Disclaimer: None of these digimon belong to me.
What My Heart Was Looking For
Chapter five: Sorrow, Fear and Pain, O My!
"Don't look at me!"
She averted her eyes, trying not to stare at the dark mon standing over her.
"Please, let me go," she begged, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Why would I want to do a thing like that?" He laughed cruelly.
"Please," she cried, glancing up at him.
His evil grin turned into a scowl.
"Crimson lightening!" He shouted, a large red rope appearing in his hand.
"No! No!" she wailed. "I promise I'll never look at you again."
That didn't stop him. The whip flew at her again and again. Each lash stung worse than the last. She was forced to her knees from the pain. Her white fir was stained with blood.
"I hate your eyes!" He exclaimed, finally dropping his whip. "I don't want to look at them anymore! Do you understand me? Never look at me again, forcing me to see those horrid eyes."
"Never," she choked out, barely able to breathe. "I'll never...never look at you...never...never again."
"Gatomon?"
"No!" she screamed. "No! Don't look at me!"
"Gatomon, wake up!"
Gatomon opened her eyes and stared up at Wizardmon's face. As she caught her breath, she tried to sit up. It was hard because she was shaking so badly.
"Are you OK?" Wizardmon asked in deep concern.
Gatomon smiled, saying, "I'm perfectly fine. It was just a bad dream. Everyone has them, right?"
Wizardmon nodded.
"So it's no big deal," Gatomon said, chuckling just to keep from crying.
"You were screaming," Wizardmon told her.
Gatomon just shrugged, trying to act brave.
"Are you sure you're OK?" Wizardmon queried.
"I said I was!" Gatomon snapped at him. "Quit pestering me."
Wizardmon lowered his eyes and said, "I'm sorry," in a very small and sad voice. He went over to his bed and lay down, his back toward her.
Gatomon tried to get comfortable, but there was this sinking feeling in her stomach that was preventing her from going to sleep. It kept pulling at her and pulling at her. Tossing and turning, Gatomon replayed the words "Quit pestering me!" in her head. It was guilt. She felt guilty for saying that to Wizardmon. Guilt had never been an issue before. She never had a sleepless night after yelling at DemiDevimon or teasing the bakemon. They were never hurt by her, though. Gatomon saw the pain in Wizardmon's eyes. Nothing could get the image out of her mind. Gatomon knew from experience that the best way to drown out feeling was with work.
When she opened her eyes, the sun was peaking over the distant mountains. It would get hot soon and she didn't want to wait until then. Quickly, Gatomon climbed to her feet and started into the village. The idea of apologizing to Wizardmon entered her mind. She couldn't do that though. Apologizing was like begging, and begging was only for the weak.
"Buzzard brain!" Gatomon called up to the inn windows. "DemiDevimon, get your lazy wings up!"
"What's the big idea?" shouted a gazimon from the second story of a building across the street.
"Mind your own business!" Gatomon shot over her shoulder. "Worm food, get up!"
A bakemon floated to the window.
"Get DemiDevimon down here! We need to get to work!" Gatomon ordered.
The bakemon floated away. A moment or two later, DemiDevimon and all the bakemon flew out the window and hovered near Gatomon.
"Why so early?" DemiDevimon asked.
"We're off schedule," Gatomon explained.
"And that's my fault?" DemiDevimon asked, frustrated. "Who was it that insisted on playing with that wizard digimon? Oh, yeah, it was you!"
"Shut your trap!" Gatomon exclaimed, raising a paw in a threatening way.
"All right," DemiDevimon conceded. "What can we do this early in the morning?"
"Take over," Gatomon told him, her eyes narrowing. "Bakemon, seal off the village exits."
The bakemon did as she commanded.
"As for you, DemiDevimon," Gatomon continued. "You wake the town digimon and get them in the square."
"Finally, you're doing the smart thing," DemiDevimon said excitedly. "You know, I actually thought you had gone soft for a while."
"Do as I say!" Gatomon ordered.
"Would be my pleasure," DemiDevimon told her. "A town full of Gazi-Gatsu slaves coming up."
After enslaving all the residents of Gazi-Gatsu village, Gatomon sat on the highest building and glared down at what she had done. DemiDevimon flew above the shackled gazimon and gatsumon, whipping anyone who got out of line. He continuously marched them around the village until they were exhausted just for the heck of it. Gatomon couldn't believe what she had done, doomed them to her own fate. What other choice did she have? Disobey Myotismon? Never. That would mean her destruction for sure.
"What's going on?" came a voice behind her.
Gatomon glanced back at Wizardmon. He looked terribly upset by the scene. Who wouldn't be?
"Gatomon?" Wizardmon asked, his eyes pleading for an explanation.
She didn't know what to say. Somehow, she knew she couldn't lie to him, but what else could she say to justify herself?
"Look, it's my job," Gatomon grumbled, staring down at the slaves. "I'm not proud of it, but it's what I do."
"Why, Gatomon?" Wizardmon asked sadly.
Gatomon closed her eyes.
"I have no other choice," she said, her eyes watering. "Can we talk about this tonight."
*******************
Wizardmon stared at her across the fire. He was waiting for some explanation and she didn't know what to say. It seemed best to start at the beginning, but to tell her life story to a digimon she had only known a few days didn't seem prudent. Somehow, she didn't mind. Maybe it was the familiar sadness in his eyes or the way he always seemed to know what she was going through.
"My whole life," Gatomon began as she glanced at Wizardmon, "I keep waiting and searching, but I never find her."
"Find who?" Wizardmon queried. "Who are you waiting and searching for?"
"I can't remember," Gatomon admitted. "It was too long ago. All I know is that I'm waiting for someone."
Wizardmon watched her intently.
"It started when I was just an in training level digimon," Gatomon explained. "I was waiting for someone. Through the years, she never came. Finally, I became a rookie and was able to go searching for her. It was then I found Myotismon."
Gatomon sat down and stared into the fire. It was painful to talk about.
"He-he," Gatomon sputtered, trying to keep the tears from falling. "He was a monster."
A hand rested on Gatomon's shoulder. His touch was so gentle. She turned to look at him, eye to eye. He was kneeling beside her, his green eyes explaining that he understood and she didn't have to say anything more. Gatomon threw her arms around him and began to cry uncontrollably, her claws inadvertently sinking into Wizardmon's clothes. He didn't seem to mind.
"Oh, Wizardmon!" Gatomon cried. "I don't want to go back. I can't stand it there."
Wizardmon put his hands on her shoulders and pulled away to look into her eyes.
"Don't go," he said.
"What?" Gatomon asked, confused.
"Don't return to Myotismon," Wizardmon suggested.
"What are you saying?" Gatomon asked worriedly. "I can't run from Myotismon. He'll find me no matter where I go. There's no escaping him."
"Freedom is worth trying for," Wizardmon said insistently.
"No! This is crazy!" Gatomon exclaimed.
"I know a few places that will stump even him," Wizardmon told him.
"No, Wizardmon," Gatomon blurted. "I can't get you involved in this. If Myotismon finds out, he'll kill us both."
"I won't let him harm you," Wizardmon promised. "I will do everything in my power to keep you safe."
Gatomon didn't know what to say. It was impossible. It was stupid. It was her only chance to be free. She had been whipped all her life. If there was a chance to be free, she would risk a few more beatings for it.
"Why are you doing this for me?" Gatomon asked him, a tear falling down her cheek. "Why will you risk everything for me?"
Wizardmon stood up and took a few steps into the darkness, his back toward Gatomon.
"I guess because you're my friend," he said.
Friend? Gatomon had never had a friend before. There was never anyone who would risk everything for her safety. She didn't know anyone could care that much about her. It was more than Gatomon knew how to handle. She couldn't fight it.
"All right, Wizardmon," Gatomon whispered, frightened somehow, "I'll go with you."
Wizardmon turned to her in surprise.
"You will?" he asked. "I mean, we need to leave as soon as possible."
"I'm ready to go when you are," Gatomon informed him.
*****************
Under the dim light of the silvery moon, two figures snuck through Gazi-Gatsu village. They had to be very quiet and there was no room for mistakes. Gatomon slipped passed a sleeping bakemon to a group of gazimon. The slaves were shackled in groups, cruelly forced to sleep in the cold streets.
"Lightening claw!" Gatomon exclaimed in a hushed tone, breaking the shackles with her powerful paws.
Wizardmon broke a couple chains with his magical game attack. These actions woke some of the captives.
"What's going on?" A loud gatsumon asked.
Wizardmon tried to hush him, but he was too late. The bakemon guard opened his eyes and stared blankly at the scene. Gatomon stood absolutely still, not sure what else to do. Suddenly, a large, orange ball of light hit the bakemon. It didn't phase him in the least. He still stood there and stared blankly.
"What was I doing?" he asked, bemused.
"You were helping us get the chains off these digimon," Wizardmon said, coming up behind Gatomon. "After all, you wouldn't want to be chained up, would you?"
"Of course not," the bakemon agreed.
"And we must be quiet," Wizardmon told him. "We don't want to wake anyone."
"That would be rude, wouldn't it?" the bakemon muttered to himself as he went over to a group of gatsumon and used his zombie claw attack to free them.
"How did you do that?" Gatomon asked in awe.
"Oh, well," Wizardmon began, blushing. "It's just something I do. We'd better hurry up and help these digimon before DemiDevimon wakes up."
He sprinted over to some gazimon. Gatomon had to stare after him for a moment. Wizardmon was full of surprises. She wondered what wonderful thing he knew or could do next.
"What's all that racket?" came DemiDevimon's voice from the inn window.
"Magical game!" Wizardmon casted on the last group of chains. "Come on, Gatomon!"
Jumping over gazimon and dodging gatsumon, Gatomon ran over to Wizardmon.
"What's going on?" DemiDevimon yelled, his ugly face peaking out the window.
Wizardmon put his arm around Gatomon's waist and jumped into the air with her. Gatomon looked back.
"Get after them!" DemiDevimon ordered the bakemon who was just sitting there and waving at them with a goofy smile. "You can't run, Gatomon. Myotismon will find you and he'll kill you for this."
Gatomon hugged on Wizardmon, afraid that DemiDevimon was right.
"Don't listen to him," Wizardmon advised. "We can do anything as long as we're together."
"I hope so," Gatomon whispered, her tears soaking into Wizardmon's clothes.
A/N: Yay! They're running away together! Tell me what you think.
What My Heart Was Looking For
Chapter five: Sorrow, Fear and Pain, O My!
"Don't look at me!"
She averted her eyes, trying not to stare at the dark mon standing over her.
"Please, let me go," she begged, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Why would I want to do a thing like that?" He laughed cruelly.
"Please," she cried, glancing up at him.
His evil grin turned into a scowl.
"Crimson lightening!" He shouted, a large red rope appearing in his hand.
"No! No!" she wailed. "I promise I'll never look at you again."
That didn't stop him. The whip flew at her again and again. Each lash stung worse than the last. She was forced to her knees from the pain. Her white fir was stained with blood.
"I hate your eyes!" He exclaimed, finally dropping his whip. "I don't want to look at them anymore! Do you understand me? Never look at me again, forcing me to see those horrid eyes."
"Never," she choked out, barely able to breathe. "I'll never...never look at you...never...never again."
"Gatomon?"
"No!" she screamed. "No! Don't look at me!"
"Gatomon, wake up!"
Gatomon opened her eyes and stared up at Wizardmon's face. As she caught her breath, she tried to sit up. It was hard because she was shaking so badly.
"Are you OK?" Wizardmon asked in deep concern.
Gatomon smiled, saying, "I'm perfectly fine. It was just a bad dream. Everyone has them, right?"
Wizardmon nodded.
"So it's no big deal," Gatomon said, chuckling just to keep from crying.
"You were screaming," Wizardmon told her.
Gatomon just shrugged, trying to act brave.
"Are you sure you're OK?" Wizardmon queried.
"I said I was!" Gatomon snapped at him. "Quit pestering me."
Wizardmon lowered his eyes and said, "I'm sorry," in a very small and sad voice. He went over to his bed and lay down, his back toward her.
Gatomon tried to get comfortable, but there was this sinking feeling in her stomach that was preventing her from going to sleep. It kept pulling at her and pulling at her. Tossing and turning, Gatomon replayed the words "Quit pestering me!" in her head. It was guilt. She felt guilty for saying that to Wizardmon. Guilt had never been an issue before. She never had a sleepless night after yelling at DemiDevimon or teasing the bakemon. They were never hurt by her, though. Gatomon saw the pain in Wizardmon's eyes. Nothing could get the image out of her mind. Gatomon knew from experience that the best way to drown out feeling was with work.
When she opened her eyes, the sun was peaking over the distant mountains. It would get hot soon and she didn't want to wait until then. Quickly, Gatomon climbed to her feet and started into the village. The idea of apologizing to Wizardmon entered her mind. She couldn't do that though. Apologizing was like begging, and begging was only for the weak.
"Buzzard brain!" Gatomon called up to the inn windows. "DemiDevimon, get your lazy wings up!"
"What's the big idea?" shouted a gazimon from the second story of a building across the street.
"Mind your own business!" Gatomon shot over her shoulder. "Worm food, get up!"
A bakemon floated to the window.
"Get DemiDevimon down here! We need to get to work!" Gatomon ordered.
The bakemon floated away. A moment or two later, DemiDevimon and all the bakemon flew out the window and hovered near Gatomon.
"Why so early?" DemiDevimon asked.
"We're off schedule," Gatomon explained.
"And that's my fault?" DemiDevimon asked, frustrated. "Who was it that insisted on playing with that wizard digimon? Oh, yeah, it was you!"
"Shut your trap!" Gatomon exclaimed, raising a paw in a threatening way.
"All right," DemiDevimon conceded. "What can we do this early in the morning?"
"Take over," Gatomon told him, her eyes narrowing. "Bakemon, seal off the village exits."
The bakemon did as she commanded.
"As for you, DemiDevimon," Gatomon continued. "You wake the town digimon and get them in the square."
"Finally, you're doing the smart thing," DemiDevimon said excitedly. "You know, I actually thought you had gone soft for a while."
"Do as I say!" Gatomon ordered.
"Would be my pleasure," DemiDevimon told her. "A town full of Gazi-Gatsu slaves coming up."
After enslaving all the residents of Gazi-Gatsu village, Gatomon sat on the highest building and glared down at what she had done. DemiDevimon flew above the shackled gazimon and gatsumon, whipping anyone who got out of line. He continuously marched them around the village until they were exhausted just for the heck of it. Gatomon couldn't believe what she had done, doomed them to her own fate. What other choice did she have? Disobey Myotismon? Never. That would mean her destruction for sure.
"What's going on?" came a voice behind her.
Gatomon glanced back at Wizardmon. He looked terribly upset by the scene. Who wouldn't be?
"Gatomon?" Wizardmon asked, his eyes pleading for an explanation.
She didn't know what to say. Somehow, she knew she couldn't lie to him, but what else could she say to justify herself?
"Look, it's my job," Gatomon grumbled, staring down at the slaves. "I'm not proud of it, but it's what I do."
"Why, Gatomon?" Wizardmon asked sadly.
Gatomon closed her eyes.
"I have no other choice," she said, her eyes watering. "Can we talk about this tonight."
*******************
Wizardmon stared at her across the fire. He was waiting for some explanation and she didn't know what to say. It seemed best to start at the beginning, but to tell her life story to a digimon she had only known a few days didn't seem prudent. Somehow, she didn't mind. Maybe it was the familiar sadness in his eyes or the way he always seemed to know what she was going through.
"My whole life," Gatomon began as she glanced at Wizardmon, "I keep waiting and searching, but I never find her."
"Find who?" Wizardmon queried. "Who are you waiting and searching for?"
"I can't remember," Gatomon admitted. "It was too long ago. All I know is that I'm waiting for someone."
Wizardmon watched her intently.
"It started when I was just an in training level digimon," Gatomon explained. "I was waiting for someone. Through the years, she never came. Finally, I became a rookie and was able to go searching for her. It was then I found Myotismon."
Gatomon sat down and stared into the fire. It was painful to talk about.
"He-he," Gatomon sputtered, trying to keep the tears from falling. "He was a monster."
A hand rested on Gatomon's shoulder. His touch was so gentle. She turned to look at him, eye to eye. He was kneeling beside her, his green eyes explaining that he understood and she didn't have to say anything more. Gatomon threw her arms around him and began to cry uncontrollably, her claws inadvertently sinking into Wizardmon's clothes. He didn't seem to mind.
"Oh, Wizardmon!" Gatomon cried. "I don't want to go back. I can't stand it there."
Wizardmon put his hands on her shoulders and pulled away to look into her eyes.
"Don't go," he said.
"What?" Gatomon asked, confused.
"Don't return to Myotismon," Wizardmon suggested.
"What are you saying?" Gatomon asked worriedly. "I can't run from Myotismon. He'll find me no matter where I go. There's no escaping him."
"Freedom is worth trying for," Wizardmon said insistently.
"No! This is crazy!" Gatomon exclaimed.
"I know a few places that will stump even him," Wizardmon told him.
"No, Wizardmon," Gatomon blurted. "I can't get you involved in this. If Myotismon finds out, he'll kill us both."
"I won't let him harm you," Wizardmon promised. "I will do everything in my power to keep you safe."
Gatomon didn't know what to say. It was impossible. It was stupid. It was her only chance to be free. She had been whipped all her life. If there was a chance to be free, she would risk a few more beatings for it.
"Why are you doing this for me?" Gatomon asked him, a tear falling down her cheek. "Why will you risk everything for me?"
Wizardmon stood up and took a few steps into the darkness, his back toward Gatomon.
"I guess because you're my friend," he said.
Friend? Gatomon had never had a friend before. There was never anyone who would risk everything for her safety. She didn't know anyone could care that much about her. It was more than Gatomon knew how to handle. She couldn't fight it.
"All right, Wizardmon," Gatomon whispered, frightened somehow, "I'll go with you."
Wizardmon turned to her in surprise.
"You will?" he asked. "I mean, we need to leave as soon as possible."
"I'm ready to go when you are," Gatomon informed him.
*****************
Under the dim light of the silvery moon, two figures snuck through Gazi-Gatsu village. They had to be very quiet and there was no room for mistakes. Gatomon slipped passed a sleeping bakemon to a group of gazimon. The slaves were shackled in groups, cruelly forced to sleep in the cold streets.
"Lightening claw!" Gatomon exclaimed in a hushed tone, breaking the shackles with her powerful paws.
Wizardmon broke a couple chains with his magical game attack. These actions woke some of the captives.
"What's going on?" A loud gatsumon asked.
Wizardmon tried to hush him, but he was too late. The bakemon guard opened his eyes and stared blankly at the scene. Gatomon stood absolutely still, not sure what else to do. Suddenly, a large, orange ball of light hit the bakemon. It didn't phase him in the least. He still stood there and stared blankly.
"What was I doing?" he asked, bemused.
"You were helping us get the chains off these digimon," Wizardmon said, coming up behind Gatomon. "After all, you wouldn't want to be chained up, would you?"
"Of course not," the bakemon agreed.
"And we must be quiet," Wizardmon told him. "We don't want to wake anyone."
"That would be rude, wouldn't it?" the bakemon muttered to himself as he went over to a group of gatsumon and used his zombie claw attack to free them.
"How did you do that?" Gatomon asked in awe.
"Oh, well," Wizardmon began, blushing. "It's just something I do. We'd better hurry up and help these digimon before DemiDevimon wakes up."
He sprinted over to some gazimon. Gatomon had to stare after him for a moment. Wizardmon was full of surprises. She wondered what wonderful thing he knew or could do next.
"What's all that racket?" came DemiDevimon's voice from the inn window.
"Magical game!" Wizardmon casted on the last group of chains. "Come on, Gatomon!"
Jumping over gazimon and dodging gatsumon, Gatomon ran over to Wizardmon.
"What's going on?" DemiDevimon yelled, his ugly face peaking out the window.
Wizardmon put his arm around Gatomon's waist and jumped into the air with her. Gatomon looked back.
"Get after them!" DemiDevimon ordered the bakemon who was just sitting there and waving at them with a goofy smile. "You can't run, Gatomon. Myotismon will find you and he'll kill you for this."
Gatomon hugged on Wizardmon, afraid that DemiDevimon was right.
"Don't listen to him," Wizardmon advised. "We can do anything as long as we're together."
"I hope so," Gatomon whispered, her tears soaking into Wizardmon's clothes.
A/N: Yay! They're running away together! Tell me what you think.