really want to know about. It encompassed them like a thick woolen blanket, smothering their senses and thoughts with its rancid smell. Still they walked on without rest, playing 'Follow the Leader' with a silent Daisuki, who's eye was fixed on the receding light. He didn't want to lose that light, for it was their guide and only guess to the enemy, so if it disappeared completely, he would run to see it again.
Late that night, some two hours before dawn, the latter happened.
Daisuki paused for a moment and turned back to the players in the game.
"Get ready to chase me," he said with a boyish grin, and then sprinted off into the dark.
"Davis! Come back here!"
Reluctantly, they followed suit after Mimi's startled cry. Koushiro could just see the faint outline of Daisuki and Veemon, and could only hear the heavy pounding of his feet. He knew that he wasn't an athlete, he never had been one anyway. The hours of walking had already made his legs ache terribly, and now the extra strain of running was stretching his low stamina to the limit. Slowly but surely, the two sleek figures in front of him faded totally into the night.
Koushiro's raspy breathing ahead of her frightened Hikari as much as Daisuki's abrupt decision had. She wasn't putting her best foot forward and still she was on Koushiro's heels. Behind her she could hear Mimi's labored breathing also, and she wondered how long they could keep this up. Daisuki was in good physical form, as was Takeru, and she was alright, but Mimi and Koushiro were not all that great strength wise. She smiled as her legs carried her smoothly along, wondering if it was possible to have brains or beauty and still be fit. If it was, then there would be no use for teams, and this mission would have been done by one person. One person, her mind echoed, one person...
Ten minutes later Daisuki caught sight of an orange line far away and slowed his pace to a fast walk. He turned and walked backwards for awhile, intently watching the jogging form of Koushiro. The genius was staring at his feet and, as it looked to Daisuki, barely shuffling. Behind Koushiro he saw the rest walking a medium pace, all held up by Koushiro. He sighed and waited for the group to catch up, pondering how far they could possibly get with this (he refrained from saying 'thing') man holding them up. Now, he had the highest respect for Koushiro's brain power, but wasn't it the slightest bit possible that the man could run a mile a day or something? It was a miracle that he didn't weigh three hundred pounds by now, even if he was only twenty-eight.
"Come on! It's going to disappear again if we don't go fast enough!"
The group reformed and walked quickly, once again with Daisuki in the lead, who continuously urged them to pick up the speed. He was regretting the extended goodbyes at the mesa (which when he looked back was hidden in the night, along with the ever-bright portal) and wasn't sure as to how they would make up the time. He felt suddenly the holes between them all, the ones that had snuck up in between days and then ripped blackness into their friendships, the absence of closeness, and he remembered how the group used to look, friendly and cheerful, and compared it to tonight's visages, which mirrored shallowness and conceitedness. When had all this happened? He shook his head slowly and forced himself to walk on without considering the matter more, and just to leave it at that. But the thought came back into his mind when glanced back and saw Hikari, wearing wrinkles on her normally smooth brow. He had the sudden want to stroke the blemishes out of the silk her face was, hold her closer and just protect her. Hadn't that always dominated his thoughts a few years ago? How could he have forgotten how he had felt about her? He whipped his face back around to the front and steadied his gaze to the orange in the sky. Hikari... The old feelings were coming back now in full force, ones he had buried so long ago when he had moved on. Yet even after that milestone she had smelled so sweet when close, felt so perfect when they accidentally touched each other... His heart throbbed painfully against the memories, the ones involving Takeru. Takeru. That one person that had always stood between him and Hikari, was – wait, what was he talking about? Takeru wasn't some evil person, he was his friend. Friend, yeah.
Morning dawned hazy and clouded, threatening to pour rain on them if they made the slightest move. Maybe feeling the morning's malcontent, they sat down on the dead earth and had their first breakfast of the journey. The foul smell still lingered and would have turned off their hunger if the food hadn't looked so tempting. The food was a nice link to the society that was but a day old in their hearts, and they took each bite with a slow thoughtfulness, wondering when that society would become fresh again. With full stomachs conversation seemed possible, but they spoke in whispers, secretly afraid of disturbing the silence around them.
"I wonder why Tai didn't come," Mimi said after a lull in the voices. Hikari stuffed her face with another rice ball and smiled at Mimi.
"He'd have to stay behind to tell all the people who want to come here that the digital world is temporarily…down, if that's the correct word."
"Still, he was a really great leader. I just feel safer when he's around."
"Yeah, so do I."
Hikari caught Daisuki's eye and held it for a moment, thinking of her brother's words. Daisuki was very much like Taichi, but the feeling she got just wasn't the same. It was the feeling of a complete stranger mentally undressing you that she got with Daisuki, but just not as bad. He flashed a carefree smile at her, but the imbroglio in his eyes was a weaving of concern and hard thoughts, born during last night's march. But that's just part of becoming a true leader, she thought.
They packed the remaining food and set off at a quick pace, for Daisuki was determined to gain on the faster moving explosions. No breath was spared in favor of talking all that day, they did not stop for lunch and it was not questioned that they didn't stop, they just kept walking. Their water bottles were drained and refilled numerous times, but remarkably no one needed to go to the bathroom in the span of time from breakfast, to when they finally stopped for dinner.
An exhausted group of people and their digimon fell upon the dirt as soon as Daisuki stopped moving. He looked over his shoulder disapprovingly, but acceded that they could rest here tonight. Besides, he added, they were as close as he wanted to get to the explosions.
Mimi sat back dejectedly after half-heartedly digging through a bag for food. Her stomach churned and complained just at the notion of eating and it was all because of the putrid smell surrounding them.
"I think I'm going to hurl," Koushiro moaned, clutching his midsection tightly.
"Please don't," said the lackadaisical Takeru, but he averted his eyes just in case the message didn't get across.
"Why does it smell so bad?"
"Because digimon probably died here, Mimi. Burned up like that." Davis snapped his fingers and scowled.
"That's terrible!" she cried, and clung grimly to Palmon.
"I wonder," said Takeru, "if our digimon will digivolve the same way like they always did. Do you want to try it, Patomon?"
The adorable digimon shook his head and explained quietly that he had 'no one to fight right now'.
"You could fight Veemon," Daisuki offered, "yeah, and then whoever wins gets something special, like a gas mask or something."
"Funny, Davis, funny. But that's just a waste of energy, so no."
"I was just kidding, you don't have to get so defensive all the time."
"All the time? I haven't seen you in months!"
Oh that's right, Daisuki mused, I was probably thinking about the old days. Funny how I don't feel this old…
"Sorry, I'm not sure what got into me."
And that was certainly the truth. They were all adults now, and adults didn't fight about stupid, nugatory stuff like digimon and Hikari. Well, maybe the latter was worth it, but maybe a fight wouldn't ensue for her attention.
The camp turned deadly silent after that outbreak and stayed quiet until Daisuki noticed that the whole lot of them were asleep, himself included. He started awake and chanced a glance at the sky. The sun was already above their heads and red-orange blasts could not be seen in any direction. He tried to push himself off the ground, but his arms were surprisingly limp yet ridged. His legs were in the same condition, even down to his smallest toe. He moved his eyes this way and that to try and get a look at his friends, but they were either gone or out of his viewing range. Then he noticed that the ground under him was no longer brown and cracked, but composed of cobbled stones, fastened together by some gray mortar. And on top of that, the sky above him was laced through with metal bars. Wait, that wasn't right, it must've been some sort of window…room…cell?
The last word made his heart struggled up into his throat and stay there, pumping, pumping, worrying, worrying. What had happened? When had they (or he) gotten here? He struggled hopelessly against his invisible bonds, alone and frightened in a small cell.