Hikari quivered in her cage, pulling her knees up to her chest, gasping for breath as she felt the small walls closing in around her.
I could end it if I wanted to. I know I have the power to do it. She thought briefly. She hadn't liked what Shoujo had shown her, but she knew all too well that the Darkness had always been there. She did, she was certain, keep it moderately at bay, allowing from time to time a prank or something of the like to escape from her angelic demeanor in the name of keeping balance.
She hadn't liked what Shoujo had done either, and she wasn't sure what disturbed her more.
A child that age... should know how to do those sexual things. She shouldn't understand these things at all. It must have been that master they keep mentioning. Hikari felt herself rocking back an forth in the cage. It was cold. They'd taken her clothes. And she was lonely.
Ken chan... I need you. Anichan... Take chan I need you guys. I don't know if I can get out of here alone.
"Oh... hi." Hikari said in shock seeing Ken's sweet face smiling down at her from across her doorstep. He giggled. There was no other word for the sound he made when not cackling.
"I promised I'd stop by. Did you think I wouldn't?"
"Actually, I thought Daisuke kunwould wear you out. Come on in." Why did I say that? That sounded dirty.
Ken grinned as he entered her apartment. She had noticed that his solemn face smiled much more when she was around, not for any real reason, she supposed. Other than she expressed pleasure when he did, or showed emotion of any kind. She suspected there was a great deal of feeling underneath that calm exterior; he just didn't care to express it on a regular basis.
"Anichan's at soccer." She explained, bustling around in the kitchen after seating Ken on the couch. He leaned back and starred at her ceiling.
"Yeah, I have to wait on Dai cjamto get out of soccer. My classes are all really early."
"Ick." Hikari replied as she came in with a tray of drinks and cookies. Ken smirked.
"Aren't we the little homemaker."
"Not really, I just had these ready from last night. Take chan and I were up late studying for a math test."
Ken raised his brows in interest. "Given I'm not the genius I used to be... I could help you guys if you ever needed it."
"Genius nothing. You're in college already!"
"It's not like I'd forget the stuff I crammed into my head when I was in my little drug haze." Ken said, sipping the prepared juice. "I'm apparently a natural overachiever."
"Do you like college?"
Ken frowned. "Not really. It's school. But it's less boring than regular school, once your start to get up into your field. I'm starting to like feeling smart."
Hikari laughed.
"You have no idea what a ditz I can be." Ken argued. "Ask Daisuke chan sometime."
"I might. Though I doubt you really are."
"Oh, I'm a bumbling idiot. Who happens to be good at math and science." Ken said flatly. She starred at him for a moment and burst into giggles. He poked her side. "How are you?"
"Good, lately. No weird dreams or voices in my head."
Ken rolled his eyes to the heavens. "Isn't it nice when everything is normal?"
"I feel like such a strange person sometimes, even though I know I have thousands of Digidestine around the world that I have things in common with."
"Unnn, but they... don't sense things so acutely."
"How about you?"
"A dream. About a red-haired Digimon. He was sitting in my dorm. He turned off the TV."
"Seriously? I had a similar dream, but I didn't really think anything of it."
"Well," Ken admitted. "As far as psychic dreams go, that one was pretty stupid."
Hikari leaned up against him and smiled, feeling comforted. "We'll just keep an eye on it then. What did the Digimon look like?"
"Daisuke."
"Mine kind of looked like Takeru"
Ken put his hand over hers and looked into her eyes conspiratorially. He whispered. "We're both quite unhinged, you know that?"
"Absolutely. At least I don't have to be unhinged alone."
She heard that disturbed little giggled that now froze her in fear.
"Hikari..." Shoujo's voice rang out through the desolate throne room. They'd taken the other Digimon somewhere else. So she would be alone. And so Gally and Yugo could watch.
"Yes, Shoujo, honey. What do you need?" A therapist, that's for damned sure.
"You have a brother." The girl sat down in front of her. Hikari nodded, trying to keep herself from relaxing from her sudden change in demeanor. Remember the Tokomon.
"I had a sister. I had a sister."
"Did you now?" Hikari replied sweetly. "What was her name?"
"Her name was Shiori. I...f- forget... what mine was..." Shoujo looked up at the ceiling. Hikari frowned.
"Ano, a name is really just what you're called most. It doesn't matter if you've forgotten it. You're still who you are."
Shoujo continued to stare blankly at the ceiling.
"Shoujo? Are you okay? Shoujo?"
"Yume!!" Shiori cried teasingly to her little sister. "Come on! It's getting hotter by the minute!"
The little green haired ray of sunshine came running out of her family's house in nothing but her little wooden shoes. "I'm coming Shiori! I'm coming!"
"Well, hurry up!" Shiori giggled waving her hands and jumping up and down. She dipped a toe in the water and grinned mischievously. She won't beat me. She never does, the sweet little thing.
"Shi... shi..." Yume panted as she finally reached her older sister. She looked up at her adoringly. "I'm here, Shi."
"Good. We can race now." Shiori ran her hand over her slender naked body that was just barely feeling the changes of adulthood. She loved the summer. Loved the sun, the heat and all the outdoor sports. Her father praised her like he would a son. Someday, my Shi will be a warrior.
Yume frowned as she shucked off her shoes. "Across the whole lake? Mama says I'm still too small!"
"Oh, nevermind that. You'll be alright. You have me to protect you."
Yume sighed and shrugged her little four-year-old body. "Okay, Shi."
Shiori guided her little sister to the water and raised a finger. "I'll count off, then we hit the water and don't stop until we reach the other side, understand?"
Yume nodded. And giggled.
"Okay. Three, two... one... go!"
The water smacked against their young skin mercilessly and Yume had to come up for air immediately. Seeing her sister already darting across the cold waters, she took a deep breath and ducked under.
She slid through the cold lake as though it were air, feeling the energy inside her burn out, then come back in full force. She headed up for air one more time. She was almost to the other side.
"Yume!"
Ducking back under, Yume kicked with all of her might. I'll make you proud of me, Shi. I swear.
Gasping, she resurfaced and slapped the other side, expecting to see, Shiori there waiting for her. She looked around frantically. Had her sister left her there?
"Shiori! Hey, I'm done! Let's go play something else!" Yume frowned. Her sister was a notorious tease, but would never leave her alone. "Shi!"
Yume looked back over the lake. It was so big. So cold. She couldn't believe she'd made it across. Usually she had to stop on their first swim of the summer. Yume blinked and ducked her head under the water to see if Shiori weren't simply hiding under there to scare her.
Yume nearly choked on the water. She clutched the side of the lake and held back bile and terror. She had seen her sister, floating in the lake, foot caught by a waterweed.
Yume steadied herself and dived under the water again. She wasn't a very good swimmer, but she quickly reached Shiori and pulled the weed away from her foot. That done, she made an ungainly trip back to the shore, sister in tow.
"Shi." Yume cried, hoisting her onto the bank. Her face was blue, her eyes wide. "Say something! Please!"
Shiori said nothing, just laid there, wide-eyed and motionless.
"You called for me." Yume screamed. "I didn't know!! You called and I kept going! Shi, please, please, please come back! I didn't mean it! I don't want to win if you don't come back!"
Yume began to beat her sister's chest frantically. "No no no no!! Shi shi shi shi! Come back! Come back!"
They found Yume hours later, still rocking and crying by her sister's side. Repeating herself, magic exploding around her. All of her mental channels burst open by the trauma.
"It was me." She told her father violently. "I kill Shi I kill Shi I kill Shi!!!!!"
Her father tried to calm her but she pulled away from his grasp.
"I killed my sister!" She screamed, turning the heads of all the neighbors who had come to watch. "And she won't come back to me!!"
"Hang on, Yama chan." Taichi whispered, laying him gently on the ground. Yamato didn't reply, but fluttered his eyelids as though something had gone through. Taichi brushed his fevered brow with a washcloth, and praised whatever higher power that would listen that Meramon hadn't decided to dry up the water this time.
"It's been so long!" The Yokomon squeaked. Personally, Taichi found them annoying, but if they provided clean water to wash Yamato's wounds, he was grateful. It had been weeks since they'd all been separated again, and without Jyou's antiseptics, Yamato had soon fallen ill.
Jyou placed a cold pad against Yamato's forehead and motioned for Taichi to follow him. Reluctantly, he set Yamato's limp hand on his chest.
"What have you come up with, Koushiro kun?" He asked. I'm still the leader here, even if I can't control anything important.
"Well, from what Ken kun showed me before we were attacked, and what Miyako san told me, I've been able to extrapolate a possible destination where Daisuke and Ken might be." Koushiro worked the buttons on his D-terminal. "But that leaves us with a problem, Taichi kun."
"I don't see the problem. We find them and go rescue Hika chan."
"Oh, really? We go into their lair, face three of them when we can barely deal with one, and supposedly come out all in one piece?" Koushiro replied sarcastically. Sora nodded supportively, preparing her best matriarch voice.
"Koushiro kun's right. We need to go in there with something they don't expect."
Taichi rolled his eyes. "Like what?"
"Information. I think we should head to Folder and see if we can't meet up with Gennai. He'll be able to explain to us what's been going on here." Koushiro informed them.
"How are we possibly going to be able to find him?" Jyou asked. Koushiro smirked.
"I already emailed him. He told me to meet him at his old place under the lake." Koushiro looked at the group seriously. "He hinted that he might know of the force behind the mysterious malfunction a few years ago of our gates to the Digital World. He couldn't even reach us before."
"Then how did we get here this time?" Miyako asked. "That should still be blocking us, shouldn't it?"
"It may have been a different power altogether that brought us here. We can only hope that force is benign."
"Well, then we're going to need a boat." Taichi concluded. "Because even our Ultimates shouldn't be flying around that long."
"Have you gotten word from Wallace yet?" Miyako asked.
"Eto, this morning. Apparently, the Digital World is moving slightly faster than it did before the battle with Apocalypmon. And I have a theory." Koushiro stated. Jyou smiled.
"What's your theory, Koushiro kun?" He asked, knowing Koushiro would appreciate him asking.
"Whatever force blocked us from getting to the Digital World before, may have upset the space-time continuum in doing so. It was only a few years ago the gates to the Digital World stayed open all the time. I don't know how Ken kun knew it, but he was certainly right. And I think the time is speeding up."
"Speeding up?" Sora asked. "Like we're on a runaway train and can't jump off?"
"Saa... I suppose so. Time here is speeding up, but it doesn't really matter for us. If you didn't notice, we don't really age here, even though Ken kun's daughter apparently does."
"I think I remember Hika chan mentioning something like that before we when to the reunion." Taichi admitted. "She said things felt out of synch."
"This is so weird." Mimi complained. "So let's get going and find a boat!"
"What about Yamato chan?" Gabumon asked. Taichi frowned.
"We have to take him with us. There's no way he'd be safe if we left him alone."
"Besides, on Folder, there are herbs I can use to bring down that fever." Jyou pointed out. Gabumon looked skeptical but nodded in agreement. Agumon put a hand on his shoulder.
"It'll be alright. Yamato kun's a tough guy."
"That's right!" Taichi told him, looking back at the blond lying lifeless by the well. "Is there any way we could take some of that pure water with us?"
"We can make some containers out of the strong tree leaves." Biomon suggested. Hawkmon nodded.
"We shall begin construction forthwith. In the meantime, I suggest you find a way for us to procure a boat."
Hikari had watched as Shoujo got up and left her alone. Naked. Waiting. Yugo entered the room almost immediately after.
"Don't be bothersome." He instructed, drawing a star on the floor. She frowned and tried to be pleasant, considering they planned to use her as a battery, like they were doing with all the Digimon they'd found, and not killed.
"A pentagram?" She asked. He looked at her as if she were the child.
"A pentacle."
"Isn't that the same thing?" Like I would know.
"A pentagram is commonly associated with it's upside down form." He informed her, drawing a circle around it with magical light. "That stands for evil, and is pretty useless. A pentacle is a right side up pentagram. This is meant for stability and protection."
"You need protection."
"Not really."
I didn't really mean it as a question. She thought.
Hikari...
Was that Ken chan? Hikari glanced around the room for the dark haired man, but he was nowhere in sight.
Yugo seated himself in the middle of the pentacle and held his hands out as if meditating. "I'm marshaling my forces, so to speak, reverting my bauble from life force energy to dark wind energy."
"What's the dark wind?"
"Negative emotion and the dark powers. It can be quite powerful, though I know you haven't seen Gally in action. She's the best Summoner who ever lived."
"I believe you." Hikari told him honestly.
Hikari...
That was, Ken chan. And he's not too happy. Hm.
"I wanna be just like her." Yugo said before closing his eyes, and a dark mist began to gather around him. Hikari grabbed her head.
That hurts...
I can walk like a normal person. I will not waddle. I will not waddle. Ken admonished himself as he tried to keep up with Daisuke and Takeru in the most dignified manner as possible. With Wormon curled up in his arms, he could hardly brace his back and lately he'd really needed the support. Of course this dignity made it difficult for him to keep up with the other two men. They didn't have a burden the size of a basketball to lug around.
"Ken, we need to talk." Daisuke caressed his cheek, looking down at his best friend, completely spent from the effort of getting them this far. "We're always going to be friends, right?"
"Of course, Dai chan." Ken assured him, still sounding a little dreamy. Daisuke petted his head, and despite his own flushed cheeks, kept his breathing in check.
"Good. Cause I just figured something out. Even if you haven't yet."
"Huh?"
"Nevermind. Get some rest. You'll need it."
It was then Takeru came angrily through the clearing, starring Daisuke down from where he was standing, then rushing off again.
I wonder what that was all about... oh...owwww.
Ken set Wormon down and stopped to stretch his back. There was a sharp pain shooting down it, and this one he couldn't ignore. He took a deep breath and blew the air out slowly to take his mind off of it a little bit.
"Ken?" Wormon asked tentatively.
"You okay, Ken?" Daisuke asked over his shoulder. "You want to slow down?"
"No. I'm fine." Ken snapped, walking up beside him. "I won't slow you down."
"I didn't mean..." Daisuke bit his lip. For some reason, everyone wanted his head on a plate lately. Stuck in a strange land with two moody bitches. "Maybe we should rest or something. You seem cranky, Ken chan."
"I am not cranky! What am I, a toddler?" Ken puffed out his cheeks to keep from yelling. Sam tended to do back flips and karate chops in protest whenever he got upset. She seemed on the verge of that now.
"No, of course not, but you look... well..."
"What?" Ken demanded, starring him down. Takeru looked at the two for a moment and whispered into Daisuke's ear.
"Give it up. It's just hormones."
"I heard that. And it is not." Ken insisted walking in front of them. He could feel the hot tears sliding down his face for no real reason at all. What the hell is wrong with me? Dai chan is just worried about me, and I'm just worried about Hika chan...
Ken stopped a moment and covered his mouth with the back of his hand, letting out a sob. Daisuke put a gentle hand on his shoulder.
"Don't touch me!" Ken warned. He didn't know why he wanted Daisuke far from him at the moment, but he was very certain he did not want to be touched at all. Takeru in turn grabbed Daisuke's shoulder and pulled him back, shaking his head.
"I can't just let him stand there and cry!" Daisuke protested.
"That's exactly what we're going to do. We're taking a break." Takeru informed him. Ken caught a breath and glared at him.
"We can't stop! They've already had Hika chan for too long!"
"One more day isn't going to make a difference, Ken kun, if we can't make it there in one piece. We're almost there, so we'd better rest up. All of us." Takeru told him. Ken could feel Sam's distress. She always knew when he was upset, and he continued to be more and more that way lately. Very lately he'd been unable to hide it from Daisuke.
Daisuke took his shoulder once again, and this time Ken let him guide him over to a seat. Takeru walked off by himself, as he had been doing for the past couple of weeks.
Ken felt those damn tears rising again, and just let them come. Daisuke' eyes widened in alarm, and Wormon rubbed against him, so that he would know that he was definitely there for him.
"I'm so sorry, Dai chan." Ken managed after a moment. His dark blue eyes were still shimmering with tears.
"It's okay." Daisuke crooked a half smile. "I think I'd cry too, if I were in your position."
"Most guys would. I think this is the number one male fear."
"Not what I meant, Ken chan." Daisuke schooched closer. "I meant, if the person I loved were missing, in the hands of those kids-"
"Dai chan," Ken admonished. Daisuke just grinned.
"It's okay. Don't worry about this it anymore. You have enough on your mind."
Ken blinked in confusion as Daisuke wound his arm around him and felt his belly with the other hand for Sam's incessant kicking. Ken was pretty sure she was responding to Daisuke' voice. "Since when did you have faith this would work out?"
"Since your risked your life to save her." Daisuke replied seriously. "You love her deeply. I can see that. I don't know if you two will really get together, but... well. You could do worse than Hikari chan. She's pretty, and kinda smart and has a good sense of humor. I fell for her once after all, and I'm as gay as a clown on crack!"
"Trying to set me up?" Ken teased, getting some of his energy back. Daisuke grinned.
"If I had the choice, I think I'd rather set you up with me, but maybe... it's best we not travel that rode again. I think we'd end up in the same place."
"I don't want to lose you, Dai chan. I love you.." Ken admitted bleakly, feeling his eyes begin to water again. Dammit. I wish I could stop doing that.
"You won't." Daisuke said assuredly, touching his friend's cheek fondly. Ken started to rise, and had to accept when Daisuke offered him a boost.
"I'll be right back." Ken promised, getting another stretch in. He looked around the clearing and finally spotted his target sitting solemnly behind a rock.
"Um, Takeru kun." Ken said softly, walking up from behind him. Takeru tried to look up with little malice, but from the cowed expression on Ken's face, he'd obviously failed.
"What is it?" He said darkly, standing to face him. Ken leaned back on his hand, trying to settle his weight as he stood, which was apparently not an easy task.
"We need to talk. I know I'm not exactly your favorite person right now."
"Why would you say that?" Takeru avoided looking into his eyes.
Daisuke starred into the blue eyes on the beach in confusion.
"If that doesn't clear things up for you, I don't know what will." Takeru joked. Daisuke pushed him off back onto the sand and walked away quickly. Well, there's my damned answer.
Ken sighed. He'd seen the looks on Takeru's face each night when Daisuke sat beside him until he fell asleep, when he rubbed his back when he was in pain. "Because Dai chan is paying so much attention to me."
Takeru scrutinized the tall man's face. "What am I, an open window?"
"Only to certain people. You have to have an networking code."
"What? Never mind. Yes, I am irritated with you." Takeru replied heatedly. "And I'm angry! At myself. Because I know it isn't your fault. So I shouldn't be blaming you."
"Go ahead."
Takeru blinked. "Huh?"
"Go ahead and blame me, if it makes you feel better." Ken shifted his weight again. Takeru was starting to feel guilty for making him stand here so uncomfortably, but he couldn't make himself sit down so Ken could rest.
"That won't help..." Takeru looked away.
"I'm sorry things are so complicated for you. I never meant for them to be this way... Dai chan broke up with me, you know." Ken hinted. He placed a hand over his stomach and sighed wearily. Takeru could practically see the color draining from his face. "I don't have a clear enough head to even deal with this. But... this isn't about that."
"If Dai kun hadn't started this up, I think Hika chan would probably be a little more understanding. Instead, she's gotten into a kind of rivalry with him, and isn't acting like she normally would."
"You would know." Ken murmured, adjusting his posture again. "Look, Takeru kun."
"Hm?"
"I know you're having trouble with this, but you have to believe that this will all work out somehow. And no matter what your father thinks, you are who you are, and you have to accept that. Even if it means accepting something he won't like."
"You would know, having to accept yourself as the evil Digimon fucking Kaiser, cruelest creature alive. What kind of father is a creature like that going to make?" Takeru snapped. Aw, damn. I've done it again. Gone straight through. That's exactly his worst fear right now. He's going to pass on his mistakes to his daughter!
Ken's face went blank, and Takeru knew he had gone too far. Ken always shut down when he was really hurt. Which seemed scarier to him in light of how moody Ken had been for the past few days.
"Your father loves you. He's just having trouble accepting this, and I don't really blame him. My parents are so happy to see me happy, and alive, they never minded that I was with Daisuke chan." His voice was cold and flat, and Takeru could practically feel the ice forming within. "He'll come around. He has to, if he wants to continue to have a relationship with his children. What's important is that you understand that your abilities have nothing to do with your changing personality. We all change, Takeru kun, but your power relies on other things. You have the power within you. You were always the strongest of us. You're only having trouble now because you believe that you're hopeless. You're not. You are hope. Hope embodied. Accept it. The good and the bad... It's the only way."
Takeru would have laughed if he could, with Ken trying to make a graceful exit. It was virtually impossible at this point though, and Takeru wasn't sure how much longer Ken could go without hospitalization, even though it clearly wasn't an option.
"Sit down." Takeru ordered, grabbing his shoulder. Ken turned and gave him a blank look. Shut yourself down if you have to, but you're not going to hurt yourself while we're around. "I mean it. Sit and rest your back while you have the chance."
Takeru guided him to a patch of grass, clutching his hand as he sat so he wouldn't hurt himself or disturb Sam. Takeru sat beside him quietly staring at the horizon and gently began to rub his back. Neither of them even moved when Wormon and Tailmon came to sit by them, exchanging worried looks but saying nothing. Takeru glance over and watched as Ken gently rubbed the round curve of Sam's home, perhaps in an attempt to placate her vigorous kicking.
Ken looked up at him with concern in his eyes, and Takeru met his searchingly. For several moments they simply gazed at one another, in a silent moment of meditation. Takeru reached over and placed a hand gently on the curve of Ken's belly, feeling the child kicking inside.
"Ken chan," A soft voice came out of the clearing. It was Daisuke. He barged into the clearing. "Hey... chattin with T.Q. I see."
Daisuke invited himself over and sat with Veemon behind them. "Whatcha talkin about?"
Both met his query with silence.
"Fine." Daisuke cracked his knuckles and began to massage Ken's back. Ken immediately stiffened. "Cut it out. Relax, it's not like I haven't done this a million times before, mister workaholic."
Ken tried to relax as Daisuke worked out the tense and overstrained muscles of his back. Admittedly, he hadn't stopped to consider his narrow hips when he'd decided that it wouldn't do for anyone to hurt Sam. Though, it wouldn't be accurate to say he'd decided anything. That feels so good. He spoils me, doesn't he Sam? I wish I knew what to do.
"Thanks." He said softly. Daisuke grinned.
"No prob." Daisuke grinned. "Giddy up. You're next, T.X."
Takeru looked back at him in disbelief, as Tailmon nudged him and giggled.
Ken chan... I need you.
"Hikari." Ken whispered. It hadn't been his imagination before. He was hearing Hikari's thoughts to an extent. And, had she been hearing his?
Takeru looked up and nodded sympathetically. "I'm worried about her too."
Wormon crawled up into what remained of his lap. "You weren't kidding when you said you were going to get bigger."
"Huh?" Ken flushed. Geez, that makes me feel good about myself.
"I was joking." Wormon told him. Tailmon chuckled.
"You humans are so strange. I can't imagine why you'd want to do such a thing, and they do it everyday. It's much better with Digieggs."
"We don't exactly have that option, Tailmon." Ken told her amiably. Wormon rested his front legs on Ken's stomach, only to jump back when Sam decided to kick with both feet for the first time. Ken chuckled. "She likes you already."
Hikari chan... can you hear me?
Daisuke slid over to Takeru and started to tickle his sides.
"Hey! I didn't know that was part of the massage!" Takeru protested.
Hika chan... are you alright? Hikari?
Ken frowned. It must have been my imagination.
Tailmon laid down on her side and watched Daisuke and Takeru settled into a more serious massage. She wiggled her eyebrows at Ken.
Matchmaker Tailmon, at your service. Ken managed to hoist himself up a little and position himself behind Daisuke.
"What do you think your doing?" Daisuke asked, taking a peek behind him.
"I'm doing a drag show in Misawa, what does it look like?"
Takeru snorted at the concept. "I didn't know they were fetishists down there."
"Intense fetishists, thank you." Ken joked. He was so glad he felt like a normal human being for the moment. He knew it wouldn't last.
Ken chan... I heard you. I'll talk to you later, okay? I'm in the middle of something.
Ken froze for a moment. Then narrowed his eyes in concentration.
Okay, Hikari chan. I'll be listening.
Jyou and Mimi had been leaning together over the side of the boat, getting ill. Funny, Sora had never known Mimi to get seasick. Probably sympathy pains.
Taichi had been wetting Yamato's brow with water, promising him some herbs to bring him around. Sora knew on some level he heard, and was fighting with all his strength to come back from that cold dark place of comas.
Then she simply wasn't on the boat anymore. Miyako... Taichi, Yamato, and Mimi... all gone. And now she was in a cold, dark place. And Shoujo was staring down indulgently at her.
"Hey, my little feather." Shoujo reached for her face blowing a scent into her face. Fresh honeysuckle, or something close to it. Her breath was not warm, like a living thing, but ice cold, like something that had died long ago. "Let's fly."
"Sora, wake up!" Miyako was shaking her suddenly. She smiled down at her lover and cuddled up next to her. "You were crying. Are you okay? Bad dream?"
Sora nodded silently. "How soon will we reach the shore?"
"This boat Michael left when he was here last is pretty fast. Probably in a few hours."
"Good." Sora leaned into Miyako, snuggling her head against her. "How do you suppose the others are?"
"Daisuke kun said in his last email they were heading for the Darkling Force's castle to free Hikari chan." Koushiro told them, having overheard.
"Tell them to be careful." Taichi said offhandedly. "They basically have a wounded, Patamonless Takeru and a mommy-to-be to take care of already."
Jyou steadied himself. "Speaking of that. He's got to be getting plenty of exercise, that's good. Tell Daisuke kun to make sure Ken kun gets plenty of water. And they rest every couple of hours. I wonder if Takeru kun knows how to take a blood pressure?"
"Will do." Koushiro chuckled. "And I'll ask."
Mimi leaned back against the wall of the boat. "It can't be that hard."
Jyou looked down at her worriedly and cupped her face with a hand. "Oh, it's not that hard. I'm just doing some professional fretting."
"Daisuke kun says Ken kun is moody and uncomfortable." Koushiro reported succinctly. Jyou practically snorted.
"What did he expect?"
"He also says he's still getting dizzy every so often. And still gets sick."
"Ano, that could be from the medication Dr. Tanaka provided. It's not something his body is programmed to get used to quickly, and he's probably confused still, from the time warp." He put his arm around Mimi and began to rub up and down her other side. "Tell him, when Ken gets dizzy, make him sit down and take a few deep breaths. His blood pressure is probably too high, and his electrolyte level is probably low. Keep the fluids coming, and try to get him to eat light meals every couple of hours, instead of the normal three with you and Takeru kun"
"Got it... he wants to know what an electrolyte is." Koushiro looked up and grinned.
"Something I think me and Mimi san are kind of low on at the moment." He looked down at his pink haired superstar, who had fallen asleep. He looked around at the others, consumed in one other. "So, how are you dealing with this?"
"Dealing with what?" Koushiro asked, trying to see if any of the children were in the area.
"I don't know. Pick one." Jyou looked at his friend, eyes still glued to the screen.
Jyou ran into the crowd, looking frantically for the survivors of the crash. There had to be hundreds of people in Odaiba with that brand of car. There couldn't be only one green car like that. It had to be someone else.
Then he saw Koushiro's lifeless hand.
"Good job getting your childhood crush." Koushiro beamed up at him. Jyou,kun you dog. "To that I say: Prodigious!"
"Ah, well it seemed like she had something in mind that night when she sat with me on my watch." Jyou admitted, stroking the side of her face gently with his finger to see if she was really asleep. Mimi had been able to play enough tricks on him since they'd gotten together. "We talked all night. Well... not all night."
Koushiro chuckled, looking back down. "I suspected something like this might happen."
"And you?"
Koushiro didn't look up. "What about me?"
Jyou reached over and put a hand on his D-terminal. Koushiro sighed.
"Jyou kun, I'm not some angsty goggle boy like the others. I'm glad you and Mimi san finally stopped fooling around and became official."
Jyou smiled. "Good."
Watching Koushiro from outside the intensive care unit, Jyou starred inside the glass, briefly wishing he was one of those gowned men in there looking after him. He wanted to do something to make this all better. To save Koushiro's life.
"Try getting Koushiro into a car now." Mimi whispered in a half-hearted joke. She came up behind him and looked up a Jyou. "It was hard enough to get him to learn to drive. Now, on his first time out... well, I guess he'll be hoofing it from now on."
"Mimi san, I think I changed my mind about what we talked about."
She smiled at him sweetly. "Which part?"
"I think I do want to be a doctor." Jyou pressed his fingers against the glass, and watched Koushiro's breathing. False. Controlled by the machines. Live, Koushiro kun.
"What else have you been biting your tongue about?"
Koushiro raised a brow sardonically. "The fact my best geek buddy seemed to think it was okay to lend his body out for an experiment? I'm not thrilled, but I'm not going to say anything to him."
"I'm not particularly happy about it either, though the medical implications of Tanaka's success are pretty exciting."
Koushiro frowned.
"Granted, the method of experimentation here is abominable, in my humble opinion. On the lines of transplants, Koushiro kun, if she could apply what she did with Ken to other organs, well... take a guess. No more waiting around for compatible donors." Jyou shrugged. "As for reproductive technologies and genetics, I'd say this would be a benefit to almost any healthy woman who couldn't have a child."
"And the guys who want to have a child?" Koushiro asked pugnaciously.
"Can there really be that many?"
"There are two right over there."
Jyou pondered that and tried to decide who would carry the baby. He started to laugh. "Sorry. I just got a pretty funny mental image."
"I'd imagine." He replied dryly.
Jyou tried to sober his face. "And you think this would be the deathblow to adoption agencies."
"Reproductive advancements always threaten the orphans who already need homes."
"I know, Koushiro kun. But like Ken kun said. If you can't change peoples' minds, change their options."
Koushiro looked out over the ocean. "I wonder if we'll be able to get directions from Gennai. I pinpointed their general location by their D3s. The continent of Icon is across a large ocean."
"It'll work out." Jyou told him. "I'm sure of it."
"You are attempting to get away from me."
The Darkling appeared silently and starred at Yugo with no inflection whatsoever. Yugo looked over at her from the throne.
"I have gotten away from you. I've tied my resources back the darkness within."
"You cannot get away from me. Destiny says otherwise. You will call me to yourself."
"Doubtful." Yugo sneered. He got up and left.
The Darkling turned her blank slate of a face to Hikari.
"You do not wish to see them hurt."
"No. I want to stop them, but I'm afraid I can't."
"Why do you think this?"
Hikari peered closely at her, observing what must be a self-generated image. This was no real human body, but more what a mind might create of what it was supposed to look like, from a half-remembered image. Or an extrapolation for a creature that had never had a form.
"Why should I not think this?"
"Where does your power lie?"
"In the Light." Hikari replied honestly. The Darkling stepped closer to the bars, impossible eyes swirling, and Hikari noticed something. That nose. It was small, slightly upturned.
"I am in the Light and in the Darkness. I am an angel and a demon."
"I see." Well, not really, but I'm getting an idea. Hikari frowned. "Why are you working with them?"
"I am not working with them. They have been working with me. I have little say."
"Don't talk to her!" Gally ordered barging into the room. "Get out, Creature."
"No." The Darkling replied unaffected. "I am speaking to the Light."
"I'll put you back in the Darkness." Gally said creating a swirling mist around her fist.
"I am swimming in darkness as we speak."
"Funny, you little bitch." Gally unleashed the energy and slammed her translucent body against the wall. Hikari gasped as she felt a slight pain inside her.
The Darkling! Is she hurting her? Hikari felt herself becoming very angry. Instinctually enraged that this girl would hurt a creature so unaccustomed to their world. So innocent, almost like a newborn child, with nothing to guide or protect her.
Hikari felt the bars of her cage melt in her hands.
"Let her go!" She demanded, bursting forth from her prison. Gally jumped back at the infusion of pure, white light evading their castle. The Darkling looked at her. She looked, confused.
"Why do you help me? You do not know." She said, tilting her head. Hikari paused a moment.
"Creature..." Hikari felt her eyes crinkle up in joy. "I know."
"Then kill me." She said sincerely. Hikari grinned as she raised her hand and benignly pushed the two children out of the room.
"I have all the intentions of doing exactly the opposite."
The Darkling furrowed her brow and shimmered away.
Ken chan! I'm coming!
So many strange dreams. I was standing in front of a mirror, and it was me.
But not me. Half of my hair was black. Black swirls were on the right side of my face, creeping up into my eye, in my eye. My right eye was completely black, the other, the startling sky blue that makes me a Takaishi and links me to my brother. In that dark mirror I see me, half Takeru. Half monster.
Takeru looked over his shoulder to note Ken trying to see what Daisuke was doing on his D-terminal, and Daisuke deftly avoiding, as he had the greater mobility at the moment. It was pretty funny. He was sure Daisuke was talking to the others. They seemed so perfect together.
Then that red haired man. In the dream, I want him so much, and I know he desires me greatly too, but there is no love. I feel like he's trying to suck my life force out when he kisses me.
"Where?" Ken said to himself softly. Takeru looked over at him with apprehension. The last thing he wanted was another fit like he'd seen before. Especially since he hadn't had a chance to take back what he'd said before about Ken being a bad father. He'd only said it because he'd been angry, and he'd seen the fear in Ken's heart.
On the contrary, Ken would probably be a great father. He was already the most open-minded person he knew.
Ken was frowning a little as he walked along, as if concentrating on something. Takeru stepped back a bit and glanced over to Daisuke, who was leading, but checking his email as he went.
"Ken, about this afternoon-"
"Can you hear that at all?" Ken asked urgently. Takeru looked at him as though he were insane.
"Hear what?"
"Hold on." Ken put his fingertips on Takeru's brow and stopped him cold.
Take chan?
"Hell." Takeru gasped. He could feel a surge of energy flowing from Ken to himself. "Hika chan?"
Daisuke looked over at them in confusion and put up his D-terminal.
"Change of plans, Dai kun." Takeru said tossing the medical bag to Ken. "You're with me."
"I'm not leaving Ken chan alone." Daisuke protested. Ken shook his head.
"I won't be alone. For long. Follow Take kun." Ken said heading in the other direction, around to the backside of the castle. "Wormon."
"Right, Ken cjam!"
Ken jogged along as far as he could, then jumped up onto Stingmon's arm along with Gatomon. "Fly around to the back. We're going to meet up with Hika chan."
"Has she escaped?"
"I think so. She seemed pleased."
"Well, then let's go!" Gatomon cried.
Hikari darted along the corridor feeling the death chill in the castle burn against her naked body. She'd been unable to find her clothes, but found Patamon easily enough, and sent the flying beast to the front to meet up with Takeru, finally. She would need a diversion once Gally and Yugo figured out she'd freed their potential batteries.
The Darkling knew. Blood magic, drawing on the life energy of others to power their practices at the castle. Complicated magic, which, if handled improperly, kills the user. She must be an empath herself, to have gathered that much morality already. And I think I know where it comes from.
Hikari halted just outside one of the castle's many rooms. Something was drawing her inside there.
"What is it?" A Piximon asked. Hikari raised a hand.
"I'm not sure." She told them. "I'll be right back."
She walked cautiously to the center of the room, where a small, golden piece of metal lay on a round table. It had a detailed pattern carved along its surface, swirling in areas, but mostly knotwork, and at the very edge of the long round piece, a ring of runes. It was beautiful, and Hikari reached for it.
She jerked her hand back immediately, as an invisible field burned her.
"How silly of me. Of course Gally put up some kind of protected if this was valuable." She closed her eyes, and tried to tap the energy she had used not too long ago to free herself. She braced her body for another shock as she reached in again.
Luckily, this time her power protected her and she grabbed hold of the heavy talisman. Feels important. I'll show it to Take chan and see what he thinks.
Hikari hurried out the door, not wanting to waste any more precious time. The freed Digimon followed her anxiously.
"Ken chan!" She cried, climbing up to the top level. She could see Stingmon already there waiting for her. Ken almost fell off seeing her. Tailmon jumped.
"Hikari chan!" The cat-like beast cried falling into her partner's arms. Stingmon landed on the roof and Ken slid off awkwardly.
"Where are we going to take these Digimon?" He asked, pulling off his red sweater. It nearly took off his white shirts along with it and they remained half pulled up as he handed the large garment to her. "Here."
Hikari put on the sweater and pocketed the talisman. On her slim frame it resembled a grunge fan's dress. She padded over to Ken silently and pulled his white shirttail down over his belly, pausing to caress the curve. She smiled, her eyes lighting up as she looked into Ken's eyes.
"I know something you don't know."
Ken laughed. "I think you know many things I don't know. Come on, Hika chan. Take kun and Dai chan can't hold those monsters off forever!"
Hikari made a single nod and raised her D3. "Armor Digivolve!"
She began to herd the freed Digimon onto Nefertimon's back and hopped onto Stingmon's arm along with Ken. "Follow us, Nefertimon!"
Gally and Yugo had not been happy, but when Takeru showed up, backed up by his Digimon, they retreated back into the castle, and raised a barrier even he could not break.
"Takeru kun!" Daisuke said jokingly. I can't believe those kids backed off just because of him! "I'm afraid of you."
"Is that why you don't want me?"
Daisuke stopped walking and met his eyes, taking his chin. And planting a wet sloppy kiss on his lips.
"We need to talk, Takeru kun." He said pedaling backward to his previous position by his side.
Takeru starred back blankly and motioned to the side. "We need to wait for Hika chan and Ken kun by that river. I don't know when they'll get done, so..."
Daisuke nodded and picked up Chibimon to carry along with him. Patamon was already sitting contentedly on Takeru's head.
"What do you want to talk about?"
Daisuke sighed as he tried to keep up with him. Takeru wasn't terribly tall, but he was certainly taller than Daisuke. Thank goodness for Koushiro kun, or I'd be the shortest guy.
"What do you think?"
"I'm not going to come between you and Ken kun, Dai kun." Takeru said firmly. "I couldn't if I tried. You guys are too close, and have been for a long time."
"You're right. We're close. But it's not like that anymore." Daisuke tried to weigh his words. Most of the time he just said what he was thinking, but he knew if he wasn't careful, he could hurt someone with his indiscretion. "We broke up back in January, Takeru kun."
"So?"
"So, it's time to move on." Daisuke stated. "Ken chan's my best friend, and I'm going to be there for him no matter what. He's needed someone lately, to be by his side, to give him support. Gods know he gives it to me when I need it. Just keep that in mind when you see me and Ken chan together. We do love each other. So we want the other to be happy."
"What are you getting at?" Takeru refused to look at him. Daisuke sighed.
"Who do you bitch to when your best friend happens to be your lover?"
Takeru looked over at him as though he were absurd. "You're crazy."
"Oh, you know you love it." Daisuke chuckled. "So... how long have you known?"
"Consciously or unconsciously?" Takeru muttered. "Well, I guess I finally admitted it to myself about a year ago."
"What happened a year ago?"
"Remember Nuriko's skinny dipping party?"
Daisuke burst into laughter. "I love those."
"Well, I didn't go, if you remember. I never do."
"I know. Why not? It was a lot of fun. Plus you get to see all the guys in the buff. It's great cause they know you're looking."
Takeru sighed. Such a perv. "It would be easier for me if I'd known since I was twelve. Of course, Anikun's been out of the closet forever, and he isn't as outrageous as you! Anyway, I thought to myself, you guys would probably accuse me of being gay if I showed up and was so embarrassed. And I realized you'd be right."
"We wouldn't have meant it, Takeru kun. We do the same thing to Ken chan. Constantly." Daisuke assured him. Takeru smiled.
"Yeah, I know you'd only be teasing. But I didn't want- I dunno." Takeru took a deep breath. "Hika chan is the greatest. You know that? I told myself, if I'm really not gay, I can make it with Hika chan. She's already my friend, and I already love her, so why not?"
"Because it doesn't work that way. I'm sorry but it doesn't."
"You messed everything up. I saw you on that soccer field, and nothing was ever the same. Logically, I suppose it would have been someone else... eventually."
"What? Since the day we met?" Daisuke looked at him in surprise. "I really thought you and Hika chan were an item."
"Hardly." Takeru replied softly. He looked down at Daisuke' strong face. Hard as a rock. He's so strong.
"You want to know something?" Daisuke said conspiratorially. Takeru tilted his head curiously. "I thought you were pretty cute when I first saw you, too."
"No way."
"I told you! I've known forever. It's just how I am." He grinned slyly. "Of course, the things running through my mind then were much more virginal than the ones that are now. Wait! I mean-"
Daisuke flushed and looked away. "I don't mean to put you off. I know I come on strong when I get something into my head."
"Yeah." Takeru started to walk closer to him. I hope we could make this work.
"This continent is huge!" Ken yelled, trying to get his voice to cut through the sound of the wind. Hikari nodded.
"I know. It shouldn't be too much longer." She yelled back. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I'm not the one in nothing but a shirt!"
Hikari giggled and they clung to Stingmon's arm in companionable silence. Approximately ten minutes later, Hikari pointed to a spot and yelled: "Down there!"
"Right, Hikari chan!" Nefertimon answered. She and Stingmon went in for a landing.
"What's here that can help us?" Ken asked. Hikari put her hand on the small of his back and guided him over to a clearing. Hikari smiled.
You'll see.
Maybe. He returned. But I'll never get used to talking to you like this.
Oh, I think you have more experience with that than you think. She took out her D3 and raised it up.
"We're going to send these Digimon to Folder for safe keeping until we can defeat the Darkling force. Don't worry, I'll be supplying the energy, you concentrate on the mechanics of opening that gate. I need to learn how anyway."
Ken frowned but held his D3 up. Hikari still had her hand on his back and he could feel the almost seamless transfer of energy.
"It's open." He stated, though unnecessarily. A giant flower of light and energy spiraled open and they could see the land on the other side with an eerie clarity.
"You guys go on through." Hikari urged.
The throngs of grateful Digimon skittered through the gate.
"Thank you!" A few Yokomon cried. A Tokomon or two rubbed against Hikari's leg affectionately.
"You guys are the best."
"It's no problem." Ken told them smiling wide. "It's our job."
Sora didn't remember walking out of Gennai's house. After a day or so of land travel they had made it to the underwater household of Gennai. They had been discussing a means of getting over to Icon quickly in order to help the others fight. Now she was in the woods. Another Shoujo Forest, she suspected. A deadly sweet scent filled the air.
I knew this was coming.
"My beautiful little feather. You soar above all the others." Shoujo said, coming out of the thicket.
"You're looking well." Sora said. Shoujo walked closer to her and pointed to the ground. Sora felt her body once again take control as she began to remove her clothes, set them aside, and laid herself on the ground.
"I feel good." Shoujo admitted. "And you will too. Only for a moment though. No pleasure comes without pain. It's all bound together like that."
"Tomorrow I'll be-"
Sora choked on her words as Shoujo rammed two fingers between her legs, deep inside her and she began to fill the cavity with energy. She felt the area become slick with arousal, all the while, cum mixing with blood. A painful fire burned in her abdomen.
"Stronger..." Sora gasped. She felt like she was going to explode with Shoujo's dark energy. Her insides expanded, then relaxed as the energy was being pushed inside her, then out, then inside again.
"For... someone else's..." Blood and bile mixed in the back of her throat. A third finger made its way up her anus, and proceeded to make that area run red with Shoujo's energy as well.
"Sake..." Sora began to cry. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I love you, Sora chan." Shoujo giggled.
Love? What is love?
Can a child like this know love? Is this how she expresses love?
Is it love to protect those you care for? To be upset when they hurt? What if you weren't taught how to love?
She loves me. So she hurts me.
Love is making the person you care for feel what you feel.
Sora road along the roller coaster of pleasure her body was experiencing, immediately being followed by pain so intense she felt her gorge rise. Powerless to stop it. Being played with like a toy.
She's a baby. Just a little baby crying for her mother to take her, and show her what she needs to know.
"Shoujo, I'm a person." Sora whimpered. She wasn't sure if the girl could even hear her cries. "I feel just like you do."
"I'll make you feel. Feel like you've never felt before." Shoujo said, licking her up and down. Sora gasped as she felt the chill up her spine. There must have been an energy release; the tongue burned her flesh just as it was tempting it.
"Shoujo..." Sora whispered. She closed her eyes. Imagined what had to be going on in this child's head, and could not find it in her heart to hate her. Tears sprang to her eyes as Shoujo jammed her fingers up inside her and released another fiery burst of energy. The burning sensation filled her body. Burned away her soul.
"I love you."
Shoujo looked up. She removed her fingers and crawled up on top of Sora, peering into her eyes angrily.
"No, you don't."
"Yes, I do. I love you, Shoujo." Sora felt tears sliding down her cheeks as she could move once again. She took the child in her arms, and pressed her face to her chest. "I love you little one. Just let me hold you."
"Do you forgive me?" Shoujo asked softly, pressing into Sora's warm embrace. Sora giggled.
"Yes, I forgive you, my little dream."
"I love you, Sora." Shoujo whispered. Sora rolled over onto her side, wrapping Shoujo close to her body, drawing in a breath momentarily as she felt energy being removed from her body. Shoujo was sucking at her breast.
The little girl crying, sucking, and staying as close to her as possible, Sora closed her eyes and let it all happen. She stopped fighting.
Suck away, my little darling. Feel what I feel. And take all the energy you need. Have you ever felt loved before?
Sora felt her energy filling the child. Not the negative energies she had made such destructive use of before. Love energy.
As she lost consciousness, Sora pondered that she had never felt more secure in her purpose in life.
Taichi bit his lip when he found Sora lying there that morning, naked, burned all over and bleeding heavily between her legs. Piles of gems were strewn carelessly around her.
"Oh, goddess." Miyako burst into tears as she ran to her. Sora smiled up at Miyako when she woke. "Are you alright?"
"Depends on your meaning of alright." Her voice cracked as she answered. Jyou found his way over to her and flushed as he began to examine her body.
"Oh, Umou chan." Mimi said, throwing a cloak over her. Sora just smiled as they took her back to Gennai's.
If you like, email me and let me know. I'm vain and like to know if yall like what I'm doing.