Aquamon:Once again our partners are under the delusion that they actually own Digimon shakes head in shame. This, therefore, leaves myself and Chrystamon the unenviable task of issuing the disclaimer.
Chrystamon:Gomababe and Lar-Lar do not own Digimon, just don't let them know we told you.
Gomababe:IZZYS IS ALL MINE!!!
Aquamon:gotta go! rushes off to sedate crazed authors
Chapter five-Gift or Curse?
Tai's quick pace soon wore his small group down again, Agumon tried his best
to keep up with his partner, but didn't meet with much success. Matt stared
right ahead of him, looking at nothing in particular, Alana decided to shake
him out of his thoughts,
"Hey Matt. Do you think we should ask Tai if we can take another break? T.K and Kari are lagging too far behind." she noted with worry, looking behind her to see the youngest members of the group walking at a considerably slower pace than the older kids were. Matt frowned,
"We can try, I suppose." he muttered, "But whether Tai will stop is a
totally different matter." he sighed, as he approached the Destined child of
Courage. Alana watched Matt with caution, but decided to stay back to let
Mimi, TK and Kari and their Digimon catch up. She set Aquamon down as she
let TK practically collapse into her arms,
"Are we taking another break?" he asked, his voice muffled with talking into Alana's top. Alana smiled down at him,
"Matt's just gone off to talk to Tai about it now, so hopefully we are
gonna get a break just shortly." TK looked up, his bright blue eyes meeting
Alana's darker ones, hope shining in them. Kari smiled as she sat down, hugging Gatomon tightly. Just then the peaceful silence was shattered,
"No way! We are not stopping here!" Tai's voice yelled suddenly. Alana
sighed in defeat,
"Ok maybe we won't get our break after all." she muttered as she walked in the direction of the two older boys.
"Tai, calm down, I'm only asking 'cause TK and Kari are starting to get
tired again, that's all." Matt said in a defensive tone, hands in front of him. Alana stopped beside Matt, giving Tai a piercing stare,
"Tai, why aren't you going to give us a break? TK and Kari are
exhausted. They may be able to take care of themselves, but they're still kids!" Alana said, trying not to raise her voice too much. Tai glared back at her icily,
"We don't' have time to stop right now." he growled, "We need to be
together as a team, and god only knows what's going on with Izzy right now!" Matt backed off a little, really not willing to start an argument with Tai
now, but he gave Tai a nasty look he did so. Alana, however, stayed put,
"Listen Tai, I know you're really worried, but you have to put our
group first for the time being. The desert can be just as dangerous as a forest." she said sternly, looking directly into Tai's chocolate brown eyes, not
planning on backing down at any time until Tai seen sense. Tai then did something totally unexpected and shocking, he turned and hit Alana hard on
the cheek. TK, Kari and Mimi gasped and couldn't move for shock, The Digimon on the other hand, especially Aquamon, looked as though they wanted to tear Tai apart. Agumon just stood stock still, as Matt advanced to pound Tai into oblivion. Alana held her hand up to stop him,
"leave it Matt! I can handle this!" she said calmly, this caused Matt to
stop in his tracks, but it didn't stop him giving Tai a death glare. Alana turned to Aquamon, "Like I said to Matt, leave it!" the stern look Alana gave her partner was enough to make her calm down a bit...well enough not to take a bite out of Tai's leg. Just at that moment an aquamarine light started to
illuminate Alana's chest, puzzled she took her Crest out from underneath her top, the glow became brighter, almost blinding those around the young girl.
Alana then started to feel really strange, a mix of different feelings coursed though her mind, but each emotion had its own 'frequency', like a signature. The strongest one she could feel was worry, mixed with guilt, this she supposed was probably the way Tai was feeling, it was too weird. Eventually the glow dimmed and Alana could concentrate on her own emotions again. "Whoa," she muttered, "That was really weird." Aquamon looked at her
partner worriedly,
"You okay 'Lana?" she asked, her worry apparent in her usually bright purple eyes. Alana nodded,
"Yeah Aqua, I'm fine, I just felt a little weird is all."
"What kind of weird?" Aquamon pressed. Alana shook her head slightly,
"Like I could feel a ton of emotions that weren't really mine." she
explained. At this Aquamon began to smile,
"'Lana, do you remember what Gennai said about yours and Lucy's crests having magic properties?" Alana nodded, remembering the conversation the two girls had had with the old holographic being, "Well I think your determination to stand up to Tai without anyone else's help activated the power of your crest. Alana and the others stared at the little sea lion Digimon for a moment, but then Alana thought about it,
"Well it makes sense I suppose, Gennai never said what these powers were did he? This is so cool!" TK looked at Alana with a puzzled expression,
"So you can feel what everyone else is feeling?" he asked, "Can you tell
who's feelings are who's?" At this Alana smiled,
"Yeah I can actually... it's still a little strange but I'm getting used to
it." she turned to Tai, "Tai, I know you're really worried about Izzy, but
trying to cover up your fears with bravado doesn't help anyone. As I said
before, you need to think about us lot as well. And don't start feeling guilty about it." she paused and giggled as Tai's eyes widened in shock,
"I...but... Uhh...okay." he stuttered, lost for words. This caused everyone else in the group to laugh, even Matt,
"Well, now we've had our break, shall we continue oh fearless leader?"
he asked in a mocking voice. Tai shook his head clear,
"Right then, if everyone's feeling up to it, then yeah I guess we
should keep going." He flashed Alana an apologetic smile, but Alana waved it off,
"As I said Tai, don't worry about it, I can take care of myself." she
said simply, picking Aquamon up off the sand. Tai just nodded, no further
words were really needed between the two friends as they continued to walk in the direction Birdramon and Lepidoptermon had taken their other friends.
Joe sighed as he shut the last of the cupboard doors. He had searched all over the house now and not only had he found no aspirins but not much of anything else either. He sighed again, admitting defeat, and made his way back to the main bedroom where Lepidoptermon had put him when they had first arrived. Gomamon was sitting outside the closed door when Joe reached it, causing the teenager to frown.
"What's going on in there?" He asked his partner, looking a little worried. Gomamon looked to the door for a moment before replying.
"Sora was a little upset, she told Lucy about what happened last time so I thought I'd be tactful and give them a little space. Joe wanted to say how unlike him that was, but decided against and just nodded instead.
"Well I didn't have much luck on the aspirin front. I couldn't even find any food so it looks like at least one of us is going to have to go for a hunt around town later." He shivered, he did not much like the idea of wondering around a deserted town.
"Hey guys, I thought I heard voices out here." Both of them looked up to see Sora standing at the door, Biyomon at her side. "Did you have any luck finding the aspirin?" Joe shook his head.
"I'm afraid not, there's nothing in this house aside from us. I was just saying to Gomamon it looks like one of us is going to have to for a look around town later on.
"I don't mind going." Sora said. "I mean, you should stay here with Izzy, incase anything should happen and I think Chrystamon's a little worn out after digi-volving twice in one day, she's been sleeping mostly since we got here." Biyomon nodded. "Tentomon's passed out too, poor thing."
"And I think Lucy's feeling a little helpless right now, she should probably stay here where she can at least keep an eye on Izzy and feel like she doing something that way." Joe nodded again, peering round the door to see Lucy sitting on the chair next to the bed, Chrystamon curled up on her lap. He turned back to Sora.
"Well then, I guess I'll stay put then too, keep an eye on things here." Gomamon nodded in agreement with his partner.
"Yeah and if you're not back in two hours, we'll come and find you, okay? Just to be on the safe side." Sora smiled and patted the seal type digimon.
"Thanks Gomamon, I'm sure we'll be fine. You worry about Izzy and leave the rest to us." Sora gave the two one last smile before setting off out of the house and leaving Joe standing by the door, wondering if he should go in or not.
"You guys can come on in if you like." A voice called from the bedroom. "You won't be bothering me or anything." Joe walked in and smiled at one of newest members of their digi-destined team. "He's still sleeping, which is a good thing I think, at least that's what my mum always says when I'm sick." She paused for a second, then laughed. "Unless it's the weekend then I'm just being lazy, apparently." As the two spoke, Chrystamon stirred, feeling a strange sensation inside of her.
"Hey Lucy?" She asked, only half awake. "Can you feel something? Sorta like... I don't know really, just something." Lucy frowned at her friend for a moment but before she could respond, she felt it too. A sort of burning feeling behind her eyes and deep inside her.
"Whoa, I hope whatever's wrong with Koushiro isn't catching 'cos I'm not feeling so good." Chrystamon shook her head as Lucy held hers in her hands.
"No, I think it's your crest. Remember what Gennai said back in the forest? That yours and Alana's crest had magical properties to help you with you duties here? Maybe this is something to do with yours." Lucy sighed and looked up from her hands, her face looking part annoyed and part terrified.
"So first, I get stranded in this weird place with no food, water, change of clothes or even a mobile phone. Then I meet up with you guys who tell me I can't go home until I've done this, that and the other, none of which seem very easy and now, I have to suffer pain? Seriously? Is that what you are telling me 'cos...owwwwwwwwwww!!!!" Lucy clutched her head in pain, wincing as she willed the heat behind her eyes to cool and the voices that were rushing at her to cease. Gomamon and Joe looked at her, then at each other.
"What's happening?" Tentomon asked, slowly waking up at the noise. Chrystamon watched her partner, obviously worried but also full of hope as to what this might mean for their quest.
"Kou..." She gasped, her eyes red with hot tears of pain. "Koushiro?" Joe, Gomamon and Chrystamon all gasped, staring now at the girl who seemed even smaller and more frightened than she had when she first arrived. She blinked, forcing the pain to one side for a moment. She could hear a voice in there somewhere, struggling to be heard, shouting above the chaos but she could hear it none the less. "Is that you?"
"You can hear him?" Joe asked, his mouth open wide in shock and surprise as he pieced together what he could from what the girl was saying. Chrystamon tapped him on the arm, causing him to turn to her.
"Her's and Alana's crests have special qualities, maybe Lucy's is the ability to read minds." She paused, thinking for a moment. "It makes sense, remember the prophecy - Let the children of Calm and Determination give strength, reassure and bring peace to where others cannot reach. Who else could reach inside another's mind?" Joe was not sure if he felt comforted or scared by the small caterpillar's explanation but he did not have time to think about it right now, Lucy was talking again.
"Okay, I can do that." She reached down and pulled back the covers on the bed, taking Izzy's hand in her own then quietly waiting to what might come next. She turned his hand over in hers to reveal a very angry looking rash. Joe gasped.
"That does not look healthy." He exclaimed, looking more closely at what had once been a mere graze.
"Something stung him there." Lucy said, her eyes staring straight ahead, seeing nothing. "We need to find it, back in the forest. Are you okay Koushiro? Please, tell me..." All four others waited, barely breathing, to hear her answer but none came. Just a faint thud as she passed out.