Back to continue the story. And oh, there were two questions asked in the reviews, I would answer one of them here while the other would be left… unanswered. ^^
1.) Mimi's not part of the story yet because I've followed most of the plot of the series. Her absence is because she's in America, studying. I don't know when she'll be in the story because I haven't really thought about that… Making two stories at a time can get your imaginations twisted; make that three (I'm working on my comic again so that I'll get a chance to borrow my friend's fruits basket CDs.). I just hope you'll like this chapter although this isn't really a nice one.
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Two Destinies At A Time
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Apart from the traveling digi-destined in the forest, a group is also doing a journey of their own. In a rocky forest not far from them, an old man was on the lead, walking much faster then the others that followed him.
"When are we ever going to meet them?" one of his followers complained. It was Tentomon, walking on the ground. His wings can't keep up with them already, that's why he's on the ground already.
The old man paused and turned his back to watch those Digimons behind him. He felt sad and had pity on them but they had to do this. "It's the only way you could see your digi-partners once more." He said, trying to cheer them up, and continued on his walk.
"I can't wait to see Taichi again!" Agumon exclaimed, his spirits high and was about to run towards Gennai.
"I want to see Yamato too!"
"Biyomon wants to see Sora again."
"Uh, I don't see Palmon anywhere…" Tentomon mention, looking almost all directions around him.
"I don't think she's going to be with us." Gatomon said, answering Tentomon's silent question. "Mimi's not with them anyway. She's in America, from what I've learned."
"That's sad." Patamon, who was flying in the air, just above them, said. His voice was cute yet its tone's sad.
Gennai let them talk to each other loud. Although he always wanted silence, he gave them a chance. He knew very well how they felt at that moment—excited to see their partners. "It is for the them…"
* ~ * ~ * ~ *
The digi-destined had already exited the woody forest and were entering an area were there were more land than grass and trees. Unfortunately, the blazing sun was at its top, burning hot. It wasn't so "nice" to be under it. The eleven digi-destined had to be bear it, if they wanted to go to the Mountain of Fire, that is. Taichi, walking bent with his arms hung, sweated a lot. He grabbed his uniform's collar and used it as a fan to cool off. Yamato tried to walk coolly but didn't manage to do so. He too, bent and hung his arms carelessly. His mouth gapped. All the other seemed to follow both seniors. But Izumi was having the hardest time of all. She wasn't used to the sun's heat and seemed to have been inside her house longer than under the sun. Her cheeks were turning red and her eyes were weary, half open. She had to stop. She had to rest under a shade. She tried to call for Taichi's attention but her voice was too low and she was starting to weaken. Her breaths were deep, losing oxygen. "I can't take this anymore…" and she fell on the ground flat, making a thud sound.
"Uh… Izumi, you okay?" Tomoki asked when he noticed her on the ground.
"Hot…" she replied dully.
The others went back at her and gathered around her, worried, anxious at her state. "I think we really do need rest." Taichi suggested, looking at her. "A replacement of Mimi…?"
Jou and Junpei carried the fainted girl towards a nearby tree. The tree was big, just fit for all of them to get a share of the shade. There, Izumi lay beside the trunk of the tree. She thanked them for their concern about her and in a few seconds, fell asleep from tiredness.
"She fell asleep." Sora announced to them.
"That was fast." Taichi commented, leaning on the tree and watching the road in front of them, standing beside Izumi.
"Anyway, it'll be a moment 'til she wakes up. What do we do now?" Koushirou asked. He sat on the ground, beside Taichi. "We can't just go and leave her." He said as a matter-of-factly.
"We'll have to travel by night." Yamato butted in on their conversation.
"We can't do that…" Tomoki disagreed, his voice, trembling.
"Of course we can!" Takuya opposed. "We have to."
"But…"
"Then we'll travel by sunset." Yamato changed his mind. He knew Tomoki was scared all along. "And continue by sunrise." He continued.
Tomoki sighed in relief, knowing Yamato would care about his state. "Thank you."
"Well then, it's settled." Taichi said. "Right now, we just have to wait for sunset."
"Takuya." Koushirou rudely interrupted them. "Can I borrow your digivice for a sec?" Koushirou once again opened his laptop and checked out the digi-map he had in his computer.
"Uh… sure." Takuya handed him his red digivice and wondered what he's going to do with it again. Last time, he said he was going to make a program that could send them to the digi-world. Well, that plan backfired when a digi-warp field opened up under the Shibuya station. Now, what will he do next with it?
"I'll see if this thing would work…" Koushirou mumbled, linking the cable with the digivice and the laptop. He started typing codes down on the computer. And after his work, he suddenly shouts a: "It worked." with a broad smile across his face.
"Worked what?"
"Upgrade the map."
Yamato, Jou, Taichi and Takuya went behind him to peek on what he was talking about. They bent down to see. The window features were changed and more importantly the map wasn't those square stuff from last time. It was already a globe. At first, the boys were amazed on how Koushirou did it but when they looked closely at the circling globe, they frowned. The sight was distressing. Large holes were on the globe.
"Is this how the digi-world really looks like?" Takuya asked. He was new to this so he had no idea how it originally looks like.
"I guess." Taichi answered, disbelieving his eyes.
"It is." Koushirou answered Takuya's question and Taichi's unspoken one. "In fact, I myself can't imagine how it became like this."
"This might be what that old man was talking about." Takuya assumed. The seniors turned to him for a broader explanation. "He said something about saving the digi-world from something. I can't really tell exactly what he meant because he usually ends it with some secrecy."
Taichi stood up straight and crossed his arms. "If that's the case, then I guess we'll just have to find who does all this scheme in destroying the digi-world and defeat him. But before that, we'll have to find our Digimons first."
Having heard a lot about "their Digimon" was getting interesting for the new batch. They don't have their own Digimons themselves so they were expecting to have their own once the seniors found theirs. Takuya really wanted to know who were his Digimon, Junpei and Tomoki too.
Sora was there right beside Izumi, sitting and listening to what they were talking about. She glanced at Izumi, still sleeping soundly and getting her color back. Sora placed her hand on her forehead to see if she's still hot. Izumi twitched as Sora's hand hit her face. But she didn't wake up. Sora smiled when she knew Izumi wasn't that hot anymore, not like just a while ago.
The sun was setting already. A mix of the colors blue, orange and yellow had formed in the sky. It was time that the team had to start walking before night comes. Izumi was already up, feeling a lot better now, and energetic. They had started walking. Miles have been covered and they had reached a nearby valley. It was already dark by then.
"What do we do now? Sleep here or continue walking down there?" Takeru asked, looking down on the cliff in front of them.
"I'd say, we go." Their leader answered. If they stayed longer, it'll just take time. They had to hurry things up before the whole digi-world gets destroyed. His eyes told them this. He wasn't kidding around.
Takeru turned to Hikari who was beside him. She turned to her brother, she knew exactly how he felt and nodded. Everyone else nodded in agreement. It was decided. They were working like a real team now, a sign that they learned from their mistakes. (Author's notes: Last chapter… ^__^) There's no telling what might happen again.
They saw a nearby staircase that lead down to the bottom of the valley. Takuya found it first and pointed it out to them. They went for it. It was the only way they could get down there from the top. The chilly night breeze gave Tomoki Goosebumps, and even Hikari. It wasn't her first time to do such thing but walking in the dark, where the full moon up there was blinding, was something scary—too scary. She shivered and grabbed on to her brother's uniform's sleeves. Taichi felt her hand, turned his head to her and smiled, comforting his sister. Hikari smiled at her brother's warmth.
"Ladies first." Taichi announced, stepping back from the steps for Sora and Izumi. Hikari was still behind him and didn't even bother to move.
Sora went first. She can't let Izumi take the lead. What if some creature attacks them from the front? Izumi followed behind her. Then the new digi-destined followed. Takuya placed his hand on Tomoki's shoulders, making him feel comforted from the chill of the night. "You okay?" he asked.
Tomoki didn't answer. He was too frightened to do so. His body started to shiver and his jaw started to quiver. Clashing teeth sounded. It came from Tomoki. He was really scared now.
"Hey, you don't need to be scared." Takeru said when he saw them. He walked behind the new digi-destined.
Tomoki paused and turned his back. He was still shaking and his eyes were about to cry.
"We're here just around you." Takuya added. "We're going to protect you from those evil Digimon who's trying to make you cry."
Tomoki smiled. He bought that one and he felt even better. They were right. They were always there to help him.
They managed to step on the grounds of the village safely. No one harmed or anything at all. Tomoki was the one who felt the even safer when he reached the grounds. But something had been flashing at the corner of his eyes. "Fire?" he asked himself. And when he turned his head to look where the light was, he saw candles, walking. "Look guys! Candles!" he pointed out to them.
Everyone else saw what Tomoki had meant. "Candlemons." Taichi called. He remembered them from the last time. He called out to them, running to their direction. Hikari had released her grasp on his sleeves. She can't catch up with his speed.
"Brother! Wait up."
All the digi-destined followed him.
* ~ * ~ * ~ *
"Hey look!" A Candlemon called out his fellow Digimons. He pointed out the children he saw, going their direction.
The other Candlemons turned to see what seems to be interesting. "Humans." They named them. They paused from their walking and waited for the human children to reach them.
Taichi stopped in front of them. He looked at them, confusion. He was expecting them to greet him but they never did. "That's odd… they don't recognize us anymore…"
"What do you want?!" a Candlemon asked rudely. Taichi saw his fellow Candlemon tug him by his side. The Candlemon gave him a sharp look and then turned to Taichi once more. "Well?"
Taichi scratched his head. He didn't exactly know what he would want from them.
"Uhm… we were wondering where we could stay for the night." Yamato covered up for him. "You see, we have been traveling for days now and we haven't--." He wasn't able to finish.
"You want somewhere to sleep eh?" the suspicious Candlemon asked.
"Uhm… Yeah…" Taichi muttered.
"Okay… but we're having our celebration today. Why don't you humans join us?" the Candlemon behind the crowded Digimons spoke. He seemed to be the elder of them all.
"Really?! That's great!" Takuya rejoiced. And the elder Candlemon smiled at them warmly. Warm, just like the fire that lit on it's head, melting the wax the he was made of.
* ~ * ~ * ~*
"This is something." Yamato commented, dancing around the tribe fire like a drunk.
"Is brother getting mad?" Takeru whispered to Hikari who was beside him. She shook her head telling him she had no idea.
"Come on bro! Come here!" Yamato invited him to dance. Takeru refused. He doesn't want to act so immodest in front of anyone, especially Hikari. But Yamato had grabbed on to his arm and pulled him up. He struggled himself to be freed but Yamato's grip didn't let loose. The others were already dancing around and eating their hearts out. Most of the juniors were shy at first. But Yamato and Jou put their spirits up and now they too are dancing like crazy. Sora was in a corner, watching them. Taichi waited for Yamato to get his brother. He didn't bother persuading Hikari to join them. He knows when she likes it or not. Koushirou was busy eating. He liked the taste of the food. It's different but still delicious.
"Just enjoy yourselves." Said a voice from behind. Takeru had already joined Yamato and her brother around the fire, dancing. To Hikari, it was so familiar, too familiar. She tired to remember but nothing comes out. She turned back who it was and her eyes widened.
"Wizardmon…"
"Yes. I am."
She anticipated that he would recognize her as Gatomon's partner but the Digimon left her right away. She felt disappointed. No one remembers us already. It was just four years that had passed. Now, everything's seemed to change—a lot.
Three moons shines brightly in the dark starry sky. The night is peaceful. In a dark valley, candlelight illuminated the land surrounding it. There was a mix of orange and yellow. There was still life during the night and they were celebrating. And as time passes, the celebration is starting to end. The human children sat on the ground in a circle, resting from all the dancing and laughter and eating. They were full from what they had just taken. The Candlemons were pleased to see them satisfied from what they have served them but then, their pleasing was showed with an evil smirk on their waxed faces.
Takuya and the other three new digi-destined were allowed to go around the village, as told by Taichi. He did not want another argument with Sora as what his mistake had told him. Takuya was on the lead. They climbed on the other collection of steps of the other side of the valley to see what was beyond. But to their surprise, they found a small cave in which they had entered, forgetting all about what they had planned earlier. Tomoki was not sure about what he was doing. Fear of something had got the better of him until Izumi tried to calm him down, making Junpei jealous of him. Takuya ignored them as he went deeper in the cavern. Little light illuminated the cave and there was nothing amusing about it.
"See… there's nothing here. Wh…why don't we go back?" Tomoki asked, his voice shivering of fright as he hid behind Izumi while walking up to Takuya.
"Well, there must be something around here."
"Izumi's right." Takuya agreed. "Let's go deeper." And he led the way.
Tomoki and Junpei looked at each other as Izumi followed after Takuya.
"We're near." An old man's voice said, making the Digimons who were tagging along behind him smile at the news. They have been walking non-stop and were just complaining about walking too much. But from what they heard, they seemed to have forgotten about their tiredness and were determined to walk more just to see their partners. "But it's really late." They all sighed. They knew they had to rest for a while from the long trip. "Why don't we just camp here for a while…?"
"But we don't have tents." Agumon replied.
"Why… you're right." Gennai just realized it. "Oh well, then we'll just sleep in the open." He had to make a choice and that was the only option they have got. The Digimons obeyed politely.
It was darker than before and it was getting darker each step. There was not much light coming through the fissure of the cavern and that it was hard to see anything at all. Four kids were venturing in the darkness, hoping something would show up to amuse them somehow—at least. Just to make up for walking up there and wander in a dark cave.
"It's getting cold…" Izumi shrugged, her hand on her arms, trying to warm them up. Takuya looked behind him to see where they are. He can see their figures but can hardly distinguish their faces. Tomoki was still clutching on Izumi's skirt, behind her, getting frightened by the minute, his heart beating faster and faster. Junpei was there behind the rest of them, observing Tomoki and at the same time, raging in jealousy. Takuya agreed with Izumi but was still determined to go further. But one of them was not.
"I think the seniors are worried about us." Tomoki said for an excuse so that all of them would go back.
"We can't back out now. We've come a long way here. I feel like there something in this cave." Takuya said.
Feel…? Tomoki tried to feel the same way and he did by closing his eyes and concentrating. There was something in the cave that seemed to be calling him. Takuya was right but how come it seemed as if it was calling him only.
"Tomoki's right." Junpei approved. "We told them that we're just going to the other side of the valley, not here. What if they come looking for us and finds not one of us there?" he said as a possibility. Izumi just nodded.
"Fine…" Takuya agreed, hanging his head down in defeat. They turned around to follow that light that was made by the moon. Feeling a little secure each step back outside. Tomoki turned around to look into the darkness. There's something… he felt but did not dare to go back. It was dark and scary. He does not have the courage to go alone. He was still clutching on Izumi's clothes and felt it tug as she was farther from his position. After moments, he walked away.
The chill of the night had given the seven digi-destined outside worry. They had just noticed the other four were gone and now were looking for them in the valley, running around the plains finding only Candlemons who had no clue whatsoever to their whereabouts.
"There not there…" Sora confirmed after looking at one spot of the plain with Takeru and Hikari.
"I knew they told me that they're just going to climb back up to see where we're going next." Taichi pointed at the top. "But I don't see them there."
"They must be lost." Jou said hopelessly,
"You shouldn't have allowed them to go out, Taichi!" Sora said; her voice was bossy and yet worried.
"It's you who said I should let them go out once in a while." He pointed an accusing finger at her and his voice louder than hers.
"But not at this time of the day."
"Ah… and let me guess-" he was cut short when Yamato pushed him back, giving him a warning stare not to continue. Hikari was in front of Sora, trying to calm her down.
"Stop it you two. You'll just end up just like what happened yesterday." Yamato pushed back Taichi and Sora was there, standing, looking at her feet with unseeing eyes.
"He's right Sora." She heard Taichi. "We shouldn't be like this again."
"Yes." Sora agreed timidly. "Look, why don't we look for them where they said they'd go." She looked at him, hoping for a reply. And that reply was a nod.
While they were busy concerning about their friends, the Candlemons were starting to surround them, quietly so that they will be more imperceptible. Their wax faces showed a dark grin as they stared at the children in front of them. Nearer and nearer they were and before the children could know it, hungry Candlemons surrounded them.
"What's happened?" Jou asked, surprised yet frightened at the sudden change of the Digimons' attitude.
"What's with these guys?" Koushirou asked shakily as a Candlemon came closer to him. Each passing second, they were forced to step back until they could sense each other's backs. Now, they were close to each other that they couldn't move, only forward. But if they do so, they are sure they would attack them from front and that would be a stupid thing to do. All they could hope was someone to save them.
From above, four children watched them below. They too were worried for their friends.
"Look! The Candlemons are trying to hurt the others." Izumi pointed the mob of Candlemons.
"What do we do?" Junpei looked at Takuya for answers. "We don't have any power to help them."
"Of course we can!" Takuya smirked. A plan was on his head although he was not sure if it was a plan since it was plain stupid. He formed a fist and told them that they would attack them from behind.
"What?!" Junpei cannot believe him. "You're smirking for that?!" he shouted at him. Izumi had never experienced fighting before, physical fighting that is.
"Of course, Izumi and Tomoki would stay behind."
"I want to stay behind too." Junpei said in a childish voice.
"Oh come on Junpei, you can't back out now." Takuya encouraged him. He flung his arm around his shoulders and whispered, "This a good chance to show off you talents. Maybe Izumi might turn on you." Junpei blushed. He imagined Izumi praising him for saving their friends and telling him that she loves him. And whispered back:
"Do you think she would really like it?"
"Of course!"
"Okay! I'll go with you in battle to save them!" Just a while ago he was a big fat coward and suddenly he turns to a really determined knight. Izumi and Tomoki wondered what could have Takuya told him that made him turn like this. But that was not the case here. It was the seniors they should be worried about. Takuya called for Junpei to follow him on the stairs. They both ran down and were able to reach the ground within less than a minute. They hurriedly went for the nearest Candlemon they could get and tried to punch it with all their strength. Well, that did not work out so well as their hands sank in the melting wax. Takuya was jumping around, holding his burning hand with Junpei running around. Both Candlemons did not feel pain but they did notice something 'poke' them. They turned around to see what it was and noticed two boys crying from the heat. The two Candlemons called for the other Digimons beside them and turned their attention to the two. Some of them surrounded Takuya and Junpei while the others were still fond with the seven children.
This was not a good sight to see even if you are having the best view ever. Izumi watched worriedly from above. She was too anxious of what might happen that she had not sensed Tomoki's disappearance.
Tomoki, gathering up all the courage that was left inside him, went back inside the cave…alone. It was dark by the minute as he expected it to be. But his feeling that someone (or something) had been calling unto him got stronger each pace he takes. There was nothing that mattered to him now. Not even the darkness and the coldness could make him stop and back him out. Expecting to have found something by now, he saw a glimmer that hit his eyes and at the same time, Izumi was worried about him too. There was so much to worry about now and that she was thinking twice about going back in the cave. She cannot imagine Tomoki would go back there as she remembered him scared about almost everything. He glanced at the battle below. Both of her friends being trapped on one corner while the other seven were surrounded. Her hand gripped and hoped that she would not make a wrong decision in going back to the cave. I hope I won't regret this. She went running back into the cave.
On the other hand, Tomoki had reached a dead end—a very unusual dead end for a cave. It was full of ice and there was something that rested in the core of the room-like place. Tomoki went closer, breathing deeply to catch his breath. He looked at the thing and bent down to get a closer view. It was white and green and looks very much like a bear. His wonder made his hand move to touch it but as he was about to, a light shown from him. It was his digivice. The light illuminated the place and the ice reflected it. It was too shiny that it managed to hurt Tomoki's eyes.
Outside, just near there, Izumi had seen the light but then, slowly it faded. She was still running for the end of the cave.
The light had gone weaker and Tomoki was able to open his eyes once more. When he opened them, nothing. There was nothing in front of him and the ice had vanished.
"What happened…?"
Meanwhile, a really stupid plan had just proved to be really ridiculous. Takuya and Junpei were really scared by the Digimons in front of them that they had not cared that both of them were already hugging each other, hoping for help. While the other seven were still surrounded by the Candlemons. They did not dare to fight back as to not to burn themselves.
Izumi had finally reached Tomoki, sitting there in the clearing of the cave and staring off to space. She called unto him and yet there was no reply. He was not listening. Everything was blurring to the little kid's mind. Izumi went nearer and placed her hand on his shoulder and said his name once more. This time he heard this and turned around to see who it was.
"Izumi…"
"What are you doing here?" She sat down beside him. Tomoki turned back to his hands and watched them, thinking about what happened just a while ago.
"Ice…"
"Ice…? What do you mean?"
"Just a while ago there was ice all over the place and a doll here." He pointed the space in front of him. "I tried to touch it but a light shone brightly and then the doll was gone."
"What are you talking about…?" Izumi was confused by his explanation.
"I'm talking about that thing that was here just a while ago…!" He answered but Izumi ignored him by asking him how he got here alone. "I felt something had called me… that's why I was able to come here."
"Well, we shouldn't worry about that now. Our friends are in trouble." She reminded him. She stood up, ready to go back outside. Tomoki was still sitting down, gazing at the spot where the 'doll' had rested before it had disappeared. He heard Izumi call him again and he stood up, and then followed her outside. There was something about that 'doll'… something…
Izumi and Tomoki had reached outside and looked down on the ground. There was still Candlemons all over the place. But they were not the only ones who had been watching them. Izumi had noticed a Digimon across the valley, on the cliff. She had just noticed his presence. He too had noticed her looking at him. He gulped then went away. That's the Digimon I saw Hikari talked to.
However, Tomoki had not realized Izumi doing something else. He was still looking down on Takuya and the other digi-destined, remembering what had happened in the train days ago. Two bullies pushing and forcing him to ride the train. He felt bad… real bad. His urge to help them was growing by the minute and the same light had shone once more. It was blinding light and it came from his side pockets. He saw Izumi looking at his pockets. He looked down on them and he remembered his digivice was inside them. He immediately took it out and watched it glimmer. Even though the light was blinding, he was able to see something else in the light. A bear…?
And the next thing he noticed, he had digivolved into a bear-like creature. "Kumamon!"
"Tomoki…" Izumi was astonished. The kids below saw this transformation too and were stunned as well. It was something that made them 'wow' at the sight.
"Is…is that Tomoki?!" Takuya yelped as he watched Kumamon slide down on the precipice and with his green snowboard and shot snowball from its handgun. The Candlemons were starting to panic as the ice had hit them. Their fire might burn out but running away was not enough for the snowballs could still reach them. There was a great commotion and the nine children were able to escape to a safe place. They were left there to watch and be in awe. Izumi went down on the stairs to join them and were faced with a lot of questions.
"Is that Tomoki over there?" Takuya asked.
"I… I think so…"
"Where did he learn to digivolve?" Jou asked.
"I don't know… his digivice just shone and then he became like that…" then a memory struck her. "Maybe… it was that thing he told me about."
"What thing…?" Taichi asked, wondering. Kumamon was still busy fighting off the large mass of Candlemons.
"He went inside the cave and I followed him. I saw light came from a corner and when I reached there, I saw him looking at a spot in the cave. He told be about a 'doll' and there was ice all over the place but I saw nothing there."
"Doll…?"
"Yes." Izumi nodded. At that, Kumamon had done its job and had collected the digi-codes from the Candlemons. He transformed back to Tomoki and he joined them, feeling happy about what he had done for them—save them.
"Tomoki… how did you…?" Takuya asked.
"I don't know… when I noticed, I was already digivolving."
Orange light shone from Takuya's pants. It was his digivice's turn to explain everything. They learned that what Tomoki had found was a digi-spirit of the Ancient Ten and the story a long time ago.
Long time ago, the Ancient Ten created the digi-world… Now, young strangers were brought to save it…
~~~
End of Chapter
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I know… this chapter has so many dialogue… -_-
I am having a hard time remembering how those five digi-destined kids got their digi-sprits. Thus, I have decided that I would just change everything!!! ^^ Not everything though… I can't believe I've let Tomoki be the first one to have a digi-sprit. Really… writing this surprised me as well. @_@ As for the second question that was asked, I'll answer that next chapter! ^^
About that last statement there… I just took that from the series. It actually goes like this: "Long time ago in another dimension, the Ancient Ten created the digi-world. Now, five young strangers were brought to save it." Since they're not five but thirteen (including Mimi) I had to change that… ^^
I hope you liked this. Somehow, I don't think you would but that depends on you of course. Please send in some reviews! Thank you! I would appreciate it.
