In the Dark
Part Eleven: Visions Enacted
***
Standard Disclaimer Thingy: Does Digimon belong to me? What do you think? Of course not! The plot, however, is. Please don't steal.
***
"Miyako?" Hikari questioned, concerned now. She waved a hand in front of the other girl's face. Miyako didn't reply. She was whispering something, too softly to hear. Then she shut her eyes and collapsed.
"Is she all right?" Jun asked, rushing to assist. "What happened? She moved the rock without a problem."
"I don't know," Koushiro admitted. "Maybe she's weakened more than she seemed to be."
Hikari shook her head. "No, that's not it," she disagreed.
"Let's get her inside," Jyou decided, taking charge. He motioned for Iori to help him.
Koushiro looked at Hikari curiously. "What do you think it is?" he questioned.
"I've seen my brother like this before," she answered solemnly. "She's had a vision of some sorts. She saw something."
***
Takeru was fixed with an odd sense of déjà vu when he saw the two fighters face each other. "Are you insane?" he shouted, aware he was repeating himself. "Daisuke! You can't fight him!"
But he knew even as he spoke the boy would no sooner listen to him than he would throw himself onto a fire. He shook his head slowly. 'Hikari, how did you know?' he wondered to himself.
It had been right after Taichi had arrived and the building had begun. Only yesterday? It seemed to Takeru as though this day had lasted a week. He'd decided to help with the construction project when Hikari had stopped him and asked if she could speak with him alone.
"There's something that's been bothering me, Takeru. I wonder if I could ask you something?"
"Of course," he'd replied confidently. "How can I help?"
She'd pulled him into her tent, empty of all other occupants, and told him to sit. Nervously, she'd paced about before finally getting to the issue at hand. "I've had these dreams, you know…"
"We all do," he'd answered uncertainly.
"Yes, yes." She'd waved this aside. She was hesitant a moment more before she continued. "I don't know if anyone told you this, but before Daisuke was hurt – by the Flymon? I dreamt that."
"Dreamt it?" he'd repeated, not quite comprehending.
"I saw it, in a dream. Before I came here."
"Is that – magic?" he'd wondered.
"They tell me it's not. I can't help but feel something's being kept from me. From Taichi, too. He has dreams like that often. But, that's not what I want to talk to you about…"
"What then?"
"I've had another of these dreams." She sat down, looking for a moment at the ground. "For a few nights now. And I wonder that… If this one is true as well, Takeru, I don't want it to happen."
"What was it you dreamed?" he'd questioned.
"A battle," she'd answered, her eyes focused on something he could not see. "Daisuke was fighting…stick against sword." She shook her head as though willing the vision out of her mind.
"Who was he fighting?" Takeru had questioned.
"I don't know," she'd admitted in a whisper. "But he didn't win. In fact, it was a horrible defeat." She turned her head then to fix pleading eyes upon him. "I cannot let that happen!"
"But if you don't know when or how the battle takes place, - or even who he's fighting? What then can you do to prevent it?"
Hikari had no answer. "I don't know, Takeru," she'd answered, her voice on the edge of tears now. "But I cannot just let it happen!"
"I know, I know," he'd assured, embracing her. "We'll think of something…"
***
Miyako awakened only a few minutes later. Jyou, sensing that it had only been a faint and not a more serious injury, advised the use of smelling salts, which revived her easily. She was surprised to find herself lying on a cot in the only still-standing tent in the camp.
"Better?" Jyou questioned, peering over her.
She nodded, confused. "How did I get here?"
"We carried you," Iori replied.
"What happened, Miyako? You moved the rock easily, but then you seemed to stare off into space, and then you fainted," Hawkmon spoke up.
"I – I saw something," Miyako said, slowly.
The tent flaps parted and Koushiro and Hikari entered. "Ah, you're awake," Koushiro noted. "Good job moving that rock."
"Are you all right, now?" Hikari questioned hesitantly, worry in her eyes.
"I think so," Miyako replied slowly.
Hikari glanced meaningfully at Jyou and Iori. "If you don't mind, I'd like to speak with her alone," she stated, half as a question. The two left a moment later. Koushiro, however, remained.
"Hikari seems to think you may have had some sort of a vision," Koushiro explained to Miyako's confused look. She sensed the expression on his face was to serve as a reminder that any information about Hikari's magic was to be kept secret.
"I – I think I might have," Miyako replied hesitantly. "I saw a battle…"
Hikari nodded slowly, sighing. "Daisuke is fighting, isn't he?"
Miyako glanced at Koushiro momentarily before she nodded. "Yes…he is. How did you know?"
Hikari waved the question aside. "What did you see?"
"I'm not sure," Miyako admitted. "Just that there was a battle…clashing swords, some sort of electricity…magic in the air, I know." She paused. "It felt very much like something I'd seen before, but I cannot remember when…"
"Who was he fighting?" Koushiro questioned.
***
'This has definitely happened before,' Takeru thought, certain of it now. Daisuke had a strange, uncharacteristic look in his eyes, almost bloodthirsty.
So, however, did his opponent. The Kaiser was as aggressive as Daisuke from the start, lunging directly at him before they could have the moment of 'sizing each other up' and trying to detect the other's strengths and weaknesses.
The swords clashed again and again, the violent clanking of metal echoing throughout the forest. Compelled in part by anger, in part by principle, and in part by some force neither could identify, they crossed swords again and again, each time both narrowly avoiding injury.
The competitors were completely silent. The Gotsumon stared, red-eyed and controlled as ever, not taking the least part in the battle. The Yukidarumon stood silently, watching. Takeru clenched his teeth.
'It has to have helped. It has to,' he thought, willing the battle with his mind. What Hikari had seen must not come true.
"There was blood," she had told him when he'd pressed for more details. "A lot of blood. I don't know where it came from, but he was almost covered with it. I couldn't stand to see it."
"Blood from who?" he'd asked, afraid to know.
"I don't know," she'd answered in a soft, almost inaudible voice. "But some of it was Daisuke's. He was having trouble breathing, I remember. I was sick because of all the blood but I couldn't leave him to die. I don't know where he was hurt…"
Takeru, wordless, had held her in his arms and tried to comfort her. There was nothing he could say or do, he knew.
After a moment, she'd continued. "Takeru…I have to stop it, somehow. That has to be why I was shown this vision. Because I can stop it. I won't let him die." More determined now, she sat up, wiping the tears from her eyes and adopting a slightly more decisive expression. "I just wish I knew how…"
That was when he'd told her that perhaps if Daisuke had a sword he might be able to defend himself in some way. And then Hikari had thought of the particular sword…
'What if it's not enough?' he thought now as the vision Hikari had told him played out before his very eyes.
***
"I don't understand!" Miyako wailed, frustrated. "I've never had a vision before!"
"It was the air that did it," Koushiro theorized. "The air also is used for communication, remember? It must have given you an answer that you were seeking."
"I was wondering where they were…" she admitted.
Hikari sighed, peering at the ground. "I've seen that vision too, Miyako," she admitted. "In my dreams."
Both Koushiro and Miyako stopped their conversation and gaped in her direction. "When?" he questioned, dumbfounded.
"For several nights," she admitted. "In the vision, Daisuke had only a stick to defend himself with and that was why I gave him the sword. He was…defeated badly in my vision. I thought that maybe, in some way, I might be able to help if I…" she trailed off. "But now I'm not so sure."
"Did you tell him?" Miyako wondered.
She shook her head. "I wanted to. I tried to. But I just…couldn't. I told Takeru. He was the one who suggested the sword. But I couldn't… I couldn't tell Daisuke that I…that I saw that."
There was silence for a moment, and then Koushiro spoke: "Do either of you have any idea where this battle is taking place?"
***
"Ready? One, two, three, pull!"
Jun gripped the rope in both hands and pulled as hard as possible. With the help of the Gotsumon, Iori, Jyou, the two visiting doctors, and all of their respecting digimon, the center tent pole was raised once more. The tent that had been flattened only a short time ago by a giant rock, was now standing once more, mostly intact.
The inside objects were another matter altogether. The cots would both require heavy repair, and the center stove was of course useless, but the rest of the items – clothes, books, blankets – were largely unharmed. Jun sighed, peering at the flattened cot and then at the tent which was now standing once more and wondered if her brother was better off having escaped the falling rock.
Hikari and Koushiro emerged from the other standing tent, followed by Miyako, who assured all that she was fine. Koushiro spoke then, taking on the voice of authority for the moment, and all those present listened: "We need to find the others, and it must be done now, while there are still a few hours of light remaining."
"And we'll need everyone's assistance," Miyako added. "I know there's work to be done here, but we have to find the others before we run out of time."
The others nodded in agreement. "We'll leave in no less than five minutes," Koushiro announced. "Put on warm clothes and bring a spare set and a blanket in case they're needed. We'll also need medical supplies in case. Pack lightly."
With that, the crowd dispersed. "Jun," Hikari said. "I think it very important especially that you come."
She nodded slowly, understanding. "My brother... he'll need me."
***
Takeru felt helpless. Only a few feet away from the battle and yet unable to assist. Pegasmon had de-evolved, having spent nearly the entire day in the higher form. Patamon appeared exhausted, and he understandingly held his partner in his arms, comforting him and being comforted.
"I wish there was something we could do to stop this," Takeru sighed aloud. The Gotsumon stood around him in a circle, however, and he knew that there was little chance of getting past them. He glanced towards Taichi, in a similar circle a few feet away, and was not surprised to see the look of determination on his face.
Patamon nodded in agreement. "This reminds me of something, you know?" Two swords clashed violently, echoing. Sweat was beginning to appear on the faces of both competitors despite the cold weather.
"What?" Takeru questioned, eager for the answer.
Another metallic clang sounded, this time Daisuke having narrowly avoided a blow to the arm. "How you and Daisuke used to do all those swordfights. Remember that?"
"Hmm," Takeru nodded. "We were never this serious though." Clang. The Kaiser intercepted the blade near his shoulder.
"No, thankfully you didn't try to kill each other," Patamon nodded sagely. "That was more like how Yamato and Taichi would fight."
Takeru couldn't repress a soft chuckle in remembrance, even though while he indulged in the memory Daisuke was very narrowly avoiding a blow to the head. "That's true," he admitted. "Daisuke and I fight for fun."
There was another resounding clash of swords. Daisuke moved his entire body to the left to avoid the blows and suddenly found himself on the defensive. He twisted around and swung back, taking a more aggressive stance and somehow becoming the offense again.
"Still, I think I've seen that expression on his face before, though," Patamon noted, seeing the determined, almost bloodthirsty glint in Daisuke's eyes.
"I have, too. If only I could remember when…" Takeru sighed.
Clang! Clink! Clank! Crash! The swords connected again and again. "I wonder if Daisuke knew what he was getting into when he agreed to this," Patamon sighed.
Immediately, Takeru was somehow swept up into a wave of flashback…
"Does he know what he's getting in to?" Yamato wondered.
"Who?" Takeru wondered with some confusion, tearing his eyes from the fight for a moment.
"Daisuke," Taichi agreed. "He doesn't, I don't think."
"What do you mean?" Iori now questioned, turning to the older boys as well.
Yamato shook his head, waving both questions aside with his hand. "You wouldn't understand."
"Why not?" Takeru asked.
"You just wouldn't."
Takeru frowned, but turned his eyes, momentarily, back to the fight. "What is he getting in to?"
"Something serious," Taichi replied, just as mysteriously as Yamato.
"What?"
"Just something, Takeru. Drop it," Yamato half-ordered, his voice impatient now. "Just watch."
"I didn't understand then, brother, but I think I understand now…" Takeru noted. "He's in something very serious…"
"What?" Patamon wondered. Step, swipe, Clang! Step back, block, Clang! The fight went on.
"I remember now," Takeru continued. "When Daisuke fought Ken. There was that look in his eyes. Both of them. And my brother and Taichi both understood that Daisuke was getting into something serious he didn't understand. I didn't either, then. But now, I think I do…"
***
"This way, I think," Miyako said after a moment. "I sense the magic from that direction."
Koushiro nodded. "As do I. It feels very dark…"
"That would be the Kaiser's magic," she informed him as they began to walk. "It feels stronger when you get closer."
"How far do you think we are?" Jun wondered, lifting the bag she'd packed over her shoulder. "Maybe you should see if you can see anything from the sky."
"Not too far," she replied. "But I'm not sure if we'd see anything from up there."
"Wouldn't hurt to look," Hikari agreed. She turned to Tailmon, following solemnly behind her. "Shall we?"
Tailmon nodded. "It will make things much faster."
"Digimental up!"
"Tailmon armor evolve! Nefertimon!"
"Are you sure that's wise?" Miyako wondered. "Maybe I should go instead…"
Hikari shook her head, climbing onto her partner's back. "No. I need to do this, Miyako. Just find my brother." With that, she was gone, she and Nefertimon soaring high over the treetops.
***
The trees provided good cover with which to watch. Neither would know he was there. Silently, fearfully, he watched the battle taking place below, careful to let no one see him.
The fighters were moving away from the group assembled. The blond boy – Takeru – was agitated about this. He knew – or thought he knew – what would happen, and what this was about, and didn't relish the thought of loosing sight of them, but of course he was ignored.
The watcher in the trees looked upon the blond boy with sympathy.
***
High in the air, Hikari spotted them almost instantly, or rather, heard them. The clanking and clanging of metal on metal echoed throughout the forest. She was surprised to see that they were alone, and saw no sign of any others.
"Shall we stop them?" Nefertimon questioned, wondering her partner's next move.
"I – don't know if we can," Hikari admitted. "Or even if we should."
They hovered above the treetops for a few moments, watching as the swords clanked viciously below. The battle was silent aside from the swords; neither combatant spoke. Hikari sensed something strange about that. Often, when Takeru and Daisuke, or Yamato and Taichi would fight they would often taunt, tease, and generally antagonize each other. This was different, however, perhaps because the stakes were higher.
They were sweaty and tired, however, and their mental determination would outlast their physical strengths. Both had been fighting since early morning, and it was now a few hours past noon. Hikari held her breath with each clash of the sword, knowing that one of those must soon be the last and knowing that she had no real way of preventing what was to come after.
"Let us land, at least," she suggested to Nefertimon, wanting to be close, at least.
"Within view?" her partner questioned.
"Just out of it, I think," she answered. "Behind them. We'll watch from the cover of trees."
***
"Closer, I think," Miyako reported. "Not much further."
"Who's there?" questioned a gruff voice.
One of the Gotsumon in the group of searchers spoke up. "I know that voice! That's our friend. Still under the Kaiser's control, I'll bet."
"Most likely," Koushiro agreed with a frown.
"Allow us," Armadimon volunteered. "Iori and I didn't get much of a workout today."
"I would rather we had gotten no workout at all," Iori replied solemnly, but raised his digivice and called: "Digimental up!"
"Armadimon armor evolve! Digmon!"
"Hey!? Who goes there?" the controlled Gotsumon questioned again, voice closer this time.
"Big Crack!" Digmon called, pushing his drills to the ground. The Gotsumon was caught off guard.
"Ooh. Let me help!" Tentomon offered, eager to be of service. "Petit Thunder!"
The dark ring around the Gotsumon cracked easily, leaving the unfortunate creature dazed. While the other freed Gotsumon tried to help him to recover, Iori and Digmon led the way deeper into the woods. Iori, easily the smallest human member of the group, slipped between the bushes to get a better look at the situation.
"What do you see?" Miyako asked.
"Two Yukidarumon," the boy reported. "One's holding Agumon. I'd guess that had something to do with the situation and the fight. Takeru and Taichi are both surrounded by Gotsumon. Patamon's de-evolved. V-mon's there, but…no sign of Daisuke. Or the Kaiser. It's like they're waiting for something."
"The fight probably moved off and they didn't have orders to follow," Koushiro sighed. He glanced at the small group that was gathered. "We're going to have to try to take out the Gotsumon, and the Yukidarumon."
"But we need to do it without hurting anyone," Miyako interrupted.
Koushiro nodded. "We'll need everyone's help. Now…here's the plan…"
***
Takeru was nervous. Surrounded by Gotsumon and two powerful Yukidarumon, he knew there was no chance of escape or of defeating his enemies. Patamon was far too tired and weak to evolve again, and he himself was tired and hungry. He moved as though to sit on the ground, and found the Gotsumon glaring even more severely at him. He sighed and decided to give up the idea.
Suddenly there was a rustling in the bushes nearby. At first the Gotsumon didn't notice, but then they detected the sound when it grew louder and more constant. Takeru was concerned. Whoever or whatever was there was most likely had absolutely no idea they were entering into a potentially dangerous situation.
Three of the Gotsumon surrounding him moved off towards the bushes to see what the noise was. The rest remained behind.
"Nemesis Ivy!" shouted a voice, and two long, green vines reached out from the bushes, wrapped around the three Gotsumon, and dragged them into the bushes.
"Petit Thunder!" called another voice, followed by electrical crackling. There was no more noise.
Takeru rejoiced. He was fairly certain he recognized both of those voices, which gave him hope at the bleakness of the situation. But – what was their plan?
***
"Should I de-evolve?" Nefertimon questioned. "I can move more quietly if I do."
Hikari shook her head. "No. I think we might need to get out of here quickly. Keep this form." Silently as possible, she moved through the bushes, careful not to alert either of the combatants.
One of them, unfortunately, was quite aware she was there, and fully intended to do something about it.
***
The Gotsumon were apparently programmed in some way to be alert to the loss of their comrades, because a second later, two other Gotsumon ran to the place where the other three had been dragged into the bush.
"Angry Rock!" shouted a group of voices in unison after the Gotsumon had disappeared into the woods. Then there was no more noise.
Taichi spoke for the first time since Agumon's abduction. "It would appear they are attempting a rescue," he observed.
Takeru nodded. "Let's hope they succeed."
***
The swords clashed again, and then again. Then, by some unspoken and mutual agreement, both combatants paused in their fighting, wiping the sweat from their brows and breathing deeply.
Hikari barely dared to breathe. Could it be that they had decided the fighting was useless? Had they decided on a winner, even though miraculously neither was injured? She suspected neither was the truth, and yet – why had they stopped?
Daisuke was sweating, breathing heavily, but focusing on nothing else but his opponent, standing, less exhausted than he, only a few feet away. He clutched the sword she'd given him as though it was a lifeline – without knowing that, in some ways, it was. He was unaware of the distance they'd moved from the others, and, to be honest, didn't much care.
Now, however, he broke his silence. "Do you give in, then?" he asked.
The Kaiser threw back his head and laughed. "If that is what you consider a victory, then you have obviously never experienced one," he answered, his tone as mocking as ever. Hikari shuddered.
"You haven't won yet, either," Daisuke replied. "I don't give in." He raised his sword again.
"Nor do I," the Kaiser replied, but did not lift his own sword. "You must have practiced."
Confused, Daisuke questioned: "Practiced?" without lowering his weapon.
"Hmm." His opponent nodded. "You've improved a bit. This doesn't mean, of course, that you have a chance of beating me, but only that you have a chance of survival."
"I've held my own this long," he shot back defensively. "I've no intention of giving in because your ego dictates my odds are low."
The Kaiser laughed again, a noise which had begun to grate upon Daisuke's nerves. "My ego? Try logic. Facts. Mathematical facts. You haven't a chance of winning this battle." There was silence for a moment. "I give you an option. Give in now, and I'll spare your friends."
"What?!"
***
Six of the Gotsumon had been removed. Six remained, but now, the number of Gotsumon free had increased from five brave volunteers to eleven total. Eager to free their brethren, the captured Gotsumon were quick to join the ranks of the other five once the situation had been explained and their confusion had worn off.
Thus, the numbers were sufficiently on the side of the free to permit a full-fledged attack. Digmon emerged from the clearing first, shaking the ground and causing the remaining Gotsumon to quake violently. Takeru, seeing in advance what would happen, tried his best to avoid the attack. Thus, when the ground began to wobble, he took advantage of the creature's distraction to run to the safety of the trees.
"Petit Thunder!" Tentomon fired again, eager to be of use again.
"Absolute Zero Punch!" called the Yukidarumon not holding Agumon. He slammed his massive fist into the ground, causing the crack Digmon had created to cover with ice, therefore making a more solid surface once more.
"Darn it," Digmon muttered. "Gold Rush!" He resorted to his other attack, firing his drills in the direction of the giant icy bear.
The Yukidarumon was completely unaffected, however, for he grabbed the drills easily from the air, and those that did hit him embedded themselves in the snow with little damage to the creature itself.
"It's got to be freed somehow!" Iori shouted in encouragement to his partner. "Aim for that ring!"
"I am!" Digmon shouted in response. "He intercepted."
"Looks like we might need you after all," Miyako told her partner. "Digimental up!"
"To the rescue! Hawkmon armor evolve! Holsmon!"
"Are you crazy?" Takeru shouted, grabbing Taichi's arm. He was beginning to feel as though he was surrounded by insanity. "Come on!"
Taichi had run in the direction of the Yukidarumon, concerned for the safety of his nearly frozen partner. However, he had no defense, and Takeru was certain he would be frozen if he got much closer. "Agumon!" he shouted loudly, struggling against Takeru's grip.
"A little help?!" Takeru shouted, quickly loosing the battle of strength.
Koushiro appeared a moment later, gripping Taichi's other arm. "Taichi, there's no point in killing yourself over it. Let us take care of it. Come on," he said, attempting to reason with him.
Of course, reason had no place in Taichi's mind at that moment, however, and so Koushiro and Takeru simply resorted to attempting to drag the boy from the scene. How, exactly, they were going to keep him away from the scene, however, was another matter entirely that they hadn't thought of.
Thus, the moment they loosened a hold on his arms, Taichi ran quickly back into the center of battle. Takeru, frustrated as anything by this point, dashed out behind him and threw his entire exhausted body into trying to stop him.
Koushiro decided that a more permanent solution might be required. Thus he searched his memory for a sleep spell.
Ignoring for a moment the chaos around him, the wizard raised his arms above him and harnessed the remainder of his magical power that he had not used that morning in producing the numerous shields. He took careful aim with his hands and the spell crashed dead into the back of Taichi's head, causing him to grow weak and his eyes to droop. A moment later he was unconscious in Takeru's arms and needed to be dragged again back to the safety of the trees.
***
"You heard what I said," the Kaiser replied, his voice somehow cutting through the fuzziness in Hikari's head.
There was an agonizing few seconds while she stared at the Kaiser, then at Daisuke, then back to the Kaiser. Neither she nor Daisuke bothered to debate whether or not he was serious; they were certain he was.
Daisuke hadn't bothered to lower his sword or his defenses, even at the Kaiser's announcement. Now, he gripped it even more tightly as he replied: "I don't intend to lose."
The Kaiser, laughed, amused. "I don't believe you have a choice." He raised his left hand and pointed it directly at the bushes behind which Hikari was hiding. Too surprised to move, she was completely defenseless when the blast of dark magic hit her squarely in the chest and knocked her unconscious.
***
::ducks flying tomatoes, shoes, and other rotten-smelling things:: I know, I know. I said the last cliffhanger wouldn't take long to revise. I lied! Seriously though, I didn't expect this chapter to be as long as it is. Stay tuned!