"Now that we know where we are, we can head back." Koushiro said, gathering his materials together. He tucked his D-terminal into its handy pack. It was getting to be rather late in the day, and he didn't want to spend another night worrying about the enemy attacking while they were still separated. He and Sora had discussed that morning that it might be prudent to continue their journey through the night, rather than stopping, in order to stay mobile.
"Have you gotten anything back from the others, or Wallace?" Ken asked. He leaned back on a rock rather quickly and forced his pants to button shut, having to pull them lower than usual to get the job done. Hikari looked over at him and winked to his severe embarrassment.
"Nope. Though I would say it was the others who couldn't reach us, and they have no reason to think we could contact them now. They probably haven't checked their email." Koushiro remarked. Sora nodded.
"Let's just get back with the others and try to figure out a way to deal with these children."
"You really think you can do that?"
The group turned around to see the child they had met first here. Yugo stood quietly and ran a hand through his thick reddish hair.
"I thought it only proper to let you get dressed before I attacked. I don't like to rely of gimmicks to win. I don't feel satisfied if I do." He smiled warmly. "Are you ready to face Odango now? You're all together, and I have Pocky and Bon Bon ready as well."
"What, are you just challenging us to a fight?" Daisuke asked, reaching for his D3. Yugo nodded and giggled.
"It seemed like the best way to do it. All of the Darkling Force has encountered at least a few of the Digidestine. It is time for your deaths." Yugo raised his hand and the blue light began to emanate from his dark ball. Three black shapes began to take form as if tuning into the Digital World from another. The squid-like beast formed first, and squalled a terrible noise. "You first, Odango!"
"Tentomon!" Koushiro called. Sora nodded to Biomon as well and the Digidestine began putting forth the power to Digivolve their partners for battle.
"Dai chan, let's try to make Imperialdramon again." Ken suggested. Daisuke shook his head.
"No way." Daisuke slid an arm around his waist and pulled him back. "We wait until it becomes necessary."
"But-"
"No. You have too little energy as it is!" Daisuke grabbed his hand and forced Ken to look him in the eye.
Ken looked at him with frustration. Daisuke was right, of course, but he couldn't let this boy make things any worse for them. He nodded reluctantly. Hikari and Miyako jumped back as well and let Sylphimon jump into the battle with the Ultimates and Paildramon.
"Attack Odango!" Yugo yelled, grinning excitedly now, his teeth shone pearly white and caught a ray from the sun. "Pocky! Bon Bon! Black beasts come to me!"
The dark shapes swelled and stretched from their amorphous slick forms into two huge beasts: one a multi-armed, eyeless, headless humanoid with long, cruel fangs sprouting from a mouth in its chest, the other a fiery mid-sized bird.
"Pocky!"
The bird engulfed in black flames darted forward, spewing a caustic blue liquid from its beak. Megakabuterimon narrowly dodged. Pocky flew back and locked claws with Garudamon.
"Go Garudamon!" Sora called.
As the two bird creatures struggled, Bon Bon leaped high in the air, landing behind Sylphimon and taking a bite at the creature's shoulder.
"Back off, you slime!" Sylphimon cried. Paildramon launched several Desperado Blasters, but could not shake Odango long enough to help his friends.
"Dai chan, if we don't do it now, I won't be able to." Ken warned him. For some reason, he could feel his energy being taken away from him very quickly. Daisuke could see the color draining from his face, and held his hand even tighter.
"Yeah, but-"
"He'll kill us if we lose!"
Hikari looked over at the two and thought for a moment. They're trying to keep us apart. How can we win this battle and still have the strength to go get the others?
"Ken chan!" Hikari cried, quickly forming a plan in her head. She stood behind him and cupped her hands around his face. "I can get more energy later. We need Imperialdramon."
Daisuke nodded and the two men raised their D3's defiantly. Ken braced himself as the influx of Light energy flowed into his body. A reactive wind blew up around them and nearly knocked Daisuke over.
"Let's show that squealer what we're made of!" Daisuke cried flailing to stay upright.
"Garudamon, Megakabuterimon!" Sora yelled. "Come back here!"
The confused Digimon tried to disentangle themselves from the fight.
"Static Force!" Sylphimon roared, knocking Pocky off of the giant bird. "Hurry!"
Sora jumped onto Garudamon's leg as she came over. "Koushiro kun and I are going to go meet up with the others! You guys hold them off as best you can!"
"No!" Miyako cried. "You can't! I won't let you go alone!"
"What am I, a wet sock?" Koushiro muttered, hopping onto Megakabuterimon. "You guys can handle this. We need to make sure the others are still alive. We'll be back. Hikari chan, if anything happens and you can't stay here, find the city where Andromon lives, okay?"
Hikari nodded as she leaned back and tried to absorb some more energy. Miyako shook her head furiously.
"Sora chan! Wait!" She ran after the bird, launching herself for all she was worth just to keep up.
"Stop worrying about me, Yo-yo chan!" Sora called down from her Digimon. "I'm going to be alright, and I promise we'll see each other again. No one is going to stop that!!"
"Sora chan!" Miyako screamed. She dropped to her knees and saw the two older Digidestine fly off past her sight. She lowered her head and whispered. "Be careful, Sora."
"Poke poke poke..."
A slender finger jammed itself between the bars of the dank cage.
"How's my favorite batpig?" Shoujo's jubilant voice rang. Patamon glowered at her stubbornly.
"I'm not a pig!"
"Oink for me!!" She squealed, jabbing his leg with a knife. "Oink, piggy. Or I won't feed you."
I have to get out of here to help Takeru chan! Patamon fretted.
"If I oink, will you let me go?" He asked, doubtfully. He wasn't certain this girl was even capable of anything that amounted to human reason.
"Hmm." She walked away from the cage and began to pace, licking Patamon's blood from the knife, to his disgust. "What would you do if I let you go? Would you try to find Hope again?"
"Of course."
Shoujo sighed and shook her head. "Then I can't do that. I'll have to find another way to make you oink for me."
"Why don't you go torment someone your own size?"
"Because Yugo said I couldn't go see Sora chan until he'd killed Light." Shoujo hoffed. Patamon frowned and looked around at his little prison. It was small and cramped, and Shoujo had stuck a hamster wheel inside it. He wasn't amused.
"Don't you want to kill them all?" He asked. The least he could do was gather some information from them while he was captive. Shoujo chuckled.
"Of course!" She made another jab at him with the knife, frowning when she missed. "Hn. But if we kill all of you right away, we'll have to find someone else to play with."
"You know that they won't come back." Patamon argued. "They won't be reconfigured like Digimon are."
"I know." Shoujo said seriously. "People don't come back."
She stepped away from the cage again and sat in the floor, looking up at him sadly.
"That's why..." She tilted her head and looked deep into his pure blue eyes. Her large pouty lips quivered genuinely as she raised her clutched hand in contemplation as though holding onto something that was trying to get away from her. "I have to savor their torture. Because the people I kill won't come back to me. No matter how much... I love them."
Patamon blinked. "You're sick."
"I know." She smiled softly closing her eyes to block out the light.
Takeru grabbed the bag of supplies and looked up ahead at the departing Digidestine.
Such a strange dream I had last night. I thought only Ken kun and Hika chan got glimpses of the future. Maybe... maybe it's because they had the courage to face the Darkness before, and now that I'm part of it, I can see it too.
A tall, ridged man had brushed his hand lightly against my hair. His own red hair blew in the wind as he looked down on me, and the black feathers swirled around me, blocking out the light. His eyes were like a field of stars.
It couldn't have been Dai kun. He's shorter than me. And he wouldn't... touch my face like that. Like he couldn't stay away from me. Would he?
"Head in the clouds, eh, Take kun?" Matt rasped as loudly as he could. He winced from the effort but looked up at his brother, who was walking alongside Garurumon with their medical bag in tow. Takeru careened his head to the side and gazed down, eyes widening in sympathy for his brother.
"Kind of. I'm proud of you, Anikun. I know we haven't gotten to talk since Doko attacked you. But that was really brave." He smirked. "You could steal Taichi's Crest of Courage."
"No way. It's bad enough Sora kun's stealing my job as the leader." Taichi complained. Matt repressed a laugh. He could only see so much from the back of Garurumon, but he was more than grateful he wasn't keeping the others from moving. He was slowing them down enough.
"It'll never happen. Her hair's not big enough."
Taichi took his hand and kept it, as they walked along, hoping the bumpy ride wasn't hurting him too much. After a moment of silence, Takeru stopped. He looked around, then leaned over his brother and his beast to whisper to Taichi.
"Tai chan, get Anikun out of here." Taichi gave him a confused look but nudged Garurumon's side, directing him away from the path they'd been taking.
"I suppose I should blame myself for doubting you, Hope." The cruel familiar voice echoed through the air, though it seemed filled enough to absorb the sound. "You're practically one of us now."
Illusions? Or is she doing something else? Gally seems to be the direct type. Takeru clenched his fist, having been completely right when his hand sensed the evil energy nearing them. Taichi had Matt a little of to the side, but he could still be caught in the crossfire if they weren't careful.
"Well, I guess I've been as bad for doubting my prey. Bad form for a hunter." The sandy head popped out of the bushes. Takeru braced himself, as did the others. "How's Friendship? Alive I hope. I want to hunt him again."
Taichi motioned with his head, and the others raised their digivices.
"Too late." Gally stated in her death cold voice. She raised her hand and three dark shapes appeared, throbbing and moving into their given shapes for this plane of existence. "Why do you fight for the Light? What good does it do? Light is always challenged by the Darkness, and eventually, all will go black."
They began to Digivolve their partners regardless of her speech. A flicker of movement caught Iori's eye, he caught Takeru's eye and motioned for him to look.
I was wrong. We're surrounded, if not by her beasts, by Doko's.
"There can't be black without white. If you try to destroy the Light, it will only shine brighter." Takeru told her firmly. Her dark eyes burned with hatred.
"Fool. You think I didn't once think like you? I've seen the Darkness. I am the Darkness. Only children and idiots think differently." She made the revelation coldly and motioned forward with her hand. The beasts attacked.
Paw to claw, cheek to cheek the battle raged around Takeru, helpless without his Digimon to do anything of value. He noted that the black humanoid warriors circling them had yet to make a move, and he looked over to Doko critically. He'd hesitated to kill the boy before, but his beasts were obviously the backups. She was afraid of something. That they could break through her power somehow. He'd done it before, but he couldn't touch that evil bauble again. It had... frightened him.
Touching it had brought to light all his failures, ever move he'd made that he regretted, lessons unlearned. Friends unsaved. Any anger or less than pure thoughts. The complete inability to change the view of evil Digimon, and therefore, being forced to destroy them. Even if Digimon were reconfigured, he had no right to take life from them. To let them die, even in the name of the Light.
However, it was worse to stand and wait.
"What are you afraid of little Gally? Little child of Darkness?" He accused. His voice rang clear over the battle. Strong with indignance against evil, just as it had when he'd faced down Ken, trying to get him to see reason, then betraying that moment of trust. I saw into his soul that day. He needed a strong slap in the face. He couldn't understand what he was really doing, how bad it was... she understands. She knows she's causing pain and further evil. They all do. And they like it.
"I fear nothing!" She screamed at him, raising her shields in a telltale action to the contrary. Her normal disinterested demeanor seemed to have completely disappeared, being replaced by a franticness Takeru was sure he'd seen before. Takeru narrowed his eyes. Look further. Like you did with Ken.
"You're nobody! Not like me!" The fraught denial came. The child wrapped in darkness screamed out what he needed desperately to be true.
I'm nobody. Who are you?
"I know what you fear." He said resolutely. Raising his hand, Takeru felt the power rising inside of him, engulfing his mortal body in pain; making quick use of his spiritual energy and drawing on something else, the Hope the others felt and his own Darkness within.
We're going to win! We have to! Taichi was thinking.
I won't die. I have to stay with Taichi, no matter what! Yamato was barely hanging on, having been thrown from Garurumon and crouching by a tree. Mimi's normally smooth and complacent brow was furrowed with determination. She ran to Jyou's side and slipped her arm around him, in the hope of keeping him safe.
We have a future. I won't let them corrupt it. Not ours. Not the Digital World's.
Takeru took a breath, wished hard and screamed into the day. "Black beasts, begone from my sight!! Back to your world!"
"No." Gally growled as the towering creatures melted away into a thick, black oil, spilling over the previously clean ground. Doko ran to her side, seeking guidance. "I really hate you. I won't let you beat down the Darkness."
"You don... ahhh..." Takeru gasped as he felt the black markings crawling voraciously up his arm. The pain seared through the virgin flesh diluting its color, forcing it to be its own and not his. "No!"
"Fight it Takeru!" Matt yelled. "Don't let it get to you!"
My Darkness... it's taking me over... I can't let it! Takeru cowed his head and wrapped his body into a defensive curl.
Doko raised his hand, but Gally stopped him. "One moment."
She raised her bauble angrily. "I'm tired of dealing with you, Hope. Why don't you go rot by yourself for awhile?"
With that she sprang forward, bauble brandished and muttering a monophonic chant, opened a dark portal. Black tendrils lashed out, grabbing Takeru by the neck, pulling him inside.
"No!" Iori grabbed his uninjured arm and tried to pull his friend out of the Darkness. I've got to be stronger!
"Iori..." Takeru wrested his arm away, leaving himself open to the pull. The vortex widened as if in glee for its new victim. "Find the others! Don't let them separate you!"
The vortex snapped shut. And there was nothing but a deadly silence.
"Now, Doko, with that out of the way." Gally walked away from the group magnanimously. "Use your beasts to kill them."
Doko raised his bauble proudly, and the throngs of shadowlike beast halted their circling, and attacked. They made no distinction between human and Digimon, attacking each of them with their black, oozing paws.
Mimi screamed as one surrounded her with its many groping hands.
Hikari held Ken as tightly as she could, but sensed he was slipping away from her as the battle continued. She was drawing Light energy as quickly as she could, but it wasn't fast enough.
"Imperialdramon!" Daisuke called pumping his fist. He stepped in front of the two protectively. "Focus on that squid!"
He nodded and attacked Odango. Sylphimon gave a back kick to get Pocky out of the way, then unleashed a Static Force on it on the black creature. Hikari frowned and narrowed her eyes.
There has to be a way. If this battle goes on much longer, I could lose him. I could lose all of them!
"Use your ring!" Hikari called. Miyako looked over at her friends and clutched her D3 tightly.
We won't lose. Ken chan's going to be okay. Sora chan's going to come back to me, as herself.
"Okay!" Sylphimon flickered its Taichil that had been present in this Digivolution since Tailmon had regained her Holy Relic and a ring of light surrounded them. Hikari had known there would be use for the Relic again someday. "Sylphimon, Holy Beast Digivolve!"
The light whizzed around Sylphimon, upgrading the armor, weapons and imbuing the Jogressed Digimon with Holy Power and two sets of brilliantly white wings. Light bespeckled the air, blazing out in Holy glory.
"Valhallamon!"
"Cool!" Daisuke declared, looking back at Hikari. Valhallamon pulled a sword from the golden sheath adorning its back and aimed it like an arrow.
"Heaven's Rage!!" It cried, letting forth the enormous sword, as heavenly arrows accompanied it into the heart of Odango. The monster howled in pain.
"Back to your world, or face the consequences!" Valhallamon informed it harshly.
"It doesn't understand." Ken whispered. His eyelids drooped as he fought to stay conscious. "It can't."
"I know." Hikari replied. She felt Ken's face again, and put a hand over his mouth. His eyes found their way to look up into hers.
It causes it pain to be here.
"I know, Ken chan. I don't understand their magic, but this feels unnatural. We have to stop them."
"Now!" Imperialdramon told Valhallamon. "Together. Positron Laser!"
Imperialdramon aimed his beam at Valhallamon's sword. Allowing the Fenrir's Sword to absorb the energy, the Angel Beast Digimon flew into the air and came down swiftly on the squid like creature.
"Divine Sword!"
Black goo splattered over the countryside as the black beast was sliced in half, entrails slinging messily out of its sides.
"Odango!!" Yugo cried in disbelief. "No! Not my Odango!"
Valhallamon looked down at him. "There's more where that came from, kid. Call off the troops."
Yugo stepped back and sneered at him. "You... killed Odango."
"You put it in danger by bringing it here." Imperialdramon shot back. "You would blame us for defending ourselves?"
"You killed my friend." Yugo wasn't listening. He raised his bauble. Thunder crackled above as the sky darkened over within seconds. Thin threads of blackness began gathering within his bauble. "Forget the Light. I'll destroy you all. I'll destroy everything."
Hikari felt Ken's body go limp as his eyes rolled back in his head and he lost consciousness. She rubbed the side of his face gently. "Ken chan, wake up. Ken!"
The threads stopped. And a small girl appeared beside him, dressed in a gauzy white gown.
"Yugo." She said flatly. Daisuke tried to get a good look at the new girl.
Soft brown hair trailed down the sides of her face, which was completely blank, as though she had never known emotion. A vessel, waiting to be filled. And her eyes, though large and suiting to her comely face, were unlike anything he'd ever seen.
"Her eyes. Hikari... her eyes." He whispered. Blackness. A field of stars drifting throughout the cosmos.
"Darkling." Yugo said. Tears spilled down the sides of his young face. He bowed to her and she tilted her head indifferently.
"Why do you do this?" She asked, her voice that of a mere child, though hollow in a way Daisuke found himself unable to define. "I do not yet know the world. Why do you wish to destroy it?"
"They killed my friend." He replied fiercely. She simply stared at him.
"I cannot bring him back. He does not wish it." She told him. "Your contract is fulfilled. Leave him to Peace."
"I'll leave everyone to Peace." He moaned. She shook her small head.
"Do not use my life force for such things. I do not wish it."
"Since when did you tell us how to use your power?!" He demanded. "Since when did you think you had a choice?"
"Since you began to draw so much. I cannot exist if you take so much, all at once. I must stop you, or I will be no more."
"Can't you get more?" He asked, not understanding. "You are unlike anything we ever learned about! Your power doesn't just run out!"
"No. It does not." She starred back at him. The stars in her eyes began to swirl. "It will not matter if my life force runs out."
"I'll use your power anyway!" He cried. She shook her head.
"I do not wish it." She replied. He laughed and threw his head back.
"You think I care?"
She looked over to the Digidestine for a moment, studying them one by one. "If I deliver the Light to you, will you wait until my life force is stronger to take my power?"
Yugo narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Sure."
He raised a hand, and Pocky and Bon Bon disappeared along with him. The Darkling looked back out over the Digidestine.
"Don't!" Hikari cried on a hunch. If these kids were hurting her, she was certain she wanted to help her. "We can help you get away from him!"
"No. You cannot." She raised her hand and began to fade into a bright light. Hikari could feel herself slipping away as well.
"Hikari chan!" Miyako grabbed for her hand, but she was already so immaterial she simply slid through her fingers like so much air. Ken's eyes fluttered open as he felt her beginning to fade away.
"Hikari!" He reached up for her, touching her mind briefly as she became one with the light that was stealing her from him.
"Ken chan..." She whispered. Be careful. I'm worried about you!
We'll save you, Hikari chan! I promise!
"Hikari..." Ken gaped in shock at the emptiness where she should have been. He continued to stare at his hand, as Daisuke came up to him and embraced him.
"Are you okay now?" Daisuke asked severely. He was very concerned what those kids were going to do to Hikari, but she wasn't there at the moment, and he had Ken to take care of at the moment since she wasn't. He was still very pale. "Huh, Ken chan? You looked pretty bad there for a minute. Talk to me."
"Dai chan. What happened to her?" He met Daisuke' eyes with panic. The goggled man began to rub his back reassuringly.
"Another kid showed up. She took Hikari chan away." Daisuke told him in short. Tailmon and Hawkmon came running up to them.
"We've got to find her." Tailmon insisted. Ken nodded along.
"But they could be anywhere." Miyako protested. Ken reached into his back and opened up his D-terminal.
"Maybe." He began scanning the area, not even realizing Daisuke was letting him use him as a backrest.
I bet he's not even strong enough to stand. And he's doing this. Daisuke peered over his shoulder thoughtfully, hoping for the best. Ken made a strong nod and snapped the device shut. He began to rise, but Daisuke held him down.
"Do you realize what you just went through?" Daisuke demanded fixing a stare at him. Ken returned the look in kind.
"Let me up, Daisuke." He ordered. Miyako rested a light hand on him.
"Ken chan, it's been a rough couple of days, or months I guess, which means of course-"
"That's enough." Ken clenched his hand down on her shoulder and pushed himself to his feet. "Back off or help me."
"Ken chan, stop!" Daisuke tried to grab him, but Ken kept shrugging him off with a strength he was sure the man didn't have to spare at the moment. He held his D3 up defiantly to the spot where the Darkling had disappeared and a gate began to open. "Ken chan you can't!"
"Come on, Daisuke kun!" Wormon yelled as he jumped onto Ken's leg. Daisuke ran after him barely making it to the warp with Tailmon and Veemon before the energy ran out and the gate closed.
"Dammit." Miyako whispered softly at the edged of the closed gate. She looked at it forlornly for a moment, then stamped her foot so hard it left a dent in the ground. "Dammitdammitdammit!!! Why is everyone leaving me behind today!"
"Hm." Hawkmon mused, ignoring the fit Miyako seemed to be having out of the corner of his eye. "Perhaps we should go tell the others what has transpired."
"There ya go, kiddo." The tall sandy-haired man said, rubbing his boy's head. "Your first kill. You should be proud."
"I am, Papa!" The boy jumped up and down. The man held a finger up to the boy.
"Watch. This is the most important part." He waved his hand over the slaughtered beast and began to chant, motioning his hands in an esoteric fashion until an circle was complete. "Always bless your kill, so it may return to the World of Spirits."
The boy nodded vigorously.
"Our line has produced proud hunters since the Tatian Millennium began. Even though we're sending you to learn the magics of Summoning, I want you to keep your heritage close to your heart. We cannot deny you teaching for your talent, but you will always be a hunter. Do you understand, Doko?"
"Yes, Papa. I'll always cherish the hunt."
Taichi and Agumon lay lifeless on the ground, completely drained of energy. Yamato crawled over them as quickly as he could without busting his stitches. He didn't care, really, but he could imagine how Taichi would feel if he did, since Takeru had their medical bag, and he wouldn't be able to get them repaired.
"Taichi... wake up... please wake up." Yamato whispered. Metal Garurumon was still fighting off the shadowy creatures along with Lilymon and Zudomon. But Gally had been able to recall her beasts with the time Doko's shadows had bought them.
That crazy child didn't care at all when his beasts were ripped to shreds by the Digimon. He only laughed and summoned more. This is wrong. Yamato looked over to Mimi, who was watching the battle weakly from beneath Jyou's protective arm. She was still shaking from the shadow's slimy touch.
Yamato looked over to Iori, petting Armadillomon reassuringly.
"You'll be able to Digivolve again soon. We'll win."
Yamato's eyes focused on a single object. Round and shining, a yellow light. Our of his reach, but only just so. He could make it. For Friendship, loyalty or love. He'd do it. Even if he ended up like his brother.
A shadow blocked out the sun.
"Wing Blade!"
"Horn Buster!"
"Sora!!!" Iori cried in joy. He settled himself over Armadillomon and called out to them. "Hurry, guys! We need you!"
Garudamon and MegaKabuterimon swung down into the battle, granting the tired Digimon a momentary relief from the groping monsters and Gally's ferocious monsters.
Suddenly all of the shadows burst, leaving slimy entrails where they had been fighting. Iori looked up in severe shock as he realized half of their enemies were dead.
Gally growled in rage at the sight in front of her. The sun caught a glint of the shattered glasslike magical tool... Doko's bauble had been smashed, and he was lying on the ground, purple liquid oozing out of his eyes, ear... nose. Throbbing ever so slowly until the mess stopped moving all together. His brain had exploded.
"You idiot." She said. "You let them get near your power."
Yamato couldn't believe what he was seeing. Doko always kept his bauble floating at a distance from himself, as if hesitant to use it. He'd smashed the bauble in order to get rid of the shadows, expecting to have to deal with the savage killer afterwards. But before him, lay the useless meat of his former enemy. He could barely stand on his own, but he managed to walk over to the dead child and sat beside him. He felt his face, which was still warm. He could see the remains of what had been his brain sliding unceremoniously out of his ear.
Rest, you crazy thing. I hope the next life brings you more sanity. And I'm sorry. Yamato felt a tear sliding down his cheek for the dead child. Yamato waved his hand over the boy's face, in a circle complete, closing the eyes now dead to the world of life.
Gally walked over to him and raised her hand as if to make a spell. She paused, as if trying to make a decision then shrugged as if it didn't matter. "It's always good to make an example. I'm not nearly so careless."
Yamato looked up at her, refusing to flinch, accepting whatever punishment came for murdering her ally. Gally turned away coldly and blew a red mist over her bauble. The creatures disappeared, and she swung her arm around and did the same.
Hikari squirmed around in her small prison, looking at the insane girl who had been there since she'd been forced into the cage by a black beast. She'd watched her torture a poor Tokomon, running her fingers up and down its body while releasing magical energy, leaving deep and painful burns, though she couldn't imagine the purpose. Until she'd discovered the occupant of the cell next to her.
"We need to find a way out of here. These kids are crazy." She whispered to Patamon.
"I'd gotten that idea myself." Patamon replied wryly. "Have you seen Takeru?"
"Not since I saw you last."
"I'm worried about him."
"Me too, Patamon. We'll go check up on him when we get out of here."
"You won't be getting out of here." Gally's cruel voice came as she stormed into the hall. She smacked Shoujo upside the head and continued to walk as the girl stared at her, uncertain of what emotion to revert to. She began to laugh. Gally rolled her eyes. "You should be dead already."
Hikari paled in recognition. That's her. The black feathers. The bleeding face.
"Creature of Kindness!!" The bloody child screamed at her. Hikari backed away only to find herself surrounded by the black feathers of a large demonic angel.
"Everything is off balance because of that child!" It screamed at her, ripping the soft flesh of her cheek with a claw. "You won't be able to protect it!"
"We have problems with the Darkling. She can't supply enough energy if two of us are using her at the same time." Yugo told her, entering the throne room. Gally crossed her arms. Hikari leaned closely against the bars, watching the dark girl keenly.
The Darkling? Must be that little girl we saw.
"Well that shouldn't be too much of a problem anymore. Doko's dead."
Shoujo stopped giggling. "Dkoa? Do do doko! Where'd he go?"
"The brother of Hope smashed his bauble while he was midspell. His life force was negated. As well as that of all the beasts bound to him." Gally replied nonchalantly. Shoujo pouted with her full, little girl lips.
"He can't play anymore?"
"He's dead, Shoujo." Yugo explained softly. "You know dead. It's when you don't come back."
Shoujo sat where she stood and started to pet the Tokomon. It looked at her in surprise at the sudden gentle treatment. "Why?"
"Because-"
"Why couldn't he have kept it with him? Like Destayne said to?" Shoujo complained softly, scratching the Tokomon's neck. It seemed to be having a good time now. "Using life force as a source tangles it with your own. He should have listened."
"Doko was never very bright." Gally said, nearing the cages. "Powerful, but stupid. Don't let any of them destroy your baubles while you're casting. They can touch yours without being hurt. See? This is what comes of using the Darkling."
"But, Gally." Yugo protested. Hikari wondered if they'd forgotten she was there. "You used her to get us here."
"She created a temporary weakness between the fabric of the dimensions. So my spells were more receptive when I tried to open a portal. She wouldn't be here now if you didn't insist on using her power. And Doko wouldn't be dead."
Yugo looked over to Shoujo who was tenderly playing with the Tokomon. It had begun to purr. "What should we do?"
"Go back to using the dark wind." She stated simply. "Why haven't we killed Light yet?"
"I thought we might use her for energy, too. Like we did with the Champion Digimon." Yugo said.
"Maybe. Let Shoujo play with her awhile, then we can decide if she'll last."
Shoujo smiled at them sweetly, and broke the Tokomon's neck.
Daisuke gaped. He'd been wandering around, trying to find where Ken had gotten to in the few moments when he'd been on the other side of the gate before him. The three Digimon had followed him religiously in his attempts, though, honestly, without Ken and Hikari around, Wormon and Tailmon probably had nothing better to do than look for them.
"Ta... ke?" He asked skeptically of the severe-looking man kneeling beside Ken's unconscious form, his hand supporting his neck. "What happened to you?"
The shirtsleeve of his right arm had been rolled up and he could see the blackened, throbbing flesh beneath. It had to be painful. The harsh black markings extended as far as his neck.
"I could ask the same thing." Takeru replied. He took a seat on the ground and felt over Ken's stomach. "The baby's not moving, Dai kun. How did all this happen?"
"It's a long story." He admitted sitting beside them. He felt Ken's sides as well. "Did he-?"
"He passed out as soon as he came through the gate. In his condition he shouldn't be opening them." He raised a brow questioningly. Daisuke sighed.
"We got caught in a time warp."
"I got the bright idea to grab one of those kid's toys. Have you met-?"
"Yeah, the Darkling Force. Hey, she moved." Daisuke beamed up at Takeru and moved his hand to pet over Ken's brow. He received a forced smile from Takeru in return. "Maybe she's just sleeping, too."
"Probably. I don't believe this." He muttered. He reached into the medical bag and took some bandages, systematically wrapping up the mess of his arm. Daisuke winced.
"Want help? Hey, where's Patamon?"
Takeru glowered at him. "No."
"To which one? Oi, he should have reached you guys before we got out of the forest. I wonder what happened."
Takeru perked up. "You guys saw him?"
Daisuke nodded and grinned a little as Wormmon cuddled up to Ken. "Yeah, we saw him almost the first day after we left you guys. We sent him in your direction."
Takeru widened his eyes but said nothing. He stood up suddenly. "Stay with, Ken kun. I'm going to look around."
"T- wait!"
Takeru ignored him and wandered off to look around this place again. This was nowhere he'd ever been in the Digital World before. And he was certain this was part of the Digital World. The Dark Portal Gally had opened had simply spit him out in the most convenient place. Where it had obviously been weakened by something enough for Ken to open a gate on his own. Or Ken was getting stronger. He mused that for a moment as he walked out onto a beach.
Must be a different continent than Folder. He raised his hand against the setting sun and observed the towering spires of a distant castles. It half looked as though it were in the middle of the clouds. Takeru thought with amusement. Hm. Castle in the Sky.
"Dai chan?" Ken's eyes were barely open. He fumbled his hand downward and felt Daisuke' strong palm rest on his own, guiding it to the area he knew he was curious about. He felt the mounding curve with considerable relief. So calm now. She was so excited when I opened the gate.
He smiled serenely and closed his eyes. Daisuke kissed his brow and made a silent nod to Wormon. "Lemme know if he needs me. He should just get some rest after that."
Wormon and Tailmon positioned themselves on either side of him with Veemon to the side, as if keeping guard. Daisuke walked away, hoping to find Takeru. It didn't take too long. He was sitting quietly on a beach. Daisuke looked over the shoreline.
"Na..." He said. "What's up with you, huh?"
"Nothing's up with me. I'm just missing my Digimon partner and feeling a little, helpless and lost."
"Soo, I'd say we're both pretty lost. We're going to need your help."
"With what?" Takeru snapped. Daisuke narrowed his eyes and examined Takeru's face. There had to be more wrong. He never acted like this.
"Ken chan opened that gate to chase after Hikari chan. The enemy took her."
"What?" Takeru turned to him in anger. "You lost Hika chan?"
"Dude, I know how you feel about her, but we tried out best. A new kid came out of nowhere and there was nothing we could do!" Daisuke raised his hands in peace. "If it weren't for Ken chan, we wouldn't be this close!"
"You lose Hika chan and nearly get Ken kun killed and you're happy? If it weren't for Ken!" Takeru scoffed. He stood up and walked away from Daisuke, his fists clenched. "I can't believe you, Daisuke."
"OI! We've got to work together. I'm positive because... Hikari chan's powerful." He got up and followed Takeru's quickening pace along the beach. "She'll be able to hold out until we can get to her. And ya know, if they're holding her somewhere they probably have Patamon there too!"
"How do we even know where that is?" Takeru demanded, refusing to look Daisuke in the face. He couldn't imagine what he'd said to make Takeru so incredibly angry.
"We'll find it, Takeru kun." He said resolutely. He looked up at the shore. "We need to get to that castle over there. Maybe it's the one Tailmon saw. The gate had to have opened somewhere near where theirs opened. Between you and me, they don't stand a chance!"
"Are you kidding?" His voice cracked at the end, and he looked down at the ground, gritting his teeth.
"Are you trying to pick a fight with me?" Daisuke stepped closer to Takeru He whirled around and punched him in the face.
"Do you even know? Can you even guess?"
Daisuke braced his feet and punched him back without thinking. Takeru jumped on top of him and began to grind his head into the sand.
"Then tell me!"
Takeru froze in surprise. His tightened face relaxed immediately and he searched Daisuke' eyes.
"I'm not who I used to be." He said softly.
"Of course you are." Daisuke laughed. He felt something wet hit his face. Takeru was crying.
"No, I'm not. I'm not the person I used to be. I almost killed one of those kids. I'm... different."
Daisuke leaned his face closer to the panting man on top of him. Takeru's eyes were shining with the tears, deep oceans of blue sucking him in to the torrent he'd been keeping inside. "We're older. We're all different. But you're still you."
"I'm not still me."
"Come on, don't be si-"
Daisuke' eyes popped open with surprise as Takeru caught him in an angry kiss.
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