Chapter Forty Seven: Missions and a Trade
During another plain dark day in a certain place the strands are being intertwined. Leading to something that should not happen yet but it is unavoidable. A lighthouse stands solidly on top of a cliff. The light that it shined was unlike the ones that are commonly seen. To any who knew they would wonder how the lighthouse stood actually. Yet unlike usual something stood out. There standing on top of the lighthouse was a figure. A black cloak hung around the figure, the hood drawn and the face shadowed.
"It is unavoidable but it will not be given so easily." The figure murmured the words, anger tainted the words.
As if to respond to the anger the wind grew violent. The cloak was blown around harshly; it billowed out behind the figure. A black vest that had two tails that reached the figure's ankles was revealed along with a pair of black pants, a grey shirt could be seen peeking from underneath of the vest.
The person raised their arms up and spread them wide open, as if it was embracing something. Head tilted back slightly and the air swirling around the figure. The light that the lighthouse gave off bent as well, it went out probably about twenty or thirty feet before it took a sharp curve upwards before bending again and coming towards the figure. The figure was bathed in the light and down below the water began to ripple and shadows began to form on the beach.
(Tai's P.O.V)
I looked out at the city, the sun was down but the city was still busy. Leaning on the balcony I let my hands hang off but I had my Digivice clutched tightly in my hand. I couldn't sit around anymore. I had to do something. I do know one that thing that I could do. I don't know if it'll help or if it'll only be a waste. It was something that I've wanted to do since last year but after Daemon I hadn't done it.
"Tai, what's bothering you?" I sighed and closed my eyes.
A lot of people have asked that. Apparently I wasn't like the 'Tai' they all knew. Who could blame me though, I was worried about Kari. I didn't know what was going on and it's been months since she left. I wanted to see her again and see with my own two eyes that she was fine.
"Kari, she's out there somewhere and I'm not even sure that she's ok or safe. All I know is that she's fighting a dangerous battle that I can't do anything to help with." Most have given up asking that question when they found out that Kari was missing.
"You're planning something though. Why did you get Gennai to send me through the gate Tai?" I looked to Agumon and I gave him a small smile.
No one knew what I was planning. I couldn't get Matt to help like I had planned, he had to watch Rin. I hadn't seen it coming but I remember the things that Matt had confessed to me. Rin was like the sister he never had and he was protective of her just like I was protective of Kari. He also knew that she was bound to leave soon. I wouldn't ask him to abandon what time he has left to waste it with my plan that may or may not even help at all.
"I don't know if it'll help or not but I'm gonna go to the Dark Ocean." His eyes went wide, if possible.
"What?! Are you crazy Tai! What if Daemon is there?" I sighed and I stood up, my free hand griped the railing and my grip only tightened on my Digivice.
"Daemon isn't there; he's either hunting my sister or Matt's cousin who might as well be his sister." Agumon was surprised.
"I'm planning on going to the Dark Ocean and probably see what I can get from Dragomon. He might not have anything to do with this battle but I know that if he gets recruited or if he is he could separate Kari from them. Daemon said it was time that they start getting rid of them." It was one of the few things that came to my mind; it was the only thing that I could do that floated in my head.
"How are you going to get to the Dark Ocean though? No one but Ken could open a gate there Tai and it drained him to do so." I clenched my eyes shut.
I had to do something and that was all that I could do. I don't know how I'll reach there but I know that I can. There has to be a way to reach there without Ken opening the gate. I can't contact Izzy either. If I tell him what I'm planning he'll try to talk me out of it. Uncle Hiro would do the same besides he's catching up my mom. Those two could use some time alone to catch up.
"There has to be a way to reach the Dark Ocean on my own Agumon. I have to do this Agumon." I can't stand doing nothing anymore.
"W-what?!" I was confused so I opened my eyes and looked at Agumon.
He was staring at something off of the balcony but in the sky. I was confused so I turned my head and looked. I was taken aback as well by what I saw. He stood there suspended in midair. He looked different but I knew who he was.
"H-how are you standing in midair?!" He looked away from me and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"There are only a number of ways to make up for my mistakes. I figured it might be the perfect first step." I was confused by what he meant.
He hasn't done anything has he? I narrowed my eyes at him. There was something wrong with him but I couldn't tell what. It was as if he was a completely different person. Something was just, different about him. I couldn't place what it was. I mean his hair was different; the standing in midair was definitely not something I've seen before.
"What do you mean?" He glanced at me.
"I've made mistakes and hurt a lot of people. I can never fully atone for what I've done but after seeing what I did I can't do it anymore." He wasn't making any sense.
"I don't understand what you're talking about." He laughed slightly.
"Ya know my patience really ain't the best." He looked like he was starting to get irritated.
"I'm tryin' here but you gotta meet me in the middle ya know." I was getting irritated myself with how he was acting.
"Geez why don't you tell me what's up without the confusing riddles, which I didn't know you could even talk in." He narrowed his eyes before he smirked.
"You don't know who I am, well you haven't realized. That would be the better way to put it." He laughed a bit and he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket.
The jacket he wore was black without any designs; well there was a small dark red dragon that seemed to be eating itself on the bottom right hand side. He had a bag slung over his shoulder and black pants. What confused me was that there was a pair of goggles on his head that rested on a black headband but they were outlined in gold. He also had an armor plate on each of his shoulders and elbow guards; it probably had a fancy name that I didn't know. He was also wearing shin guards.
"Would you like me to explain it to you Taichi Kamiya?" He reached up and I watched as he peeled off a Band-Aid from his face.
There was a scar on his right cheek, one that I knew that he never had. Unless he wore makeup to cover it which I highly doubt, he never would've heard the end of it from his sister. He also had a Band-Aid on his left check and a bandage strip on his nose.
(Kari's P.O.V)
I watched Koji who kept a close eye on Storm. I was confused how Storm was still moving too. She seemed too had have run out of power when she used the shield to protect Koichi but then she suddenly had power. Did she maybe do that earlier on to try to fool Barbamon?
"You noticed it as well didn't you Koji?" I looked back to Koji when Takuya asked him; my eyes had drifted to Storm.
"Something's not right her." I looked to Takuya.
Takuya and Koji both had one of Koichi's arms around their shoulders. Storm was leading the way but it didn't seem like Koji trusted her to lead us but he didn't say anything. Takuya's comment had caught me off guard. What was I missing?
"I've known this since she nearly attacked Kari during the fight." I stopped and my eyes widened.
She was going to attack me? She defended me from Duskmon though. I mean she turned towards me when I was looking but why would she attack me? We were on the same side so maybe she had been about to tell me something? I don't think Storm would attack me.
"I saw that too. Is it just me or did her eyes change?" They stopped and I glanced at Storm, she had stopped too.
"So you guys don't trust me huh? I guess that's why you guys didn't allow me to help carry Koichi. Why you guys are letting me lead. The first sign that I betray you guys you're planning to attack me from behind aren't you?" Storm tilted her head back and I was surprised.
"I don't know what they're talking about but I trust you Storm." She gave an upside down smile.
"You shouldn't though Kari." She turned so she was facing up.
"By far, I'm one of most dangerous threats that you guys have currently." Takuya and Koji both grabbed their D-Tectors.
"So you are the enemy then?" Storm shook her head at Koji's question.
"No." Koji narrowed his eyes while Takuya watched her.
"What do you mean then?" Her smile turned tired at Takuya's question.
"I told you about the scar that Leviamon gave me didn't I?" My eyes widened and it made sense, both Koji and Takuya were surprised.
"Leviamon tainted you?" She nodded at my words.
"Yeah back there he weaseled his way into my mind. Took advantage of my hurt and tried to make me betray you guys. In truth, I almost did." I stumbled slightly but I caught Koichi, he was still unconscious.
Koji and Takuya had both transformed but they hadn't fully transformed. Koji was only Lobomon while Takuya was Agunimon. Storm didn't seem surprised; it was as if she had expected their reaction. She held her hands out to the side and I watched as her card appeared in a spark of electricity but before either Koji or Takuya moved it dropped to the ground.
"I'm not going to fight you two. I swore to Koichi back when his grandmother died when he learned of Koji. I swore to him that even if the world was his enemy that I would stand by his side. That's what Leviamon used against me. I was upset that you guys just attacked him and didn't try to bring him back like you guys did with Takuya." I glanced at Koichi.
He's lucky to have a friend like her. Unlike anyone else who had heard utter those words I think she was serious. I think she would seriously turn her back on the whole world if it meant staying with him. Storm was truly loyal. I knew that from the short time that I've known her. I could only imagine the things that she would do for her friends.
"How do we know that Leviamon won't make you do something like Barbamon did to Takuya and Koichi?" Koji took a step towards her but she didn't more.
"I'll give you guys the key." I was confused by what she.
"The key?" She nodded her head.
"Without the key I can't access the power that grants me the strength equivalent to the Ultimate and higher forms. Will that soothe your fears for now Koji? I'm figuring out how to seal my powers the moment he seizes control. I managed to find how to limit myself." She was handing over her powers pretty much.
"What is this so-called 'key'?" Electricity sparked from her left hand.
In her had formed something that surprised me, it was a small light blue stone that seemed to have sparks of white electricity within it. It was attached to a silver chain. She closed her hand around it and moved to hold it to her chest. She stared at the ground now though.
"Kain gave it to me. He called it a Lightning Gem. He found it one day in the Digital World after an electrical storm. He said that it fit me." I was surprised hearing that.
Lightning was a destructive element. She seemed calm and tactical. I didn't see many things in common with what people say the personality of 'lightning' would be with her personality. A soft smile appeared on her face.
"Back then I was the strongest, I was strongest of our team. Kain and I would always be the first line. We'd face things head on and we weren't afraid of getting into the fight ourselves. Evan and Alek were the second line; they'd often catch those that slipped past Kain and me. Even if our world was peaceful no place is free from any kind of struggle. We just stopped it before it was more than a little squabble." I wonder what she was like back when she was younger.
(Chrono's P.O.V)
I sat on the bed with my eyes closed. The blanket hung over my shoulders. I couldn't stand back anymore myself. There had to be something that I could do. Storm was struggling but she was still moving on. Then again I'm pretty sure she has one more to hold onto now. Tai has made up his mind and he knows what he needs to do and he's going to do it.
"Do you think it's wise to trust him?" I opened my eyes and looked at Leopardmon.
"Wise, no I don't think it was but I know that we should. You can say it was the empathy that I inherited from my mother but I could sense that he was sincere with what he said. He wants to atone for he's done and he truly did betray them. After all didn't you hear what he did?" I laughed remembering what he had told me.
"I caught what he said but why?" I shook my head.
"Let's just say, Takeru crossed a line and it pissed him off. It's dangerous enough with who he is but he already hated Takeru but just went along with him for some reason." He had left them a nice present.
He had caught Takeru off guard by slamming his head into a wall after Takeru said something. I didn't know what he said because he hadn't said. He slammed Takeru's face into the wall a few times before beat the bloody crud out of him. It was right after that he heard about what Daemon had planned. I wasn't exactly sure why he came here or why he flipped sides exactly but I knew he was serious about betraying them and joining us.
"You want to do something don't you?" I nodded my head and he sighed.
"I know what you can do. It needs to be tended to and normally I would but I have to watch the world. We can't let them know that we're onto them. Lady Ophanimon under the guise of still being good is meeting with a Digital Ruler, I suspect that she's going to either kill them or kidnap them." Lady Ophanimon, I don't know what happened to her.
She was good that I know. Something happened though what I don't know. Chronomon had said that when I met her a few years ago that she wasn't the Lady Ophanimon that he knew. He said that it was like she was a completely different Digimon. Apparently there wasn't a trace of anything of the Lady Ophanimon that he had known. He told me that Lady Ophanimon didn't even have memories of him even though he knew that she hadn't been reconfigured since he had last seen her that day.
"I don't think that she's the real Lady Ophanimon. Chronomon suspected that the real Lady Ophanimon was somewhere else." I didn't understand what he had completely said but I did know that he didn't trust that Lady Ophanimon that we had met that day.
"I would believe that, Lady Ophanimon had been far kinder and she would always help people. She was far too rash and uncaring when this started. I've had my own suspicions for a while now. Will you accept the mission?" I tilted my head up and stared at the roof.
"You want me to get rid of her?" It could cause me major problems.
"It would be for the best. If we strike her then perhaps it'll make them make a rash move and reveal a weakness that everyone missed. It's a long shot but if anyone could cause that long shot to happen it would be you. Chrono Aleksander, DigiDestined of Miracles." I laughed hearing that title.
"It's been a while since I heard that title." I stood up and I looked at him.
"You know that if I do get rid of her it will reveal that they're back or might cause a major dispute between worlds." He shook his head.
"Those that I trust and know aren't on their side I've had them passed the message on, no one knows that I'm connected to them. The rulers know already, they're waiting for the first move that will cause it to become a full our battle." Once we start this we can't stop.
There will be no more down time for us. There will be no breaks to catch our breath. We'll have battle after battle more than likely. We'll kiss our normal lives goodbye for a while. We'll be marked missing from our worlds because we won't be able to stay in the Human World without endangering a lot of innocent people.
"Once this starts there will be no stopping the momentum. The first to give will be the loser." Leopardmon nodded.
"I'll take Leo and I'll tend to his wounds. By the time you're done with Lady Ophanimon he'll be back on his feet." I eyed him.
There is no way that he'd be up and ready to fight by them. I know no way that would allow that. Thankfully I had stabilized him so I had stopped healing him. I needed to regain my strength and my strength came back faster than usual. Then again I think it had to deal with the special drink that Leopardmon had given to me. He had done something and I knew he was planning something but I knew that he wasn't controlled. I was surprised that he was offering to help me.
"You're planning something Leopardmon." He turned so his back was to me.
"It's best that you do not know. This is my atonement Chrono." With a flicker of data he was gone.
I glanced back, Leo was gone as well. Leopardmon and the Digital Rulers were the only ones that could initiation a World Transport like that. There were a few Runners that knew how to open their own ports. Storm was one of those people as was I. Chronomon had taught me to open my own gate.
Taking a deep breath I raised my hands so they were both in front of me. I closed my eyes and focused. I had to focus or it could end very badly for me. Gates were unstable when used by DigiDestineds since unlike Digimon we weren't data. We could lose parts of ourselves in the gates if we didn't remain focused. I breathed out slowly as I summoned up the magic that was needed and paired it with the energy that I could summon from my Crest.
(Tai's P.O.V)
I stared at the scar on his cheek surprised and confused. Yet it was only then that it dawned on me. I felt stupid for not having realized it until then. I took a step back and tightened my grip even more on my Digivice if possible.
"You're not the Davis that I know." He grinned still but he shook his head.
"Don't call me Davis. Davis is the nickname that Kari gave to her friend. I'm Daisuke, I'm the one who went along with a false promise and so brutally harassed your sister when we were younger." I narrowed my eyes at him.
"You have some nerve showing up here!" I was about to get Agumon to attack him but he held his hands up.
"Hit me if you please but perhaps allow me to help first. To try to make up for what I did, I'll open the Dark Gate that you need to reach the Dark Ocean." I was surprised and relaxed slightly.
"How do I know you're not lying to me?" He tilted his head.
"Yeah that's hard to tell but trust me. I told you guys that Rin was going to be attacked by Daemon didn't I?" My eyes widened.
That was him? That's what she meant then I guess. She knew we would question him because he sounded just like Davis and none of us was thinking about a parallel Davis let alone Daisuke. I didn't know if I should trust him because this seemed far too convenient. Why would he show up and offer to take me to the Dark Ocean let alone know that I was thinking about going to the Dark Ocean. I could think of only one reason, he was leading me into a trap.
"You're probably thinking I'll lead you into a trap aren't you?" I tried not to react.
"It does seem kinda fishy. Why would you work with them for so long then just betray them?" His shoulders fell.
Something flashed across his face. For a second he looked a bit lost and lonely but it was gone quickly. There was a look of guilt though that remained. I remember him remarking about his 'mistake'. He wanted to make up for some kind of mistake, something that he didn't think he would be able to ever 'atone' for. I wonder what gave him the guilty look but then again he's done a lot of stuff and I bet there are things that no one knows about. He's been evil this whole time so there are probably a lot of things that he feels guilty about doing.
"It's not something that you need to know." Maybe it was because he did look like Davis all except for the hair style and the scar but I was worried about him.
Sorry about the gaps between Chapters. (I had writers block this time.) So I hope you guys liked the chapter. So I'm curious, anyone think they might know what Daisuke is feeling guilty about (if you think Tai was right about him feeling guilty that is)?