AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Hello! I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get to you! With the change in pacing from the original draft, I had to do some substantial reworking to make sure it fit with the new flow of the story. Thank you for your patience.

With regards to the poll in the last chapter: The votes are in and we're sticking with DemiVeemon! Thanks to everyone for letting me know which you would prefer. To those who voted for Chibimon, or for those of you who have joined the adventure too late to vote, I thank you for your patience and I hope the mismatch in sub/dub names isn't too jarring.

Quick note to the Guest reviewer who picked up a SkullGreymon/MetalGreymon issue in Chapter 13 – Thank you! All fixed.

FRIENDSHIP LOST

It was hot.

Too hot.

Way too hot, Daisuke thought as he scratched at a bead of sweat that was crawling down his neck. The hottest day of the year so far, according to the weather lady who was reporting the unexpected heat wave from her air-conditioned studio. Daisuke had tried to dress for it, but even his lightest sleeveless shirt and his palest shorts and his canvas pumps weren't enough to keep the heat at bay. Still, he thought, at least he was cooler than DemiVeemon who was stuffed inside Daisuke's black sports bag. Daisuke had given him Jun's travel fan (and managed to escape before she could realise it was missing) but DemiVeemon complained that it only blew the hot air around inside the bag.

The crosswalk chimed and Daisuke raced across the intersection, darting in to the shade of a nearby alleyway where two vending machines stood side by side. Daisuke resisted the urge to press his face against the cool glass and instead reached in to his pocket to fish around for loose change. He withdrew a handful of yen and sighed – just enough for one bottle. He collected his prize and took a deep gulp before fastening the cap and opening his bag.

"Here ya go, buddy," he said, slipping the bottle inside. He peered through the crack of the zipper, watching as DemiVeemon wrapped himself around the bottle with a contented sigh, smashing his face against the cold plastic before uttering a muffled: "Thanks."

Daisuke pulled the zipper closed with a sigh and headed back out in to the heat. Things had been tense between them ever since the Kaiser had captured Tailmon and Daisuke had run from the fight. Yes, he had unmasked Ichijouji (not that knowing his true identity had brought them any closer to stopping him), but he still hadn't been able to find a way to explain to his partner why the thought of attacking LadyDevimon made him feel so uncomfortable.

He'd tried, but as usual he'd only gone and stuck his foot in it and ended up making it sound like he was scared Fladramon wasn't strong enough (which was, in his mind, something to be worried about given how strong Tailmon was even before the Kaiser was pumping her full of dark evil-ness). DemiVeemon had taken it to heart, and all of Daisuke's attempts to try and cheer his partner up had only resulted in him digging himself deeper in to a hole he couldn't figure out how to clamber out of.

His first instinct was to talk to Hikari. She was the only person who seemed to actually listen to him when he spoke, and he felt like she might actually hear him out even if he put his foot in his mouth and said the complete opposite of what he meant. He'd quickly talked himself out of it; it seemed insensitive (and probably more than a little rude) to be running to Hikari to talk about why he felt guilty about attacking her partner. Taichi was out, too, for the same reason. It seemed Daisuke had been the last to figure out that MetalGreymon was Taichi's partner and not just an old friend, given how unimpressed Miyako and Iori had been when he'd blurted out his sudden epiphany almost a week after their encounter.

As for the others… Daisuke didn't really know how to even approach them, let alone ask them about something like this. Daisuke felt like Yamato would know, but Taichi was almost always close by and Daisuke didn't feel like he could ask Yamato to step away. Koushiro was always working on his laptop, and whenever Daisuke tried to talk to him Koushiro would soon be distracted by something on his screen. On the rare occasions Jou was able to make it, he was constantly talking with the others and being brought up to speed on what he'd missed. Sora probably would have been able to help, but Daisuke just didn't feel comfortable trying to catch her alone (and a part of him was scared it might make it back to Taichi).

And then there was Takeru. On the one hand, Daisuke thought he was pretty cool – especially after hearing more about his adventures in the Digital World. Plus, unlike all of the other Chosen in his group, Takeru was Daisuke's age and so much more relatable than whiny Miyako or stuffy Iori. It was nice to hang around someone who didn't know Daisuke from school, and had no idea just how much of a dumb goofball he'd been in elementary (he prided himself on being a slightly smarter goofball now that he'd almost made it to middle school). Takeru didn't know why Daisuke didn't eat hot dogs in the cafeteria anymore, and he didn't treat Daisuke like he'd been caught sticking crayons up his nose in fourth grade. He'd probably listen, just like Hikari would.

But on the other hand, there was the fact that Daisuke wanted to hate Takeru with every fibre of his being. Takeru was kind and funny and handsome in ways that Daisuke wasn't, with his blonde hair and his blue eyes and his stupid smile… Daisuke huffed and jabbed the crosswalk button harder than he meant to, unsure if he was more angry with Takeru or with himself. In truth, he knew that the bubbling jealousy in his gut had nothing to do with Takeru's good looks and everything to do with his closeness to Hikari.

(Petty? Absolutely. In more ways than Daisuke could count, each less rational than the last, and the more he tried to reason with the green-eyed monster in his belly the more difficult it was to ignore.)

He crossed the street and rounded one last corner, and as the others came in to view Daisuke picked up the pace, waving a hand in greeting.

"Sorry I'm late!" he said, forcing a grin as he attempted to squash his sour mood. Takeru glanced at his watch before greeting him with a (stupid) smile.

"You're not late." Daisuke slowed to a stop beside him and scratched the back of his neck with an awkward laugh.

"Force of habit, I guess," he said, glancing around. "Hikari's not here yet?"

"She and Taichi are coming with Sora," Takeru answered. His gaze drifted over Daisuke's shoulder and his face lit up with a smile. "Ah, there they are! Hey, guys!" Daisuke turned sharply on his heel (too sharply, judging by the groan that came from his sports bag).

"Sorry to keep you all waiting!" Sora called, hurrying towards them with Taichi and Hikari close behind. Daisuke felt his breath catch at the sight of her.

"Whoa, Hikari, your hair!" he blurted before he could stop himself. She ducked her chin and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and Daisuke wanted to hit himself. "It looks good! You look good! I mean, you always look good, but-"

"Oooh, let me see those flowers!" Mimi squealed, and Daisuke was grateful for the distraction. Mimi squeezed in beside Hikari to admire the purple and gold bouquet in her arms as the others quickly closed in around them. "They're beautiful!"

"They're for Wizarmon, right?" Patamon chirped from his place in Takeru's arms. Hikari nodded.

"Sora offered to put something together so that I could-"

"Guys! Look!" Koushiro exploded. He burst through the group, laptop in hand, and quickly made his way to Taichi's side. Taichi leant in, peering at the screen before his eyes widened.

"Tentomon!"

"Hey there, Taichi!" came Tentomon's voice, the usual buzzing distorted by the laptop's small speakers. "I'm sorry we've been out of touch for a while – we had to keep moving so we wouldn't get captured." Jou hurried to Taichi's side, leaning in to the screen as the others crowded around behind him.

"Tentomon, is Gomamon with you?" he asked.

"Right here!" came Gomamon's tinny voice. As Hikari shuffled around to look at the screen, Daisuke tried to squeeze in next to her but Miyako got there first (and the sly glance she sent Daisuke told him she knew exactly what she'd done). "Gabumon's with us too, and most of our patients, although some of them went home when the Kaiser destroyed the camp." Jou sagged in relief as Takeru reached up to squeeze his brother's shoulder.

"What about Palmon and Biyomon?" Mimi asked. "Any sign of them?"

"Not yet, but we're on the lookout!" Gomamon answered.

"I'm glad we were finally able to get through to you – we've been trying for hours! There's something we think you should come and take a look at, though," Tentomon added. "The Kaiser's up to something just north of here, near the mountains."

"Gabumon said he and Yamato camped out here for a while," Gomamon added. "He thinks the Kaiser might have found the Digimental of Friendship." A tense shiver rippled through the group and Taichi's expression grew tight.

"We should go," he said firmly, though when his eyes travelled to Hikari his determination seemed to falter. Hikari glanced up, catching his eye, and she nodded firmly, though Daisuke didn't miss the way she clutched the bouquet closer to her chest. Mimi frowned.

"Can't it wait ten minutes while we go in and pay our respects?" she asked. Koushiro shook his head.

"If we're going to go, we have to go now," he said. "There's a club meeting in the computer lab at eleven. If we leave now, we should be able to make it through the gate before they arrive."

"But Wizarmon-"

"You guys go," Taichi said suddenly. He placed a gentle hand on Hikari's shoulder and offered a small smile. "We'll give your regards to Wizarmon."

"Are you sure, Taichi?" Yamato asked with a frown as he glanced between them. Taichi nodded while Hikari shook her head firmly, turning to her brother.

"We should go," she repeated. "The Digimental of Friendship is important-"

"And so is this," he said, placing his hand over hers around the bouquet. "Besides, if the Kaiser is there and it turns in to a fight, us being there could make it worse." Daisuke's stomach twisted; they hadn't seen the Kaiser since he had kidnapped Tailmon, and given that they hadn't seen MetalGreymon or LadyDevimon either it seemed the Kaiser was keeping them both close. Hikari grimaced before ducking her head in defeat, and Taichi squeezed her shoulder before turning back to the others. "You guys go. We'll catch up to you after."

"The club in the lab doesn't end until 4," Koushiro warned. Taichi gave him a tight smile.

"Then if we don't make it in time, I guess we'll just see you later," he said. "Go, before it's too late. Daisuke, you're in charge." Daisuke's heart thudded to a sudden stop in his chest as his stomach tightened.

"Me?!"

"Him?!" Yamato demanded, jabbing a thumb at Daisuke. Daisuke swallowed thickly as Taichi shrugged.

"It's the goggles," he said, giving Daisuke a confident grin and a big thumbs up. "You can't lead without them."

Daisuke swallowed thickly. Sora was saying something to Taichi but Daisuke couldn't hear it beneath the roaring in his ears. Taichi had put him in charge. Him. Daisuke wanted to smile, but he'd never been a leader before – especially not for anything as important as this. Even in soccer, he only led his team by following Taichi's advice. But Taichi was staying here, with Hikari, and Daisuke had to swallow hard past the lump in his throat.

"Daisuke?"

He glanced down. DemiVeemon was peering up at him through a crack in the zipper of his bag, and Daisuke took in a deep gulp of air. Taichi had chosen him to lead, and leaders didn't just stand around. They… led. He looked up again, his eyes catching Hikari's as she gave him a small smile.

"Good luck."

He knew it was meant for everyone, but the thought that she might have meant it just for him made him grin from ear to ear. He hoisted his bag on to his shoulder and puffed out his chest. If Taichi wanted him to lead, then that's what he would do.

"We're more than a match for whatever Ichijouji wants to throw at us," he boasted. "C'mon, team, let's move!"

He took the lead, one hand gripping his D3 and the other holding tight to the strap of his backpack as he marched towards the school, trying to ignore the dread building in his stomach. It was just the Kaiser – a kid in a cape was nothing compared to the Dark Masters that Taichi and the others had fought, after all, and Taichi had been Daisuke's age when he'd saved not one world but two. Still, without Taichi to follow Daisuke suddenly found himself nervous; so nervous, in fact, that when the school came in to view Daisuke found himself unable to choose how best to sneak inside.

"We should go round the back," Miyako said. "We're less likely to run in to any teachers-"

"I was gonna say that," he blurted. It wasn't entirely a lie; he'd been eyeing the back door, he just hadn't decided if that was really the best route. Miyako folded her arms and scowled.

"No you weren't-"

"Yes I was!"

"They keep the gym doors open in the summer," Iori said, cutting in before Miyako could say anything else. "Maybe we could start there?" Daisuke nodded.

"Good idea," he said. Miyako stopped and stomped her foot, seething, and Daisuke grimaced.

"How come when he makes a suggestion, it's fine, but when I make one-" Sora placed a hand on Miyako's elbow and urged her forwards.

"Maybe we should focus on getting to the computer lab," she said firmly. "We don't have long before people will start arriving." There was a stern note to her voice that made Miyako shrink, and Daisuke felt himself shrink with her. It had barely been ten minutes and already Sora was having to intervene. Daisuke swallowed thickly and ducked his head as he led them towards the school building.

The back doors were open, just like Iori had said, and Daisuke felt Miyako glaring at the back of his head the whole way to the computer lab. Daisuke thought he felt the others staring too, especially Yamato, and Daisuke quickened his pace. Perhaps Taichi should have asked Yamato to lead after all; Daisuke wondered if it was too late to ask Yamato to take over, but then he remembered the confident smile Taichi had given him before they had split up and Daisuke bit his cheek. He had been chosen.

Tentomon, Gomamon and Gabumon were waiting for them when they arrived, and once everyone had found their feet Gabumon led them to a narrow, stony path that wound up through the mountains. By the time it levelled out Daisuke's legs were aching, and he wished he'd thought to pack a water bottle. As they approached the edge of the cliff, Tentomon made them crawl on their bellies to avoid being seen, and they peered over the edge of the bluff.

Down below there was a large metal cube, several feet wide and guarded on each side by a fierce Monochromon. The sentries were silence, each scanning their sector with gleaming red eyes.

"So what's the plan, oh great leader?" Miyako hissed. Daisuke bit the tip of his tongue to keep from snapping back at her and instead focused on the objective. One target, four guards, and no Kaiser. He smiled; this was going to be easy.

"We surround 'em!" he said. "We form a big ring and then we hit 'em with everything we got!"

"'Everything we got' meaning four digimon," Yamato countered coolly. Daisuke looked at him, confused, and then followed Yamato's outstretched finger to where the tip of a Dark Tower was peaking over a nearby mountaintop. "Patamon, Armadimon, Hawkmon and Veemon are the only ones who can fight right now."

"Well then there's four of them and four of us. We take 'em on head-to-head!"

"Holsmon won't fight well on the ground like that," Miyako countered.

"Maybe we could distract them?" Iori suggested. "If we could free them one at a time we might stand a better chance of being able to defeat them quickly."

"That might work for one," said Koushiro, "but it wouldn't take long for the others to catch on. We'll have to fight them all at once."

"We should fight to our strengths," Takeru suggested. "What if Fladramon fights from on top of the cube? That should give him an advantage over the Monochromon. Digmon can fight from the ground, keeping the Monochromon on their toes, while Pegasmon and Holsmon attack from above." Daisuke glanced down at the cube. He supposed it would work, and it wasn't like he had any better ideas.

(Stupid Takeru and his good ideas.)

"Let's do it."

They were waiting in the lobby for Hiroaki when the screams began.

Hikari didn't pay any attention to them at first. Perhaps someone was having some kind of celebration, or maybe something was being recorded or edited in one of the studios. Then came the pounding feet, the frantic calls to reception, and the security guard who came to ask them if they would kindly come back another time. As people began pouring in to the lobby, Taichi and Hikari became the last of the guard's concerns as he hurried to open as many doors as possible before the stampede crashed against them. Taichi took Hikari by the arm and pulled her up until they were standing on the plush armchairs as he scanned the crowd.

"Hiroaki!" he hollered above the din. "Hey – Hiroaki!" A face in the crowd turned wildly, and soon Hikari could spot Takeru and Yamato's father waving at them.

"This way!" he called, pointing to the doors. "Meet me through there!" And then he disappeared. Taichi squeezed Hikari's hand before leading her down in to the crowd, fighting through the frightened crowd. Hikari felt Taichi's hand slip from hers as she squeezed through a narrow gap, and she heard him call her name.

"Keep going!"

And she did, squeezing and twisting and slipping through gaps in the crowd until the onslaught faded to a trickle of sprinting stragglers. She pressed herself against a wall, glancing back over her shoulder; she'd made it through the doors, but it took another long moment before Taichi and Hiroaki would join her, equally out of sorts with wild hair and rumpled clothing. Hikari stared down at the bouquet in her arms and sighed; Sora had spent hours on the arrangement, weaving Wizarmon's memory in petals of cream and violet and gold. They had been crushed in the flood, leaving a trail of trampled petals behind. Hikari picked out a purple iris – the only salvageable flower – before discarding the tattered remains in a nearby bin.

"I'm glad you came," Hiroaki began as he led them through the building. "Where are the others?"

"A problem in the Digital World," Taichi answered. "You knew we were coming?"

"Yamato mentioned something about it last night. Said you'd all be stopping by. I wish you had some digimon with you."

"What's going on?" Taichi asked with a troubled frown. Hiroaki sighed and rubbed at his temples.

"Yesterday it was shadows on the screen and missing audio," he said, holding the door open to the third floor. "And now it's-" A deafening crash drowned him out and Hikari flinched with a surprised squeak as her heart leapt to her throat. Taichi held her shoulder tightly. His hand was warm

"Hikari? Are you okay?" he asked. She looked around, trying to find where the sound had come from. The sea whispered in her ears and a shiver raced up her spine. Taichi hadn't heard it.

"I'm fine," she said, tightening her grip on her D-3 and lowering her eyes to avoid her brother's worried stare.

Not now, she begged to the waves. Please, not now!

"What is that?!" Taichi cried. Hikari's head snapped up and she saw it; a shadow at the end of the corridor. It was watching her – staring right through her – before it shifted and disappeared around the corner.

She didn't know she was running until someone called her name. She skidded around the corner and followed the dancing shadow as it darted from wall to wall, taking her deeper in to the labyrinth of cubicles and offices. Up another flight of stairs, down a long corridor, passing workstations that had been left in disarray. Hikari tripped over upturned books and scattered stacks of paper. Now and then the ghost would slow, and Hikari could feel it watching her as though making sure she was keeping up before it took off again. As she slowly closed in on it, she began to make out a distance voice.

"T… Ta…" It was familiar, but faint and broken by bursts of silent static. "Ta… il… Ta…"

Two heavy doors at the end of the corridor blew open and Hikari darted inside before they slammed closed behind her. She froze, her blood turning to ice as she realised where the shadow had led her. She was on the observation deck; a large room empty of anything aside from a small desk, a chair and a computer. Outside, the large flat roof was painfully familiar. Myotismon had brought her here. Tried to kill her here. On that roof, she had lost Wizarmon and gained Angewomon, and the memory left a gaping wound across her heart.

The shadow flew in tight circles around the room, creating a whirlwind with Hikari at the centre. She heard Taichi and Hiroaki banging on the doors, but as she tried to make her way towards them the stack of papers on the desk exploded. The computer flared to life with a series of beeps and whirs as the screen erupted in lines of scrolling symbols.

"…mon… Ta… il…"

"What are you?" she cried. "What do you want?"

"Ta…il…mon."

The computer screen let out a blinding flash, and when it faded the mysterious symbols had been replaced by Tailmon's name, scrolling endlessly as the computer continued to sputter and whir. Hikari bit back a sob; that was what she wanted too.

Something cracked. Hikari span back to the windows. The roof had disappeared beneath rising silver waves that were closing in on her, licking the windows with salt as the glass began to splinter and buckle beneath them. The Dark Ocean was here.

"She's not here!" she cried. Another window fractured and a confession tore its way out of her throat. "You can't have her because the Kaiser has her, and it's my fault!" She fell to her knees, her words ringing through her ears as burning tears streamed down her cheeks. She pressed her forehead against her knees, clutching her D-3 to her chest as she clenched her eyes shut. It didn't help; whenever she closed her eyes, LadyDevimon was glaring back at her, and Hikari's heart ached as her D-3 let out several worthless beeps.

"Hi… ka… ri…"

The wind had stopped. The waves at the windows were calming; barely cresting against the glass as they began to recede. The tide was retreating. Hikari sat up slowly, her eyes watching the phantom as it came to a stop before her and began to rise from the floor.

The crooked purple hat came first, closely followed by the cream skull and large purple brim that pressed wiry strands of auburn hair over purple-grey eyes. A purple collar hid the rest of his face, fastened by a skull at his neck before billowing open to reveal his cream overalls and his brown gloves.

"It's not your fault," Wizarmon said, and the corners of his eyes creased as though he was smiling at her. Hikari's breath caught in her throat.

"I couldn't save her," she whispered, her voice thick like tar. The words caught in her throat and she choked back another sob. "I failed her."

"You could never fail her, just as she could never fail you. Even now, she is fighting for you."

"We should be fighting together."

"And you will again," he said calmly. Confidently. As if there was no doubt in his mind that they would be reunited. "But there are things you must accomplish first."

"What?" she asked. "I'll do anything, just tell me what it is." Wizarmon's head tilted as he stared at her, studying her closely. Hikari shivered.

"You have a power within you," Wizarmon continued. "A power you might not have discovered if you had lived another life, but it is not enough. Your great enemy; you cannot defeat him as you are now."

"The Kaiser." Wizarmon shook his head.

"Your enemy is not only the Kaiser," he continued, "but a much greater darkness that cannot be defeated by strength alone. You must return the one wrapped in darkness to his true self if you wish to prevail."

"What do you mean?" she asked. Wizarmon's head tilted the other way. "Please, Wizarmon, don't speak in riddles!"

"You don't have much time-"

The doors slammed open. Hikari didn't take her eyes off Wizarmon as he glanced towards the doorway. He pressed a hand to his chest and dipped his head in a small bow before returning his attention to Hikari.

"Do not lose yourself to darkness, Hikari. Your light cannot help anyone there." He was fading, growing more ghostly by the second as he began to float away, and Hikari felt her heart leap to her throat. She leapt towards him, her fingers outstretched.

"Wizarmon-"

White. The light should have been blinding, but instead she found it comfortable. The observation deck had disappeared behind a void of white light that seemed to stretch on forever. Hikari blinked in surprise, turning this way and that until she saw Wizarmon standing beside her. His body was solid now but half-formed, missing his hat and his gloves and one of his legs, but his eyes were smiling as he stared up at her. She saw something shimmer over his shoulder; an invisible shadow that she saw without seeing. Data. It attached itself to Wizarmon who gave a contended sigh as his missing leg reappeared beneath him. His fingers reached for hers and Hikari took his hand tightly.

The data had been trapped, she realised; stored in the network of computers and hardware throughout the building. It was flying back to him now, and with every piece of him that was restored his grip on Hikari's hand grew tighter until his body was fully-formed and Hikari wondered if she would ever feel her fingertips again.

Wizarmon finally let go to examine himself, patting down his red vest and studying the silver markings on the lining of his cloak. He let out a loud, bellowing laugh that made Hikari's heart soar as he dusted the brim of his hat and tugged on his gloves and bounced on his toes, but his happiness quickly fizzled as he looked up at Hikari. He stepped towards her, kicking off from the ground to float at eye level, and the serious look in his eyes made Hikari's stomach plummet.

"This is the best thing anyone could have done for me," he said in a solemn tone. "I can finally rest in peace, but I fear your fight may be only just beginning. Your power is stronger than I thought, and I am glad, but they will come for you now."

"Who?" she asked. "Who's coming?" He didn't answer. He began to drift away and Hikari reached for him again, though now her fingers passed right through the hem of his cloak. Her throat burned. "Wizarmon!" The light was fading. Waves whispered in her ears as she called to him again, only to watch helplessly as he turned from her and flew in to the fading light.

"Do not lose yourself to darkness, Hikari…"

"Hikari!"

She gulped in air and sat up, coming nose-to-nose with her brother who froze, eyes wide, before sagging and pulling away to run a shaking hand through his hair as he watched her carefully. Hiroaki stood over his shoulder, pale and shaken and more than a little confused. Hikari placed a hand on her chest, feeling her thundering heart, and she looked around. Wizarmon was gone.

"Are you okay?" Taichi asked. She bit her lip, blinking back tears as she nodded.

"Your power is stronger than I thought…" Wizarmon's words echoed in her ears and she took a deep breath, glancing down at her hands.

"Did I… I glowed again, didn't I?"

"Again?" Hiroaki asked. "This has happened before?" Taichi sat back on his heels with a relieved sigh.

"Yeah, a couple of times now…"

He was still talking, but his voice was fading like her ears were full of cotton wool. Or static. Or- She twisted, head snapping towards the windows. The ocean had never retreated; the tide had gone out merely so it could gain momentum and now it was careening towards them in a tidal wave. It crashed through the window, but when she opened her mouth seawater poured in to her lungs, swallowing her warning and her scream in one fell swoop.

The Dark Ocean had come for her.

It took some time to wear the Monochromon down enough to destroy the Dark Rings. It seemed the Kaiser had strengthened the protections he gave to his enslaved digimon, so that by the time they were finally freed the Monochromon had hobbled away with a collection of bruises and scars, refusing Jou's help to instead nurse their injured pride in private. Yamato could understand that, though he couldn't understand the way that Daisuke stared after the digimon as they retreated (or the way Veemon stared at Daisuke).

He turned away, only to find himself staring up at the cliff. The Crest of Friendship carved in to its face stared back, giving no answer to its presence or purpose. The stone remained as silent as when he and Gabumon had spent months camping beneath it, both in agreement that surely the crest was some kind of sign or a calling. And perhaps it was, just not for Yamato.

"You never know," Takeru said with his usual optimism as they watch the digimon bring down the metal walls surrounding the Digimental. "Hikari and I both picked up our own crests. Maybe it has to be the right time."

"Or maybe there's an age limit," Daisuke said. Yamato narrowed his eyes at him and he threw up his hands. "I-I just meant that Takeru and Hikari are my age. Maybe you're just too old." Takeru's hand on his elbow had been the only thing that had stopped Yamato from answering with his fists. Not for the first time, he had to remind himself that Daisuke wasn't Taichi; if Yamato punched Daisuke, there was no guarantee that Daisuke would swing back.

"Does this mean there could be other new Chosen out there?" Mimi asked. Koushiro tilted his head with a thoughtful hum.

"It's possible," Koushiro said slowly, "but we really don't know anything about the Digimentals. It could be for any of us." Takeru nudged Yamato lightly with his elbow.

"Why don't you try again?" he suggested. He gave Yamato a big smile. "Just to make sure." Yamato glanced across to where Holsmon was buffeting the final wall with a fierce gust of wind. It toppled over with a deafening crash, revealing the gleaming Digimental, and a feeling of certainty pooled in Yamato's gut. He was sure, just as he was sure that Takeru wouldn't rest until he saw it for himself. So he steeled himself and rolled up his sleeves as he made his way down to the Digimental. The armoured digimon reverted with a sigh of relief and quickly re-joined their partners, clearing the way for Yamato and Gabumon.

The Digimental looked the same as it always had, with its sharp jagged horn and the fierce vibrant detailing across its gleaming shell. Yamato reached towards it, but his fingers had barely touched the surface before a jolt of lightning race up his arm. He pulled back with a curse and saw Takeru's shoulders slump.

"We should all try it," Sora suggested, though she glanced to Yamato as though waiting for his permission. He wanted to say no – the Crest of Friendship belong to him and Gabumon – but he quickly squashed the thought. Sora and Koushiro had both passed along their crests, as had Taichi, so it only seemed right that the Crest of Friendship should be passed along to a new bearer. He gave Sora a curt nod and she gave him a reassuring smile.

Takeru was the first to try the Digimental. Whilst Yamato couldn't deny that Hope was the single best trait of all the crests for Takeru, it was a shame that his brother hadn't inherited the crest from him. Miyako eagerly dove in next, closely followed by Iori, both of whom were rejected by the Digimental. Jou and Koushiro both glanced to Yamato before they gave it a try, and both received similar jolts.

Sora was blowing on her tingling hands when a shadow swooped overhead. Mimi was the first to scream, her eyes trained on the sky as a familiar cry sounded overhead.

"Flower cannon!"

Yamato dove blindly. His arms snared someone's waist and he tackled them to the ground, rolling away from the blast and shielding them from the debris. He heard the sounds of evolutions erupting around them as they rolled to a stop, and as Yamato opened his eyes and pushed himself to his knees he found Daisuke grinning at him.

"Thanks!"

Yamato pushed himself to his feet, scanning the rubble, and he quickly spied Takeru and Pegasmon taking to the skies, closely followed by Miyako and Holsmon. Yamato stared up at Lilimon, his shock turning to horror as he spied the thick black band wrapped around her arm. Mimi was standing several paces away from the rest, trying to wave her partner down.

"Lilimon, it's me! Don't you recognise me?" she cried. Sora reached her first, grabbing Mimi's wrist and pulling her back.

"Mimi, look! Her arm!" The Dark Spiral stood out against Lilimon's pale skin, and Mimi let out a horrified scream as Lilimon raised her hands again.

"Lilimon, stop!"

"Star Shower!" Pegasmon's attack went wide, barely grazing Lilimon's leafy wing, but it was enough to distract her. As Pegasmon wheeled around, Holsmon released a gust of wind which caught Lilimon off guard and tossed her through the air. Mimi screamed again.

"Lilimon!"

"Is that… Is that Mimi's partner?" Yamato turned to find Daisuke still kneeling in the dirt, his eyes wide with horror as he stared up at the fight. Yamato glanced back to the others, finding Veemon sitting beside the Digimental and watching Daisuke closely. He hadn't even evolved yet. Yamato stormed to Daisuke and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him to his feet.

"What are you waiting for? Veemon needs to evolve!" Daisuke's eyes were fixed on Lilimon, and as another blast from her cannon sent Digmon tumbling backwards his face paled.

"I-I…" The boy's voice was raspy and he was trembling from head to toe, his eyes blown wide with fear. Yamato grit his teeth and tightened his grip on Daisuke's arms.

"Hey, look at me!" he said, shaking the boy until he tore his eyes away from the fight. "We need Fladramon."

"But what if we hurt her?" Yamato frowned, torn somewhere between anger and confusion. He narrowed his eyes.

"The Kaiser is hurting her right now!" he retorted. Something exploded and Mimi screamed again. "What's so different now, huh? How come you can fight MetalGreymon but not Lilimon?"

"Hey I didn't know MetalGreymon was Taichi's partner!" the boy roared, tearing Yamato's hands from his shirt. "I didn't know it would hurt them both so much. If I'd known-"

"Then what? You would have left him to suffer too?"

"I don't want to hurt them!"

"But you'll let the Kaiser do it!"

"I don't want that-!"

"You can't have both!"

"I don't want either!"

Yamato had raised his fist before he could stop himself, but before he could swing for Daisuke's jaw a piercing laughter echoed through the air. Yamato turned sharply on his heel, looking to the skies in time to see an Airdramon emerge with a familiar silhouette standing atop its shoulder.

"Dissent amongst the ranks?" the Kaiser mocked. Daisuke tore himself out of Yamato's grip, his face a furious scowl as he lifted his D-3 in to the air.

"Now, Veemon!" Veemon happily obliged, and he leapt in to his evolution with a war cry. Yamato bit the inside of his cheek. Better late than never, he supposed.

"Nice of you to finally join us," the Kaiser mocked as Fladramon emerged. Fladramon glared, baring his teeth as he leapt up towards the Kaiser. He pulled his fists back as flames emerged around his knuckles, but the Kaiser snapped his fingers and Lilimon appeared, placing herself directly in the line of fire. Daisuke yelped and ordered Fladramon to hold back, and the fire across his partner's knuckles quickly dispersed.

"Daisuke!" Fladramon snapped as he landed heavily in the dirt. Daisuke's bravado had disappeared faster than it had appeared, and he was staring between the Kaisier and Lilimon with equal parts fury and fear.

"My, my, how pathetic you are," the Kaiser drawled with a smirk. He snapped his fingers again and Lilimon's eyes flared red as she aimed her canon towards Fladramon. Pegasmon quickly intercepted, catching the blast on his breastplate and rolling with the blow with Takeru pressed against his neck. Holsmon emerged from the smoke to attack Lilimon with a barrage of gleaming crimson crescents. Fladramon leapt high, his eyes fixed on the Kaiser, but Lilimon quickly twisted back in to his path.

"Fladramon!"

"Daisuke!" he snapped, quickly diverting the blast elsewhere and forcing Pegasmon to twist violently. Takeru let out a surprised yell and Yamato saw red.

"You idiot!" he roared, whirling on Daisuke. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to attack the Kaiser!"

"You're going to get someone killed!"

"That's enough!" Mimi shrieked. She forced her way between them, shoving Daisuke hard enough to make him stumble before turning her tearful fury on Yamato. "Can't you do something?"

"We can't evolve here," Yamato said, pointing towards the looming Dark Tower in the distance.

"So go evolve over there and come back!" she said, jabbing a finger in the opposite direction. Sora placed a soothing hand on her shoulder.

"We've tried," she said. "As soon as the digimon get in range of the Tower it sucks out all their strength and they change back." Mimi swallowed a frustrated scream and scrubbed the tears from her eyes before turning back to the fight. She took her digivice from her belt and clutched it over her heart, staring up at her partner as though she could break the spiral by sheer force of will.

(If anyone could do it, Yamato thought, it would probably be Mimi.)

"Takeru! Miyako!" she bellowed. "Draw Lilimon away from the Kaiser – I don't care how! Fladramon, attack him!" she ordered, pointing a shaking finger towards the Kaiser. Daisuke grunted indignantly.

"Hey-" Mimi whirled around to face him, her eyes burning with fury.

"If you're not going to help, then shut up!" she scolded. "It's a good thing you didn't bother trying that Digimental; you obviously don't understand what friendship is!" Daisuke recoiled, gaping as though he'd been slapped. Mimi did not wait for a response. She turned back to the sky, her amber eyes fixed on Lilimon as Holsmon drew her away from the Kaiser and Pegasmon pushed her from the rear, ready to block any attempt to return to the Kaiser's side.

Satisfied that neither Daisuke nor Lilimon would interrupt, Fladramon leapt again. The Kaiser withdrew his lip, flourishing with a confident snap that made Yamato's stomach twist. As Fladramon coated himself in fire, a shadow shifted in the clouds overhead and a second Aidramon emerged. Something was dangling from beneath its stomach, and as Fladramon released his attack the shadow cut itself free and fell towards the ground. Fladramon's attack splashed harmlessly against its armour, and it crashed to the ground with a bone-rattling THUD. Debris flew in all directions, and Yamato hissed a foul curse when a jagged rock scraped across his forearm. Fladramon landed nearby, watching the billowing cloud of dust and the flash of red within.

"Gatling attack!" There came a mechanical hissing sound and then two missiles emerged. Fladramon leapt aside but the missiles followed him, striking his side and sending him flying. Daisuke let out a wordless yell while Sora gave a horrified gasp, her eyes fixed on the android digimon as it emerged from the dust.

"Andromon!" the Kaiser bellowed. "Get what we came for!" Andromon gave a sharp nod before moving out, his mechanical eye fixed on the Digimental.

Digmon quickly leapt in to his path, plunging his drills in to the ground and sending a jagged fissure shooting towards Andromon. The android's eyes flared, examining the path as it raced through the dirt, and at the last second he dove right as the crack took an unexpected turn left. Digmon stood stunned and Andromon pulled back his mechanical arm.

"Lightning Blade!" The module on the back of his arm emitted a pulse of vibrant energy and Digmon threw himself aside to avoid the attack. A stray blast from overhead struck the ground beside him, knocking him off his feet to leave him floundering on his back as Andromon drew himself up tall. The panel that sat across his chest fell open with a hiss.

"Gatling attack!" The homing missiles made a beeline for Digmon, striking him in the belly and exploding in a fiery roar. The air erupted with fire and smoke, Iori gave a desperate cry, and by the time the ringing in Yamato's ears had faded Armadimon was slowly stumbling away from the crater, his armoured shell scuffed and scarred as he staggered towards Iori. With a tearful gasp Iori sprinted forwards, dragging his partner from the debris and cradling him in his arms. Koushiro ran to Iori's side, pulling the boy and his partner back from the fight. Yamato glanced across to Fladramon who was dragging himself back to his feet, his teeth clenched tightly together.

"We're getting slaughtered out here," Yamato snarled, holding his digivice so tight he thought it might break. The Kaiser chuckled, his Airdramon dropping low enough that Yamato could see his victorious sneer.

"Oh, really?" he asked. "What a shame, because I've barely begun." He cracked his whip again and a familiar trill echoed through the air. Sora's face paled as a shadow shot up from behind the mountain range, spreading its wings wide.

"Garudamon!" she cried, hands flying to her mouth as Garudamon surged forwards. She was upon them in seconds, and when she was close enough for Yamato to make out the spiral wrapped around her leg Garudamon spread her wings and veered upwards to where Pegasmon and Holsmon were still distracted by Lilimon. She sped past them in a crimson blur, distracting the digimon long enough for Lilimon to fire a blast from her canon that caught Holsmon in the belly. Miyako screamed as Holsmon fought to keep her on his back, and Pegasmon reared up towards the clouds, spreading his wings wide.

Garudamon appeared behind them, her talons outstretched, and before Yamato could shout a warning she had snared Takeru and Pegasmon in her claws. She drove them to the ground, disappearing behind a cloud of dust and rocks, before she re-emerged a moment later – alone – crying a victorious trill as she spiralled upwards.

"Wing bl-" Holsmon slammed in to her side and the flames racing across her feathers dissipated as the two birds descended in to a brawl.

Yamato tore from the group and sprinted across rocks and rubble to skid to a halt at Takeru's side. He lay with an arm draped loosely around Patamon, and even in unconsciousness his face was crumpled in agony. Yamato scooped his brother up in his arms and staggered for a moment as Koushiro arrived to take Patamon.

"You weigh a lot more than you did when you were eight," he grunted. His eyes landed on the heavy gash on Takeru's shoulder where Garudamon had snared him; blood was pouring across his chest, soaking his shirt, and Yamato was sure he could see bone peering out from beneath the flesh. He forced his legs to move, carrying Takeru back to the others as quickly as he dared. "Jou!"

Jou helped him lay Takeru gently on the ground before he ushered Yamato back to give him room. Gabumon wrapped his paw around Yamato's hand and gently tugged, and only then did Yamato step back. He tore his gaze away from his brother's pale face, but he found no comfort in the others around him. Sora and Mimi were watching the skies in horror, clinging to each other tightly while Koushiro and Tentomon were trying to console Iori who was clinging to Armadimon who was out cold. Daisuke had run to his partner's side and was helping Fladramon back to his feet, his D-3 gleaming with determination, but as soon as he was standing Lilimon descended upon him with a sinister smirk.

"Flower wreath!" Blossoms and petals fell from her finger tips, landing on Fladramon's shoulders and weaving their way across his chest and around his arms. He struggled against them, grunting and groaning until the fight fell out of him and he stood still and rigid. Daisuke reached for him, calling his name, but when Fladramon looked down at him his eyes flashed red and Daisuke staggered backwards.

Takeru screamed as consciousness returned to him and Yamato dropped to his side, clutching his brother's uninjured arm tightly. The scream turned to a groan as Takeru grit his teeth together firmly and his hand crushed Yamato's fingers in an iron grip. Jou met Yamato's eyes, and Yamato was horrified to see his own terror reflected back in them.

Holsmon let out a chilling cry and Yamato's head snapped up time to see Garudmon's beak nipping at his feathers. Yamato felt his blood turn to ice; there was nobody to help them. He could do nothing but watch as Holsmon desperately attempted to out manoeuvre Garudmon with a series of complex aerial acrobatics that barely kept him out of Garudamon's reach.

"Well this has been fun," the Kaiser sighed, "but I'm afraid playtime's over. Andromon, bring me the Digimental!" Andromon was hunched over the Digimental, his arms working furiously, and when the Kaiser cracked his whip he lifted his large hands in to the sky. Instead of lifting the Digimental from the ground, Andromon had extracted the mound of dirt below it. The second Airdramon descended and Andromon reached out towards the dangling ropes, wrapping them around his arm and allowing the Airdramon to lift him in to the air with the Digimental and the dirt clutched tightly to his chest. Another crack of the whip and Garudamon ended her assault. She and Lilimon answered the Kaiser's summons, flying to his side and disappearing with him behind the clouds, leaving behind the echoes of his victorious laughter.

The silence that followed was thick and damning, and Yamato curled and uncurled his fists several times. Holsmon landed heavily some distance away, and Sora peeled herself away from Mimi to go and meet them. Miyako didn't seem to have sustained any serious injuries, but she was covered in cuts and bruises and her expression was haunted as she leaned heavily against Sora. Hawkmon sagged heavily in her arms, his wings trembling and his eyes barely open.

Yamato glanced back to Takeru then, watching as Jou carefully helped him peel out of his bloody shirt. His undershirt was soaked with crimson and Yamato swallowed bile. He curled his fingers again, pressing his nails in to his palms and forcing himself to stay calm. Takeru looked up and offered a weak smile.

"I'm okay," he said. "Really, Yamato, it's not as bad as it looks." It might have been convincing if he hadn't been speaking through gritted teeth or if his face wasn't pale as milk. Yamato forced himself to nod, unable to trust himself to speak. He needed to hit something. Jou fashioned the bloodied shirt in to a makeshift sling to keep Takeru's arm strapped close to his chest.

"I think we should take him to see my brother, just in case," Jou said after a final inspection. "It will probably need stitches." Takeru's bravado fell a little and Yamato felt his stomach churning with rage as shuffling footsteps approached from behind. Daisuke had joined them.

"Guys, I… I'm sorry-"

"Yamato!"

Sora's warning came too late, and before anyone could step forward Daisuke was sprawled on the ground, clutching at his jaw. Veemon hovered nervously nearby, his large eyes glancing between Daisuke and Yamato. A hand found Yamato's elbow and pulled him back.

"Please, niisan," Takeru pleaded. The gentleness of his voice cooled Yamato's rage enough for him to feel the guilt bubbling below the surface. He should apologise, he knew, but a part of him couldn't help but feel that even if it had been an accident, Daisuke had deserved it anyway. He bit his tongue and turned to his brother who was staring up at him with a pleading expression. "Jou's right, we should go and see his brother."

"I'm afraid we can't," Koushiro said grimly. He glanced up from his laptop to look at Yamato. "It's barely been half an hour. The computer lab is full of people."

"So we can't go home yet?" Mimi whimpered. Sora wrapped an arm around her shoulders as Koushiro shook his head.

"Not for a while."

"Then we should find somewhere to hide," Sora said firmly. There were silent tears spilling down her cheeks, but her red-rimmed eyes were determined. "I don't want the Kaiser coming back for another round." Yamato nodded; if nothing else, they needed somewhere to recover.

"Gabumon, take them to the cave," he said. "I'll go find us some supplies."

"I'll come with you," Takeru said. Despite the determination in his voice, his eyes were glassy and his face was pale, and his shoulder was still seeping crimson.

"Stay with Jou," he said. Takeru shook his head.

"You shouldn't go alone-"

"I'll be fine. I know these cliffs like the back of my hand. I won't be long." He patted Takeru's good shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze, and Takeru relented. Gabumon shuffled closer, reaching up to squeeze Yamato's hand with his warm paw.

"We might still have supplies back at the cave," he said.

"Not enough for all of us," he countered. "I'll be fine, Gabumon. I need to clear my head." Understanding flashed through his partner's eyes and he gave Yamato one last squeeze before peeling away and leading the others towards the cave. Yamato stayed rooted to the spot, watching them go until they were out of sight. Then he flexed his fingers, gritting his teeth against the ache in his knuckles before turning on his heel.

The land around the base of the cliffs was mostly barren rocks and earth. He could have climbed up to the trading post in the mountains, but with nothing to barter with he would be less than a beggar and the digimon there didn't part with their wares easily. So instead he headed south to where the uneven rock gave way to a sudden forest. Berries and shrubs would have to do.

A rustle caught his attention and Yamato stopped, his eyes scanning the foliage while his ears listened carefully. Another rustle, this time from behind, and he span sharply to find LadyDevimon standing behind him. She pressed a slender finger to her lips and the shout died in his throat as she took a lithe step back from him.

"I know you don't trust me right now," she said, her words gentle but her voice low and menacing, "but I need you to give something to Hikari. Please, Yamato, they mean everything to her." Her eyes never left him as she slowly untied the thick rope that had been strapped across her chest. A thick bundle of singed purple cloth fell from her back and she took two measured steps towards Yamato to lay it carefully on the ground between them, running her fingers over the cloth gently. He waited for her to step back before pulling the cloth back to reveal Hikari's quiver and arrows, and a splintered bow.

"He ordered us to destroy the rest Jou's camp," she said. "I had to obey, but I was able to save these. She would be devastated to lose them, even if she can no longer use them…" Her expression was sad but her eyes flashed with rage. Yamato carefully covered the cloth over them again.

"You're not under his control," he said quietly. LadyDevimon shifted uncomfortably, an action that did not suit her menacing form.

"Not entirely," she said slowly. "I have to obey direct orders, and there are some commands that I cannot override, but I have limited freedom. It seems Hikari's light corrupted the spiral somehow, but I'm not sure how much longer it will be until he finds a way to correct that. I wanted to get these to Hikari while I could." A long pause. She knitted her long fingers together. "She didn't come today." It was difficult to tell if she was hurt or relieved. Perhaps it was both.

"Today's the day when Vamdemon found Hikari, and then Wizarmon…" He trailed off, certain that he didn't need to remind her what happened next. "Hikari went to thank him, from the both of you." LadyDevimon smiled; Yamato thought it was supposed to be fond and affectionate, but the result was sinister and unsettling.

"Tell her not to worry about me," she said firmly. "And tell her not to do anything reckless. And whatever you do, don't let her do anything that Taichi would do. That little motto of yours has done more harm than good since you taught it to her." Yamato let out a bashful chuckle.

"She needed it at the time," he answered. "We all did." LadyDevimon gave a curt nod.

"Well she doesn't need it anymore. I'll get out of this; she just needs to be patient."

"I'll tell her," he promised. LadyDevimon opened her mouth only to grimace. Her hand flew to her arm, talons digging in to the skin around the Dark Spiral as she staggered backwards. "What's wrong?"

"He's summoning me," she grunted. "I have to go. I can't promise that I'll be able to help you the next time we see each other." The words sent a chill down Yamato's spine and he nodded.

"I understand."

"The Digmental of Reliability is to the south, in an old oil rig," she said, "but he's already sent MetalGreymon to recover it. The other is in the East somewhere. He hasn't found its specific location yet, but he will."

"I'll tell Koushiro." She nodded, grimacing again and clutching at her arm.

"Look after her for me." Yamato nodded and she took to the skies, bursting through the canopy with a furious cry before disappearing from sight.