The Footsteps are Fading

Chapter Nine

"It needs no uncommon eye to see that the finger of death has rested on the church."

- Sampson Reed

Masafumi Tanaka, one of Japan's top reporters, could be seen flying from household to household, asking this, asking that, and all around shoving his camera in their faces while they picked at the remainder of their lives. Some blatantly ignored him, others insulted and cursed him, so when he made it over to Yamato's house, he wasn't expecting a hug and a "how do you do". He asked them a question politely enough, and when they answered equally civil like, it struck a humanitarian string in his heart (a thing to behold in reporters) and he asked if they needed any help. Concern actually rang true in his voice, but there was little he could do. They shooed him off and continued to rummage through the ruble, picking up odd things and then tossing them to the side. If Sora ever got home, Yamato thought, there'd be some "ss'plaining' to do.

Sora, as of that time, was looking down upon the digital world's most ferocious and damaging opponent ever. And as if his reputation wasn't enough, he sure looked the part of it.

"Massive" fell considerably short of describing his bulk. He could perhaps fill the description of a fourth of the size of the room they were in. His eyes could not be thought of as less than the devil's own. He had hair, but it was crimpy and unnatural, trailing all the way down his back in dark spurts that had to be crawling with some bug or another. Fortunately, he wasn't facing them, though Sora guessed they could have smelled his breath from their position so high above. She couldn't clearly see his face, but what she did see was enough. Protruding canines popped out of the lip corners, driping saliva that would no doubt burn one to death (fitting descriptions of some terrible giants she had once read about). Rough, leathery skin stretched itself painfully around his overgrown body, giving the impression that he would burst out of it any second. Raptor-like claws adorned his feet and hands, randomly clicking on the floor as if they had a mind of their own. She groaned outwardly.

"We have to fight him?"

Taichi passed a look that said "oh-my-god-what-have-you-done", as the chthonic beast on the ground cracked his head to their vicinity, gaping out of wonder or stupidity. The woman, whom had been staring at Taichi and him at her, dashed towards the wall they were in and soon vanished from sight in the shadows. Taichi spun Sora around and pushed her back to the tunnel, hoping to get out of this creepy, sanity-threatening place, but a pale hand shot out and grabbed him roughly by the collar.

"Run!" he shouted, shoving Sora further into the tunnel. "Get out of here and take -"

His mouth was covered suddenly with the woman's hand, who's strength was amazing, and he was twisted around, forced to stare at her golden eyes. She slammed him up against the wall and brought her mouth to his ear, whispering sardonically: "Help me, help me, where did I come from, little boy?"

He struggled against her grip, but she pinned him to the wall again, her face scornfully close to his.

"What's the matter, little boy, aren't you going to tell me where I came from, or are you so ignorant and weak as to not answer?"

He relaxed his back against the cool concrete and stared her in the eyes hatefully, trying to ignore the fire engulfing his shoulder in pain. She smiled and daintily brushed a hair back from her eyes, then rested the same hand on his forehead.

"Poor Taichi," she whispered, "it was never in your stars to die now."

She moved her hand so that it covered his eyes, and leaned her head against his, laughing at his predicament.

"You're such an interesting person," she continued, "living such an isolated life, letting your one love get away from you…I thought I might help you out, but then I discovered your delightful design! Why, you're so gullible and strong; just the right person I need to help me, if help can be so expected from a human."

He frowned at her, removed her hand from his eyesight, and bodily thrust her against the opposite wall. Instead of saying 'ow' like a person would expect, she giggled at his attempts and with one hand had him back up against the wall, biting his lip in pain.

"Aw, why are you fighting me? Don't you remember our little conversation that one morning…The time when you said that I'd always be with you and that was okay?"

Taichi shook his head and averted his gaze, redirecting his thoughts to Sora, to wonder if she was running down the tunnel now, far away from this nonsense.

"Nonsense?" the mouth breathed by his ear, "what makes you call it that? Why do you want to run away from your one and only girl, me?"

"I don't even know your name, so why do you think I would associate with you like that?"

"Because it's not names that matter, nor how long one has known the other – it's a confidence, Taichi, a confidence that can tell the difference between wrong and right."

"That's not so hard to do consciously."

"Or is it?"

He brought his eyes up to hers quickly, but refused to betray any emotion other than contempt.

"Well, seeing as you are so the strong and silent type, here's a test," she smiled dangerously, "go down there and kill that buffoon. He deserves it."

"What will happen?"

"Why, you'll be the hero!"

"No, I mean to you."

"Such concern for one you so disrespect? I'm touched."

"You shouldn't be. I was wondering if I killed him, would that put you out of the picture, too?"

"Don't believe you can be satisfied so easily, dear. If you kill him, which I'm sure you can (here she winked), I'll become the ruler of the digital world."

"A benign ruler?"

"Of course not, but wouldn't you rather have a beautiful ruler than…" she indicated with a toss of her head the beast that was standing utterly still on the floor below them.

"Why do you want to be ruler of a few digimon?"

She shook her head.

"If you don't understand it, then why should it bother you? Just be assured that you have to kill that beast down there anyway, and we're on a good enough accord to talk to each other civilly after I become ruler, got it?"

"That's insane. Why the hell should I kill him when you're the one who wants him gone so badly? Plus, you're obviously stronger than I am."

"Nice observations, and a little persuading if I hadn't already decided to fight with you. Now, come on, let's get rid of that thing on a mutual agreement."

She took a step back and held out her hand. It seemed hard to trust such a strong and treacherous woman, but they were in the same humour as of now. He extended his hand to hers and shook it cautiously, half expecting to have the life sucked out of him.

"Great!" she cried, "now let me see that shoulder of yours, for you can't fight him without full strength."

Not asking how she knew, the digidestined leader turned his back to her and waited apprehensively, somehow knowing that she could heal with maybe a touch.

"This'll sting," said she, and there was such a sudden jolt on his shoulder that he was flung forward and smacked into the wall. "Hm, that was a little stronger than usual, sorry."

Taichi un-suctioned himself from the ground, stood up quickly, and inspected his shoulder. No cut came to his fingers, nor blood, and he would have called her an angel had he not just been severely beleaguered by her.

He turned to say thanks, but he found her already descending to their opponent, without explaining their battle plan at all. He sighed heavily, thought Sora far away by now, and followed the mysterious woman down.

Daisuke feigned surprise at Hikari's sudden display of emotion. He had honestly expected such a thing, considering the situation and the fact that they were alone, perhaps witnessing the last moments of each other's life, although neither of them thought of it that deeply. He didn't kiss back, he didn't know if he should. He was here to protect Hikari now, not indulge in a passionate love scene (that the author really doesn't want to write). When she broke apart from him he could sense her disappointment, but it couldn't be helped. It would be morally wrong on his part to entertain such fantasies.

"Kari…I'm sorry. It's just not -"

"Don't worry, I understand, I shouldn't of done that."

He grimaced at the cold shoulder he received. It was an odd transaction, going from philosophical tidings to depression, a road not traveled every day. And besides, she hadn't answered his question. Or maybe she had with that kiss, but it was a negative answer that he didn't really relish. But still…

He shook his mind, trying to clear it of such contemplations. It didn't matter, it was just a…jeez! The child inside of him cried. This is the girl that you used to be crazy in love with! She just kissed you! Does that not click for you! Need someone to smack it into your head?

He unconsciously brought his hand up to smack himself, but instead used it to pull Hikari's face towards his own.

"Hikari…"

But it was past words at that point for him. Maybe this wasn't love that he was feeling, but he knew that she needed him right now and protecting someone would also mean entertaining them, too, right? Undoubtedly.

He leaned into her, closing his eyes, squeezing them shut, then leaning in further, and-

"Davis! Kari!"

Sora came rushing to them through the gloomy tunnel, running like Lucifer himself were bent on her destruction. She halted just close enough to see their faces (which were now no longer so close), jittery and sweating.

"What's wrong? Where's Tai?"

"We found the enemy! We found…" she trailed off, wondering at her first words and their overall irony. Why would this make her happy?

"Is my brother there?"

Sora nodded profusely. "We have to hurry back to him!"

"Why? What can we do to help him?"

"We can give him confidence!"

"I don't think Tai would want us to see this fight…"

"Then don't go! Stay here and rot; you're too injured to walk anyway."

Like a mule, Daisuke jumped up and shouted: "I'm fine!"

She grinned and soon all three of them were sprinting down the tunnel, towards the man that was ultimately walking into a death trap. During their race, Daisuke glanced over at Hikari and caught her eye, who seemed to be thinking about their interruption, too. But she only winked at him and said:

"It's the thought, Davis, not the pleasure."