Chapter 3
The Winds of Toteritz
Writers note: This is just to prove that I can't be held responsible for Fanfiction.net's crazy paragraphing Oh yes and Sabrina didn't know about Kouji so it's a surprise to her Pika
3 born under celestial sky
9 more born of mortal tie
10 who seal our enemy's tomb.
2 who share a common doom
Angel rise and shadow falls
The pass of time erases all
Lobomon's Lament
Kouichi was both relieved and surprised to see his twin brother burst from the rivers of light,
Kouichi embraced his brother who returned the embrace warmly
"Kouji how did you get your spirits back? And what was Duskmon doing here?"
"Lobomon told me you were in danger and gave me back my spirits; I hardly had time to think when Duskmon showed up,"
"Excuse me," said Sabrina getting over her shock "I'm still here you know, WHAT IS GOING ON,"
Kouichi flinched, usually Sabrina was quiet and kept to herself but something must have shaken loose when Melanie had gone missing and now tonight's misadventure had pushed her over the edge she would not be fobbed of any longer
"Hey Kouichi who's the girl?" Said Kouji giving Sabrina the once over.
"My name is Sabrina, and Kouichi since when do you have a brother?" asked Sabrina returning Kouji's look
"Well Sabrina I've only known a short while myself, this was meant to be your introduction to each other that was until Duskmon showed,"
"Dusk what?"
"That monster was called Duskmon; I should have known something like this would happen. Those dreams were just too real to be anything else
"Kouichi what are you talking about what dreams? How do you know that creature, how come your brother can turn into...
"Beowulfmon" filled in Kouji
Yeah, what he said, Kouichi what is this all about?" Asked Sabrina focusing her friend in her sites "Enough secrets, I want to know what's going on here,"
Kouichi was about to raise his protest when Kouji lifted up his hand
"Bro she has a right to know, if it wasn't for you she would have gotten decapitated tonight and Duskmon could come back,"
Kouichi looked at his brother there was a look of sincerity in his eyes that didn't make sense Sabrina was his friend and yet here was Kouji was giving was giving him advice. It made him angry.
Kouji I how did you get your spirits back anyway" said Kouichi trying to change the subject
"I'll fill you in later Kouichi right now I think your friend does need to know."
Kouichi conceded defeat and settled down on a nearby bench shepherding Sabrina to sit next to him.
"Well it all started about a month ago, when I had my fall...
Zoë looked up at the Rose morning star despite her dark feeling about their return it gave her comfort to see it was still there, it was as if the stupor of reality had lifted from her mind she knew her goal reach the castle and to keep the others safe until they could get their spirits, until then she would have to be they're protector.
"Hey Zee you going to stand there all night?" asked JP giving her an impatient look
"O my gosh he's feeling vulnerable" she thought "Overconfident, eccentric Junpei is worried,"
"I'm coming," she said out loud smiling at him and Tommy
And without another word they set of into the night
Little did they know they were being watched...
Kouichi finished his story quickly, he had the feeling that Kouji wanted to get moving as if there was something else that the night would hold, after embracing Sabrina he left her at the Train Station.
"Just come back safely," her words pierced his heart he'd barely got back and already he was leaving, a pang of guilt wracked his conscience, he felt like dirt for leaving her again but it was necessary.
"I really hope this was worth it" he said to himself softly
It was a strange feeling following the same path that had nearly taken his life scarcely a month ago. But there was a major difference between that time and this, this time he was in the elevator.
He was also worried Sabrina had been OK when they left her but somehow he thought there were gears turning in her head behind her worry Kouichi could have sworn that he saw a hint
He looked at his brother, how could he be so calm? Did nothing get to him any more?
Kouichi shuffled his feet slightly as the floors sped away from view, this time there would be any unexpected surprises of a family nature.
How had the others felt when this happened, he guessed that it just went by so quickly they never had time to plan anything.
The doors opened as the twins stepped out of the lift quickly the urgency catching up with them, all the tracks were empty, all but one.
The Trailmon was black with large red rings on its side, there was no face, that unnerved Kouichi intensely he shuddered at the thought that this was probably the very Trailmon that had transported Takuya to and from the digital world during his depression.
"I know what you're thinking Kouichi it's on my mind too," said Kouji "I'll tell you what this is all about when we're safely in the Trailmon,"
Kouichi gave Kouji a nervous look as they entered the first coach, there were 4 backpacks sitting there in a row on the seats
"What's this Kouji?" Asked Kouichi his eyes getting wider looking at the packs.
"I thought ahead, I remembered how dirty my clothes were by the end of our last adventure, so I went ahead and packed a few extra clothes," said Kouji opening a bag to show Kouji an apparently well folded shirt.
"Four packs worth?"
"I know I could of avoided this, according to Mom I just missed you, so I figured I'd pack you one too, I told Mom you were sleeping over,"
"That brings you up to two Kouji,"
"You know the nickname Dad has for me? 'The Bank of Kouji' well I kinda guessed that if we were going so were the others," said Kouji giving his brother a look of knowing
"Takuya right?" asked Kouichi grinning slightly, nodding to one of the packs.
"I figure the others will probably only have the clothes on their backs so I thought I'd be nice, one bag for Takuya and JP the other for Zoë and Tommy," said Kouji grinning back
"Wow Kouji I'm impressed, I noticed you don't like to part with the bucks," said Kouichi still nudging his brother in the ribs.
Hey these are our friends Kouichi, I have to be kind, and anyway they're not the most expensive clothes just generics.
The car started to move
"All aboard," said the morose voice of the dark Trailmon.
"Now that's out of the way, please tell me what I want to know" said Kouichi
"OK. Well I was walking to school and all of a sudden things just changed I found I was turning off my chosen road I felt like I needed to go to the park. It was as if someone was pulling me there by my heart if you catch my drift,"
"I know what you mean,"
Well when I got to the park, I was kind of nervous I'd never felt anything like that before it was freaking me out and then all of a sudden, he was there, Lobomon just appeared out of the woods."
"Freaky,"
"I know, I nearly had a heart attack but Lobomon put a hand up and told me his time was almost up, it was like I knew what he meant, he told me that a strange force was arising in the digital world and that the Legendary Warriors needed us to fight a part of this war, then he said a lot of stuff about this place, Toteritz. He said we have to go there, "To fight the Steel Angel" then he said..."
Kouji stopped abruptly
"What did he sa..."
Takuya looked at the desolate plain where Spiner had dropped him
"Not much to look at is it," he said walking across the dusty track he assumed was a road of sorts.
Somehow it wasn't quite the welcome he'd hoped for.
There was something far off, a fleck of red? Whatever it was it wasn't moving fast.
Takuya found his pace quickening as if he was drawn to where he had seen by some invisible force to that point of distance. The light was beginning to fade giving way to the shadowy pathways of darkness, he could hear someone up ahead, and it was complaining that there was no way that the other could find something.
Takuya strained his ears the snatches of conversation also seemed strangely familiar.
"Bokomon?" Asked Takuya "Could I really be that lucky?"
There was a snapping sound, Takuya smiled.
"Here I come guys he said running in the direction
Kouji put up his hand to silence his brother.
"Did you hear that?" He whispered picking up a rod from the Trailmon's fire kit and brandishing it like a sword
"Hear what?" Whispered Kouichi in reply, staring at his brother in a strange manner.
"Shh"
Kouji slunk quickly to the door keeping his head down. Kouichi could see his brother was serious
"We're not alone" he mouthed to Kouichi.
"Okay" mouthed Kouichi back, as Kouji put his hand on the knob and turned it slowly
Click the sound was very audible in the taut silence.
Kouji threw the door out thrusting the rod before him. Kouichi closed his eyes
There was a scream followed by the sound of the rod falling to the floor.
"Kouichi! Get in here right now," seethed Kouji in the silky voice that he used when he was furious
Kouichi entered the cabin nervously Kouji obscured most of his view but he saw that his brother had his gaze locked with someone. Kouichi's mind went into gear something had changed, he looked past his brother who was trembling with rage.
The other was a girl he knew all to well
"Sabs?" He gasped
Bokomon and Neemon looked at the deserted plain of the digital moon; the digital world behind him seemed peaceful as night set in across the eastern part
"Neemon are you sure you remember where these things are?" he asked
"I'm pretty sure" said Neemon in his usual insipid tone
Bokomon consider snapping Neemon's pants but somehow it didn't seem worth it
"Oh well," he muttered "No more adventures for me, anyway I'm too civilized for that,"
Bokomon turned back to the digital world and nearly jumped, there, not too far from them a figure was running, Bokomon wondered why anyone else would be around at this time
"Bokomon! Neemon!" It yelled and as it got closer even Bokomon could tell who it was
Kouichi could barely believe his eyes, this was Sabrina all right but she seemed stronger there was a resolve in her eyes which unnerved him.
"Sabrina what are you doing here?" He asked her his eyes full of concern and disbelief all at once.
Sabrina paused as if formulating her answer carefully but Kouichi knew the answer somehow Sabrina had never been a fiery person but when she set her mind to something nothing could stop her.
"I'm here to help Kouichi, I've already lost one person to my own inaction I'm not gonna lose you too," she exclaimed
Kouji growled softly
"How did you get on?" He asked through gritted teeth.
"I double backed, your pretty easy to shadow," replied Sabrina resolutely.
"I'm gonna go up to the cab talk to Dark Trailmon we have to turn around," said Kouji "See if you can talk some sense into your friend," he added getting out of the coach
"Well," said Sabrina after he had left "He's a ray of sunlight isn't he,"
"He's worried Sabrina, he doesn't want anyone to get hurt," replied Kouichi
Zoe led the way through the forest it was dark and dank forest the rain touched the cold canopy, it's light kisses softening the shadowy leaves
"Zee are you sure we're going the right way?" Asked JP glancing at the treetops, "We've been in this forest for hours,"
Zoe wasn't sure, but somehow she felt it was the right way, it was as if she were being pulled by an invisible force a force that was putting her into place, a cliché yes
Sabrina hummed "Smells like teen spirit" to herself in the darkness, the door which Kouichi had pushed her through before running off was larger than it seemed.
Something chirped
Her phone? Impossible she'd turned it off
"Hello? Hello? Can anyone hear me?" called a faint voice in her pocket
Sabrina put her hand into the shallow pocket of her jeans feeling for her phone, funny there was something strange in her pocket.
She pulled it out of her pocket, it was small and apparently made of a silver material yet it glowed with a strange light.
"Is there anyone out there I need help," called the firm feminine voice from the D-tector
"What's going on?" she asked
"Thank the heavens I knew someone would finally hear me,
"Sabrina McAllister you have been chosen for this task. Are you ready to fulfill it?" said the voice more sternly
Sabrina thought about it for a second
"Yes I'm ready to do what is needed," she said pushing her fears out of her head
"Then it is time!" said the voice
Kouichi walked through the dark distorted corridors his brother walking silently beside him.
"Kouichi are you sure you want to do this?" Asked Kouji looking his brother in the eye
I've never been more sure in my life Kouji if we don't stop him he'll just hurt others, and if the Dark Trailmon is right the Celestial spirit will only increase that desire, I only have one question,"
"What?"
"What's been with you ever since we got here, you've been even more jittery than usual,"
Kouji gave his brother an uncomfortable look
"Its errm Sabrina," he said "You two aren't, well, you know..." He finished shrugging
"Kouji am I hearing right? Do you like Sabrina?" Asked Kouichi skeptically
"Yes, err no oh I don't know" replied Kouji hastily.
He blushed, Kouichi laughed
"Well to answer you Kouji no she's not my girlfriend just a friend who happens to be a girl" said Kouichi matter of factly "Why are you interested? You hardly know her,"
"Well its just I've never met anyone before who had that kind of commitment, she's amazing," said Kouji obviously distracted
"Yeah, that's why I'm glad she's hear despite my worries, Sabs is tougher than she looks, if there's anyone I would nominate for responsibilities it would be her,"
"We can talk about this later, I think we're here" said Kouji quietly
Bokomon was sure that only another Takuya could be as stubborn as Takuya, nothing could dampen the reinvigorated boy's cheerful mentality.
"Takuya do you even know how we're going to get to Narayan?" Asked Bokomon
Huh?
Well your very gung-ho but if you fall of that track your going to have a very long time to say good-bye, anyway who knows what's left of that world anyway.
"What do you mean."
"Narayan was the homeworld of all Humanoid Digimon during the war it was Lucemon's first attempt to stop the fighting, he thought if they were forced to live together that peace would have to follow,"
"Obviously it didn't work," replied Takuya slightly bothered.
The brothers approached the doorway slowly afraid to be ambushed,
The room was huge and Cavernous there was no light moonlight funneled through two windows above them the beams of light seemed to reflect and focus more times than they could before reaching their Apex at the center pillar on which something stood...
The Celestial spirit of Darkness