Disclaimer: is it really necessary that I put a disclaimer on every single chapter? -.- *sigh* well, just to keep the lawyers off my ass, I don't own any part of Digimon.
matt: well, seeing as tai has just murdered swifty, she wont be up for interrogation as to why it took her way too long to update
tai: *growl* SHE PUSHED IT!!!
matt: well, anyway, she sends her thanks and *ahem* ~huggles~ to all her faithful reviewers, to whom she will properly acknowledge when we find john edwards or any other means of resurrection or contact. thanx!!! ^^
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"Anybody hoooome?"
"Tai, we're the only ones here."
"Oh yeh…"
We drop our bags near the doorway as we walk inside the dark, rather stale apartment. Gatomon brushes past my leg as I walk to the answering machine and press the button.
"You have…37 new messages." I raise my eyebrow.
"Damn we're loved," Tai says, looking to the appliance. I press the 'play' button.
"Well, I could do for a coffee," Tai yawns, traipsing to the kettle.
"Hello, this is Mrs…"
"Already?" I ask, surprised, drowning out the message. "But you had one before we left Sora's!"
"…concerning the absence of Ka-"
"Yeh, but that was ages ago Hikari," Tai dismisses, pulling down a cup from the cupboard. "You want one?"
"No, I'm fine," I answer, skipping along all the messages that began with teacher's voices. "Half of these are from our schools."
Tai shrugs. "Well, what do you expect? It's not like our parents have told them we're not gonna be at school." I shrug in agreement, pausing my constant skipping of messages to listen to one from a friend.
"Hey Kari! I'm just calling-"
"That reminds me," Tai says, turning to face me, "we need to clean up this joint." I look to the rather clean TV area, but endless mugs and glasses catch my eye.
"Yeh…" I mumble, skipping yet another message. Tai walks towards me, stirring the contents of his steaming mug.
"Screw those Kari," Tai says, continuing to walk towards the couch, "they're all the same anyway."
"Well, I'm just checking for any for mum or dad," I reply, skipping another pointless message, "or any from mum or dad." Tai drops onto the couch, and flicks the television on.
"Fine," Tai shrugs, disinterested. Gatomon jumps up onto the table.
"Don't worry 'bout him Kari," Gatomon reassures, as I sigh wearily.
"Nah, don't worry, I'm just tired," I say, raising my head to give her a small smile. "But we have to clean up this place…" My thoughts suddenly run to my room, and the…the…
"Blood on the floor…" I breathe, my heart speeding up and my stomach churning.
I don't want to go in there…but who's gonna clean it up? Memories…memories…
I give up on my fruitless search of the answering machine and walk over to the couch, joining Tai in his half-hearted search for entertainment, and distraction. I sink into the soft cushions and watch the horses sprint mercilessly across the luscious green turf, and find myself wishing I was like them. Wishing I could run that fast, be that powerful…just to run away from it all. But then what would I be? A coward. Afraid to confront my problems, my fears. Tai switches the channel, and a completely different show appears. Two people are stretching their arms, fingertips mere inches away from touching. Then one person slips, and falls. Falls into the everlasting oblivion below.
That's how I feel. Everyone I love is falling into that darkness…swallowed by it…leaving me in the wake of watching them go…Why can't anything go right?
I begin to feel cold, and I curl into a foetal position as Tai switches the channels again. I hear Tai dropping the remote on the glass top of the coffee table, and the movement as he pulls his legs onto the couch. A long silence falls between us.
"I wonder what's going to happen," Tai says quietly, breaking the silence. I open my eyes, a sudden desire for the answer to that question washing upon me.
"I…I don't know," I answer, my voice slightly muffled by the presence of a pillow. "Anything can happen." Tai doesn't answer for another five minutes.
"Physical wounds will heal," Tai says, mumbling slightly, "but what about psychological ones? What's gonna happen to Matt?" I lift my head slightly, looking at Tai's thoughtful profile. I'm somewhat surprised by this sudden serious tone. The sadness and almost worry in his voice was totally out of character. I hadn't heard him speak like this since our adventures in the Digital World.
"Matt's father is such an asshole," Tai speaks again, more passionately than before. "I'm so scared what he's gonna do to him. And I've just made things worse by picking a fight with him. But he deserved it…he was asking for it…" A part of me agrees. Tai sighs, placing his mug on the coffee table next to the remote.
"This is all so fucked," he mutters, anger and despair both evident in his voice. He sets his steely eyes on the television, though I'm sure he's not really there. A wave of pity for him rises in my stomach, and I find myself stretching out my legs so they rest on his lap. He turns to me, humour slowly creeping into his features.
"I'm not a footstool you know," he says, mocking seriousness. I smile. Tai laughs and looks away.
"Well," he says, yawning, "I'm going to bed. Who cares if this place is a pigsty? It'll look more convincing that we've been here if it is." He pats my legs and slowly rises to his feet. I curl back into a ball and stare at the flashing lights of the television.
"'Night," Tai yawns from the entrance to our bedroom.
"'Night," I call back. Gatomon jumps up onto the couch where Tai once sat.
"Kari, wanna talk?" Gatomon asks. I feel her large eyes looking at me, but have no energy to turn and look at her.
"Nah," I mumble in reply, feeling too fatigued to talk.
"Fine," Gatomon shrugs, "But if you explode from bottling up too many feelings, don't say I didn't try." I giggle softly at her humorous tone.
"Thanks Gatomon," I mumble. I close my eyes as I hear the television turn off. I can't be bothered going to my room…just sleep on the couch…good enough…
The corset grips at my torso, inhibiting my breathing. I cough involuntarily as I pull at the unseen laces in a futile attempt to loosen the bodice. My ribs cry out in pain as I try to take a deep breath.
"A real lady shouldn't fidget around."
I look up wildly, trying to find the source of the voice. Damn I hate these dreams…
"Who…who are you?" I ask, voice straining. The shadows flit about around the royally decorated throne I sit upon. From behind one of the looming pillars before me steps out the armoured swordsman.
"Dakedo…" I breathe, the name somehow present in my memory. The shadow smiles.
"So you remember me," Dakedo states, taking two more steps forward, "I feel so honoured."
Fear runs through my body, rooting me to the spot, rendering me vulnerable. Dakedo continues to make his way to my position, all the time his eyes glinting victoriously. Panic arises in my chest as he stands a mere step away from me.
What am I to do? What can I do? I'm all alone…
Dakedo takes my hand and pulls me into a standing position, holding me gingerly in his arms. Any energy I had left disappears.
It's all over…
Don't give up hope!
My eyes widen as the voice penetrates my foggy mind. A sudden warm feeling wraps itself around me, causing Dakedo to scream in pain. A faint pink glow outlines my figure as Dakedo glares at me from his position two metres away. But his glare melts into a smirk.
"So, you've found salvation," he says, smugness dripping from his voice, "But this will be your last!" His face contorts as he pulls out his bow, cocks an arrow and releases. The arrow flies through the air and pierces me in the chest. I cry out as the warmth and glow disappears.
"Never again…" Dakedo whispers venomously…
I bolt upright, gasping for breath. Warm, comforting arms find their way around me as I let tears of fright leak from my eyes.
"It's ok Kari," Taichi soothes, holding me close. I clutch his shirt and try to calm down. This is silly…just calm down Kari, it was only a dream…only a nightmare…nothing else…
I take one deep, steadying breath and pull away from Taichi's embrace to face him. Concern settles in his eyes.
"Are you ok Kari?" he asks, still holding my shoulders. I nod shakily.
"Yeh…yeh I-I'm ok," I answer, rather quietly. Tai reaches for his cup of coffee and offers it to me. I drink it gratefully, the hot liquid warming up my cold body.
"Thanks," I mumble, handing him the cup.
"That's ok," he replies, taking the cup. "Now Kari, tell me-" A sudden 'thump' interrupts Tai. We both look around, confused.
"What was that?" Tai asks, putting down the coffee.
"I-I don't know," I mumble, pushing back the blankets. I look over the back of the sofa, and find Gatomon lying on the floor.
"Gatomon!" I cry, clambering over the back of the sofa and picking up the Digimon. "Can you hear me? Gatomon!"
Gatomon bats open a weary eye. "I'm sorry. I was just tired…" Light suddenly surrounds the cat Digimon, and when it disperses, Salamon appears in its place.
"Wha-what's going on?" Tai asks, confused. I shake my head, but it suddenly hits me.
Dakedo…
Dakedo said he couldn't touch me when I'm in the arms of someone I love. That includes Tai and Gatomon. And when he almost succeeded in taking me away…then I suddenly had a rush of power to repel him…and he shot me with that arrow…which has…
My eyes widen as I rush to my room. I grab my Digivice off the table.
The screen is blank. The device is lifeless. Panic arises, and I shake it in an attempt to hopefully bring it to life.
No…no…this can't be! This can't be happening!
"Kari! What's wrong?" Tai asks as he reaches me.
Dakedo…
"He…he took my crest…" I mutter, my eyes unfocused. "He…he killed it…he…it has no more power…"
"What?!" Tai exclaims, disbelief and confusion etched in his tone. "What are you talking about? Kari!" I turn around and face him, still cradling the sleeping Salamon in my arms.
"Dakedo has killed my crest!" I say, slightly louder than before. "He shot me, and he's stopped the power coming from it, therefore I can't do anything in the Digital World and I wont be able to stop him next time!" My voice rises at the end, panic and fear fuelling it. Tai stares at me in total confusion.
"Who is Dakedo?" he asks, deciding that would be his first of many questions. I hold Salamon tighter, lowering my eyes.
"He's been haunting my dreams lately," I mumble, a clear image of him surfacing in my mind, "he's a swordsman, but I don't know if he's human or Digimon. He says he's here on behalf of his 'master', but I have no idea who his master is. He's tried to take me to his 'master' twice, once just before, and he's failed. My crest helped last time, so he shot me with an arrow, and now it's powerless…so now I don't know how I'm gonna stop him next time, or what's gonna happen to Gatomon or the Digital World if my crest doesn't regain power." I feel Tai staring at me, but I don't look up. A single tear of hopelessness finds its path down my cheek. But Tai's warm arms find their way around me again, and he pulls me into a comforting hug.
"Don't worry Kari," Tai says strongly, "we've faced worse, and we've pulled through. Don't forget, that we're all here for you. Yes, especially Davis." I laugh weakly. Tai grins, "But no, I'm serious. Look, we'll call up the others, namely Izzy, and maybe see if we can find anything out about this guy. I'm sure I've heard something about a mysterious swordsman before…and we'll take Gat- Salamon, sorry, to the Digital World. She'll probably feel better there, k?" I nod, slightly more heartened at Tai's plan and reassurances.
Tai smiles, "Good. Now, I'll call up Izzy and get him on the case of this Dakedo, and then I'll call the rest of the new lot and see what they're up to." Tai ruffles my hair as he leaves the bedroom. I look down to my lifeless Digivice, and worry begins to eat away at me again.
How can I defend others and myself without this? I can't burden myself upon Tai now; he's got enough to deal with. But who?
Dakedo's figure appears in front of me. He smiles triumphantly. "Nothing can stop me now…"
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matt: well, swifty still is feeling the wrath of tai…
tai: *glare*
matt: O.o well, um…well, swifty is most likely feeling pretty remorseful about not updating for so long, so maybe she'll learn from her mistakes-
tai: SHE'D BETTER IF SHE KNOWS WHAT'S GOOD FOR HER!
matt: O.o anger management…
tai: *twitch*
matt: so she'll try to update in a week, and hopefully continue with weekly updates from now on. so please review, coz if you don't, we get killed. thanx! ^^