No matter where he went it was always the same. The streets were absolutely empty. There was no traffic and no people were anywhere to be seen. Shops and restaurants were deserted and even the animals seemed to have vanished.
He had been wandering around in the unfamiliar streets for a while now but he hadn't met a single human soul so far. He couldn't remember how he had ended up in this place. Neither did he know why he was here, wherever this place was.
He finally sat down in the middle of an intersection. He wasn't suicidal but it probably didn't matter anyway where he sat down, he was already sure that he was alone in this strange and foreign city. In fact he felt as if he had known it all along. He drew his knees close to his chest and covered his blue eyes with his hands trying in a desperate attempt to force his brain to function normally again. He knew who he was and he could remember countless insignificant details of his life, like his first day in school or the taste of his cooking but he had troubles remembering the last few hours, what he had been doing and how he had ended up in a place like this. Whenever he tried a logical approach to his situation his brain seemed to fail him. Every time he came closer to those memories he was searching for everything would become blurry as if he was separated from them by an impenetrable veil.
He looked around again but nothing had changed. Not even the dark grey clouds in the sky were moving. It seemed as if time itself had stopped.
Was it his fault that had ended up here? Maybe he had done something wrong or hurt somebody and this was the punishment for his mistakes. It was possible. He was well aware that he wasn't the nicest person around after all. He probably had more flaws than anyone else he knew.
But there were so many other possibilities as well. Perhaps this was just the place he belonged to. Had he finally found a place where he could stay? Had his search for a home come to an end? As he thought about that he could see how he fitted into this place. What was there that made him different to this dead world? Nothing. There was nothing that fuelled his heart to keep going. There was no curiosity to learn more things about life, there was no passion in his daily life. He had no goals and no destination, nothing that was really worth living for. As a Digidestined he had been useful. But those times were long gone. His crest of friendship was gone. His friends were gone. Without being bound together by the chains of destiny every one of them had gone his own way in life. They had found a new goal to work and fight for, all of them but him.
He had been left behind like an old doll. He had lost his purpose and he was too weak to find himself a new one all by himself. Yes, this was definitely the world he belonged to.
Yamato was too lost in his own thoughts and self-pity as to notice that the shadows of the grey lifeless buildings and trees around him were slowly but constantly getting longer. They were slowly inching closer as if they were reaching out to him. Like long dark hands they were trying to grab him. But he was too preoccupied with his own misery to notice how the shadows were finally reaching him and began to slowly crawl up his legs.
He felt a cool chill slowly running over his body. As if he was slowly being drawn into a pool of icy water. But the unpleasant sensation didn't last long. He had barely noticed how his limbs became numb soon and the how the stinging cold was slowly replaced with apathy. He was slowly losing control over his own body but he didn't care.
Why should he care anyway? Was his life, were his friends worth fighting for? Maybe he should stop calling them his friends. After all they were more like colleagues or allies. They had fought together but that didn't make them friends already. No, the Digidestined were not his friends.
As he tried to curl up even more a weak shimmering light flared up in his mind. It's shine wasn't warm or soothing but pure, gentle and overwhelming. Hikari.
He opened his eyes a little, without actually paying attention to his surroundings. His lids felt heavy and his normally bright blue orbs seemed clouded as if he was already far away. He didn't notice it but the dark shadows which were slowly covering his frail figure had come to a halt.
It was true he considered her his friend. But did that change anything? Maybe during the past years and still for the moment but as soon as she would be able to tell Ken what she really felt for him he would be useless again. Ken was going to return her feelings, there was no doubt about that, and there would be no need for his emotional support anymore.
But he didn't blame her. She was a lonely, scared and insecure girl who was hiding her true self as good as possible. She was so much like him and he was glad that he had been able to walk a part of her way with her. But the time of their farewell would be near soon. She was taking a road that he couldn't walk with her. She had found a new companion on her path through life and he was glad for her. It was time for him to go. He closed his eyes again as the light slowly died away and the shadowy hands began to reach out again.
*
The strange city was getting darker now but the lonely boy who was sitting curled up in a tight ball in the middle of an intersection in the city's centre didn't notice anything of that. His eyes were shut tightly and he was almost completely covered by the strange shadows. It looked as if a thin black oily film was covering his body but he didn't seem to mind.
He was almost ready to accept his destiny as a part of this dark and isolated place. He was getting ready to leave is former life behind. Nobody would miss him, not long anyway. Soon a replacement for the empty place he was going to leave behind would be found. It didn't matter anymore if he was there or not.
He did however notice the faint noise which seemed, slowly at first, to come closer. He didn't open his eyes just yet. Instead he tried to concentrate on the sound and tried to make out what it was. He didn't have to strain his ears too long since the sound was constantly getting closer and clearer and soon he was sure what it was. It was the soft sound of waves splashing against the shores.
The sound was rhythmic and soothing, almost hypnotic and it seemed as if he could hear the water calling his name. He felt the unspoken promise of easing every pain and of peace and it was a tempting offer. He almost wanted to give in and open his eyes as another memory flashed through his mind.
At first there was only darkness but suddenly he saw a small bright spot. It was a light not unlike the one he had seen before when he had thought about Hikari. Yet it was completely different. It wasn't as bright and pure and it seemed colder but he could also feel a power hidden within this light. It intrigued him and somehow it reminded him of someone. Alice.
He didn't know why but suddenly the picture of the blonde girl he barely knew was in his mind and it wouldn't go away. Sure, she was a pretty girl but that wasn't the reason why he had been interested in her since the first minute he had known her. He couldn't really explain the feeling but he had a suspicion and it made him feel a little bit afraid. Had he been wrong? Could it be more than mere curiosity which pulled him towards her? It couldn't be, could it? Was he falling for this girl?
He had never really been in love before and so he couldn't tell if it was love that he felt for Alice. Suddenly countless different emotions and feelings were flooding his head and he was slowly stirring form his apathy.
It didn't matter if it was love or not. It was a reason to go back and that was enough at the moment. He had found something which was worth to live for in his world even if it was just for a little while longer.
He slowly opened his eyes and instead of being clouded like they had been before they were a shade of blue as clear as the summer sky again. The black oily shadows which had covered him up to the shoulders were quickly retreating. He closed his eyes again and suddenly he felt as if he was floating. His whole body felt weightless as if he was deep underwater. But before he could give it a second thought he felt his body being pulled up towards what he supposed was the surface. He didn't struggle instead he just relaxed and let it happen. He somehow knew without opening his eyes that he had almost reached the surface when his body slowly began to feel numb again and he finally passed out.
* *
When he came to again he found himself lying in the cool grass under a tall tree. Sleepily he rubbed his eyes and finally sat up. A little to his right he found Alice sleeping peacefully in the soft grass. While he watched her for a few more moments the memories of the previous day slowly returned while at the same time his memories of the nightmare began to fade already. It wasn't the first time he had had this dream.
Every now and then since they had been to the Digi world for the first time this dreams would come to haunt him. It wasn't a pleasant thing to go through but he didn't fear them either. He knew as long as he had a reason to stay in either of the two worlds the darkness wouldn't be able to lure him into giving up his life.
The last traces of the nightmare were blown away by the cool morning breeze and would dissolve in the first rays of the soon rising sun. Yamato slowly got up and started walking towards the near river which was glittering in the dim morning light. He glanced back one more time at the sleeping blonde girl and smiled. Her face looked so serene while she was asleep and secretly he wished to be able to see her like that more often. They would probably wake up soon but until then he would have some time alone to think about a few things which were currently going through his mind.
* * *
A. N.: I'm really sorry, if you were waiting for updates on this or any of my other stories. I had a lot of free time lately but I was just too lazy to write anything at all. I'll try to update sooner the next time but as always I can't promise anything.
Well, this chapter was kind of hard to write since I had no possibility to practice my English in ages and I was lacking ideas. But I guess by now it should be obvious in which direction the pairings are going. You can flame me if you don't like these couples but that won't change anything. So go ahead and flame me. That's still better than not reviewing at all!
Thank you for your patience!