Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: Another chapter with a new POV! Just a little note about my story Trinity, I've started the next chapter, but it's not done yet, and I'm not sure when it's going to be updated. I might have to postpone it for a little bit because I'm working some crazy hours over the next couple of weeks, so I may only get up one update a week for a while. They'll probably be for FTFOD. I haven't given up on Trinity, and I will get back to it as soon as I can.

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 94: Her Master's Army

Ami Motomiya

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

Ami Motomiya glanced nervously at her best friend, but Miya was gazing at the computer screen, and as a result the raven-haired girl did not notice the expression on her face. The two of them were clinging tightly to each other, and although the contact was somewhat comforting, it did nothing to ease the fear in her heart.

I hope our little brothers are alright. I know I haven't always been nice to Dai, but if anything ever happened to him...

"Look, Izzy! T.K. just sent you another email!" Noah said, tugging on the computer expert's arm to get his attention. "You'd better check and see what it says."

Ami waited anxiously for Izzy to pull the message up on the screen and let out a sigh of relief when she read the words T.K. had written. The message said:

You were right, Izzy!

The crests are definitely in here, and you must be right about their location, as well. The light coming from my D-3 has intensified, and I'm sure it happened as soon as we entered the castle. Ken's D-3 is also glowing brighter, and the same goes for Davis and the kids, though once again their Digivices aren't glowing as strongly as mine or Ken's. Do you think maybe their Digivices could be reacting to the crests, as well? You never answered my question earlier. I don't know how that's possible, but it's the only explanation that makes sense. Let me know what you think. By the way, Luciamon came up with the idea of a rock slide to get us into the castle. Why didn't you come up with a brilliant plan to get us inside? Are you losing your touch? (I'm kidding! Really, I am!) They've had rock slides here before so none of the guards noticed anything out of the ordinary. We're on our way to the next weak point.

T.K.

"Dad, you're not really losing your touch, are you?" Taniko grinned.

Izzy sent the offending email a dirty look and crossed his arms. "Of course not! I just...forgot they needed a diversion in order to get inside."

"Right," Ema snorted.

They watched the little coloured dots begin to move down the hallway, and Ami frowned. I hope Dai and Ryoko are getting along.

Unlike her darling little brother, she was quite fond of Ryoko. He could be very sweet when he wanted to be, and his smile made her feel weak in the knees. In fact, she was starting to wonder if maybe she did have feelings for the golden-haired Digidestined, after all. Miya certainly seemed to think she did, and she was pretty sure her cousin Noah thought so, as well, but she would die of embarrassment if her brother and Ema ever found out.

Then again, I think Dai might be hiding his own secret about Ryoko.

Dai was constantly griping about the golden-haired Digidestined, but she was pretty sure his attitude towards the blond was just an act. She had seen the way he would glance at Ryoko when he thought the golden-haired Digidestined wasn't looking, and the expression on his face was always sad and filled with regret. Obviously it bothered him that his friendship with Ryoko was anything but solid, but as usual he was too stubborn to admit it.

What Dai really needs is two best friends, not just one, and I don't think there's anyone out there other than Ryoko who would be suitable enough to stand next to Matty in that position. I know my brother, and I know he's not satisfied. As much as he cares about Matty, I know that's not enough for Dai. Not because there's anything wrong with Matty, he's a great friend to Dai, it's because Dai's the type of person who recognizes that best friends have to be people who are special, and sometimes there can be more than one person who fits that description. Best friends can't be just anyone, nor does it mean you have to settle for one. Both Matty and Ryoko are important because they both offer something unique to Dai, which the other may not be able to offer. There's just one difference between Matty and Ryoko. Matty has always had Mickey by his side, but Ryoko hasn't had anyone, and I think that's why Matty hasn't outright objected to the idea of Ryoko and Dai becoming closer friends. At the moment it looks like he's willing to step aside and do his best to help his cousin. He recognizes the powerful connection that Dai and Ryoko seem to share. At least...I hope he does. Ryoko needs Dai every bit as much as Matty, and Dai...he needs both of them.

She knew what it felt like to have the perfect best friend, and she wanted her little brother to know what it felt like, too. Only in Dai's case, she wanted him to share the experience with more than just one person, making it that much more special.

"Are you okay?" Miya whispered in her ear.

Ami suddenly realized her best friend had been watching her closely, and she gave the other girl a tight hug. "I'm fine, Miya, but thanks for asking."

"No problem. Are you worried about Dai just as much as I'm worried about Sam?"

"Yes, but at least you have Noah here to comfort you. I'm not so lucky."

Miya blushed and let out a sigh of relief when Noah did not look in their direction. "Well, I'm sure Ryoko would love to comfort you if he was here!"

"Miya!"

"You really like him, don't you?"

Ami hid her face against her friend's shoulder and shrugged. "I guess so. There, I said it. Now when are you going to admit you like my cousin?"

"Oh, alright! I do like him, but obviously he cares about Shina more than he cares about me!"

"No, he doesn't, but you'll find that out soon enough."

Miya's mouth fell open, but Ami quickly turned her attention back to the computer screen before her friend could respond. Although she would never admit it to anyone, she wanted Dai and Ryoko to become friends because her brother was a good judge of character, and she did not think she wanted to fall for someone he truly despised.

"I hope Sam's okay," Nao said quietly, his small arms going around his mother's waist.

Rina patted her friend's shoulder and beamed at him. "He's fine, Nao, and so are Mickey and Matty."

"What if they get caught?" Yolei moaned.

"They won't," Kari said firmly. "Right, Izzy?"

Izzy gave her an encouraging smile and nodded. "They'll be okay. They have my help, remember?"

"Just...be careful, Dad," Taniko said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

Taniko frowned and shook her head. "I don't know, but...something doesn't feel right."

Ami stared at the younger girl and slowly nodded in agreement. She, too, had a horrible feeling Dai and the others weren't going to make it to the crests without something terrible happening, and that was why she was very glad her dad had gone with them to help out.

Leomon

Cyber, Western Hemisphere, Digital World

"Leomon, do you think Vampiramon and the others realize we're here?"

Leomon glanced over his right shoulder and spotted Andromon standing behind him. The android digimon looked worried, and he kept glancing at Benjamin and the others as if making sure they were ready for battle.

It might come to that if we can't find a way to get past Vampiramon and her welcoming committee.

He turned to look back at the clearing where Vampiramon and her gang of evil digimon were setting up camp, and his fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword. "I do not think they've discovered where we've been hiding yet, but they know we're close by. That's why they've chosen to stand watch here in the forest. I am by no means sure, but I do not think they will try to attack us unless we try to get past them."

"Well that's comforting," Ogremon said sarcastically. The virus digimon had come up behind Andromon with a smirk on his face, and the look he directed at the clearing was filled with disgust. "How much do you want to bet they know the Digidestined are on their way to get the crests back?"

"Probably," Ilya sighed, jumping to his feet and tugging impatiently on his robes. "It's a good thing Agumon and the others were able to find us and let us know."

"You're welcome!" Gomamon said cheerfully.

"Where's Whamon?" Andromon asked.

"He's waiting for us back at the shore in case we need to make an escape."

"Good idea."

Leomon's gaze came to rest on Vampiramon, and he glared at the mega level digimon. He, along with Benjamin and the others, had travelled all over the Eastern Hemisphere in hopes of finding out where Vampiramon and her buddies were hiding. Thier search had eventually led them to the Western Hemisphere, and Whamon's message from Izzy had only proved what they had already come to believe with the help of information from other digimon. Like the Digidestined, there had been digimon on File Island who had also seen Vampiramon and the others heading west. They, like the Digidestined, had been right. Vampiramon and the others were hiding out on Cyber. Many of the digimon in the Western Hemisphere had gone into hiding, as well, and with the help of some of those digimon, whom they had stumbled upon in the forest, they had discovered that Vampiramon's master was using an old castle as a fort. Luckily Veemon had informed Agumon about the Digidestined's discovery concerning Vampiramon before the two had parted, and that was why they knew Dai and the others had seen Spritemon and the vampire digimon heading west. "Agumon, do the Digidestined know about Vampiramon's base?"

Agumon came up beside him and managed a weak smile. "No, and we have no way of letting them know either. Vampiramon and the others will spot us for sure if we try to leave the forest."

"That's why we can't go running back to Whamon unless it's absolutely necessary," Gatomon confirmed. "T.K. and the others didn't know anything about the fort when we talked to them earlier, but that doesn't mean they don't know now. I wouldn't worry about them, Leomon, if I were you. They're not a bunch of scared little kittens who are going to run at the first sign of danger. You know that better than anyone else, my friend."

Leomon smiled slightly and nodded. "Indeed I do, Gatomon, and that includes Daichi Motomiya and the rest of the new Digidestined. They have proven they're capable of saving the Digital World."

"If you want to know the truth, I think Davis and the others have a better chance of finding the crests and Gennai than we do!" Hawkmon sniffed. "T.K.'s and Ken's D-3s will respond to their crests and lead them directly to the castle, if indeed that's where they're hidden. Gennai is most likely stowed away in the castle, as well, which means they're further ahead than we are."

"You're right!" Tentomon gasped, fluttering into the air and taking a good look at Vampiramon's campsite. "I hadn't even thought of that. I guess we don't have to worry about them after all."

"Are you kidding me? I think that means we have to worry even more!" Biyomon muttered.

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about them not knowing where to go."

Benjamin and his counterparts slowly came forward, and they smiled at Biyomon.

"Daichi and his friends will succeed," Benjamin said softly, leaning down and gently placing his hand on the bird digimon's head.

Jackie nodded in agreement and smiled slightly. "Leomon was the one who taught us that."

"They might be able to succeed, but what about us?" Ogremon demanded. "If anyone has come up with a way to get past Vampiramon and her gang of rough looking digimon, I'd like to hear it."

Leomon placed a hand on his friend's green shoulder and frowned at Vampiramon's campsite. The vampire digimon, along with her buddies she had called Jestermon and BlackWidowmon, were currently ordering their flunkies around and trying to set up a watch. He wasn't sure how long they had been in the forest, but they could not have been there too long because they were still trying to get organized. Unfortunately he had no way of knowing for sure because he had only stumbled upon them several minutes ago, just after he had found out about their castle from the digimon native to Cyber. That was why they had not had a chance to warn the Digidestined about the fort.

"What's that?" Centarumon asked, pointing to a makeshift tent located at the edge of the clearing furthest away from them. The tent flaps rustled slightly in the breeze, and the entrance was heavily guarded by a group of dangerous looking digimon. Their leader appeared to be a Persiamon who was flirting outrageously with a digimon named Phelesmon. The male digimon was clearly her second-in-command and appeared to be enjoying her attention.

"They're waiting for us," Hogan murmured, his hand tightening on Jose's arm. "They know we're in the forest, and they're going to do everything they can to stop us from reaching Gennai, their fort, and the Digidestined."

"I don't think that tent is empty," Penguinmon said, glancing nervously around Benjamin's leg for a better view.

Leomon glanced at the tent again and felt a shiver race down his spine. Judging by the numerous digimon who were guarding the black structure, he was pretty sure they had just come face to face with Vampiramon's master.