Darkness Reborn
Chapter 7: Labyrinth
by Silver
*Standard Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Digimon's creatures, characters or story. ChaosImperialdramon is my own creation, but was inspired by Digimon World 3.*
Author's Note: I guess I should start with the usual: I'm sorry. I'm sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. I always say I'll try to get the next one out soon, and I don't.
It's hard to stay inspired with this fic. A lot of the Digimon fandom is dying out, and there's nothing that inspires new creativity within me. However, I am still focused enough to finish this fic, even if my heart isn't as in it as I'd like.
As always, I'd appreciate reviews and constructive criticism. Feedback is a good way to help writers stay on task.
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Most biologists would say that the human mouth cannot exceed a certain size without dislocating the jaw. Davis' yawn would have proven them wrong. He opened his mouth so wide that DemiVeemon was afraid he'd be eaten by his partner. Of course, the tiny Digimon himself had quite a maw as well. He was even more tired than Davis, having fought ChaosWarGreymon. "I'm so sleepy I'm barely even hungry."
"How can someone as tiny as you get so hungry? You should be full after one meat bun."
"Can I help it if I'm a growing 'mon?"
"After all you eat, you should be bigger than Tokyo Tower."
"I am, when I'm Imperialdramon."
"That's not the same thing!" Davis grinned. Little spouts with his Digimon helped take his mind off all the stuff that had happened that morning. Adventure was one of his greatest pleasures in life, but this time the adventure had been too deadly. Sure, he'd faced death plenty of times before with Kimeramon, BlackWarGreymon, and MaloMyotismon. But in those cases he'd had a degree of control, if only a small one. Veemon had always had a digivolution to fall back on, a power to draw out. The fight with ChaosWarGreymon had been different. There were no powers, no digivolutions. It'd been five Rookies and a Champion against the Digital World. Davis had never felt so powerless. Not being able to put up even the lamest of fights weighed on him more than the prospect of dying. If he ever had to lose a fight and die, he planned to go down swinging. ChaosWarGreymon wouldn't have let him get so much as a punch in.
Even more troubling was that Davis hadn't felt any more secure when his digieggs reappeared. He had felt stronger by helping his partner armor digivolve, but by then ChaosWarGreymon had already been in control. He had the Digidestined separated and on the run. What good was having the power to fight back when his friends might already be dead? Kari, Ken, Yolei, Cody, TK, they all could have been killed while he was busy running around looking for nothing.
Cody was right; it had been luck that Oikawa was there for them when they needed help. If not for him and Datirimon, Davis wouldn't be alive long enough to brood over this own helplessness. Helplessness was worse than death in some ways. If he died, he wouldn't have to see how weak he could be. He wouldn't be around to worry about it. But helplessness mocked him. It showed him a situation he couldn't affect, couldn't change. Helplessness made him the world's puppet, and he resented that more than anything else.
He pasted another control spire, the third one so far. Now that feeling of helplessness was trying to follow him home. It was trying to strip him of all his security, and his ability to fight back. If he couldn't get around the barriers to his full power, and the power of his partner, then he'd be useless.
All these feelings could be traced back to one source: the Digimon Emperor. He'd made Davis helpless, and that wasn't something Davis could easily forgive. As the former Emperor, Ken had reduced Davis to a prisoner on a few occasions in the past, but Davis had always found a way to break free and come back swinging. He'd taken control of the situation. This new Emperor didn't have the guts for a face-to-face fight. In fact, the only person who'd met him was TK. If Davis ever saw that freak, he'd pound his face in.
He huffed, "I don't see why everyone's so worked up about finding out who this new Emperor guy is."
DemiVeemon replied, "They wanna know what's driving him. We might not have to fight him. It's like how we tried to beat Ken by finding him on Earth where he had no power."
"Yeah, but look where that got us. We still had to fight him, and we couldn't save him until we beat him up. Even TK, 'Mr. Nice Guy,' beat the stuffing outta him in that brawl. We shouldn't worry about what's driving this new guy. Let's just beat him and sort the rest out later."
"How are we supposed to find him?"
Davis rolled his eyes as if it were a silly question. "He'll find us, right?"
DemiVeemon yawned again. "I hope he doesn't find us before lunch tomorrow."
Davis never had the chance to reply. His retort turned into a startled yelp as the ground shook beneath him. He looked back towards the origin of the shockwave. Two crimson wings stood out against the night sky, eclipsing the control spires that dotted the city landscape.
Something about those wings made him cold inside. ChaosWarGreymon had been a shock, but no more than BlackWarGreymon. A dark version of WarGreymon wasn't anything new, but those wings were too familiar. He'd seen them before, saving him from a crumbling building, flying him across the globe in one night, and again guarding him from death at the hands of Daemon's flames.
The Emperor really liked to add salt to a wound. Making Davis helpless was insulting, but copying his partner was a declaration of war! No way he'd stand for a dark Imperialdramon.
But Davis didn't have time to let his rage fester and grow, because he realized just where those wings were rising up. That park was near TK's home. TK! Davis sprinted towards the battlefield, not sure what he'd find or how he'd fight, but neither question registered fully. All he cared about was that his friend was in trouble.
DemiVeemon, however, was too tired to think of combat. "Wait!" he pointed. "Bed's back that way!"
"You can sleep later!" Davis panted between breathes. "Just rest up to digivolve. We're gonna see if you really can reach Champion now!"
* * * * * * * *
Everything hurt, which was a good sign. If TK felt pain, then he wasn't dead.
He sat upright, wincing all the way while dirt and dust cascaded off his body. He was filthy, with cuts and bruises all over his body. And yet, he was alive. Glancing up, he could only see a tiny patch of the night's sky. The whole from which he'd fallen was high above, so much so that no human could ever hope to fall from it and live. Yet here he was, battered and bruised and covered in soil and debris, but still breathing.
He glanced around and found that most of his vision failed him. The starlight from the hole did not fully illuminate his surroundings. One patch of moonlight, however, clearly showed his shattered d-terminal. Fortunately, his D3 had survived the fall.
He knew that Patamon and Gatomon had been blown away by ChaosImperialdramon's mighty gust of wind, and so they could not have been the ones to save him. Had someone else intervened? The only person who could have saved him would be… the Emperor?
That was impossible. There was no way the Emperor would save him. He wanted TK dead, didn't he? I'll make you by terrifying her. Maybe the Emperor was just play a game with him and… "Kari?" TK checked around frantically, trying to find his friend among the ruins. He spotted her lying half-covered under the debris. She was as battered as he, with a small trickle of blood coming down her forehead. For a moment he feared her skull had been crushed, just as her own d-terminal was now. TK scrambled over and checked her over. It wasn't until he saw she was breathing that he allowed himself to do the same.
TK produced a clean handkerchief from his pocket and pressed it to Kari's forehead to stop the bleeding. She had to be okay, she just had to. Looking down at her, wounded and unconscious, the Emperor's plan began to succeed. TK was angry. Angry at the Emperor. Angrier than he'd ever been in his entire life. If Kari was maimed or disabled in any way by tonight's attack, then the Emperor would pay with his life. TK had never been surer of anything before.
As if responding to his anger, Kari moaned and opened her eyes. "T… TK?"
TK exhaled and asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Lousy. But I think I'll be okay. Help me out of this stuff." TK dug out some of the dirt and helped Kari to her feat. "OW!" Kari winced and sunk back to her knees. "My ankle!"
TK gently removed her shoe and checked her leg. The swollen ankle pulsed a sickly red. Most likely a sprain, but it could be broken. There was no way she could walk with this wound. "Great. Now what do we do?" A quick check of the small cavern they'd fallen into showed no way to climb out. The walls were almost vertical, and the soil too damp to provide an adequate foothold. There was no way to call for help besides shouting, and that might attract the wrong attention. Perhaps it would be best to sit and wait for a rescue crew. Someone must have called for help by now.
GGGGGGRRROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRR!
Both TK and Kari jumped as a feral cry came from the darkness. ChaosImperialdramon was down here, lurking somewhere close by. Staying in one place would be suicide. Without wasting time to think or consult, TK bent down and instructed Kari to climb on his back. She did so, wrapping her arms around his neck and letting him loop his arms under her legs. He piggybacked her in the opposite direction of where the roar had come.
Whatever lurked in the darkness, it couldn't be worse than letting the Chaos General find them. At least, that's what TK hoped.
* * * * * * * *
"Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored…" The echo of his words and the splashing water beneath his claws were the way to break the silence of the underworld.
Below the city, inside the labyrinth of his own creation, ChaosImperialdramon had never felt so imprisoned. The dug out corridors, although big enough to comfortably admit his large form, still pressed in on him. They denied him his beautiful, open skies and the caress of the wind against his wings. Why had the Emperor built him to fly if he was to spend all his time underground?
"Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored…" This new assignment reeked. "Track these two Digidestined. Hunt them through the underground and do not allow them to escape." The Emperor's mental commands still rung clear. Trouble was, ChaosImperialdramon didn't like this hunting nonsense. Where was the fun in trudging through dirt, grime, and waste hunting for two puny humans?
His spirit longed to fly through the night sky; admiring the sparkling lights of the city below. And then blow them up.
This hunt was a task for ChaosWarGreymon. That weakling always had an obsession with hunting. He loved to waste his time doing this. In the end, it was that obsession that had killed him.
"Bored. Bored. BORED!" He took out his frustration on a nearby wall by smashing his claws against it. For a moment, he paused and admired the wall part. The shards of dirt danced in front of him in an array of brilliance. Their dung-colored brown shined before his eyes as they fell to the ground in a pile of dust. It was a beautiful sight that offset the confining pressure from the tunnels.
He sniffed the air, and wished he hadn't. This area had been carved out of the humans' sewers, and so much of their waste had seeped into the lower levels. It stank, and it covered up the human's scent. This would be harder, and take longer than ChaosImperialdramon would prefer.
When this was over, and the two Digidestined vanished in a flower blossom of fire, he'd take to the air again and circle the globe a few times to celebrate. Maybe he'd fire a few random shots and see what he'd hit. That would be lovely.
But for now he trudged on, not caring who heard him. "Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored. Bored…"
* * * * * * * *
"A Sewer. Why did it have to be another sewer?" TK tried not to inhale as he spoke.
Kari giggled, then gagged on the smell. After exiting the cavern, they'd step into an area where the ceiling had been smashed in, revealing a sewer above. The fêted liquid that flowed under the city rained down in small, sick-green waterfalls; and the stench was overpowering. "We should be used to places like this by now."
"Yeah. How many have we been in so far?"
"Let's see…" Kari pondered for a moment. "I've been in at least two: the ones underneath Machinedramon's city and the Gekomon village. Neither one stank as much as this does though."
"Yeah? I got you beat then. I've been in several sewers before this one: the sewers underneath the File Island factory, and then the two you mentioned."
"That's not something to be proud of."
"Hey, I showered after each sewer. I stayed clean."
"What about right now?"
TK didn't want to comment on all the dirt and waste that had found its way onto him. Both he and Kari smelled of a million unknown mixtures and chemicals. He'd be happy if he didn't glow green after all this was over. It didn't help that his arms and back were aching from carry Kari. She was heavier than she looked.
"You think normal people ever actually see the inside of a sewer?"
"Probably not. One of the great privileges of being a Digidestined: you get to see rare sights. Too bad this has to be one of them."
"Yeah… TK, I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"It's just…" Kari was silent
for a long moment. "It's just that… Here we are in a sewer for at least the third
time in our lives, and you're still having to watch
out for me."
TK frowned, "I don't follow you."
"When we were under Machinedramon's city, I was unconscious with a fever. You stayed with me and protected me until I was strong enough to move on my own again. Then, when we were under the Gekomon Village, you still protected me when we fought ShogunGekomon."
"I remember you and Nefertimon holding your own in that second fight. I didn't have to look out for you at all."
"But you did. Through that whole fight, I stayed close to you and followed your lead. Davis, Cody, and Yolei were all able to strike out on their own and fight independently. I was the only one who couldn't."
TK shook his head. "We all came together to beat ShogunGekomon. If it hadn't been for the others, we wouldn't have beaten him."
"But still…" TK could feel Kari's heartbeat throughout his whole body. "I'm always relying on someone else to help me. You even had to save me from ChaosWarGreymon. My first solo mission in the Digital World, and I got caught."
"You were caught off-guard, just like the rest of us. Anyone of us could have been in the same position. It's not your fault."
Kari didn't appear to hear him. "I've lost track of how many times someone else has had to come to my rescue. Tai, Davis, you, everyone's always rushing to save helpless little Kari."
"Stop it!" TK halted his march. "You have to stop talking about yourself like that. Kari, don't you know why Tai, Davis, and I are so willing to help you? Or why everyone else is ready to come to your aid?"
"No…"
"It's because we like you. You make everyone around you feel good. You always see the best in people and draw it out within them. You were the one who redeemed Gatomon and got her to leave Myotismon's command, remember? And you gave hope to a whole city full of Numemon."
"And then got them all killed."
"That was Machinedramon's fault, not yours. You gave them something they could fight for, even if it meant death. And they're not the only ones. Davis might not have come to the Digital World if not for you; and you helped convince a lot of other Digidestined to help us too. Remember how quickly the Poi brothers stopped attacking Digimon began to follow your lead? People like you for who you are, and that's why we're eager to help you. You're not weak; it's just that your strength lies in something other than fighting. That's nothing to be ashamed of."
"But when people are counting on me to save them…"
"You're always there for us when we need everyone working together. We couldn't have defeated Myotismon, the Dark Masters, Apocalymon, or Daemon without your help. You're a part of the team. You always lend your strength to us… That's why everyone wants to protect you. We know you'd do the same for us."
Kari was silent for a long time. After fully digesting TK's words, she simply said, "Thank you."
"Anytime." The tender moment ended when TK stepped in something he didn't want to identify and held back a curse. This wasn't the kind of place he wanted to be in with so many open cuts and bruises. Too easy to get an infection. If only there were a way out. They'd seen a few exits, but they'd all been too high to climb out. The only way out of this maze seemed to be via flight. Too bad Patamon wasn't here. Angemon could get them out in no time.
Kari's yawn snapped him out of his brooding. Her breath was hot against the back of his neck, even though she turned her head. TK felt the blood rise to his face. "You… um, you tired?"
"Yeah." Kari rested her head against his shoulder, making him blush even more furiously. "It's funny. Even though we're down here, with no sign of a way out and something growling behind us, I'm not scared."
"Funny. From what you just described, I am."
"Sorry… It's just that I feel really safe with you around. I guess you help me be brave. That pep talk helped a lot too."
"I'm glad." TK smiled, then stopped.
Unlike Kari's words, the sight up ahead did not brighten TK's mood. The cavern split into two huge tunnels, each one leading into darkness. TK hesitated, not sure which one to take. "We've hit a fork in the road."
Kari yawned again, slumping even more against TK's back. Healing from her injuries was taking a great deal of her strength. Judging from the strong heart beating against his back, her wound's weren't life-threatening, yet. The weight on his back was another story. He couldn't keep carrying her like this. He needed a break.
"Kari?"
"Yes?"
"I need to set you down for a minute." He settled her onto a nearby rock before she could protest. Kari didn't offer a word of complaint.
"Sorry to make you carry me everywhere."
"It's okay. I just need to rest."
"So, which fork should we take?"
"Good question… I don't know. One way could lead us to an exit, and the other might just lead back the way we came or to a dead end. I don't like the idea of becoming lost."
"We're already lost."
TK sighed. "Yeah… but I don't want to become even more lost."
"Then I have an idea." Kari pulled out her D3. The screen was cracked, but it was still working. A green and pink set of dots pulsed through the crack, signifying TK and Kari, respectively. Given their limited range in the human world, TK doubted the others would be able to locate them very easily. Kari explained, "You scout ahead for a few minutes and see if one path leads in a good direction. If you get lost, you can guide yourself back using the D3."
TK frowned, "What about you?"
"I can take a nap so I won't weigh you down as much. And you can give your arms a rest."
"I mean, what happens if that thing back there… ChaosImperialdramon, finds you?"
"We haven't heard from him in a while. I think he might be as lost as we are. Besides, this place is big and there are small niches where I can hide. If ChaosImperaildramon was as good a tracker as ChaosWarGreymon, he'd have found us already."
"Or he could just be playing with us."
"Then how come he hasn't tormented us yet? ChaosWarGreymon made a few appearances to scare us before moving in for the kill. This Chaos General hasn't even lifted a finger. I think he's looking for us, but hasn't picked up on our trail. Besides, you won't be gone that long, right?"
TK wanted to protest and say he wasn't leaving, but he knew he could cover more ground without Kari on his back. And having a guide to lead him back in case he got lost sounded like a good idea.
"… Okay. But I won't take more than ten minutes. I'm just going to check one path."
"Okay. I'm going to get some sleep so I can take some of the weight off your back."
TK nodded, "Sounds good. I'll be back." He took off down the path to the right. His footsteps splashed and echoed down the moist tunnel as he continued on as fast as he could. Although he could move faster on his own, he loathed the idea of leaving Kari behind.
But how could he have said no? She'd been so forceful, so direct. She was sure she was right and would not accept any argument from him. Come to think of it, she didn't usually act that way around anyone else. TK allowed himself a small smile to celebrate how direct Kari was willing to be with him.
He kept checking his D3 for the next ten minutes, making sure that Kari was still in range. Just as her indicator was at the edge of his screen, he emerged out of the tunnel into another huge chamber. Its size was almost daunting, but then TK remembered how big ChaosImperialdramon had appeared to be. Moving underground was the only way for such a massive creature to stay hidden. TK had to admit that the Chaos General had a skill for excavation. The city had a labyrinth running underneath it, yet it did not fall in upon itself. ChaosImperialdramon had somehow carved out his passageways without weakening the city's support. Still, there was a large amount of collateral damage. This chamber featured a massive hole overhead and chunks of broken concrete strewn around. Taking in his surroundings, TK saw broken pens, a shattered copy machine, and countless desks and chairs. There should have been an office building above his head instead of the sky. TK could at least take comfort in the fact that there no body parts among the debris. Either the workers and security had evacuated in time, or the building had been deserted when it collapsed.
But that didn't dismiss the fact that people's lives where in danger because of the Emperor and ChaosImperialdramon. The screams of all the Digimon killed by ChaosWarGreymon still bled freshly in TK's ears. He still had a vivid image of the smoke and fire covering the Digital World and signaling the deaths of countless Digimon.
In all his time as a Digidestined, he'd seen too many Digimon killed by a conqueror in service to the powers of darkness. The very memory made him sick. But he'd never seen a human killed at the hands of a Digimon. Oikawa had been the closest thing to a victim, but that was still different than death. No human had ever fallen at the hands of a Digimon, and TK intended to keep it that way. But this new string of attacks was beyond containment. He couldn't even catch up to ChaosImperialdramon, let alone fight him. How could he protect people if he could not catch the source of danger?
"Take control! Use your power and knowledge of the Digital World to take leadership of the world and strengthen its defenses." The Emperor's criticism hit as hard as any blow to the head. TK staggered slightly and felt dizzy as the memory came back. Could the Emperor be right? In order to fully protect others, would he have to rule over them? Should he have become a king instead of a knight?
No. That couldn't be. Conquering in the name of peace was a contradiction and a lie. If he forced his protection on others, then it'd become a different form of enslavement. He couldn't agree to that.
Yet he couldn't protect either world the way he acted now. He was tired, isolated, scared, and dizzy. So dizzy in fact that he had to sit down on a piece of rubble. Something was very wrong with this cavern. He shook his head and glanced around to clear his mind.
It occurred to TK that the cavern was indeed different than any other he'd been in so far. This one had gradual slopes that appeared to be firmer than others. In fact, the sides looked solid enough for a person to climb on. Although the tunnel leading in had been damp, this area was relatively dry. He might be able to climb out! TK's exhilaration caused him to stand upright. Then his stomach demanded that he sit back down.
Something was very wrong here. He felt nauseous, and the room began to spin slightly. Was there a gas leak or a chemical spill nearby? TK didn't smell anything, but some gases were odorless. He staggered to his feet and lurched for the tunnel. He had to get out of here before he passed out. He had to check on Kari, make sure she was safe. He couldn't lose now, not before he beat the Emperor. He couldn't… he couldn't…
He couldn't keep going. The tunnel's entrance blurred before him and transformed into the ground, rising to meet him. TK didn't even feel the impact as he lost touch with the world.
* * * * * * * *
"Bored. Bored. Bored. Boooooooreeed." His tone hadn't changed in the last hour, and the constant chanting was the only thing that broke up the monotony of the dark, constraining caves. If he kept this up, ChaosImperialdramon feared he'd become a rambling lunatic, doomed to wander this maze forever while chanting the same curse.
"Speak louder. I don't think they can hear you in America." ChaosImperialdramon nearly fired a blast at the voice coming from the tunnel before he recognized it.
"My Emperor!" He hunkered down as best as he could. He dared not gaze his master in the eyes after being caught absent-minded. "Forgive my loudness. I-"
"I don't care what your reasons are. You are not taking this task seriously."
"I cannot help but be confused, sire. You had me catch the two humans, then give them time to flee. If you wish them dead, why not simply let them fall to their doom?"
The Emperor sighed. "Because, my foolish general, I don't want them dead yet. I want them scared, confused, isolated. I want you to keep them in a state of torment. Instead, I find you lounging about, not lifting a claw to harm either of them. The way you complain, it's a wonder they don't simply move away from the sound of your whimpering!" ChaosImperialdramon winced at the berating, but held his tongue. More excuses would only anger the Emperor further.
He risked a glance up to see where the Emperor was standing. A shadow crept along the walls, but its source lay behind a curve in the corridor. ChaosImperialdramon was surprised he hadn't smelled the Emperor coming, but he had not been focused at the time either.
"I'd keep my eyes down if I were you. One more disappointment and I'll remove your spiral."
"No! I'm sorry, sir. Please don't!"
"Don't be such a baby. You're supposed to be threatening!"
"I-I am… but I am a true threat in the skies, not underground. Sir, why did you give me wings to fly if I am to spend my time under the earth?"
"You are here because I told you to come down here. That is all you need to know. You exist to serve me, not test your wings out. Now, I have a new order for you. Your laziness has tarnished my reputation. What good is being a ruler if your enforcers will not work for you? Now I am forced to take larger measures. I want you to find the girl Digidestined, and kill her. And be sure to do it right in front of her male companion."
"And then kill him!"
"No. Let him live, but make sure you splash him with some of the girl's blood. That should get the message across."
"Yes, sir. I will find them right away."
"See that you do." The shadow receded back into the passage. ChaosImperialdramon counted to twenty before rising from his prone position and marching down the tunnel. No longer bored, no longer chanting, he focused his every sense on finding his targets. Failure to do so meant death. He at least took some satisfaction in the thought at least one life would end this night.
* * * * * * * *
Cody and Yolei were already out of breath by the time they reached the site where those two blood-red wings had appeared. At first, they'd thought that Davis and Ken had somehow summoned Imperialdramon, until Ken came running up to see what the commotion was. The three of them had rushed with all speed to the now demolished park. Trees and bushes lay uprooted and dying on the chaotically smashed soil, and a huge hole engulfed most of the area. Black clouds hung overhead, illuminated by the city's lights and promising to add a shower to the already gloomy scenery.
Davis was already waiting for them. "'Bout time you got here!"
Yolei huffed, "Excuse us for not breaking the sound barrier!"
Cody diverted the argument. "Are Kari and TK on the way?"
"I dunno. This park is right near where TM lives. I thought he'd be here before us."
Ken frowned, "I don't like this. Something doesn't feel right…"
"H-hey." A small mound of dirt rustled beside them and two orange winds limped up. One wing wiggled and shrank back down, unable to reach its full height. A white tail with a spiral of purple running its length appeared from another clump of dirt.
"Patamon!" Armadillomon quickly dug his friend out while Hawkmon went to assist Gatomon. "What happened to ya?"
"T-the Chaos General."
"Already?" Yolei rolled her eyes. "The Emperor sure doesn't waste time."
Gatomon shook the dirt out of her fur. "He's a dark version of Imeprialdramon, and just as big."
Wormmon sighed. "Is nothing sacred?"
Davis shoved past everyone and leaned in at the two recovering Digimon. "Where are TK and Kari?"
"They fell."
"Fell where? Why aren't you with them?"
"That dark Imperialdramon blew us away with one wing beat. TK and Kari fell down the hole he created, then he dived down after them!"
"And you didn't follow them?" Davis' face was pure crimson. "What kind of Digimon are you, letting your partners fall underground!"
Gatomon glared, "And just what can a Rookie and a Champion do against a Mega? We wouldn't have lasted a second, and there's no way down for us."
Patamon nodded. "My wing's hurt. I can't fly. How could I fly down after them?"
"So they could be dead right now and you're taking a time out up here?!"
"They're not dead!" Gatomon shouted with complete certainty. "I'd have felt it if Kari were dead. Besides, where were you when that new General appeared?"
Davis looked like he wanted to snap at them, but he turned and stormed towards the giant hole with DemiVeemon in tow. The whole way he kept muttering something venomous. The tiny Digimon in his arms could only offer an apologetic shrug.
"What's his problem?" asked Armadillomon.
"It's called being a jerk."
"No, Yolei,
that's not it." Ken said. "Davis is
acting this way because he's worried about TK and Kari."
"Funny way of showing it:
mouthing off to your friends."
"Yes, it is a strange way of showing concern, but it is concern nonetheless."
Cody frowned, "What makes you so certain?"
"Davis and I are DNA digivolution partners, so we understand each others feelings on a deeper level. Although he might argue with TK a lot or get on Kari's bad side, Davis deeply cares about both of them and is concerned for their safety. We live closer to TK than Davis, yet he beat us here. He really must have torn up the road.
"As for badmouthing us, that's how Davis copes. Right now, two of his best friends could be seriously hurt. That thought alone gets his adrenaline pumping and shortens his fuse. He wants to help, but right now he can't. The only way he can handle the situation is to vent those frustrations. Unfortunately, we're the only sources to vent upon. I know it's rude and unfair, but this is how Davis handles trouble, and how he manages to pull through."
Yolei let out a steady breath. "I guess I can understand that. Still, there's gotta be a better way to cope."
"Probably, but I don't think Davis is at that point yet."
"HEY!" Davis held up his D3. I'm getting a signal here! I think TK and Kari are close the surface."
Everyone pulled out their digivices. A set of pink and green dots were barely visible on the screen. Their position was surprisingly far away, over several blocks from their location.
"They must be on the move, trying to get back to the surface. This means they're alive and fit to move!"
"Hurry it up!" Davis was already on the move. "We haven't got all night."
Yolei balled up her fist. "Concerned or not, if he keeps talking like that, I'm gonna kill him!"
* * * * * * * *
The stink of the sewer was the first thing that greeted him with consciousness returned. TK groaned and rubbed his head. A few blinks and a head shaking cleared his blurry vision, revealing an earthen tunnel, far taller than any human would need. As his mind tried to wake up with his body, he dug out the memories of what happened before darkness overtook him.
He'd been searching for a way out… and hurrying back to Kari. But he'd gotten sick and…
TK bolted upright and looked around. He was no longer in the pit which had promised salvation. This looked like the way from which he'd entered. But he had collapsed before escaping that area, hadn't he? Maybe he'd crawled his way out with the last of his consciousness.
In any case, he didn't feel ill anymore. His head had a slight ache to it but he did not feel as much pain as before. Whatever was in the place from which TK escaped, it didn't appear to have any long-lasting effects. Still, his heart sank. To be so close to a way out, and not be able to take it. How could he risk Kari's safety by bringing her into an area that might be poisonous? Or maybe it was some kind of trap made by the Emperor and his General. It didn't really matter. This escape was closed to him.
As TK stood up to return to Kari, he glanced over shoulder. Something inside him was certain he could still escape through that passage. Maybe he could climb up the slope before his passed out again. But how could he do that while carrying Kari on his back? No. Whatever hope he had of escape, Kari's safety took precedence.
"TK!" A voice echoed from the tunnel. "TK? Where are you?"
"Kari?" TK tried to follow the voice as best as he could. He shouldn't have been able to hear her yet. He broke into a sprint. She was supposed to be farther back, safely hidden in a cavern. To be moving towards him with that wounded leg, something must be wrong. TK quickened his pace even more, half sprinting and slipping through the mud. He slipped and fell on his face, sliding several inches before he pushed himself off the ground and renewed his run without bothering to wipe himself off. All he could think about was what could be happening to Kari. ChaosImperialdramon might have found her, or might be on his way. The Emperor could have sent slaves to capture her, or even the Dark Ocean might be trying to take her again. ChaosWarGreymon had been made from Dark Ocean water, hadn't he? Could it be making a move to take her away?
NO! TK rounded the corner, desperate to find Kari, and nearly slammed into her. He skidded to a stop, slipped, and found himself lying with his back as covered in mud and dirt as his front. Kari stared down at him, a surprised and bewildered look on her face. "Are you okay?"
"Y-yeah." TK stood up, not noticing the chunks of grim that fell off. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. I waited for you to come back. When I woke up and you hadn't returned, I started to look for you." She was leaning up against the wall while resting most of her weight on her good leg. She looked pale and sweaty. The tax of carrying herself and healing was becoming too much for her. "What happened to you?"
"I passed out in a cavern. I think there was something in the air."
"Is that why you're completely covered in mud?"
TK blinked and looked down at himself. His entire front and back were completely caked in soil. He looked like a brown Raremon. The sight was so silly he couldn't help but laugh. "I do look pretty messy, don't I? I, um, fell while I was running back to find you."
Kari smiled slightly. "You didn't need to rush like that. I wasn't in any real danger."
"I guess… but when I heard you calling I thought you might have been in danger and I… I lost it. I needed to find you and make sure you were okay. Guess I became a real klutz in the process." Look at the floor was the only way to hide his shamed face. He felt like such a fool, tripping and falling through the mud while running like a scared deer. He must have looked so pathetic, covered in filth and panicky.
And then he felt a warm, soft hand on his cheek. Kari was leaned in and her lips touched his face for a brief second that sent a shock through his body. "Thank you." She said. "You're sweet."
"I-um-I-that is…" He cleared his throat. "We'd better get out of here. If you don't mind getting a little dirty."
Kari laughed, "I'm already dirty. You don't mind shouldering my weight again?"
"Not at all." TK wiped his back off as best he could and presented it to Kari. In a few moments, they were trudging through the maze again. TK had to work hard to hold Kari in place. The mud made her slide down his back. His cheek was still warm from her kiss, and he hoped she didn't feel his heart pounding so hard inside his chest. For all the misery of being ambushed, wounded, chased, and covered in filth, this could have easily been the best night of his life.
In a few moments they reached the fork that TK and passed through earlier. He glanced at the right-hand path. Its siren call still haunted him, promising freedom and safety if he was willing to take one small risk. But not at Kari's safety, he reminded himself. He wouldn't risk her life to save his own. He'd find another way out. There had to be a way that didn't demand her life as well as his own. He leaned to the left.
And sincerely regretted it as the walls fell before them. A lumbering mass of armor and muscle stood before them, its drool forming a small pond on the already moist ground. ChaosImperialdramon stretched his wings as high as the ceiling would allow and let loose one terrifying roar that nearly deafened TK.
The choice had been made for him. He'd never outrun ChaosImperialdramon by doubling back, and the path to the left was blocked. The only option was flight for the open cavern. TK stood braced, knowing what would happen next. If he darted for the right, ChaosImperialdramon would block him, or simply smash through the wall and be upon them in no time. He had to wait for the moment to move.
That moment came when ChaosImperialdramon lunged forward. It could have crushed them in one blow, but TK ducked and lunged forward. Kari screamed as the claws streaked by so close that their wake caused her hair to float, but she was unharmed. TK let the mud propel him forward, as it also forced ChaosImperialdramon to continue down the wrong way after he landed.
Quickly regaining his footing, TK charged down the right corridor. ChaosImperialdramon thundered behind them, closing in. The only speed advantage TK had came from ChaosImperialdramon's rage. He kept his wings outstretched, bashing them against the walls and ceiling as he ran. The wings cut deep paths through the earthen corridor and even caused part of it to collapse behind them. But they also slowed ChaosImperialdramon down considerably. That edge, however slight, kept TK and Kari alive a while longer.
TK's lungs burned, but he forced himself to move faster. Any moment, they'd reach the open cavern. He'd have to hold his breath and get Kari to climb as fast as she possibly could. With luck, whatever knocked him out before would stay close to the ground, and hopefully choke ChaosImperialdramon.
TK could smell something up ahead, but it wasn't gas or any type of position. It had a damp, pure smell to it. Rain. He smelled rain. Oh no…
The two Digidestined emerged into the cavern to find a veil of rain awaiting them. It streaked down the walls and coated the debris on the floor. Already the ground had become a sea of mud and puddles. TK rolled his eyes and cursed whatever celestial force enjoyed making his life miserable. He then splashed through the water, making his way to the nearest slope.
ChaosImperialdramon wasn't far behind, but they still had a few seconds to start their ascent. TK pressed against the wall and ordered Kari to start climbing. "Go as fast as you can on your good foot. I'll push you up if you need help." Kari nodded and started climbing. She ascended by digging her good foot into the softened wall, pushing up, and digging her hands in to pull her the rest of the way. TK followed the same style just as ChaosImperialdramon herald his arrival by blowing apart the entrance. Flaming chunks of concrete and blackened dirt filled the cavern along with a cloud of smoke.
TK coughed on the blackened air and suddenly realized that he wasn't experiencing the dizziness that he'd felt before. In fact, aside from his heart and lungs about the give out and the prospect of death looming closer and closer, he felt fine. Whatever had hit him earlier was gone now, possibly aired out. That meant that they didn't have to worry about passing out, but it also meant that there was nothing left to slow ChaosImperialdramon.
"AHHH!"
Kari's yelp diverted TK's attention. The moistened wall had given way, costing Kari her foothold. She clung desperately to the soil, her fingers leaving small trenches as she slipped down. Her full weight crashed into TK, whose hands yanked out portions of the wall as he fell back. Screaming, they both rolled down the slope and landed in a muddy puddle, right at the Chaos General's feet.
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Author's Note: I'm pretty sure it's become obvious which romantic couple is featured in this story.
Some people might ask why I, Silver, an avid Daikari fan would write a Takari. The answer is twofold:
1. I have no problem with the romantic coupling Takari. It's the rabid fans who turn their preference into a rivalry that bugs me.
2. It's different. I've long preached that it's good to try to step away from what you know and do best in order to gain a new perspective. I chose to write a Takari because I wanted to see if it would help me become a better writer. I'm not sure it has, but I don't regret taking the chance.
I also have a request to make. Several new Digimon have been created through the Digimon Card game, but Megchan is no longer available for card translations. If someone could recommend a person who can translate Japanese, or knows of an up-to-date card translation site, I'd be very grateful for any information.