Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
A/N: And finally back with another chapter! Now, I'm thinking the middle part is a load of sap, so I'll have to apologize in advance. I've gotten much better at putting just the right amount of sap (not too much, but not too little) in all my other stories, but for some reason with this particular story I just seem to fail miserably at that, even in the later chapters. *sigh* Something about this story just seems to bring out the worst in me. Anyways, thank you to all my reviewers for your kind words (that I don't deserve) and your always helpful criticism. I will make sure like usual to look back for any missed mistakes. (Because I always miss some after the first post, and usually the second and third too.)
Following the Footsteps of Destiny
Chapter 218: Sharing the Fear
Ken Ichijouji
Server, Eastern Hemisphere, Digital World
"Well, we're here," Leomon announced, nodding towards a medium-sized building nestled in a small clearing up ahead.
The area of the swamp where the lodge was locaated was thankfully surrounded by much more foilage than other areas they had recently passed through, and the ground was far less sticky, much to Ken's relief. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought this part of the swamp was actually a small forest, which was slightly deceiving due to the fact that the trees thinned out again about a kilometre to the north, the direction they were currently heading in to reach the town of Modem. Though the lodge was in good shape, it obviously hadn't been used in quite a while, as it was in need of a few minor repairs, but despite that Ken liked their temporary quarters for the night. The place had a nice, comforting feel to it, almost like it was welcoming them to stay the night.
"It's so pretty here!" Takara sighed, beaming at the quaint country lodge up ahead. It reminded Ken of the type of lodge you would see at a ski resort. It definitely looked like the kind of place to go after a fun filled round of skiing, snowboarding, or tubing.
"The springs are behind the lodge if you want to wash up," Leomon informed Takara. "You can reach them through the back entrance of the lodge."
"But before we take a dip in the springs, I think we should probably eat first," Rosa announced, ignoring Takara's attempts to protest. "It's been a long day, and I know all of you are hungry, even if you won't admit it. We did miss dinner, after all."
"But...but...Oh, fine," Takara groaned, making a face. "I am really hungry and it's not like all this mud is hurting me, even if it does feel uncomfortable."
"Poor girl," Mimi said sympathetically, giving the younger girl a quick kiss on the cheek rather than a hug to avoid getting dirty herself.
"As much as I feel uncomfortable myself, Rosa's right," Cody insisted, smiling at his wife. "Food has to be our number one priority. We need to keep up our strength and energy in case Vampiramon and the others come looking for us. It's especially important for our digimon to eat. We need them to be in top digivolving form at all times."
"You won't hear any complaints from me!" Embermon agreed wholeheartedly, nodding his head for emphasis.
"Also, it's best if we eat now before the storm starts," Rosa added, lifting her chin to gaze anxiously at the dark sky hovering above the swamp. Not a single star or the moon could be seen, which meant the sky was indeed very cloudy and threatening to burst. "We've been lucky so far, but our luck isn't going to last forever. It's definitely going to rain tonight, and I don't know about you guys, but I want something warm and nicely cooked to eat tonight. Best to get the fire going while we still have a chance."
"Which brings us to who's going to do what," Matt finished, his sapphire eyes scanning over the group, as if measuring their worth. "Dai, you'll be in charge of gathering wood for the fire with Mickey and Cody. It might be hard since the ground is still a bit wet, but try to find as many dry pieces as possible, or our fire will be non-existent. And don't stray too far from the clearing. Make sure your digimon are with you at all times, got it?"
"Easy," Dai replied, giving Matt a playful salute. "You can definitely count on us!"
Matt stared at the goggle-headed leader for a moment before turning to Cody with a slight smirk on his face. "Make sure you watch him especially."
"Hey! Thanks a lot, Matt!"
"Don't worry, Matt, we'll keep out partners safe," Halomon said firmly, beaming at the golden-haired Digidestined.
Celestimon, who was curled up against Mickey's thigh with Halomon, reluctantly fluttered back over to his own partner, settling himself in Matty's lap before whispering something softly in the younger twin's ear.
Ken secretly suspected that Matty had asked Celestimon to help Halomon watch over Mickey, but due to his own set of problems he hadn't found the time to mention it to the other adults yet. Obviously something had happened between Mickey and Matty earlier, but unfortunately Ken just didn't have the energy to figure out exactly what.
Sam...
"Matty, why don't you, Takara, Rosa, and Yolei get the cabin ready for us," Matt continued, gesturing to where the lodge was. "Ryoko, Mimi, Sam, and Ken can be in charge of the cooking. Izzy, you do what you have to do on your computer and I'll help Leomon stand watch until we're ready for supper. Sound good?"
Though the others were quick to agree with Matt, Ken wasn't so sure. After all, he was in the same group as Sam, which he secretly suspected Matt had done on purpose, and that could definitely lead to some problems, ones he did not want to face.
Sam...if you would just talk to me...
"Okay, everyone, the quicker we get this done the sooner we can eat!" Dai cheered, pumping his fist into the air.
"And after you've all had a bath in the springs, the six of you can spend some time getting your homework done," Yolei announced, looking quite satisfied with herself over what she clearly thought was a sudden stroke of brilliance.
The look on Dai's face was priceless. "W-what?"
"You all brought your backpacks with you, didn't you? I know you guys don't get a lot of homework, but you still need to get what you have done by Monday, and since it looks like we're going to be spending the entire weekend in the Digital World, it's not like you're all going to have time to do it at home. Best to get it done now before the fighting starts, don't you think?"
Since it appeared that Dai had been struck momentarily speechless, Matty answered for him. "You have got to be kidding me."
"We're trying to save the Digital World from being overrun by evil digimon and you're worried about homework?" Ryoko sputtered, staring at Yolei in disbelief.
"Just because you're saving the Digital World that doesn't mean it's going to stop Mrs. Hanari from giving you all detention if you don't get your homework done."
"And what's more scary, the Ruler of Darkness or Mrs. Hanari?" Rosa teased.
Dai, much to Ken's amusement, seemed to be seriously pondering the answer to Rosa's question. "You know...that's debatable, I think."
"Oh, Dai," Takara sighed, laughing at the goggle-headed leader's response.
"Then it's settled," Yolei announced, clearly pleased with herself. "After a bath, it's time for homework."
"But-"
"That's enough out of you, Daichi. Now stop talking back to me, and go get that wood so we can eat. The sooner you eat, the sooner you can get your homework done."
"Where does she get off yelling at me?" Dai grumbled to Mickey as they were getting ready to leave. "It's like having two annoying mothers instead of just one."
"I heard that!" Yolei shouted after the goggle-headed leader, rolling her eyes and smiling fondly at Dai's retreating back.
Ken watched the two boys leave with Cody and their digimon partners, and he let out a soft sigh before turning to gaze at Sam, who was staring moodily into the trees.
Though he and his wife only had three biological children, the fact that they had unofficially adopted well over ten others, if you included Sam's cousins, the new Digidestined team, and all of the siblings of the new Digidestined team, it wasn't easy being a parent, something Ken was finding out the hard way. Somehow, though, he was going to have to get through to Sam before the Ruler of Darkness and his minions got to his son first.
Daichi 'Dai' Motomiya
Server, Eastern Hemisphere, Digital World
"How does this piece look, Embermon? Think you can start a fire with this?"
At the sound of his name being called, Embermon quickly hurried over to examine the broken branch Dai held out for inspection, and giving the potential piece of kindling a critical look, he nodded his approval. "It should be fine. Better add it to the pile."
"This is turning out to be a harder job than I thought it would be, especially since you're so picky."
"A fire isn't something you just throw together to stay warm, or even for stuffing your face with food, much as I happen to enjoy both," Embermon scolded, a stern expression on his mini dragon-like face. "Building a fire is a work of art! In order to have the best fire, you need the best wood. End of story. Now, less talking and more searching, Dai."
Dai couldn't help rolling his eyes at his partner's obscene amount of enthusiasm for such a simple task as building a fire, and giving the little rookie a mock salute, he said sarcastically, "Yes sir. Right away, sir."
Embermon, for his part, simply ignored Dai and proceeded to search the ground for any more wood that would be sufficient enough to meet his satisfaction.
Next time I think I'll help out with standing watch.
Though he would never admit it, he was definitely envying Matt right at that moment.
Speaking of Matt, I wonder how all of the others are doing, especially Sam...
Dai lifted his gaze from the murky ground to stare at Mickey, who was searching the damp earth a few feet away from him with Halomon, and shaking his head he frowned at the older twin's somewhat sad expression.
When Mickey was upset, it wasn't something you could just brush under the rug and simply forget about. As a general rule, Mickey was the kind of person who radiated a deep scene of peace and tranquility, and even though he wasn't the most vocal member of the group by any means, that didn't prevent his normally happy attitude from shining through his calm, more silent exterior. His serene smiles and vibrant amber eyes were always so thoughtful and full of understanding, which was why they were so effective at getting his peers to open up to him. It was quite literally impossible not to want to spill your soul to Mickey if it meant a chance to heal in the warm glow that always seemed to surround him.
Dai wasn't exactly sure how to put it into words, but Mickey seemed to glow with an inner light that wasn't exactly visible, as it wasn't really something you could see, but you could feel it, and it could be a powerful motivator if you were feeling sad and lonely. Matty had it, as well, but even though Mickey and Matty were identical twins, it was different in both of them and it showed itself in different ways. There was light and darkness inside of everyone, which anyone who was observant enough to notice it could often glimpse in the people around them, but in Mickey's case the light pulsing inside of him seemed to shine just a little more radiantly than it did in others, probably due mostly to the fact that Mickey was the kind of person who did not try to hide who he was on the inside, even if that did make him more vulnerable to the pain and suffering of others.
And because of that inner light Mickey put on display for all those around him to see and feel, when he was upset and the light inside of him was flickering in the darkness, people stood up and took notice.
It wasn't normal for Mickey's heart to be wavering in the darkness. It just wasn't Mickey, and the heavy cloud his sudden change of attitude had cast over the group was not something Daichi could ignore very easily.
Dai had to admit, he was worried. When Mickey wasn't acting like himself, all of them tended to suffer as a result, and considering they already had problems with Sam, for Mickey to be acting in such an unusual manner, it definitely wasn't good for team morale, especially when it came to Sam. Sam needed Mickey's strength if he was ever going to find the courage to forgive his father, but how much more could Mickey give up of himself before there was nothing left to give?
I think sometimes maybe we expect too much from Mickey, but he never complains. How much longer can he keep selflessly putting all of his energy into helping us when the person he really needs to help the most is himself?
It was a humbling thought, and it disturbed Dai so much, he let the stack of wood in his hands fall to the ground in a heap before he promptly turned on his heels and headed towards Mickey, a determined look on his face.
A little further ahead in the trees, Cody was searching for stray kindling with Armadillomon, close enough to remain in sight, but not close enough to hear what they were saying. It was the perfect opportunity to talk to Mickey, and Dai, of course, was going to take advantage of it.
"Hello, Dai!" Halomon called cheerfully, hugging a broken stick to his chest that was almost as big as his own body. "Have you come to help us look?"
"Sure, why not? It's not like Embermon needs my help, so I might as well help you guys. He's made that pretty plain, that's for sure."
"Oh...Um...I don't get it."
"Well, for one thing, he keeps criticizing every piece of wood I offer him, and he keeps rambling on about how I'm not putting enough effort into finding the right kind of pieces to use. If you want to know the truth, it's exhausting trying to work with him."
"Oh, I get it now!"
"Better than me, I hope."
Halomon glanced at the lage piece of wood in his small arms, and tilting his head to the side he frowned critically at the broken branch, his sapphire eyes silently debating its worthiness for a fiery death. "Do you think Embermon will like this piece?"
"Looks good enough to me. Then again, Embermon doesn't trust my judgment, so you might want to ask him yourself."
"Okay, I'll do that!"
Dai watched Halomon flutter off with the large piece of wood he'd been holding dangling in his hands, joining Embermon in the darkness, and turning to the older twin kneeling beside him, he gave a half sort of smile and proceeded to search the ground beneath his feet for some decent branches.
"Needed a break?" Mickey asked quietly, a slight smile on his face.
"From Embermon? Definitely. He was driving me nuts being so picky about every piece I picked up. I don't know what the big deal is. We're just building a fire. It's not we're hurling flaming logs of bark at the Ruler of Darkness or something."
Mickey let out a soft laugh, and gazing at the small pile of branches he'd made with Halomon, he brushed a few stray strands of blond hair out of his eyes, his thoughts clearly focused on something other than the firewood they were collecting.
"You're worried about something. I don't like it."
The words had come out of Dai's mouth before he'd even had a chance to think about what he wanted to say, and turning to look at him, Mickey remained silent, his face half hidden in shadow.
"Mickey, I have doubts about myself just like everyone else. In fact, you witnessed that for yourself yesterday, but as a general rule, I don't get scared very easily. You being worried, though? That scares me. It scares me a lot."
In the darkness, Mickey turned his face away, but not before Dai caught the guilty look on the golden-haired Digidestined's face. When he spoke, Mickey's words were almost lost in the gloom of twilight. "Isn't it funny how everything can change in such a short amount of time? I hardly remember what it feels like not to be worried anymore."
"Mickey..."
"I'm sorry I've disappointed all of you," Mickey whispered, hanging his head in shame.
For some reason Mickey's actions felt like a knife to Dai's heart, and clenching his hands into fists he glared at the older twin, angry, not at Mickey, but at himself for allowing Mickey to end up in such a state of despair. "Don't be stupid. You have nothing to be sorry for. If anything, we should be apologizing to you. You're one person, Mickey. You can't expect to solve everything by yourself."
"But-"
"I know you're worried about Sam and I know there's something going on with you and Matty, but that doesn't mean you have to face it all by yourself. Sometimes..."
"Dai?"
Dai hesitated, unsure of how to put his thoughts into words before saying, "This is gonna sound weird coming from me, cause I'm not really good with this kind of thing, but...sometimes I think we expect too much of you, and because we rely on you more than we have a right to, I think we sometimes forget to help ourselves. It's not fair to you and it isn't fair to expect you to be perfect all the time either."
"But...I like helping you guys," Mickey said shyly, unable to make direct eye contact. "I want to help you guys."
"I know you do. I guess what I'm trying to say is...don't get so caught up in trying to solve everything for everyone that you end up forgetting to help the one person who's just as important as the rest of us and needs help every bit as much as we do."
"W-who would that be?"
Dai quickly put his hands on Mickey's shoulders, and rolling his dark eyes he gave the older twin a gentle shake. "You, Mickey. You. How do you expect to help everyone if you can't even help yourself first? We'd be lost without you, but...you'd be lost without us, too."
"Dai...I..."
"Just don't forget that you're not alone. We all want to help Sam, and we want you and Matty to fix whatever it is that's not right between the two of you. Maybe I don't fully understand, since I don't have a twin myself, but it's not right for you and Matty to be acting this way, that much I know for sure. You and Matty might be twins, but you have to remember that you're also two very different people, and you need to appreciate those differences and make use of them if you guys really want to be the best brothers to each other that you can be. Like I said before, don't try to do everything by yourself. That's what we're here for. We're here to be there for you when you need us most of all."
"I'm scared, Dai."
Now that they were face to face, Dai could see Mickey's expression clearly, and he could tell the older twin was fighting back tears.
"I'm scared, too."
"But...but I'm not like you," Mickey whispered, closing his amber eyes to fight off the tears. "It isn't so easy for me to shake off my fear. I can't..."
Dai had to admit it, he hated seeing Mickey acting so helpless. It just wasn't Mickey. His friends were not just his friends. They were like family to him, and he couldn't imagine his life without them. He had known Mickey and the others since before he could walk and talk, and that wasn't something he could forget. The strong bond he had with them wasn't something he could throw away so easily.
No, they weren't just his friends, they were his brothers, and Takara...well, she was something else entirely, something he had yet to fully admit, even to himself.
"Mickey, if there's one thing my parents have taught me, it's never to give up on myself or on the people who are important to me. I haven't given up on Sam or Matty, and I'm definitely not giving up on you either."
"I-I...I'm not..."
"Listen to me," Dai insisted, hugging the older twin roughly around the neck. "Just stop trying to talk for a second and listen to me. If you don't feel like you have the courage to face this all alone, then you don't have to. That's what I'm here for. I'll lend you some of mine and we'll face it together."
Dai could feel Mickey clinging to him, the golden-haired Digidestined's pale face burying itself against his shoulder, and shaking his head he glared at the dark sky hanging above his head. He wasn't going to let this happen to his friends. They would find a way to fix everything. Somehow, some way, they would rise above the darkness threatening to overwhelm them. He wouldn't give the Ruler of Darkness the satisfaction of thinking he'd won.
After a couple of minutes of silence, Mickey managed to stop trembling, and when he lifted his head he appeared much calmer and more relaxed, his amber eyes looking slightly less haunted than they had before. "Thanks, Dai."
"That's what I'm here for, right? Just don't forget what I said. Don't forget about you, okay?"
"That's why you're our leader," Mickey replied, his smile finally reaching his bright amber eyes. "And that's why I would follow you anywhere, even if it might not seem like we're always on the right course."
Mickey's words were so similar to something Ryoko had said to him earlier that for a moment all Dai could do was stare at the older twin. "You...heard that?"
He had thought only Takara and their digimon had been listening at the time.
"My cousin never says anything he doesn't mean," Mickey informed him, pulling away and climbing slowly to his feet. "And for the record, I think you and Kara are perfect for each other."
Wait...what?
Dai gaped at Mickey, but before he could respond, they were joined by Cody and Armadillomon.
"I think this should be enough wood," Cody announced, a smile on his face. "Besides, it's getting pretty late. We should get back to the others."
"I could use a nap," Armadillomon agreed.
"We're leaving?" Embermon asked, coming up next to Cody with Halomon on his heels.
The celestial rookie immediately launched himself into Mickey's arms, and cuddling his face against the older twin's neck, he mumbled, "You okay?"
"I'm fine, Halomon."
"Are you sure?" Cody asked quietly, scrutinizing Mickey's face for any sign that the older twin was lying.
Apparently both Cody and Halomon had picked up on Mickey's odd behaviour, and Dai wouldn't have been surprised if both the rookie digimon and the older Digidestined had been watching the whole time.
"I'm fine," Mickey reassured them. "Let's head back."
Dai followed the group at a much slower pace, and shaking his head, he muttered to himself, "Really? Me and...Kara?"
Lucemon
Server, Eastern Hemisphere, Digital World
"Lucemon, do you really think we should leave them for the night?" MarineAngemon asked quietly, glancing anxiously over his shoulder back the way they had come, an uncertain look on his face.
Lucemon glanced at the little mega floating alongside his shoulder in the darkness, and speaking more to convince himself than to convince MarineAngemon, he said slowly, "We know where they are staying for the night, and we now know where they're headed, as well. There's no need for us to watch over them all night. Besides, we need our rest every bit as much as the Digidestined do. Do not worry, MarineAngemon, we will rise early tomorrow morning and be back before Dai and his friends have left their temporary camp."
"But...I am worried, Lucemon. What about DarkAngelicmon and his allies? We know they're here, too. We even saw Spritemon spying on the Digidestined earlier. What if she tries something at night while we're gone?"
Lucemon frowned, a thoughtful look on his face. "There's no denying that Spritemon is an excellent scout, but I am better and she will never catch me. Luciamon and I...When we were servants of the Ruler of Darkness, we were always used as spies. Us and...and him, but now it seems the Ruler of Darkness has greater plans for my old friend..."
"Lucemon?"
"I have no doubt that Spritemon has some kind of plan up her sleeve, but I do not think she intends to harm the Digidestined, at least not right now. Especially Sam, as they need him to get the Spirit Chip. No...you heard Spritemon muttering to herself. The Ruler of Darkness has placed DarkAngelicmon in charge, which means they'll have something much more crafty up their sleeves than an ambush."
"But...isn't that even more of a reason for us to stay close to the Digidestined?"
Lucemon paused for a moment, feeling a sudden need to stretch his wings. Although he hadn't flown all day since arriving on Server, his wings still felt tired and weak, as if he'd been flying all afternoon. "What you say is true, MarineAngemon, but we cannot risk it. I don't want Spritemon and her allies stumbling upon us while we're sleeping. They will try something with the Digidestined, I am sure of it. Unfortunately, though, we'll just have to deal with it tomorrow. As much as I want to help the Digidestined now, it isn't wise for us to stay. If we end up being taken captive by Spritemon and her allies then we will be of no use to the Digidestined at all. And as much as they're hurting now, I fear it is nothing compared to what awaits them in the future."
"I guess that makes sense, but I still don't like it."
"Neither do I, but we must be careful above all else if we want to be of use when the Digidestined truly need us."
"Says the digimon who wanted to avoid them to begin with."
By this time, they had moved quite a distance away from the camp where the Digidestined were staying for the night, and glancing at his small friend again, Lucemon had to smile. "Yes, safety must come first above all else, MarineAngemon, much as I do not like the idea any more than you do."
"Is that so," a quiet voice answered that most definitely did not belong to MarineAngemon. "If that is what you truly believe then why are you here in this swamp of all places, where the very heart of danger dwells, old friend?"
Lucemon let out a soft gasp, and whirling around, his pale blue eyes came to rest on the celestial figure leaning against the trunk of a tall, thin tree of questionable origin, whose face was hidden in shadow.
His friend, the fallen angel of darkness. DarkAngelicmon.