Good's Failure! Hope and Light Is Lost

Chapter Nine

TK stared out into the open, his arm in a sling. He couldn't save R.J., even with Patamon as HolyAngemon he couldn't save him. The memory of R.J. being hit by the blast would have been playing over and over in his head if he had seen it, but he had his face in the ground when it happened. R.J. had died right in front of his eyes. All he did was stared at him and let him continue talking. Everything inside of him ached at the memory of R.J. dying.

TK turned his head when heard Takato's groaning. Lucky for Takato and them, Dark's sister had plenty of bandages in her bag. She didn't answer him when he asked why she had so much bandages with her. He took a wild guess that she figured that they were going to get injured on this journey.

Davis came limping over to TK, his thigh, knee, and ankle bandaged.  "You okay, man?"

"Yeah, I guess so," TK answered softly. "How's Kari?"

Davis scratched his head. "Still a bit upset that you were more worried for Dark's sister than her," Davis gave TK a weird smile. "You sneaky little double-crosser," Davis nudged TK with his elbow.

"What are you talking about? I double-crossed nobody." But in his head he was. He had already betrayed Kari by thinking of Dark's sister in the ways he did. He had turned his back on Kari just because Dark's sister looked more than ten times better than anybody he had ever seen before. What was wrong with him? He had never judged a girl by how she looked before. The lightning bolt must have done something to him. After he had been struck, he had acted mean and rude. This was probably another affect. "I need to apologize to Kari," he finally said. "Do you know here she is?"

Davis tipped his head back to where everybody was. "I saw her follow Dark away from everybody else."

TK nodded and walked back. Takato was seated on the ground leaning against a tree, a bandaged went around his head to keep a cloth to his missing ear. Henry and Rika stood on either sides of the tree Takato was leaning against. Ryo was looking around incase any other Digimon came about. Takuya and Kouji had gone off to look around. Zoe and Tommy had gone off to find something to eat. The food they had brought themselves better be saved for emergencies. Dark's sister was sitting up in a tree. Her legs were stretched out on the length of the tree branch, one legged crossed over the other, her wrists crossed behind her head as a cushion, and her eyes were shut.

TK forced himself not to stare at how beautiful she was and moved on to find Kari. With any luck, she wouldn't have gotten any ideas for Dark like he had for Dark's sister. The feelings he had for Dark's sister wasn't real. He was convinced that it was from the lightning that had struck him. Sure, everybody other male had agreed with him that Dark's sister was great to look at and they hadn't been struck by lightning, but he has a feeling it was the lightning that made him feel the way he did with Dark's sister.

TK found Kari standing, her head moving about as though she were looking. "Kari?"

Kari spun around, surprised. "Oh, TK, you scared me."

"Sorry," he said as he walked over to her. "I heard you followed Dark out here." TK looked around but saw no sign of Dark anywhere. "Where is the emotionless guy?"

"I sort of lost sight of him here."

"Want me to help you find him?"

"If you want to," Kari said with a shrug. "I'm looking for him because I want to ask him something." She didn't want TK getting the wrong idea of why she was following Dark. Just because TK was about to double-cross her didn't mean she was going to do the same with him. When he double-crossed her, she would confront him and everything would be over between them... even their friendship.

TK grabbed Kari's arm as she started to walk away. "I'm sorry."

Kari looked at him, confused. "Sorry for what?"

"I knew and could see that Dark's sister was all right and that you were in worse condition than she was, yet I asked her whether she was okay instead of making sure you were okay first." TK pulled Kari into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, Kari. I haven't been the same lately. I've acted mean, I've lied to you, I almost double-crossed you, and now I've..." He didn't control his tears, he cried. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, TK," Kari whispered as she stroked his hair. "But I can't forgive you--" TK's eyes widen in surprise. "if you suffocate me to death," Kari finished.

TK quickly let go of her so she could breathe. "I'm sorry."

"It's not you, is it?"

"Huh?" It took TK a while to figure out what she was saying. "No, it isn't. I think my different actions is the cause of the lightning bolt that struck me because that's when I started doing and saying things that I normally wouldn't. I tried to fight it," he shook his head. "but I just couldn't anymore." TK paused. "How did you know?"

"I'm not that dumb, TK," Kari said. "I can put together what goes on around here."

"Love and friendliness are only for the weak!" Danielle jumped down from nowhere. "At least that's what Dark says about it." Danielle looked at the two shocked teenagers, who had jumped back and fallen to the ground when she jumped in. "Didn't mean to scare you two." Danielle helped TK and Kari to their feet at the same time. "Dark said that if I ever needed him all I have to do is..." Danielle put two fingers in her mouth and whistled loud.

Dark and Darkmon jumped down from the sky.

"Is there something about being high in the air that is so good?" Kari asked.

Dark ignored her and looked at Danielle.

"They want to ask you a question," Danielle looked at TK and Kari who were looking at her with a suspicious look. "I wasn't spying on you."

"Do you actually know where this master of the New Breed is?" Kari asked. "And if you do, how long do you think it will take till we get there?"

"Women talk too much." With that, Dark walked away.

"Dark always knows where he's going," Danielle said. "He probably doesn't have an estimated time of how long it'll take till we get there."

"You sure know a lot about him," TK said.

"I'm his sister, of course, I know a lot about him." Danielle cocked her head at TK. "Hmph. You don't have that look anymore." Danielle smiled and shook her head when TK and Kari gave her a confused look. "The look you have on your face when you look at me. The one that says that you're going to ditch your girlfriend," she nodded her head towards Kari. "for me." Danielle thought for a moment. "Oh, wait, you said she wasn't your girlfriend."

"She is!" TK blurted out. 

"Okay, she is. I'm going to go look for Dark, you two better head back to the rest of the group." With that, Danielle left to go look for her brother.

TK and Kari walked back to where the others were resting. Zoe and Tommy had come back with a few pieces of fruit.  Takato was in too much pain to eat, but the others were eating. Takuya and Kouji had come back after walking around and finding no trace of any Digimons.

"Where's Dark and his sister?" Ryo asked.

"Dark went off and his sister is looking for him." Kari answered.

Just then, Dark and Danielle appeared.

"We best get out of this forest," Danielle said. "Chances are there're more Digimons coming here right now. You guys are lucky they're in no hurry to kill us yet."

"You said 'you guys', you didn't say 'we'." TK pointed out. "Are you saying all of us but you and Dark are pathetic?"

Danielle moved her shoulders up and then back down.

"You don't even have a Digimon."

Danielle shook her head in pity for him. "Whatever. You can trust what you see and think. It doesn't really bother me. I've learn to confirm things before I speak so I don't look stupid in front of other people's eyes. Saves me the embarrassment," Danielle picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "We should really get going before it turns dark." Danielle took the lead, which everybody thought Dark would do.

~*~*~*~*~*~

They had managed to walk out of the forest and now they were in a rain forest.

"Buzz ya'," a giant looking mosquito said, buzzing around them. "Buzz buzz buzz," it said and swooped down towards Danielle, ready to attack. Danielle smirked, jumped, and kicked it in the back when he passed her. Its face crashed into the ground. The Digimon shook its head as it lifted off the ground. "Buzz buzz, didn't see that coming."

"Sure, you didn't," Danielle looked at TK. "I'm just a useless, weak, and pathetic girl who can't do anything and doesn't even have a Digimon partner to protect me." Danielle walked over to Dark and whispered something into his ear. Dark nodded and backed off. "Well, Mr. Takaishi," Danielle said cheerfully. "I'm gonna prove you wrong and fight this Digimon by myself."

"You're nuts." Rika said. "You can't beat a Digimon."

"I'm sorry, okay?" TK said. "You're gonna get yourself killed."

"Watch me," Danielle pulled out a CD Walkman from her bag. She attached it to her pants, put the earphones in her ears, but didn't press 'play'. Dark leaned back against a tree, showing no signs of worry for her safety. Danielle strapped on her fingerless gloves and stood in front of the Digimon. "Let's play,"

The Digimon charged towards her. Danielle moved slightly, put her hand on its head, and moved over it. The Digimon turned around, angry, and charged towards her. Danielle dropped into a push-up position, turned slightly, and kicked the Digimon from below.

"She's good," Davis whispered to TK.

Danielle grabbed hold on the Digimon's abdomen and pushed herself up on it. She sent a hard punch to the back of its neck and it crashed down into the dirt. Danielle cocked her head. "Not a New Breed, there's no scar. Looks like this fight isn't over yet," Danielle back flipped off the Digimon.

"—digivolves to... Kimomon." A much bigger bug burst out from the smaller one like it was just a suit. The bigger bug looked like a mosquito crossed with a tiger. But this Digimon had a small scar behind its neck.

"Whoever made you guys must like tigers," Danielle looked over to Dark with he scowled at her. She smiled at him. "I'm just kidding." Danielle jumped, grabbed onto a branch, and swung herself at Kimomon. Her foot thrusting deep into its side. It growled in pain and whacked her with its needle at its abdomen. Danielle managed to land on her feet in a crouching position. Danielle pressed the 'play' button on her CD Walkman, but was hesitant when she did so. "I hate it when I get mad."

Danielle started attacking the Digimon like it was some sort of dance. With ease she sent it flying with a single punch of her fist. "Darkmon," Dark nodded his head towards the fallen Digimon.

"Triple Flare Shot!" The attack killed the Digimon and loose data floated around. "Date store." The data went into Darkmon. Having finished his job, he disappeared.

"Are you human?" TK asked Danielle.

"The music I listen to does things to me," she said as she pulled off her earphones and tossed her CD Walkman back into her bag that was left open on the ground. "Shall we go?" Danielle raised a brow when everybody looked at her with a suspicious look. "What? Never seen a human defeat a Digimon who Digimon themselves can't defeat? It's no big deal. You guys need to chill." Danielle slung her bag over her shoulder and proceeded walking.

Hours of walking later, Kari walked up besides Danielle. "How did you fight it and not get a single scratch?"

"I told you," Danielle said. "The music I listen to does things to me."

"Can I listen?"

Danielle pulled out her CD Walkman and let Kari listen.

"What in the word is this music?"

Danielle smiled and shook her head. "I don't know. It's just something I've listened to for a while. Dark gave it to me as a present. He never said what it was and I never asked. That's what you have to know about Dark. He doesn't say, you don't ask. Makes him think badly of you and chances are you never get along with him. Not that anyone has ever succeeded in getting along with him. Not even me."

"Music sounds sad compared to your dancing," Kari said.

"I don't hear it that way," Danielle took back her CD Walkman. "It's one of the things about me and Dark. We don't hear, see, and think like other people do. People hear sad music, it's a sad thing. People see that somebody doesn't have, lets say a, Digimon, it means they don't have one. But me and Dark don't think like that."

"Who are your parents?"

"We don't parents," Danielle lowered her head. "At least I don't," she whispered.

"What was that?"

Danielle looked up at Kari. "Oh, nothing."

"What's your name?"

"Dark will say when it's okay to say," Danielle said softly.

"Does everything you do have to be okay with Dark? You seem to have to ask Dark before you do anything." Kari put her observing to words. It really did seem that she needed to ask Dark whether it was okay before she did it. Like when that giant bug Digimon attacked. She went over to Dark. It was probably to ask him whether it was okay to fight. Somehow it didn't seem like they were really brother and sister. There was something about how they were with each other that seemed that way.

"Something like that I guess," Danielle looked up into the sky. "Dark hates the sky when it's daytime because of how bright it is, but I like it when it's daytime. Dark likes to sky when it's nighttime because of how dark it is, but I hate it when it's dark. I've always been afraid of the dark since I was young. Dark loves the dark though. I love light, he loves dark. I shouldn't be telling you this."

"Why not?"

"Cause I'm not allowed to tell anybody anything."

"Did Dark tell you that?"

Danielle shook her head. "Somebody else I don't know."

~*~*~*~*~*~

*R.J.'s Thoughts* - (R.J.'s thoughts added in a few places in Italics)

"Don't you have a Digimon?" Kari asked Danielle.

"Must I have one?"

"No, I was just asking."

I can feel my eyes growing intense as I look at her. She hasn't told anyone her name because of Dark. Wait, a minute! Dark, he isn't... but why would they lie. What's going on? Why can't I read his thoughts, can't see his past, can't read his feelings, what's going on? He's empty. There's nothing but pain, sorrow, misery, anger, and hatred in him. That's all I feel from him. What about Danielle? She's filled with fear and sadness; although, she puts on a happy mask to cover it. Why? I shouldn't read her thoughts, but I have to know. *AHHHH!* I don't get it. My body's aching all over. But *gasps* no. Darkness is all there is. Danielle was in great pain when she was young. She's screaming in pain, begging the person, no thing, who's causing her such pain. Pain much to strong for a girl her age to handle, but she..................... I have to tell TK about this. He's the only one who can stop--    

"We should get going," Danielle said. "It wouldn't surprise me if the New Breeds knew we were here. They're probably on their way to disrupt our trip to their master." Danielle shook her head as she looked at Dark. "No, offense you guys, but... Dark, why did you bother to allow them to come along when they're going to be of no help to us? The New Breeds are immune to any attacks from the DDs, as they called themselves, Tamers, and Frontiers."

"Does that mean I'll do some attack?" R.J. asked, tossing his Patamon up in the air and then catching him.

I can't say here in front of Danielle and Dark. I have to wait till I'm alone with TK. It'll have to be soon. But I'm afraid that the Child of Hope and Light will not be strong enough to handle this fight. Let's just hope that her love for him will save us all...

"I'm not sure," Danielle said. "I haven't seen you in action before."

Just then, I giant Digimon burst onto the scene. It looked really weird because it was part monkey, part tiger. It had blades coming up the side of its body. Its back was covered in spikes, except the part near its neck. The Digimon growled at them as he approached. "I'm Montrimon. I've been sent by my Master to destroy you."

Dark reached into his pocket and pulled out a small device, the small he had pulled out several times. "Perhaps you would consider clearing a spot consider your size." Dark said to the Digimon.

That device Dark's holding. It's for control. Control over what? It's for control over Digimons? Digimons? With a 's' behind means more than one. But he only has one Digimon. Control over what others? Danielle knows. I can't read Dark's for some reason, but I can read Danielle's. Tell me, what is it? Danielle knows. Control over the... No! But then why would he? Danielle doesn't know why. If only I could read Dark's mind. But why can't I? I can even read a Digimon's mind, but I can't read Dark's. Every time I try... *screams* I can't read his mind. I *pants* can't. The device is for something else. She knows it for something else but doesn't know what that something else is. She doesn't know how old she is. She doesn't remember anything before she met Dark. All there is are fear, darkness, emptiness, and that's all she remembers before Dark. There're no memories of her past in her head. Like they were removed, or never existed to begin with. Dark has yelled at her before, almost hit her before. She stays with him no matter what. But why would she want to stay with him? Women! They're so hard to understand. 

"Well, R.J.," Danielle said. "Here's your chance to fight."

"Patamon changes... to Angemon!" The angel-like Digimon charged towards the Digimon that was over twice his own size.

R.J. thought for a while on what approach was best to defeat. "Angemon, don't use any of your attacks. Just use your staff to attack it." If TK's Angemon's attacks were useless his would be as well. They usually attacked with moves instead of attacking the enemy head on.

Angemon whacked Montrimon on the head and flew high into the air before Montrimon could attack him back. He flew back down and landed on the neck of Montrimon, who went berserk. Angemon parted the fur on the back of the Digimon's neck to see a small scar. Angemon whacked the scar as hard as he could. Montrimon yelled in pain as his legs gave away and he fell. Angemon flew away.

"Patamon changes... to Angemon! Angemon digivolves to... HolyAngemon!" HolyAngemon went to attack Montrimon.

Montrimon growled. The scar on his neck was all the New Breeds weak point. Their master had put in there incase they ever betrayed him. That way he could stop them easily. That R.J. kid must have read his mind and found that out. He smirked. "Looks like I have no other choice but to use the ultimate attack."

"That doesn't sound good." R.J. said.

"All of the New Breed can use this attack incase of emergency." Montrimon lied his head down on the ground and closed his eyes. "Self-destruct." He whispered. "In ten, nine..."

"What!" All but Danielle and Dark yelled in surprise.

"You've got to be kidding me." Henry said.

"Darkmon, protect." Dark ordered.

Darkmon nodded and jumped over to Danielle. A dark barrier appeared around Danielle, but not Darkmon.

"What?" Davis said.

"Darkmon has the ability to protect anybody with his barriers," Danielle explained. "He can protect as many people or things as he wants to, but Dark doesn't like to be protected. Huh? Darkmon, what gives?" A dark barrier appeared around the area.

Darkmon grumbled to her.

Dark jumped into one of the barriers and held his device to it. His device sucked up the barrier, making the barrier disappear. His device glowed black. The other barriers disappeared.

Just then, the Digimon exploded. The whole place shook as a gigantic blast erupted. R.J.'s Angemon cried in pain when the blast hit him and shattered. R.J. screamed when he saw what happened before he was hit by the blast. The others managed to get to where the trees still stood and dropped to the ground, TK's arm being caught in the blast. Takato's ear was removed by the blast. Davis leg was injured.

Dark lowered his sunglasses to get a better look at his dusty and smoky surroundings. He put them back up and walked over to where Danielle stood, unharmed, in the barrier. Darkmon stood besides her, unhurt as well. Dark's sleeve had been the only thing that was harmed by the blast. He had been endured in the whole blast but only his sleeve was missing, burnt off.

TK stood up and grabbed his arm when a sudden pain shot through it. "Argh, my arm."

"TK, are you okay?" Kari asked.

Takato was screaming in pain, his hand over his missing ear.

"R.J.," TK's eyes scanned the area. He saw R.J. lying on the ground. He rushed over to him and dropped to the ground. "R.J., wake up!" TK shook R.J.

The boy's eyes slowly opened and he groaned in pain. "I lied. I'm not really sixteen. I've always been smart." R.J. paused to cough. "Well, this sucks. The fun hasn't even begun. There's something I have to tell you about Da--" I have to tell him about Danielle now before I die. Wait! I can feel it. I'm not dying. Somebody is killing me on purpose. I can survive the blast, but somebody is trying to kill me even as I lie before TK. He doesn't see it, but I feel it. Somebody doesn't want me to tell him about Danielle. Before he could finish, he turned into loose bits of data.

"That happens here," Dark said.

"People who die here die like Digimons do," Danielle continued. "He's dead." 

To Be Continued