Here's chapter fourteen! Now that school's started I'm going to be bogged down with work (first day and already I'm reading three separate books and accomplished two lab experiments in chemistry) so I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish the story. Though all my free time will go into writing! I swear it! So far I've been writing, quite literally, non-stop.

Notes about this chapter: I have seen the end of Season Two and Season Four however I'm going AU on them. I'm using points, such as the dark spore, and making them fit intomy story. I also know that Ken and Ryo defeated some Millenniummon or whatever that when destroyed released the dark spores into the digital world. I revised that.

Reviews:

GemmaniGirl: Hey! It's so great to see your name come up on the reviews again! I am soooooooooooooo sorry for not updating in a year. But I have committed myself to do absolutely nothing other than write on this story during my free time. Hope you like this chapter!

SuperMegaGirl: Ah, the magic words. nods head wisely They work every time. lol Here's the next chapter! And thanks for the review!

foxbane: Thanks for the great review! You made me so happy! Joe's now wide awake and ready to join in the action! As for Impmon…grins Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

kaze karter: Loved the review! Probably my fav yet! Short and sweet, straight to the point, and (the best part) every word the best compliment a writer can get! Thank you so very much!

DragonKitsune (aka Tears of the Shadows): Thanks sis for all the reviews…stares for a moment at the review screen and sweatdrops And thanks for the support…does a double take at the macarena comment…I think…Hope you like this chappie as much as the others!

Jill: So sorry you couldn't read the rest of chapter ten. I'd do something but I really don't think I can. I hope you'll be able to read it soon! Thanks for taking the time to review!

between-the-stars: Youputastoryonline! Youputastoryonline! Youputastoryonline! Youputastoryonline! Youputastoryonline! Youputastoryonline! jumps up and down squealing Loved it too! And as for my story getting more interesting? grins mischievously I most certainly hope so!

A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL MY REVIEWERS! SEVEN IS A FAR CRY FROM TWO AND I ENJOYED EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon, but the history of the dark spore is complete fiction and has nothing to do with the real history of the dark spore in the series (that I know of).

Chapter 14

The Dark Spore

He was floating in a swirling black fog that filled his senses, muffling them. His eyes were glued shut and he couldn't open them. That was the first sign of returning consciousness. Slowly, the black fog grew thinner, allowing him to notice small things. Like the incredibly annoying itch at the tip of his nose, or the uncomfortable strain of his neck muscles, or the throbbing pain of his head.

"He's waking."

"Good. Begin."

With an effort, Ken wrenched his eyes open. It took a minute for his brain to start working again, but he finally recognized, with a sinking heart, the large cathedral-like room in Lucemon's lair.

A large calloused hand brushed away the hair from the back of his neck. Ken jerked away instinctively. It was then he realized he was sitting on a straight-back wooden chair with his arms tied behind its back.

"Hold still boy!" growled Owikawa's voice from behind him as the calloused hand grabbed a handful of hair and yanked his head back in position. "Now this might hurt a bit."

Lucemon flitted into sight and handed a small surgeon's knife to Owikawa. Ken felt on the blood in his face drain away, but with Owikawa holding him steady and Lucemon standing nearby, there was no chance of escape.

Owikawa placed the knife at the base of his neck. "Just a small cut…" he muttered to himself. It really didn't hurt too much, just a sharp pain which dulled soon after. Lucemon handed Owikawa a strange metal device that looked remarkably like those scanners used in the grocery stores. Ken could feel the heat enter through the small cut and warm the underneath. Suddenly, there was a flash of white hot pain causing Ken to cry out.

"Got it!"

Through the agony, Ken was faintly aware of cool lip of glass being placed at the cut. The boy gritted his teeth in an effort to control the pain, which seemed to be moving slowly towards the incision. Then it was out and the pain gone leaving Ken gasping for breath.

"Perfect! The dark spore is ours!" hissed Lucemon triumphantly.

Ken wearily turned his tired gaze to the two allies. Owikawa was holding a small glass test tube. Squinting, Ken could barely make out a black speck resting on the bottom.

Lucemon took the tube and walked over to a nearly erected cage in the center of the room, which Ken had just noticed. Inside he could see a plum purple colored digimon, whom he realized seconds later was Impmon. Lucemon smirked and grabbed Impmon's arm before he could move away. "Bottoms up!" He flipped the tube over and out fell what Ken was sure was the dark spore.

Ken watched horrified as the spore lodged in the digimon's arm. The screams echoed throughout the cavern as the imp-like digimon digivolved involuntarily. Lucemon waved his hand and the cage vanished giving the much needed space to the newly evolved digimon.

Lucemon grinned happily, like a child just given his favorite toy. Owikawa even seemed impressed. "Beelzemon," he whispered, "mega. Better than we thought."

Lucemon nodded, "Much better." He stepped forward to the new digimon, Beezlemon. "Welcome, my friend, to our humble family." Ken snorted with amusement, humble indeed. Luckily, no one heard him.

"Now, we can begin with the extermination of the Digidestined."

Arukenimon and Mummymon had long fled from scene of their merciless defeat. They had been hopelessly outnumbered. The new rookies had barely got in a blow before the two ultimates had retreated.

As TK walked out onto the lawn with the others, he was met with a surprise that drove Ken's abduction from his mind.

"They escaped using Arukenimon's smoke screen, but no one got hurt," a very familiar blonde boy was saying.

"I hate that witch…" a messy brunette boy grumbled.

"Tai!" a redhead girl scolded.

"What?"

"That's rude!"

"So? Not like she doesn't deserve it."

The redhead was brought up short at this. After a moment of speechlessness, she scowled and turned on her heal away from the smirking boy. As she turned she spotted those coming out of the house. Her eyes locked with TK's and she grinned.

"TK!" she called out waving gleefully to him. At her proclamation, the familiar blonde looked up, eyes wide.

"TK?" he whispered.

TK's eyes watered. "Matt?"

Within seconds, Matt had grabbed his younger sibling in a brotherly hug, which included a headlock and nuggie and exclamations such as "Geroff me!" and "So this is where you've been hiding, twerp!"

Meanwhile Tai had been tackled to the ground by his younger sister who was sobbing into his shirt. Even Takato was waylaid as Jeri threw her arms around the bewildered boy.

Yolei glanced around thoughtfully, "Where's Izzy, Joe, and Davis?"

"We left Izzy in the park to take care of Joe and to wait up for Davis and that other girl," Mimi said.

"Other girl?" Takuya asked abruptly.

Sora nodded, "Her name was Zoe."

"You're certain?" JP said stepping forward.

"Pretty certain. Why?"

Tommy explained, "We were separated when we were escaping."

"She helped us escape from the Dark Ocean," Biyomon piped up.

Kari stared at her in shock, "You mean you really were in the Dark Ocean and it wasn't just some dream?"

Gatomon shook her head, "No, when MarineAngemon, Guilmon, and Guardromon were sent to the Dark Ocean, the barriers thinned enough so I was able to contact you. However, Zoe had somehow managed to find a doorway in and was able to lead us out."

"A doorway in?" Ryo inquired.

Yolei shuddered, "That place, where Takuya, Tommy, and JP escaped through, that waterway was a path into the Dark Ocean. I've been there only once, with Kari and Ken, and if I never go there again, it'd be too soon."

"Hey, where is Ken?" Tai asked suddenly.

Kouji glanced over at Kouichi, "Wasn't he inside with you?"

Kouichi nodded heavily, "While you were battling Arukenimon and Mummymon, Owikawa managed to sneak inside."

"He was thrashing us," Takuya sulked.

"He could've taken any or all of us, but he only wanted Ken," Jeri murmured.

Cody glanced at the others saying, "The entire plan was to get Ken."

"Which means the whole thing was a set-up," Ryo concluded.

"But why would they only want Ken?" Henry asked.

Terriermon pouted from Henry's shoulder, "What's Ken got that we don't?"

Kari's mouth dropped open in silent surprise. Tai rolled his eyes. "Don't keep us waiting." Sora automatically punched him on the arm, focused completely on the brunette girl.

"Kari?" Kouji gently prodded her.

Kari turned to him, her eyes round. "The dark spore. Ken was infected with a dark spore. That's what he has that we haven't." A sharp in-draw of breath came all the digidestined and, surprisingly, Ryo and Kouichi.

"Not good," Ryo muttered. "Definitely not good."

Takato shared a confused look with the other Tamers and Chosen Children. "Anyone want to explain?"

"The dark spore is, essentially, the seed of darkness," Kouichi said. "They've been in existence as long as the Digital World, however very little is known about them. There is a rumor that they originated from the Dark Ocean. No one knows just how many spores there are, but finding one is nigh impossible. I know Cherubimon looked for them on more than one occasion. Often the others were sent out to follow some new lead, though all turned out dead ends or the trail was lost."

"You weren't sent out?" Tommy asked.

Kouichi blushed slightly, "Well, I…didn't listen to commands very well back then."

Kazu sniggered, "Sounds like someone we all know." He glanced slyly over at Rika who turned bright red and glared at the boy, her arms folded defiantly. Kouichi's blush deepened noticeably.

Tai grinned, "That's obviously not the only thing they have in common." Laughs echoed around them as the victims went on offense, sending Tai crashing to the ground.

Kari giggled as Tai looked up at her piteously. "You deserved that one, big brother." Tai pouted pathetically at this.

"Okay, back to the dark spores," Henry said grinning, saving Kouichi and Rika (who were practically steaming from embarrassment) from loosing further face. "If they're so rare, how is it Ken got one?"

"When he first entered the Digital World four years ago, we were caught in a sand storm. Ken was sick for weeks afterward. It was then, I believe, the dark spore lodged in Ken's neck," Wormmon spoke up sadly. "He was such a kind boy but the spore changed him, it controlled him."

TK nodded in agreement, "When we first met him we knew him as the Digimon Emperor. It wasn't until we defeated him in the final battle did the dark spore relinquish its hold on him." TK smiled, "It was Davis that trusted him right off. I was afraid he really hadn't changed, but he's proved me wrong. Ken's one of us now."

"You got that right!" called a voice from the gate. As one, the kids and digimon turned and grinned. There stood Davis, Zoe, Joe, Izzy, Tentomon, Gomamon, and Veemon. They were almost all together. Just one left.

And the end of chapter fourteen has come. Chapter fifteen is written and will be put online next week Monday. For those of you who wonder if I will finish my story soon, chapter sixteen is also written and chapter seventeen is almost done.

Once again, thank you all my reviewers! I write this story for you guys alone!