Another chapter! The next chapter's going to be longer so bear with me if it takes a little longer to update.

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon

Following The Footsteps Of Destiny

Chapter 12: Darker Forces

Ema Kido

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

Ema glanced at the soccer field and frowned. Where is Dai? He's suppose to be at soccer practice.

"Do you see Takara or Ryoko?"

She turned to Taysuke beside her, who had spoken, and made a face at him. "No. I thought for sure Kara and Ryoko would be here. They always watch Dai's practices, and I figured they'd come see him score a couple of goals before joining up with us, but even Dai isn't here!"

"Well, Dai was heading in the direction of the locker rooms," Taysuke said slowly. "Maybe he's still getting changed."

She glared so furiously at him that he shrugged and gave her a sheepish look. "That doesn't explain where Kara and Ryoko went. They promised they were going to come to your soccer game!" Honestly. Fish have more sense than he does!

Taysuke pulled on his orange t-shirt, which matched the colour of his hair, and frowned. "Maybe they're already at my house waiting for us. If we don't hurry up, I'm going to be late for my game. Mom and Dad are going to be there, and they're going to wonder what's happened to me if I don't show up."

Ema let out a sigh. Are boys always this clueless? How could Taysuke not see that something was wrong. Dai was never late for practice.

Taniko tapped her on the shoulder and Ema jumped. She had not realized that the other girl had come up behind her.

"Are we all ready to go?" Taniko asked, flashing a smile.

Taysuke latched onto the other girl's arm with relief and started down the hall. "We're ready," he said in a hurried voice.

Ema put her hands on her hips and glared after him. How dare he act as if he's afraid of me! "The nerve of him," she muttered.

"Who are you talking about?" Kenzo, who had come up behind her, gave her a curious look.

She stuck her nose in the air and fixed him with a dirty look. "Boys," she said in disgust. "I swear there isn't half a brain between you and Tay! The things we females have to put up with!" She turned on her heel and stalked away from him in anger. And Taysuke says I'm his best friend! "Yeah, I'll best friend him," she muttered.

Unfortunately her cousin Dai was a bigger concern right now than Taysuke. She cast one last worried glance at the soccer field before hurrying after Taysuke towards the Kamiya residence. She did not even bother to sniff at the startled look Kenzo sent her as she raced after Taysuke.

Noriko Motomiya

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

Noriko entered her house to find that her husband had come home just ahead of her. Davis was pulling off his shoes, and he gave her a warm smile when he spotted her. "Hey," he said softly, leaning forward to kiss her cheek.

She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and glanced anxiously towards the kitchen. "Hi, honey. Where are Ami and Dai?"

Davis gave her a startled look and frowned in confusion. "Ami went to Miya's house, and I believe Dai is still at soccer practice, why?"

Noriko frowned. She could not exactly say why, but ever since breakfast, she had had a strange feeling in the pit of her stomache. Call it mother's intuition, but she had a strong sensation that something wasn't right. She had not said anything when Dai and Ami left for school, but the feeling had kept getting worse as the day wore on. "Are you sure?"

Davis stared at her. "Ami just spoke to me about five minutes ago before she left and you got home. As for Dai, you know he has soccer practice." He came forward and put his arms around her. "What's wrong?" He said softly into her hair.

She clung tightly to him for a moment and pressed her face against his chest. They're fine. Nothings going to happen to them. Dai might act irresponsible sometimes, but he's quick to react if something goes wrong. I'm just worrying over nothing.

"Noriko?"

She glanced up and smiled at the worried expression on her husband's face. "I'm fine. I guess I was just worried. Dai was rather quiet this morning. It isn't like him and...I'm overreacting but...it made me uneasy."

Davis raised an eyebrow. "Considering the way he was punished yesterday, is it any wonder he wasn't too enthusiastic about speaking to us?"

Noriko sighed. She hated acting like the bad guy, but someone had to keep Dai from getting into too much trouble. Davis was always reluctant to discipline him and somehow it always fell to her. She gave her husband a glare, but it faded almost instantly into a smile. That was one of the things that had drawn her to him in the first place. He had a strong sense of right and wrong, compassion for others, and an enthusiasm for life. There were so many things she loved about him that it would take her a lifetime just to name them all. "You don't make my life easy," she said softly and reached up to run a hand through his hair.

Davis grinned at her, and she let out a squeal of surprise as he suddenly picked her up in his arms. "Maybe not," he said with a mischievous look in his eyes. "But I do make it exciting!"

She giggled and slapped him lightly on the chest feeling every bit as young as a teenager again. "Davis," she scolded, giving him a stern look. "What if Dai and Ami were here to see this? It wouldn't be very proper!"

Davis gave her a sly smile and carried her over to the couch. "Yeah, but they're not, which means you can't escape from me!"

He set her on the couch and gently kissed the side of her neck.

She shivered at his touch and wrapped her arms around him, her cheek coming to rest against the top of his head. Even after so many years, he still made her pulse race.

"Dai and Ami are fine," he murmured softly against her throat.

She nodded and ran her fingers down his back between his shoulder blades.

Despite her words, she still felt a nasty prickling sensation at the back of her mind telling her that danger awaited. She closed her eyes and felt comforted by the sound of Davis's strong heartbeat against her stomache.

"Maybe I'm just getting old," she murmured softly. She kissed his hair and sighed as he snuggled against her.

Davis let out a snort and slipped an arm around her. " Thirty-six is not old, Noriko," he said, his cheek resting against her heart. He smiled at her his brown eyes sparkling with laughter.

"Young enough to still have kids," she said, eyeing him and smiling.

Davis sat up and raised an eyebrow. "Did you want another kid? I'd be happy to help you out with that!"

"Davis!" She glanced at the door and gave him a disapproving look. "What if Dai heard you talking like that?"

Davis just rolled his eyes and pressed against her again. "I think we'd need to have another boy," he muttered. "You and Ami are already more than a match for me and Dai. We need to even the odds!"

She let out a laugh and squeezed him tightly. "You're the man! It's your job to decide!"

"Make me do the work," he grumbled. Then he grinned. "So that's why Ami and Dai turned out so great! Aren't I amazing?"

"You wish," she sniffed. "Besides, I had a hand in that too!"

He burst into laughter and hugged her tightly which made her giggle. "Dai and Ami are wonderful, aren't they?" She said softly.

"They're perfect," Davis murmured and leaned forward to kiss her.

She kissed him back and sighed at the taste of his lips against hers.

There was a sudden crash at the door and they both jerked up with a start. Davis, who'd been sprawled on top of her, nearly fell off the couch, and she grabbed his arm before he could end up on the floor.

She twisted around to see Shadow standing in the doorway. The puppy had his head turned to one side and, he was regarding them with curiosity. Somehow Shadow had managed to knock over a lamp that stood next to the couch. She exchanged a look with Davis and they both burst into laughter.

Cyber, Western Hemisphere, Digital World

"You have done very well today."

The low menacing voice echoed off the cavern walls sending uneasy shivers down the spine of the figure kneeling before him.

"Thank you, master," she responded. "Everything is done according to your instructions."

"What about the others?"

"They are still searching for Gennai," she replied, carefully keeping her eyes on the floor. "The Digidestined will be harmless without their help."

She turned and gave the third occupant of the room a look of contempt. The young man sat against the cold stone wall with his wrists and ankles chained. His head was lowered to his knees, and he appeared almost to be asleep. "There is much that Gennai has not told them about his plans. I don't think they even know that the Digidestined have arrived. Those kids will be easy prey." The man suddenly look up and their was a flash of anger in his eyes. She ignored him and focused on her master instead.

Her master let out a dangerous laugh. "Yes, they will be."

She glanced towards the wall at what looked like a misty screen floating in the air a couple of feet off the ground. At the moment, it showed the six Digidestined heading towards an old fortress. She smiled. "And to think it's their own parents who are placing them in the palm of our hands."

Inserted into the wall around the screen were eight crests. Each one glowed softly casting a faint light in the dark room.

The ninth crest was inserted into a stone pedestal that stood in front on the screen. It's orange glow made the pedestal look as if it was on fire. This was the crest that kept the others united. This crest, the Crest of Courage, was the mark of a leader.

She glared at it and turned to face her master again.

"With these crests, I have great power," he whispered. "But it is not enough. That is why you must gain possession of the D-Coders. Once I have their power, I will be unstoppable."

"Yes, master," she murmured.

The door opened behind her and four digimon walked into the room, their features hidden in the darkness.

"You all have you orders," their master whispered. "Do not fail me. If you do, there will be punishment."

"Of course, your wickedness," she replied and knelt in a curtsy.

Turning, she crossed her arms and glared at the others. "Well, what are you waiting for? You heard him, get moving!"

"There's no need to be hostile, Vampiramon," a male voice replied, sounding amused.

Vampiramon (Vam-peer-a-mon) tossed back her long red hair and smirked at him. "You want to see hostile? Wait till I deal with the Digidestined. You haven't seen anything yet!"

With a swish of her skirts, she stalked from the room with the others following in her wake.