The Kido apartment was quiet. Too quiet, even for quiet-natured Oki's taste, and he lurked guiltily in his room, as if afraid just venturing out would disturb some precariously balanced catastrophe and send it crashing down on them. The apartment certainly had that feel; his mother hadn't reacted well to the news of what had happened to Jyou, and even now she kept crying at odd moments. She hadn't even told Oki to go to school, which was just fine with him. He wasn't sure he could concentrate anymore, not on schoolwork.
*I've got to go back,* he told himself, staring out the window. *I know I have to go back. I just don't really know why.*
His rational mind was telling him that of course he knew, it was obvious what he had to do, and why was he worrying about it? He was going to save his father. It had been ingrained into him since he was a child that when someone close to you was captured by the villain, you went and saved him. That was how all the stories went. He couldn't understand why he wasn't ready to rush out there right now and challenge Chiaromon to a duel or something. But that impulse wasn't there. He wanted to go to the Digital World, that was for sure. He wanted to have a few adventures, and maybe spend some time with Kata and Mary. And he wanted his mother to be happy again, of course, but...
"This is boring!" Nami complained. "Why are we sitting here being bored?"
"What else are we going to do?" Oki replied.
"Well, we could watch the paint peel, or maybe go find some grass to watch growing," suggested Nami. "Seriously, if you sit there at that window any longer, you're going to start catching dust."
Oki sighed. "You're probably right. Hm."
He got up and paced the floor a bit, thinking. Then he walked out of the room and went looking for his mother. She was in the kitchen, sitting at the table with a cooling cup of tea and a distant expression.
"Hey, Mom," he said, "do you know where I can find the Ishida's phone number? I want to talk to Kata."
"Hm?" she said vaguely. "Oh. It's in the address book by the phone."
"Of course. Thanks, Mom."
Kata found the book and flipped through it, and then dialed the number. The phone rang once, twice... and then was quickly snatched up.
"Hello?" said a woman's anxious voice.
"Is this the Ishida residence?" asked Oki.
"Oh, um, yes. This is Mrs. Ishida speaking. May I help you?"
"Yes, I'd like to speak to Kata, please."
"Oh," she said, sounding mildly surprised.
A voice in the background that Oki recognized as Mr. Ishida's called, "Who is it?"
Sound of a hand muffling the phone. "It's a boy. He says he wants to talk to Kata."
"I'll bet its Oki. I'll go see if I can pry Kata out of his shell."
The hand was removed. "He's coming. Could you hang on, please?"
"Sure," said Oki, feeling a vague smile as he imagined what the scene playing out in the Ishida house must look like. He remembered what it had been like last time he'd wanted Kata just to open his door for a few minutes. After a long moment and some muffled conversational noises, the phone was answered again.
"Hello?" said Kata, in the tones of one who is never called on the phone and not sure what to make of it.
"Hey, Kata, it's me, Oki."
"Oh! Hello."
"Yeah," said Oki. He was suddenly realizing what a chore it was going to be to try to engage Kata in a telephone conversation. "Listen, it's really depressing over here today. Do you think it would be okay if I came over again today?"
"Hm," said Kata, thinking it over. "I suppose we could do that. I guess." With a slight brightening of tone, he added, "You can meet my sister. I think you'd like her."
"Sister?" Oki repeated.
"You know, don't you? I have an older sister, Aiko."
"Oh, yeah, that's right! I think I heard Dad mention her once or twice."
"You should meet Aiko," said Kata positively. "Besides, I want to talk."
Oki quenched the urge to remark on the novelty of Kata wanting to talk. "I'll see if I can convince my mom to take me over, then." Glancing at his mother, who was still gazing off into space, he corrected, "Better yet, I'll take the bus. I'm not sure Mom's in good shape for driving."
"That bad?" asked Kata, a faint trace of concern in his normally emotionless voice.
"Yeah," Oki sighed. "That's why I've got to get out of this house. Can you ask your parents if I can come?"
"You must be kidding. Me, asking if someone can come over? They'll think I'm having a breakdown."
"Well, this is all weird, you know? Your dad almost got captured by a whatever yesterday. You ought to be acting strange today."
"All right. Hang on."
There was a clattery noise of the phone being set on the counter, and then muffled speech noises. Kata came back.
"They say you can come," he said. "Dad wants to go out today, anyway, to talk to Mr. Yagami. For some reason they think I'll be safer with you around than not, even if you did let me wander into another dimension last time you were here."
"Um. That wasn't entirely my fault," said Oki. "Anyway, I'll be there soon. Don't do anything interesting without me, okay? Bye."
"Bye, Oki. See you later."
Oki hung up the phone feeling pleased with himself. He went back into the kitchen.
"I'm going to go out for a little while," he said. "I'll be back in a few hours. Is that okay?"
"You aren't going out alone," she said, snapping out of her trance with a shocked flash of eyes.
"I won't be alone," he said. "You know I'll have Nami with me. And I'm just going to visit Kata at the Ishida's place. Nothing dangerous. Really."
She looked at him as if she didn't quite believe him. Oki's expression softened.
"It'll be okay," he said. "I just want someone to talk to, that's all."
"Promise me you won't go back to the Digital World," she said.
"Don't worry, I won't," he said.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure! I'm not crazy. I don't want to be nabbed by that Chiaromon guy any more than you want me to be. I'll be fine."
"Well... all right," she relented. "Do you need me to give you a ride?"
"No, I'll take the bus. Thanks anyway, though. I'll see you later, okay?"
"All right, honey. Take care."
"You too. Drink your tea before it gets cold."
"Hm? Oh." She stared woefully down at her drink. Oki slipped quietly out the door with a final halfhearted wave.
"You know, I'm kind of glad that's over," he said to Nami as they were walking down the hall. "Poor Mom. I feel sorry for her, but still..."
"So you're leaving your cheerful mom to hang out with your sociable friend," said Nami. "Boy, you're a fun guy. I'm glad I hang out with you."
"Oh, can it," said Oki. "You wanted to get out and do something, and now we are. Quit complaining."
"I know why you're going out," Nami said. "You wanna see that cute girl again."
"I do not!"
"You don't want to see her again? I'll tell her that next time we see her."
"I'm going to replace you with a Gotsumon!"
Nami only laughed, and Oki sulked his way to the bus station. That cheered him up a bit - he liked riding on the bus. People recognized that he was the son of one of the famous Chosen Children and scooted over to make room for him. One girl even smiled at him, and he offered a absentminded smile back before turning to look out the window. Distracted as he was today, he wasn't sure even Mary could have gotten his attention for very long, and she was about the most distracting thing he'd ever seen. He was very quiet until he arrived at his stop and made his way to the Ishida apartment. He rang the doorbell and stood there waiting, listening to the noises going on inside. Eventually footsteps came close, and the door was opened.
"There you are," said Kata. "I was waiting."
"The bus was slow," said Oki. "The bus is always slow. You know that."
Kata gave him an incredulous look. "I don't do busses."
"They're too crowded," said RB. "Crowds make him nervous."
"No they don't," said Kata. "I just don't like busses." He gave his partner a glare, and RB looked sheepish.
"Ah," said Oki. "Anyway... can I come in?"
"Oh, sure." Kata backed away, letting Oki through the door.
Oki went in. There seemed to be a bit of commotion going on - Mr. Ishida was darting around looking for things, while his wife watched him with an expression of puzzlement.
"Where did I put that notebook?" he was muttering.
"It's over there on the shelf."
Yamato looked up, confused. "What's it doing over there? I didn't put it over there."
"Yes," said Sora. "You put it on a chair and then dropped your coat on it, so I took out the notebook and put it where you could find it."
"I knew exactly where it was," said Yamato, going to the shelf and retrieving the missing notebook. "Now that that's done, tell me where you hid my coat."
Sora laughed. "I didn't. Aiko decided to be helpful and put it in the closet where it belongs."
"What's going on?" Oki asked Kata.
"I thought I already told you," Kata replied. "Dad is going to see Mr. Yagami, and he's taking along all the information he's been able to find on Chiaromon, so they can talk about what to do about him. Do you think it will do any good?"
"Maybe," said Oki. He felt a sudden fleeting hope that maybe Mr. Yagami and Mr. Ishida would rescue his father for him and he wouldn't have to go through all the trouble. His stomach gave a guilty wrench.
"Hey, now that you're here," said Kata, "do you want to meet my sister? I told her you were coming. She wants to meet you, I think. It's hard to tell."
"What do you mean by that?" Oki asked. "Should I be worried?"
"No," said Kata. "Aiko's wonderful. She's just... vague."
He led Oki up a hall and knocked on a door. There was a plaque hanging on the door, a heart painted pink, with Aiko's name painted across it in graceful gold letters, with a few decorative roses here and there. He stared at that a moment until the door was opened. It swung open slowly, giving Oki a few moments to process what he was seeing. That was just as well, because his first reaction was a topsy-turvy feeling of seeing something that was not quite natural. This was no human girl, it was a fairy wandered in from some other world. No human could look so fragile and ethereal. He felt an irrational desire to put her on a shelf or behind a glass wall somewhere, cut her off from the rest of the world lest she accidentally get broken or stained. She looked back at him with her dreamy eyes seeming only half-focused on him, her expression one of vague puzzlement.
"Are you Oki?" she asked.
"Yeah. Are you Aiko?"
*Brilliant bit of conversation,* he scolded himself, but it was the best he could manage under the circumstances. There was something about those wide blue eyes that left him at a bit of a disadvantage. Not in the way Mary had, where he felt awkward and tongue tied and all the usual ways guys felt around pretty girls. She was just so far out of his experience that he didn't quite know what to say to her.
"Kata told me what happened to your father," she said. "I'm very sorry."
"Yeah, well," he said. "I'll be okay."
"It must be hard on you," she said. She had a cool, soft voice that made him think of clouds. "I know if something happened to my father, I'd be so lost. I wish there was something I could do to help."
"Well, if we're lucky, your dad and Mr. Yagami will get it all cleared up."
"I don't think that's going to happen," said Kata.
"Huh?" said Oki. It took him a second to process the fact that the words even had meanings; just the sound of Kata's very real voice after Aiko's misty one was enough to make him jump.
"I don't think Dad and Mr. Yagami will be able to do anything," Kata repeated.
"Why not?"
"Call it a hunch," Kata replied. "They are grownups, after all. I thought it had always been children who defended the Digital World. Besides, every time a grownup gets near Chiaromon, he tries to capture them."
"Oh, and us getting attacked was just a coincidence?" asked Oki.
"But he didn't try to magic us," Kata replied. "Besides, Mary spent the better part of a day in the Digital World, staying fairly close to where Chiaromon stays the whole time. If he wanted to bother her, he would have. Instead, he went after our parents almost as soon as they arrived. He's definitely targeting the adults."
"So... what are you saying?" asked Oki.
"That we should go back. What else?"
"We can't do that!" Oki protested.
Kata gave him a cold glare. "Why not? Don't you want to rescue your father?"
"Well, yeah, of course I do!" said Oki, suddenly feeling the urge to run and hide somewhere. "But - but - but I promised my mom I wouldn't go back! I don't want to break my promise."
"This is for a higher good," said Kata firmly. "You'll be excused."
"But..." said Oki helplessly.
"You're making him mad," said Nami. "Keep up like this, and he'll go home."
"No, I won't," Oki snapped.
"Yes you will. I know you. You don't let anybody tell you what to do. If you can't have your way, you'll go home and sulk."
"I will not!"
"Well, then," said Kata, "make up your mind. Come or don't come, whichever you like. I'm going."
"Hm," answered Oki, thinking hard. Hadn't he been thinking, a while ago, that he wanted to go back to the Digital World? Well, of course he did, he just didn't want to - didn't want to get into a confrontation with Chiaromon. That was a reservation any sane human being would have, and there was nothing wrong with feeling that way. On the other hand...
"Maybe if we just, um, look around a bit," he said. "It would be stupid for just the two of us to go messing with a Digimon like Chiaromon, but if we just went looking for some more information, maybe see if we could find a few other people to help us, that would be all right."
"Three," said Aiko.
"Three?" Kata repeated. "Three whats?"
"Three people," she answered. "I want to come."
"No," said Kata flatly. "You stay here. It's dangerous out there."
"I'll be all right. Melody will protect me." She gestured at a large pink bird who was perched on the foot of her bed, listening to the conversation.
"Melody's no more a warrior than you are," Kata answered. "You stay here. We'll be back before you know it."
She looked downcast, but didn't seem inclined to continue the argument. She nodded.
"All right," she said. "Are you going to tell Mom?"
Kata considered. "Better not. She might not like it. Maybe you can tell her after she figures out we're not here." He paused. "She might not figure it out for a while. It's hard enough to notice me when I'm home."
"At least he admits it," said RB.
"All right," said Aiko. "Good luck, then."
"Thanks," Kata answered. "And don't worry. We'll be fine."
Aiko didn't look particularly convinced. Kata waited a while to see if she was going to say anything. When she didn't, he shrugged and walked off in search of a working computer, with Oki and the Digimon following closely behind. Aiko watched them, her expression thoughtful. Then she closed her door, shutting herself in so she could have the privacy to give this matter its due consideration.
The best word to describe Hoshi was probably "sensitive." Even that didn't sum him up completely, or even do him justice; it brought up images of someone who cried to easily and got his feelings hurt at any slight. Hoshi wasn't like that. As a matter of fact, getting any kind of reaction out of him at all could sometimes be frustratingly difficult. He was like a pool of still water - the lightest breeze could send ripples across its surface, but how did you hurt a pool of water? He accepted everything that came his way, but he caught on to more than most people ever would.
At the moment, he was sitting in his room, working a jigsaw puzzle. He liked jigsaw puzzles; it was satisfying to him to take something chaotic and arrange it into something harmonious and beautiful. He smiled faintly as he pushed another piece into place with a satisfying snap.
"Stuff's happening," he told his partner.
Pepper, his loyal Agumon, raised his head and looked at Hoshi inquisitively. "What kind of stuff?"
"Important stuff, I think," he answered, studying the shape of another piece. "Hey, Pepper, what would you think if we had to go to the Digital World?"
"Am I supposed to think something? I mean, we've been there before..."
"Just for fun. I mean, what if we had to go?" Hoshi asked. "Like, for the things that are going on now. About Chiaromon."
"You mean... to fight? I think I could do that," said Pepper. "What about you?"
"I don't know," Hoshi answered. He tried the puzzle piece in a few places before giving up and choosing a new one. "I don't like fighting very much. I don't think I'd be very good at it."
"Well, you wouldn't be the one doing the fighting," Pepper pointed out. "I would be the one doing that."
"True," said Hoshi. He snapped his new puzzle piece into place, adding a new flower to a rosebush. "But I would be the one telling you what to do. I would have to be there watching and doing what I could. I couldn't leave you to fight all by yourself. That wouldn't be a partnership."
"Hm," said Pepper. "I guess so. Does that mean you don't want me to get into any fights? Is that what you're saying?"
"I don't know," said Hoshi. "I haven't decided yet. I'll know better when the battle starts."
"So you're sure there's going to be a fight, then?"
"Of course I'm sure... as sure as I am about anything. There's a dark Digimon moving in the Digital World, one more powerful than anyone's seen in years. He's already captured some powerful and experienced warriors. He doesn't want this to end peacefully, Pepper."
Pepper hung his head. "I guess you're right. You always are."
"Not always," said Hoshi. "Just most of the time."
"More than most people. More than most grownups, even."
Hoshi frowned a bit. "Yes... unfortunately."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Before he could answer, the door to his room opened, and Taichi looked in.
"There you are," he said. "What are you doing in here?"
Hoshi pointed at his half-finished jigsaw puzzle.
"Oh, back to that again, huh?" said Taichi. "I would have thought you'd be outside playing on a day like today."
Hoshi shrugged. "I like it here."
"Oh," said Taichi again. He didn't sound very pleased. "Well, anyway, thought I'd tell you that Mr. Ishida is here. Do you want to say hi to him?"
"I think I would," said Hoshi.
Hoshi set his puzzle piece aside and followed his father into the living room, where Mr. Ishida was already waiting.
"Hi there, Hoshi," he greeted amiably.
"Good afternoon," answered Hoshi with a polite bow.
Mr. Ishida laughed a little. "You're such a serious kid, you know that? If you weren't the spitting image of your father, I'd hardly know you two were related."
"He takes after Hikari a lot, I think," said Taichi. "Recessive genes or something."
"Yeah, something like that, I guess," his guest agreed. "Anyway, I guess we ought to get down to business. How familiar are you with this whole Chiaromon mess?"
"Only with what Ken told me after he came back," said Taichi. "Though I did hear something happened to Daisuke..."
"He's gone," said Yamato. "He left to the Digital World sometime early in the morning, according to his wife, and he never came back. We've been looking for his Digivice signal, but we can't pick it up."
Taichi sighed and shook his head. "He always was a risk-taker. Oh, well. He was always good at pulling through, too. Maybe he can make it out safely."
"And maybe he can't," said Yamato. "We can't take that risk."
"So, what do you propose we do about it?"
Yamato looked unusually grave. "We're going to have to cut off access to the Digital World."
"What?" Taichi looked offended. "Why?"
"It's too dangerous to go in there right now," said Yamato. "Every time one of us goes in there, Chiaromon goes and snatches them."
"Yeah, and some of them get away."
"And some of them don't."
"So who says hiding is going to fix anything?" asked Taichi, beginning to get annoyed. "If there's a dangerous Digimon roaming around, we ought to go out and fight it, not just sit here waiting for him to go away!"
"You don't understand. You haven't seen him," Yamato replied. "You didn't see what he did to Jyou. This guy doesn't fight. I think if we marched up to him with an army, he'd still find a way to negotiate his way around it. He's not the sort who goes around blowing things up. He wants to play mind games with us, and that's what he's going to do if we go anywhere near him."
"So let's not give him a chance!"
"He might not give you a chance," Yamato pointed out. "He has... a very compelling presence... and at least one very dangerous weapon."
"What's that?" Taichi asked.
"The chance that he could be reformed."
Taichi stared. "What do you mean?"
"Chiaromon, weird as it may seem, isn't completely evil. You know as well as I do, we aren't going to destroy someone like that. I'm not even sure what he's doing is completely evil. Misguided, but he has a reason behind it. Are you really sure you're going to destroy something that might very well be as moral and rational as you are?"
"If he's putting my friends in danger, yes," said Taichi stubbornly.
"Could you convince the rest of us to? Enough of us that you'd be sure you were safe?"
There was a moment of silence. Taichi looked at Agumon, and the little dinosaur shrugged. Apparently he was a bit more convinced by Yamato's arguments than Taichi was. Yamato waited patiently for a reply, but in the end, it was Hoshi who spoke.
"I don't think any of you should go to the Digital World," he said.
"Huh?" said Taichi, looking surprised.
"Mr. Ishida is right - it's too dangerous for you," he said. "You aren't Chosen Children anymore. You're adults. You think like adults, you worry like adults. The Digital World is protected by children. Chiaromon doesn't know anything about us. He won't be able to manipulate us like he can you - he doesn't know our weak points. At the very least, he'll have to watch us for a while, to try to figure us out, before he makes any moves. While he's doing that, we'll be able to look for a way to free your friends."
Taichi stared at his son as if he'd never seen him before. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying," said Hoshi slowly, "that you ought to allow us, your children and the other children of the Chosen Children, to go into the Digital World to fight Chiaromon."
"No," said Taichi. "Absolutely not."
"I don't know," said Yamato quietly. "He might just have a point... I mean, Oki and Kata already went in once and made it out all right. So did Mary, and Ken and Miyako's kids... Hoshi could be right. It might be that it's their turn to save the world."
"But..." said Taichi. He seemed to be at a loss for words. Then he laughed a little. "I hardly sound like myself, do I, worrying this much."
"You sound like yourself," said Yamato. "You used to worry about Hikari the same way."
"Maybe so," said Taichi. "Still, I don't know..."
"I do," said Hoshi quietly. "I've made up my mind. I've already thought about it a lot. I'm going."
"Right now?" asked Taichi.
Hoshi hesitated. It was one thing to know what was right to do, and another to actually do it. The look on his father's face was one he didn't like - not angry or threatening, just worried. He'd always harbored a suspicion his father thought he was weak, somehow, just because he wasn't an all-star sportsman like his father had been.
*He doesn't think Aunt Hikari is weak, does he? She fought monsters with the best of them, even when she was small. What does he think wrong with me? Is it just because boys are supposed to be tough, or what?*
"Right now," Hoshi replied. "I'll be okay. I'll have Pepper to protect me."
"I guess," said Taichi, looking resigned. Hoshi felt another twist of irritation.
*It's only okay if I have someone looking after me. As if I couldn't take care of myself.*
"Well, good luck," said Yamato, rising to shake the boy's hand. "And if you find out anything important, tell us, would you?"
"I will," said Hoshi.
Then, before he could change his mind, he headed for the nearest computer, raised his Digivice, and, with a final nod of goodbye, vanished into the lights.
*This is my time. I'm going to prove to them I can do this.*
Koushiro listened to the noises coming from behind his daughter's door for a moment, then sighed. He was willing to make allowances for adolescent energy, but this was getting tiresome.
"Seiko," he called, "are you doing your homework in there?"
"Yeah, Dad, sure."
"Are you sure? You wouldn't be playing video games, would you?"
There was a small explosion on the other side of the door, followed by a fanfare. Koushiro grimaced.
"It's okay, Dad," said Seiko. "I finished it all at school. Really."
Koushiro was skeptical. "All of it?"
"Well... maybe not all of it... but it's all cool. Trust me. It's just a couple of worksheets - I can finish them after dinner, easy."
"Wouldn't it be better to finish it now, so you won't have to worry about it anymore?" Koushiro suggested.
"I'll get it done, okay?" Seiko was starting to sound irritated. "I'm busy right now. I'll do it as soon as I'm done."
"I'd really rather you did it now," said Koushiro.
Seiko heard the tone of her father's voice and realized she'd pushed things far enough.
"Okay, okay," she said, in a long-suffering tone. "Just let me save this game."
Koushiro was relieved to hear the video-game noises come to an end, and then a rustling of someone going through a bookbag. Even so, he wasn't entirely comforted.
"I wish I didn't have to go through this every single night," he said to Tentomon, who was perched on the wall next to his desk.
"Maybe it's just a phase she's going through?" the bug suggested tentatively.
"Yeah, for the last how many years, now?" Koushiro answered. "I'm not sure this is healthy, for her to be so obsessed with those games."
"Would I be in trouble if I suggested I knew who she inherited that trait from?"
Koushiro colored a little. "That was different. I mean, Seiko's got nothing to hide from. She's got a good, stable family. Hanako and I are always here for her, and what does she do? She hides in her room all day playing video games. We live in the same house, and I hardly ever even see her."
"Let her have her fun," said Tentomon. "She's still just a kid. She'll outgrow it."
"I might believe that," Koushiro replied, "but what about her grades? I know she's not stupid. All the intelligence tests say she's above average, but you'd never know it to look at her school papers. If she'd just apply herself a little..."
Meanwhile, Seiko was sitting on the floor with her school papers strewn around her. She had been truthful to her father, sort of - she had tried to do some of the work earlier. She'd finished her language work as soon as she got home from school, and had managed at least part of her History reading before giving up on it. Now all she had left was math, and what could be more deathly boring than wasting a perfectly good evening trying to figure out what X and Y were supposed to equal? She couldn't imagine anything more pointless. She'd lived a good thirteen years, and had never once needed to figure out what X was in real life, so why did school insist on teaching it to her.
"This is junk," she said, throwing down her pencil in disgust.
Her partner, a Tentomon she called Spike, hovered down to look at her work.
"Not bad," he said. "Almost done... though I think you got number six wrong..."
"Who cares?" said Seiko. "It's not important, anyway. I don't know why everyone thinks its so important that I learn this stuff. It's stupid."
Spike fluttered his wings in agitation. "If you flunk out of school, you won't be able to get a job!"
"Humph," said Seiko. "I wish I didn't have to do that. I don't want to be like Mom and Dad, stuck working at desks all day. Why do you have to give up having fun as soon as you grow up?"
"You parents like their jobs," said Spike.
"Yeah, well, I'm not like them," Seiko replied.
The argument was interrupted by the ringing of a telephone. Seiko turned toward the sound, wondering who would be calling. Whatever was going on, it was bound to be more interesting than her algebra. She cracked her door open a bit so she could listen in on the conversation.
"Koushiro!" her mother was calling. "It's for you! It's Mr. Yagami."
"Really? I wonder what he'd be calling for," said Koushiro, getting up from his desk to answer the phone. "Hello? ... Yeah, I've heard... He did? Gosh, Taichi, I don't know if that's... He did? Wow. I didn't know Hoshi had it in him - no offense. Still, the Digital World is a dangerous place... Yeah, I know... Well, I don't know about that. Still, if it looks like she's needed, I don't see why she shouldn't. She'd probably love it... Of course. We'll do everything we can. I'll pass the word along. Thanks for calling, Taichi. Goodbye."
Seiko shut her door quickly before her father could realize she was eavesdropping, and then leaned against the wall to try to think through what she'd just heard. She would almost bet her father had been talking about her - who else could the "she" he had mentioned be? As for Hoshi... wasn't he Mr. Yagami's son? The quiet boy with the mysterious dark eyes? And they were mentioning the Digital World... Had Hoshi gone there? Was that what they were so surprised that he had done? She thought that must be it. Of course Mr. Yagami would tell her father; after all, he had a better handle on what was going on in the Digital World than anyone else on this side of the barrier. If anything happened to Hoshi while he was there, Koushiro would be the most likely person to find out about it.
*So if they were talking about him going to the Digital World, and then talking about me... Did Mr. Yagami suggest that I go help?*
She felt a sudden rush of excitement. The Digital World! She hadn't been there since she was a small child. At the time, she hadn't seen it as being much more than a picnic outing - how could she really comprehend, at that age, what she was getting into. Now, the idea of going into another world, one populated with fantastic terrain, hidden temples, and real live monsters, a place where magic really worked... why, it would be exactly like being in one of her video games! It was a long-cherished fantasy of hers that someday, somehow, something would whisk it out of her patterned, humdrum, safe, boring existence and send her off on an adventure. That would be a real challenge, something that would test her courage and prove her mettle. That would be better training than anything school could offer.
*That's it!* she realized. *That's exactly what I can do - I'll go to the Digital World! Then I won't need to worry about school or jobs or anything. I can have a real life there, something interesting for a change. Didn't Dad say he met a great trainer of warriors there - Piximon, or whatever he was called? I could learn to be a real warrior and fight monsters. That would be much better than school!*
Spike buzzed over her head, managing to look worried even with his absence of facial expressions. "What's on your mind? I know that look; you're plotting something."
"Dad was talking about me going to the Digital World," she said.
"He was?" asked Spike, antennae twitching. "Funny, I didn't hear him say that."
"You had to listen between the lines," Seiko replied. "Something's going on there - you've heard Dad and his friends talking about it. Hoshi and some of the others have already gone. Why not me?"
"Well, for starters, your father hasn't given permission yet."
"I don't need permission. The other kids went without telling anyone, right?"
"But your parents will be worried!"
"No they won't," said Seiko. "Dad's always keeping an eye on the Digital World. He'll know I'm there... and you'll be with me, right? Between the two of us, we'll be completely safe."
"I don't know - maybe we should think this through a little more..."
"Think about this," said Seiko. "I'm going. Are you coming or not?"
"Well, when you put it that way," answered Spike, still not sounding completely happy with the situation.
"All right, then, we're decided," said Seiko.
She turned to her computer, which was still on, just waiting for her to finish or give up on her homework so she could go back to her games. Now it would serve another purpose. She reached for her Digivice, resting safely in a drawer, and turned it to the computer.
"Digiport open!" she commanded.
Lights began to shine. Spike lost his nerve and began trying to get away, but it was already too late.
"Oh, I don't like this, I really don't..." he began, and then his voice cut off as he and his partner vanished.
Aiko was sitting in her room, thinking quietly, while her partner Melody dozed next to her. Aiko was well known for being a dreamy girl, the kind of person who could easily spend hours staring at the sky and daydreaming. Some people swore she never made it fully back to reality. If they had said so to her face, she might have agreed with them. Reality could be harsh and unpleasant; it was so much easier to keep her mind in some other world where bad things didn't have to happen, and when they did, they could be resolved and tied up with happily-ever- afters.
Right now, though, she was thinking about reality, for a change. Specifically, she was thinking about her brother and his friend - what was his name again? Oki, that was it - Kata and Oki, who had taken their partners and gone to the Digital World. That bothered her. After all, Kata was still her little brother, and she would have protected him if she could. Oki had seemed nice enough, but she wasn't sure he looked like the sort who would be much protection in times of danger. Not that she could protect him much herself...
*Why not? I'm as much a Chosen Child as he is, and Melody is just as good a Digimon. Why do I have to stay here?*
No reason she could think of. She had as much right to go to the Digital World as Kata did. If she hurried, maybe she could catch up to him...
"Melody," she said, "what do you think? Do you want to go to the Digital World with me?"
Melody considered. "It will be dangerous."
"I know," Aiko replied. "Do you want to go anyway?"
Melody thought again before nodding solemnly.
"So do I," Aiko replied.
She collected her Digivice and headed for the computer that her brother and Oki had used. It was still on, glowing softly. With a word of command, the gate opened again and drew the girl and her partner into the other world.
Aiko and Melody landed in a sunny clearing amid a tropical-looking forest, full of bright flowers and multicolored plants, and the girl took a moment to admire her surroundings. She had formed a vague notion that any place that was dangerous was probably also ugly, and the beauty of the place reassured her a little. It was hard to imagine anything bad lurking here.
On the other hand, she didn't see anyone else there, either. All that was visible were trees, grass, and other plants. There weren't even any footprints or broken stems, anything that would show that any other humans had been here. Frowning a little, Aiko looked down at the Digivice she was holding, hoping to see a trace of where the others had gone. The screen showed, not just two blinking lights, but several. There was one group of them gathered very close together. The others were moving singly or in pairs, but all seemed to be drawing closer to each other. She picked out the nearest pair and decided that was where her brother must be.
"I think we came down a little too far... west?" she said uncertainly, glancing at the sky. She wasn't sure the standard compass directions applied here. "Well, not near where they are, anyway. We're going to have to walk."
"Fly," said Melody, fluttering up into the air to hover around her partner's head.
Aiko smiled a little. "All right, you can fly, but I'm walking."
They set out. The area, though having an outward appearance of life, was eerily silent. Listening closely, Aiko couldn't even hear any birds or insects. Did this world even have birds and insects, she wondered? Or were the Digimon all there were? She thought her parents had mentioned something about fish, at least, so there had to be some kind of living creatures there besides the Digimon. And where were the Digimon?
"Is there anyone here but us?" asked Aiko. Her quiet voice seemed to be swallowed up into the still air.
"I don't see anyone," said Melody, sounding apologetic. Like most birds, her sense of smell wasn't highly developed, and she felt bad that she wouldn't be able to sniff out anything close by the way the Gabumons in the family could. "Wait a moment, and I'll check."
With a whirr of wings, she rose up into the air. Aiko watched her sail in spirals for a few minutes before dropping back down to earth. She was panting a little, and Aiko gave her a moment to collect herself. Aiko lived a sedate lifestyle, and her partner wasn't well conditioned to travel.
"I saw someone," Melody reported at last. "I don't know who, though. They didn't look like a human, but not like any Digimon I've ever seen, either."
"Where were they?"
Melody waved a wing. "Over there. In a tree."
"A tree?"
Melody nodded. "It had wings."
Aiko was intrigued. "Let's go look. Maybe they've seen my brother."
"What if it isn't friendly?"
"Then we won't bother it."
Somewhat reluctantly, Melody led her partner through the forest. The further they went, the darker it grew, as the tall trees thickened and blotted out the song. The air beneath the trees was warm and moist, harder to breathe than the air in the meadow, and the undergrowth scratched at her legs. Nevertheless, Aiko, persevered. She might appear fragile, but she had inherited her father's stubborn streak; once she made up her mind to do something, she did it. Finally, they came to a place where the trees were somewhat thinner - not a clearing, but a place where the darkness wasn't so thick, and tufts of grass and moss showed between the brush and fallen leaves. At the center of the area was a tall tree. It had once been a majestic specimen, but it was clear it had outlived its time. Its trunk was split, showing signs of decay at the core, and many of the branches were dead. Those that survived seemed to be struggling to put out leaves; its foliage was sparse and withered-looking. Perched on one of the few sound branches was a Digimon. Aiko stared.
From the abbreviated description Melody had given her, she had formed a mental image of some kind of bird, or, just possibly, a large insect, or even a dragon. She hadn't been expecting it to appear human, but the being she saw was almost indistinguishable from the genuine article. He - for it was undisputably male - was dressed entirely in something black and form-fitting that displayed a lean, strong body, and wore white boots and gloves, and a white collar that covered his shoulders and part of his chest. The face was somewhat pale-skinned, but handsome, with refined features. Even from a distance, she could see that his eyes were blue, and his hair was blonde, glinting in stray flashes of sunlight. The only way she could tell that he was not human was that, perched proudly on his shoulders, were wings. The cascade of pure white feathers gleamed brightly, even in the shadows, as if they didn't need light to shine. He was staring off into space with a wistful expression, and the picture he made, looking so strangely sad there in the half-light, that Aiko was transfixed.
*Is that... an angel?*
Some time before that, Chiaromon had been out roaming. The successful capture of of Daisuke Motomiya had elated him, but his dual nature wasn't well suited for holding on to emotions for any length of time. Inevitably, his joy had turned to a dull sense of regret. He had put a lot of emotional weight on capturing the man who had brought about his father Myotismon's defeat years ago, and now that it was over, leaving him very little better off, what could he feel but a faint disappointment? The malaise had driven him from the darkness of his castle to seek solace elsewhere. The cool shadows of the forest had called to him, so he had gone there, pausing to rest in the shade of the great tree to reflect.
*We are very alike, this tree and I,* he thought, as he gazed up at the dry, dead branches intertwining with the more stubborn live ones. *Death and life bound together in one living entity, both sides warring to overcome the other... but of course, death always wins in the end, at least for the two of us. We're both rotting at the heart...*
"Um, hello? Excuse me?"
Chiaromon was too poised to do anything as undignified as jump at a sudden noise, but it would be untruthful to say that he wasn't surprised. He had thought this area of the forest deserted. Most creatures had fled as soon as they realized that the unpredictable Digimon-prince was in the vicinity. He had hardly expected anything to bother him - much less the kind of creature that went with such a soft, timid voice. He looked down. Standing at the base of the tree, looking up at him, was a human girl. He blinked, hardly able to absorb the absurdity of it. The only humans likely to come here were those Chosen Children or the children of those children. He would have expected any of them to attack him as soon as look at him, after what he had already done with two of their number. Even if this person wasn't planning on attacking him, what were they doing talking to him? Knowing what he knew about his own nature, he thought it was pure insanity for a lovely, innocent-looking young woman to get anywhere near him.
"What do you want?" he asked at last.
"I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm lost," she said. "I'm trying to find my brother. Have you seen him?"
Chiaromon gave her a long, considering look, trying to detect duplicity. The girl's wide blue eyes showed only innocent worry. Considering her direct stare, he didn't even think the worry was directed towards him, but towards the brother she was looking for.
"No," he said at last. "No, I have seen no children today."
"Oh," said the girl, looking downcast. Then she looked up again. "What are you doing up in that tree?"
"I am thinking," he answered.
"About what?"
"That's none of your business."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," answered the girl, blushing. "I didn't mean to be rude. I just thought... you looked sad. I thought maybe I could help."
Chiaromon stared at her again. She was entirely serious.
*By the four Digital Gods, I think she actually feels sorry for me!* That was a novel experience. He was used to being hated, feared, even respected. Nobody ever felt sorry for him.
"I think my situation is more than a single child can unravel," Chiaromon answered. "Nevertheless... I thank you for your kindness. It is rare anyone spares any kindness on the likes of me."
"Why not?" the girl asked.
Chiaromon was surprised all over again. Was this girl stupid, or just completely naive?
"Can't you tell?"
"No."
"Hm," said Chiaromon thoughtfully. "What is your name, child?"
"Aiko. Ishida Aiko."
"Aiko... the beloved child," he murmured. "I know that name... your father was one of the chosen ones, correct?"
"Yes," she replied. "Who are you? Do you have a name?"
"Let us pretend for the moment that I do not," Chiaromon answered. "What would you name me?"
"Tenshi," she answered.
"Angel? You give high praise to someone you haven't known very long."
"Isn't that what you are?" she asked.
"Somewhat," he replied. "And yet again..."
On an impulse, he leaped down from the tree branch, gliding on his mismatched wings to make a somewhat unsteady landing on the moss in front of her. He turned towards her, letting her see him clearly. She gave him a long, steady look, taking in the ragged black wing that matched his pearly white one. Then, taking a deep breath, he forced the change. As she watched, his teeth became fangs, his nails lengthened and hardened into claws, his eyes glowed bloodred for an instant, and even the feathers of his angel-wing bristled like spines. With a shuddering effort, he forced himself back into his normal form.
"You see?" he asked her quietly. "Do you see what I am? Do you see why it is I mourn?"
"What was that?" asked the girl. She sounded a bit shaky.
"Think of it as my other side," he replied. "It is what happens when I give in to darker emotions."
"Oh," she said, looking somewhat taken aback. "But... you're not like that all the time."
"No, I'm not," he answered.
"Can't you control it? I mean, just now..."
"It isn't always that easy," he answered.
"But it only happens when you get upset?"
"Yes, that is so."
"Then you should find something cheerful to think about instead of sulking up in that tree."
Chiaromon gave a bitter laugh. "Is that it? Just think happy thoughts, and all your troubles will go away. That's what they told my father. Look how much good it did him."
Aiko didn't seem to know what to make of this comment, and remained silent. Chiaromon looked at the confusion written across her face and decided to rescue her.
"Well, I don't fault you for meaning well," he said. "Despite what some might say, I am not one to be unkind to an innocent if I can help it. Very well, then. If it is your wish, then for you, I will be Tenshi. That is, if you want to waste your time with someone like me."
That pitying look suffused Aiko's features again.
"You sound very lonely," she said.
"Lonely? I suppose I am," he replied. "I have no family, and few who care about my well- being in any sense. If being alone is being lonely..."
"I'm sorry," she said. "I wish I could help. I'd stay and talk to you if I could, but I need to find my brother... Oh, I know! Could you come with me? You must know the way around. I'm sure I'd be much better off if you were with me."
Her innocent faith touched something in him, and he smiled a bit. Innocence had always been a fascinating concept to him, who had been born tainted. It had made him rather fond of his former servant, but it was far more endearing in a beautiful young girl.
"I doubt you would be attacked here if I went with you," he said. "Unfortunately, there are limits to how much traveling I can do."
"But you can fly, can't you?" she asked.
"Not very well," he replied. He flapped them a few times, as illustration. "They're mostly for show. I can glide a bit, if I concentrate, but a standing takeoff is very tiring for me. However, that was not what I meant."
"What, then?"
"I meant that I find it... uncomfortable... to be out in strong sunlight. My eyes are very sensitive. It hurts me to venture beyond the shadows."
"Oh," said Aiko, considering. "Hm... Oh! I know!"
She went through her pockets and took out a pair of purple sunglasses, which she handed to Chiaromon. He turned them over in his hands, trying to discover what purpose they might have. Aiko laughed and took them back, unfolding them.
"Here," she said. "You wear them. Put them over your eyes - that's right."
Chiaromon put on the sunglasses and looked around, his face alight with surprise.
"How very clever," he said. "I should have thought of this myself."
Aiko beamed. "You can keep them, if you want. They're not very expensive - I can get another pair."
"Thank you," said Chiaromon. "You have my gratitude."
"It was nothing," Aiko replied, still smiling.
The moment was broken by a rattling in the underbrush, and a Mushmon burst into view. Melody gave a shrill screech and flapped into the air, poising herself to attack it, but Chiarmon held up a hand.
"Don't attack," he ordered. "I know this Digimon; he's a servant of mine."
"Servant?" asked Aiko, puzzled.
"Of course," Chiaromon replied. "I am a prince."
"Oh!" Aiko replied. She looked very impressed. However, Chiaromon missed the expression as he turned to speak with the Mushmon.
"Master," it said, keeping its voice low so that Aiko would not here, "your scouts have reported the presence of unknown humans moving nearby. Do you want to investigate?"
"Are they adults or children?"
"Children, my lord."
"Hm. What are they doing?"
"For the moment, just talking. From the sound of it, they're making plans."
"Plans. Obviously, the parents wish to avoid me by sending their children to do the job," said Chiaromon in irritation. "How irritating. Well, perhaps I can use the little fish as bait for the large fish."
Mushmon peered around his master's legs. "Isn't that a human child over there?"
"You do not touch her," said Chiaromon. "That one is under my protection. If anything untoward happens to her, I will be severely displeased. Is that understood?"
"Yes, master," answered the Mushmon, bowing. "It will be as you say. I'll pass the word along."
"Very well. Now, where were these children you mentioned?"
"There is a group of them heading for the Lake of Stars, and another group gathering in the forest near the Sleeping Forest."
"The Lake of Stars?" Chiaromon said, frowning.
"A force has already been sent to distract them," said the Mushmon. "I knew you wouldn't want any strange humans getting too close."
"Excellent. Well done, Mushmon. And the other children?"
"We have done nothing yet."
"Well, they are no great threat. If they go into the Sleeping Forest, they won't get very far. I should keep an eye on those closest to the lake, though. I'm off to the castle."
"Yes, my lord. Am I dismissed?"
"Yes, yes, get out of here," the prince replied. "And while you're at it, pass the word along about the girl."
"It will be done," answered the Mushmon. It bowed once more, an odd position for the squat creature, and then scurried off into the forest. Chiaromon turned back to Aiko.
"I apologize for that," he said. "It seems... it seems your brother has run into a bit of trouble with one of the local Digimon."
*Well, that's true enough,* he thought silently. *There is no trouble in this world greater than bothering me.*
"Don't worry about it, though," he continued. "I'm off to deal with it, and you will understand if I don't take you with me. I will have a hard enough time getting there without trying to carry you. Will you be all right on your own?"
"I think so. Melody will protect me," Aiko replied.
"Good. I have given orders to my servants to protect you, but they may not be able to protect you from everything, and it will take some time for the order to make its way through the ranks. I would feel safer if you would return home."
"You'll take care of my brother?" she asked.
Chiaromon hesitated. "I will watch after him very closely."
"Then I guess it's all right," she said. "But... can I come back later and visit? After you've made things safe?"
"Yes," he replied. "If you want to see me again... wherever you go in the Digitial World, I will know you are here, and I will come to you."
"Good," she said. "I'll come back, then. Soon."
"Thank you," he replied. "Farewell, Aiko."
"Goodbye, Tenshi."
With that, Chiaromon turned and leaped into the topmost branches of the great tree, and then leaped into the air, struggling for an instant until his unsteady wings caught the breeze and he was able to balance himself. He pumped his wings, trying to gather some speed, even as he found himself wishing he could turn back around and return to the girl.
*As usual, I can't make up my mind what I want,* he thought wryly. He adjusted the new unfamiliar sunglasses and smiled faintly. *Aiko... beloved child... how very ironic...*
Oki and Kata arrived in the middle of a dark pine forest, a place that gave the impression of being uniformly deep blue-green. Oki felt mildly cheated; he had come to the Digital World to get away from the gloom of the Real World, only to arrive in a gloomy part of this world. Kata seemed less phased, taking it all in with his usual stoic silence.
"Well, here we are," he said. "Now what?"
"Um," said Oki.
Nami laughed. "That's my boy! Always decisive."
"Oh, shut up," Oki muttered. He glanced down at his Digivice. "Hm. Looks like we aren't the only ones here. One, two, three... Boy, there's a whole bunch of people here."
"I suppose you want to go looking for them?" asked Kata, with a hint of disdain.
Oki shrugged. "Well, strength in numbers, I guess. Besides, Mary might be one of them."
Kata didn't reply to that, but his expression turned a little less sullen and a little more hopeful. Nami snickered, and RB shrugged and grinned at Oki from behind Kata's back. Oki gave a half-smile and went back to consulting the device.
"Looks like they're moving in more-or-less this direction," he commented. "Maybe we ought to try to round them up?"
"If you want," said Kata.
"I do," Oki replied. "The closest one is this way. Come on."
They began to walk. The forest was extremely quiet, more so than any forest he had ever been in before - not that he had been in very many, but he didn't think it was supposed to be this still. There wasn't even any wind in the treetops to make a noise. Only a few minutes after they had arrived, Kata put on his headphones and slipped off into his own world, eyes half-closed, lips moving in sync with the music. As for Oki, he trudged on doggedly, trying to ignore the feeling of malaise that was hanging over him. This silence was unnerving. The pine needles on the soft earth absorbed the sound of his footsteps, so that he felt like a ghost slipping silently through the darkness. In the shadows, he didn't even have a shadow to remind him of his reality. He could have faded out of existence entirely, and he wasn't sure he'd even notice. How long had he been walking? Time seemed to have lost all meaning in this silent, shadowy place - he could have been walking a few minutes or for years. A glance down at his Digivice told him that the figures he had been pursuing had stopped moving. Maybe time really was standing still. Why was he trying so hard, anyway? He couldn't see where he was making any progress; the trees were just as still and silent as they had been when he began. As far as he knew, time really had stopped, and he was trapped in this forest for all time. It was pointless, really. He might as well just stop right where he was and close his eyes...
Kata was startled out of his daze as he saw his friend suddenly slump over in place, landing face-first on the pine needles. Looking around, Kata saw that the normally energetic Nami had already paused several yards back and was now snoring soundly. Even as he paused to take in this strange situation, RB yawned hugely and curled up on the ground. Kata stared.
"What's gotten into you all?" he exclaimed. "Something isn't right about this..."
He could barely hear his own voice over the noise his headphones were making, and he took them off. Immediately, he was struck by the profound silence, as well as the dimness of the surroundings. He hadn't been paying attention as long as he was listening to the music, but without it, he began to feel dreariness descending on him. Immediately, he snapped the headphones back on, and the feeling left him.
"It's the silence," he said aloud. He thought that in the current situation, he could be excused for talking to himself. "I had something to listen to, so I'm safe, but they all fell asleep..."
There was, he decided, only one logical thing to do. Closing his eyes, he closed his eyes to shut out the gloomy forest and began to sing. He sang as loudly and energetically as he could, imagining himself filling the forest with sound. Even as the first notes were out of his mouth, RB began to twitch. Moments later, Nami opened his eyes and looked around with a puzzled expression. Oki took the longest to wake up. He sat up, blinking and yawning, and gave Kata a confused stare.
"What's gotten into you?" he asked. "Have you lost your mind?"
"I was trying to wake you up," said Kata. Even conversation took an effort; it felt like the silence had piled up while he was singing, and was now trying to fall back down on him. Oki began to yawn again. "I've got to keep singing, you'll all fall asleep again."
"Oh," said Oki. He looked skeptical, but even in that small moment of quiet, he began to yawn again. "Oh, man, you're right. Well, what are you waiting for? Keep going!"
Kata obliged, breaking back into a new song. RB chimed in from time to time, giving the song further strength. Even Oki hummed along a bit, under his breath, though his musical talents weren't great. For a while, they could travel through the forest in relative safety. However, after several minutes of traveling, their protection began wearing thin. It was difficult enough to walk and sing at the same time, and it wasn't long before Kata felt himself running short of breath. Doggedly, he kept at it, running through all the songs he'd written himself, then all the popular songs he could remember. By the time he'd finished those, he was getting hoarse. In the middle of a children's song he'd picked up in third grade, he began to cough. RB burst back into song to cover up the lapse.
"Don't give out now!" Oki urged. "We haven't got much further, now!"
"I can't keep this up much longer," said Kata hoarsely. "I'm losing my voice."
"Let RB cover for you for a while, while you catch your breath," said Oki.
Kata looked to RB, who nodded to show that he was willing. The boy smiled his thanks. Nami looked at Oki.
"I guess it's too much to hope that you've been hiding your singing talents from me," he said.
Oki shook his head. "Can't carry a tune in a bucket."
Nami sighed. "I was afraid of that."
"Oki, listen," said Kata. "We've gone so far into this forest, we don't have a chance of making it if we turn back now. Not all of us together, anyway."
"Are you saying you're giving up?" asked Oki, aghast.
"No," said Kata. "What I'm saying is... if we don't find safety before RB and I give out, I want you to go on without us. Take my CD player with you - it'll keep you safe until you get out of here."
"I can't just abandon you all," he said belligerently.
"Then come back for us after you get help! Look, there's no point in staying here with us if we give in."
"Don't raise your voice, Kata - you're going to need it."
Kata glared at him. "I want you to promise you'll do what I say."
"Why are you so determined that it be me?" asked Oki. "It's your machine; why don't you save yourself?"
"Because, I trust you to come back for us," said Kata. "Because I know you'll do what you set out to do. Even if you can't get back to us, I want you to get away safe. You're the only friend besides RB that I've got. I can't just walk away and leave you."
Oki just stared, lost for words. He never would have imagined such an outburst from Kata. Even RB seemed stunned into silence, and the boys stared at him as he broke off his song. He was swaying on his feet, struggling against tiredness and the overwhelming force of the forest. In only seconds, it would take the rest of them, too...
Suddenly, the silence was broken, shattered as if from a blow from a hammer. The silent trees rustled as from a strong wind, and over that rushing sound, they heard a voice. Someone was singing with a voice more pure and perfect than any human could hope to have. All of them, human and Digimon alike, stood in awe as the notes washed over them, singing in words they couldn't quite make out, but understood perfectly nonetheless. It was a song of love - not just for one person, but an all-embracing emotion, unrestrained, unrelenting, unqualified. The voice grew steadily closer and louder, soaring to a crescendo that brought tears to their eyes, and suddenly, Ebon Angewomon sailed into view. Gracefully, she alighted on the ground in front of them and gestured for them to come closer. As soon as they were in reach, she gathered the boys into her arms, and, with them clutching their partners, she flew up into the sky again. Once they were aloft, she stopped singing. Everyone was slightly disappointed that the song was over.
"Thank goodness you all are safe," she said. Oki felt slightly better; he had forgotten that her speaking voice was almost as lovely as her singing. "What possessed you to enter the forest without protection?"
"We didn't know it was dangerous," said Oki. "It's where we landed when we entered the Digital World, and we were trying our best to get out of it."
"I see," she said. "Yes, it would be difficult to know of the danger at first glance. I advise you to be more cautious in the future."
"What was that place?" asked Kata hoarsely.
"It is called by some the Sleeping Forest," Ebon Angewomon replied, "and by others, the Forest of Silence. It is considered by all one of the great wonders of the Digital World, believed to be sacred to Xuanwumon, who rules the earth and the forests. It is always perfectly silent within the trees unless a living thing enters it. It is said that people wishing to pay respects to the forest's ruler would enter it singing songs of praise, and would therefore be safe from its powers."
"That's how we made it this long," Oki replied. "Kata was singing."
"I am impressed," she said, and she sounded like she meant it. "Truly you are both courageous and intelligent to have survived the power of the forest for so long. I had not thought that any human would have the power to last long against such magic."
Oki and Kata both blushed. Ebon Angewoman favored them with one of her smiles.
"Well, you have earned a rest in safety. My home is at the heart of the silent woods. I normally prefer not to have visitors, but you are more than welcome there. Do not worry; I have purified the area by my holy song. The magic will not touch you while you are under my roof."
"There were others..." Kata began, and coughed.
"I will find them," Ebon Angewomon replied. "You all need to rest. Don't worry."
Within moments, they came to a place where the trees appeared to have been pushed away in a perfect circle, leaving a sunny area of bare grass. At the center was a small, graceful structure. It was not what Oki would have immediately called a house, but then again, he couldn't imagine something as ethereal as Ebon Angewoman living in an ordinary house with silly things like sofas and telephones in it. Instead, there was a large white pavilion at the center of a garden of flowers. Oki counted twelve support pillars holding up a circular dome, the apex of which was a good thirty feet in the air, not counting five more feet of silver spire. Beneath the pavilion, there was a soft grassy space, with bits of furniture arranged around the perimeter: a low table with a bowl of something unidentifiable resting on it, a cushioned divan, and a scattering of pillows. At the center of the arrangement was a flowing spring that bubbled softly.
"I apologize for the lack of luxuries," said Ebon Angewomon. "I live a simple life. I have few needs, and few visitors."
"This is fine," said Kata, dropping onto a pile of cushions with evident relief. The journey through the Sleeping Forest had clearly exhausted him.
"Make yourselves at home," said Ebon Angewomon. "If you hunger or thirst, you will find the water in the spring is good to drink, and the dish on the table holds food. I am going to search for the others, now. Until I return, do not stray beyond the gardens."
"We won't," said Oki. He was tired from all the walking, and relieved to be out of the gloomy forest. There was no inclination left in him to go anywhere.
When Ebon Angewomon had flown off with a soft flutter of her dark wings, the boys set about making themselves comfortable. Kata's throat was parched and aching after all the work he'd put it through, and he was eager to sample the water from the pool. At this point, he would have drunk from a stale puddle if that was all he had, and the clear spring was too tempting to resist. Not seeing any cups handy, he dipped his hands into the water and scooped up a palmful. He tasted the water, and his eyes widened.
"Tastes like grapes!" he said.
"You're crazy," said Oki.
"I'm serious! It looks like water, but it tastes just like grape juice." He took another eager gulp. "Try it yourself, if you don't believe me."
Oki knelt on the other side of the pond and dipped out a sample. He took a cautious sip, and nearly spilled the rest down his front in surprise.
"Strawberry!" he exclaimed. He let the water run through his fingers, then scooped up some more and sniffed it. It was still water-clear, and smelling of nothing but water, but the minute he tasted it, it was exactly as if he'd just bitten into a ripe red strawberry, feeling the juice running into his mouth.
"Me next, me next!" said Nami. He plunked his head into the water and slurped eagerly. "Hey, this water thinks it's chocolate milk!"
RB lapped up a sample. "Would you believe me if I told you it was peppermint?"
"Incredible," said Oki. "I wonder if it would taste like coffee if my parents drank it?"
"I wonder what the food is like here," said Kata.
Thirst slaked, they converged on the food bowl. It contained a number of what looked like rolls, each round and perfectly smooth, medium brown and smelling like nothing in particular. They each took one and looked at it dubiously. Oki picked one up and took a bite.
"What do you think?" asked Kata.
"Steak," said Oki. "How about you?"
Kata took a bite. "Shrimp tempura. It's even got Mom's teriyaki sauce!"
"It's a bacon cheeseburger," said RB. He took a second bite. "And french fries."
"Lobster dinner!" Nami cheered. "My favorite!"
"This is so wild," said Kata. "They say you can make soybeans taste like anything, but that's nothing compared to these things!"
They hadn't been particularly hungry when they had arrived, but even so, they had each managed to eat several of the miraculous pastries by the time Ebon Angewoman's distant singing heralded her return. They were just picking at the last crusts when the angel-Digimon arrived with a collection of other children, and the boys got up from their places to investigate. The newcomers consisted of two girls and a boy, plus the requisite Digimon. All of them were still blinking sleepily from the after-effects of the forest's spell. One of them was familiar.
"Mary!" Oki greeted. "What are you doing here?"
The girl grimaced. "Mom made such a fuss over me coming home safe, I had to run off again just to get some breathing space... and I thought I might be useful here."
"That's what I thought," said the boy with the Agumon.
The girl with the Tentomon shrugged. "I just came for the fun of it. Who are you guys?"
"I'm Oki, and this is Kata, and our Digimon, Nami and RB," said Oki. "Who are you?"
The redheaded girl grinned at him. "I remember you! You're Dr. Kido's kid. I'm Izumi Seiko. This is my buddy Spike."
"I'm Yagami Hoshi," the boy said. "My partner's name is Pepper. We came to help you."
"It is help that will be needed," said Ebon Angewomon. "Dark times are brewing, but I believe I know ways of helping. You all can be of great assistance to me, if you are brave enough."
She looked around the clearing. Though her eyes were hidden by her mask, each of the children shuddered for a moment, feeling briefly as if she had somehow looked straight through them. Then she smiled, and it was like the sun coming out from behind a storm cloud, making all of them forget that they had every been uncomfortable.
"I see that you all are brave indeed," she said. "I am honored to be able to work among such valiant young people."
Much to Oki's surprise, she turned to face him, favoring him with a smile that he was certain was meant for him alone, like a handmade gift.
"Would you walk with me for a moment, young man? There are things I wish us to discuss in privacy."
"Oh, um... sure," he said, briefly flustered.
She beckoned to him, and they walked, stepping out of the pavilion and into the garden. It was strange, walking with her - she was taller than a normal human being by several feet, making Oki feel as if he were a child again, walking with his mother. He had to fight the impulse to reach up and hold her hand. They came to a bench at the very edge of the garden, close enough to the forest that the trees could cast their shade down over them. Ebon Angewoman seated herself gracefully and indicated that Oki should do the same. He copied her movements more awkwardly, feeling very self-aware in the presence of such a wise and beautiful being.
"I wanted to speak to you," she said, "because I sense that your heart is troubled. I sensed it before, the day I met you, but the feeling is stronger than ever now."
"Um," said Oki.
"While I wear this mask, I lose sight of much of the physical world," said Ebon Angewomon. "It makes me more sensitive to the spiritual world. I sense that there are feelings beneath your surface that you have not yet dealt with. You must if you are to survive this challenge."
"I... don't know what you mean."
"Oki," she said softly, "how do you feel about your father? How did you feel when he was captured?"
"I was upset," he said. "I mean, who wouldn't be? He's my father. I came here to rescue him."
Ebon Angewomon's expression shifted - to what, it was hard to say, only that the gentle look on her face took on a strange hardness.
"Be honest, Oki. That isn't why you came, is it?"
"Well..." It was on his tongue to defend himself, to say yes, he had come to rescue his father, of course he'd come to rescue his father, because... because...
"You're right, it's not," he blurted. "I didn't come because of him. I mean, I came because I thought I should, but... but... He deserved it! He deserved what he got!"
There. The words were out. That was the discontent that had been simmering and smouldering inside of him since the moment he had heard of his father's capture.
"Did he?" asked Ebon Angewomon. There was no trace of censure in her voice, only quiet interest. Oki even thought she sounded approving, and he took courage.
"Yes," he said bluntly. "He was weak. He always did what everyone else wanted him to do, even if it made him miserable. He couldn't stand up to anyone. That was why Chiaromon took him. If he had any strength at all, he wouldn't have broken down. He wouldn't have let Mr. Ishida talk him into going there when he knew he shouldn't. He went anyway, and look where it got him!"
His voice broke, and Ebon Angewomon put a comforting wing around him, wrapping him in soft feathers. Without even thinking about what he was doing, he clung to her, like a child seeking reassurance. She ran one of her elegant hands through his hair and made soothing noises, rocking him gently.
"It's all right," she said softly. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be all right now. You are under my care. I will look after you, as long as you need me."
"But... but I shouldn't... I shouldn't be saying things like this. He's my father - I - I'm supposed to respect him..."
"Some people are not worthy of respect, Oki," she said. "It breaks my heart to see such people with children like you, children who deserve better... especially when my own son was taken from me. How I miss having a son..."
"Are... are you saying...?"
"I want your help, Oki," said Ebon Angewomon. "I need your help. I need you to help bring people like your father to the justice they deserve. Then I will have a son again. Everything can be put to rights if you will help me."
Oki heard something in her voice that sounded like a sob. He realized that he could not bear to see Ebon Angewomon cry. He felt his courage return.
"What can I do?" he asked.