Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: This is the final 'totally had writer's block and was stalling for time chapter' left, and after this the story will start to move faster again. Coming up next after this chapter will be one of my favorite chapters to date, and I hope you will all like it! It will be called The Fabled Lucemon. So, longer chapters will be coming again, and I apologize for this one. But, despite that, I hope you all enjoy it!

Chapter 188: A Touch of Confusion

Sam Ichijouji

File Island, Eastern Hemisphere, Digital World

After finding a decent landing spot on the west side of Infinity Mountain, Sam stood quietly next to Noriko, contemplating the email Izzy had just sent them while they were still in the air. As far as he could tell, it looked like they were approximately three quarters of the way up the mountain, and judging from the positions of all his other friends, though it wasn't always easy to tell, it looked like they, too, including Dai, were closing in on the peak.

But what will we do once we get there? It isn't going to be easy to save Kara, and with everyone acting every bit as miserable as I am, how are we supposed to stay one step ahead of Vampiramon and all her evil friends? I hope Mickey's doing okay. I wasn't exactly being very nice to him earlier...

Feeling a little guilty over his earlier behaviour, Sam ducked his head in embarrassment, uncertain of whether or not he should speak, and realizing all of a sudden that if he didn't say anything they might not ever start moving towards the peak he mumbled, "So, um...what are we going to do now?"

Frowning, Davis said slowly, "The only thing we can do, I guess. As much as I don't like it, we're just going to have to do what Izzy tells us to do, even if that means leaving Tai and the others to fend for themselves."

"I hope Spritemon hasn't gone after Tai's group," Noriko sighed, shaking her head in despair.

"She's not the only one I'm worried about," Joe said seriously, his dark eyes glancing up towards the very top of the mountain. "What about those two digimon who left the peak earlier? If they decide to go after Dai..."

"Let's hope they've decided to come after us instead," Dracomon murmured, anxiously fluttering his wings. "As much as I don't want to fight, it would, like Izzy said, give Tai and Daichi a chance to reach the peak without getting ambushed."

"But...for Dai's sake, we still need to reach the peak ourselves," Noriko reminded the champion, her dark eyes narrowing into a deep frown. "We can't do that if we're tied up in fighting a bunch of megas and an evil champion."

"It's too bad they have Kara's D-Coder," Gomamon complained, shaking his head in disgust. "If it weren't for her Digivice they wouldn't have a clue where we are, or any of our friends for that matter."

"What about our spy?" Joe reminded his partner.

"Hopefully she's still too busy digging herself out of the rubble to bother with any of us for the moment."

And if she's not?

Sam glanced anxiously at Davis, and biting his lower lip he said nervously, "What about Dai? Spritemon said she had someone spying on him, and if Mickey's right and it was Jestermon then that means there's only one digimon left waiting for us on the peak of Infinity Mountain. Think about it. If two digimon have left the peak and Spritemon and Jestermon were our spies then that leaves only one."

"And it also means that Dai might be in big trouble, especially if all four digimon have decided to go after him," ExVeemon growled, clenching his hands into tight fists.

Slipping an arm around his wife's shoulders, Davis said quietly, "Let's not think about that right now. Besides, we don't know if they're going after Dai. Remember what Spritemon said. They don't want all of us to be separated, which means I think it's more likely they'll try to come after everyone but Dai."

"I hope you're right," Penguinmon mumbled, though he didn't look very convinced.

"Besides, are we really going to take anything Spritemon says very seriously?" Gomamon snorted.

"Uh...Gomamon, if you put it that way it means she's lying about there being a spy after Dai, but she's also lying about wanting to come after all of us instead of our new leader," Joe reminded his digimon, shaking his head in exasperation. "That's not very encouraging, you know."

"Huh? Oh! Uh...sorry."

"Look, Izzy says we're supposed to keep heading towards the peak, and to keep our enemies distracted if we can, and that's what we're going to do," Noriko said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument "It's important we reach the peak, too, but we also have to give Daichi and Tai time to get there as well. That's what we need to focus on right now. Everything else can wait."

"Sounds good," Davis agreed, smiling at his wife. "Let's get going, everyone."

Walking quietly next to his partner, Sam followed along at the back of the group, and shaking his head in despair, he lifted his head to gaze miserably at the brilliant blue sky sprinkled with white puffy clouds hovering above the forests, valleys, and mountains that made up the beautiful landscape surrounding Infinity Mountain, but despite the sun's warm rays he felt strangely cold.

Dad...What would you do if you were here?

"Sam, is there something wrong?" Dracomon asked quietly, reaching out to place a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Glancing up at his partner, Sam said softly, "Do you remember my dream I told you about this morning before we left for school? You know...the one I mentioned while Mickey and Matty were still sleeping?"

"The dream about your uncle. Yes, I remember."

"I didn't want to tell you at first because I knew it would make you worry about me, and you were already so stressed from the night before..."

"What made you decide to tell me?"

Blushing, Sam said softly, "You're my partner. I had to tell you. We wouldn't make a very good team if we started keeping secrets from one another."

"Sam...even when your heart is covered in darkness, you do not forget what is truly important. I am very proud of you, as are your friends."

Turning an even deeper shade of red, Sam quickly looked away from his partner, and uncertain of how to put his thoughts into words, he mumbled, "Do you think maybe...you know...I should tell the others?"

"Do you want to tell them?"

"They'll just laugh at me and tell me it was only a dream."

"Sam, why do you speak such words when you do not believe them yourself? Mickey and the others would never laugh at you."

Deep in his heart, Sam knew what Dracomon had said was true, but even so, he was reluctant to tell his friends what was on his mind, which wasn't surprising considering the way so many of them had hurt him lately. Mickey especially would be convinced that his dream was somehow significant, but even so he still felt uneasy about mentioning his uncle.

Dad...What would you say if I told you about my dream?

"Sam, you know what you have to do," Dracomon said quietly, glancing back over his shoulder to make sure they weren't being followed.

"I know. I...I'll tell them tonight, once we get back to the human world, but..."

"What's the matter, Sam?"

"It's just...Dai and Ryoko...Why is it so hard for me to stay mad at them?"

Laughing softly, Dracomon gently pulled him close in a hug, and ruffling his dark hair, the champion said softly, "In your heart you deeply regret the way you treated them yesterday afternoon. Perhaps in time, you will start to feel the same way about your father..."

But...what if I already do?

Ducking his head again, Sam frowned thoughtfully at the group walking ahead of him, and clenching his hands into fists he said miserably, "None of you understand."

"Then help us to understand. We cannot help you if you refuse to tell us what is truly in your heart."

For a moment, Sam was uncertain of whether or not he should say anything, but then realizing he had already promised himself that he would not keep secrets from his partner he said hesitantly, "I'm sad and angry about what he did, but...at the same time I'm also so disappointed in him. I'm his son, Dracomon! How can he keep secrets like that from me? Doesn't he trust me enough to believe in him?"

"Sam, look at the way you're acting now. Isn't it obvious why he didn't tell you?"

"That's exactly my point! He didn't trust me enough to believe that I'd be able to forgive him."

For a moment, Dracomon looked unable to utter a sound and Sam felt his cheeks turn pink, but just when he thought his partner wasn't going to respond, Dracomon said quietly, "Sam, is that what you really believe? Don't you think your father would have had a better reason for keeping such a huge secret from you than that?"

"To protect me, I know, but that doesn't change the fact that he believed right from the very beginning that I wouldn't be able to forgive him. Why? Because he hasn't learned how to forgive himself yet, and because of that he doesn't really believe he should be forgiven!"

"Sam, are you saying you're not angry at your father for being the Emperor?"

"Of course I am. I would be lying of I said it didn't bother me, but...in my heart...I know that's not really the reason why I feel so angry. It's just...how can he expect me to forgive him if he can't even forgive himself? I've always admired him, believed in him so...so why couldn't he believe in me?"

"Sam..."

Feeling vulnerable, Sam was unable to look at his partner, and tears stinging his eyes, he whispered, "I don't like feeling so much anger towards other people. I...I just want to be me again. The person I used to be..."

Mickey, you've always had a way of seeing the good in everyone, even if they can't always see it in themselves. I wish I could be more like you...

"Sam, listen to me," Dracomon said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If you-"

"What was that?" Noriko suddenly gasped, coming to a stop and lifting her head to squint at the sky.

Frowning in confusion, Sam glanced uncertainly at his partner, and lowering his head to look at his feet, he jumped when the shadow of a bat suddenly passed over his head, its dark form moving swiftly across the ground.

"It's her!" ExVeemon shouted, motioning for Dracomon to join him. "Vampiramon."

Diving out of the sky, the bat settled itself on the path directly in front of them, and swiftly changing form, the bat became Vampiramon, who did not look very happy at the moment.

"She must have been one of the two digimon who left the peak," Noriko whispered to Davis, tugging anxiously on the former leader's arm.

Glaring at them, her long skirts and her black cape rustling in the breeze, Vampiramon said coldly, "You fools aren't DarkAngelicmon."

Huh?

Sam stared at the vampire digimon in confusion, and scratching the back of his dark head, he said, "Uh...no, last time I checked. Um...why are you looking for him? We thought he was with you."

"That's none of your business! Though I wonder...where could he have gone? Perhaps after Daichi?"

"It seems DarkAngelicmon must have been the second digimon to leave the peak, but...that doesn't make any sense at all," Joe said quietly, glancing at Davis for a second opinion. "I mean...he was the one who was so insistent about confronting us at the peak, and if that's the case why would he leave now, especially when we're so close to the top?"

Shaking his head, Davis muttered, "Beats me. Evil digimon have a weird way of thinking sometimes."

"You there! Davis! Have you seen DarkAngelicmon lately?" Vampiramon demanded, catching the former leader off guard. "Have you crossed paths with him recently?"

"Um...no. We haven't seen him since he took Tai's daughter from us."

"Well then...I suppose that just means I'll have to deal with the four of you first. So...trying to catch us off guard, were you? What other reason could you possibly have had for splitting up? Don't you fools know how to follow orders?"

Raising his eyebrows, Davis said dryly, "I've never been very good at following orders."

"Is that so?" Vampiramon smirked, placing her hands on her hips. "Well then, I guess that means you're going to learn a valuable lesson today. And look at that, you don't even have any megas to help you this time. This battle is going to be far too easy."

"I wouldn't be so confident if I were you," ExVeemon shot back, launching himself into the air, Dracomon quickly following his lead.

Pulling out her knife, which seemed to appear miraculously in her hand, Vampiramon titled her head to the side and said coldly, "Now, you die."