Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
A/N: New chapter! Lots of fun writing this one, so I hope you all enjoy!
Following the Footsteps of Destiny
Chapter 261: What Lies Within
Ryoko Ishida
Net, Northern Hemisphere, Digital World
Ryoko could hear the footsteps of his fellow Digidestined shuffling along behind him, but even though they were walking in a close group he felt very alone. Up ahead the light from Glowmon's body was illuminating the path before them, and he could just make out Ogremon's broad shoulders as the large champion kept pace with the little insect digimon.
Ryoko had pulled out his D-Coder, and holding it tightly in his hand he allowed the blue light to reflect off the glowing stalagmites sprouting from the ground all around them. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, and sometimes they came down so low that Ogremon and a few of the taller adults had to duck their heads to avoid getting a concussion. The large number of rock formations within the cave impeded their movements somewhat, and as a result their progress was slow going. They had walked for perhaps an hour, and the further they traveled the thicker the darkness seemed to pulse within the Ice Caverns. Ryoko could feel that the ground beneath their feet was steadily moving deeper into the earth, and he knew the further underground they traveled the more the ice, rocks, and snow were building up above his head. It was staring to make him feel very uncomfortable, and he couldn't help glancing at the ceiling every so often. In the darkness his breathing sounded shallow, and the air felt stale in his lungs. All around him the damp stone walls were pressing in closer and closer, and he was starting to feel rather claustrophobic.
Just don't think about it. Focus on your goal. Focus on finding the Spirit Chip.
Unfortunately that was easier said than done.
Nothing else matters. Just stay focused on what you need to do.
"I really hope we don't get lost in here," Takara commented, hugging herself and squinting nervously into the darkness up ahead.
"Relax," Ogremon snorted, glancing over his shoulder at the female Digidestined. "I know exactly where we're going."
"Have you ever actually even been in this cave before?" Matty asked suspiciously.
"Of course I have! Weren't you listening to Gennai?"
Matty just looked at him, and Ogremon said sheepishly, "Well...no, not exactly. Not in the sense you mean. I've been inside the cave, but I've never been in this far before. We only stayed near the entrance when we were checking the place out. But I know how caves work, and I know we're heading in the right direction. In all my years of exploring caves, I've never gotten lost!"
"Was that supposed to be reassuring?" Alopemon said dryly, shaking his head.
"And how come you haven't been deep inside this cave before? Sounds to me like you've thoroughly explored all the other caves you've been in!" Matty demanded.
"That's...uh...I...I-I've just never had the opportunity to get to this one yet! That's all!"
That was an obvious lie, and frowning Ryoko gave the large champion a suspicious look that went unnoticed. What was so terrible about this cave that Ogremon would avoid it for so long? There was definitely something the green champion wasn't telling them, and it was starting to make Ryoko feel very nervous.
What is Ogremon afraid of?
"That wasn't very convincing, you know," Matty said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
"Didn't I tell you to relax? I'm the best guide you'll find for this sort of thing. What could possibly go wrong?"
"That's what I'm afraid of," Matty muttered, making a face.
Ryoko let out a deep sigh, and tuning out the argument as best he could he chose instead to study the interior of the cave more closely. The walls on either side of the path looked like a mixture of ancient stone and rough rock, and though they looked damp there were sections of the wall that had frozen over. The light from his D-Coder caused the ice to sparkle in the dim glow, and he could see his breath frosting over in the air. Snowdrifts congregated at the base of the stalagmites, and patches of ice littered the stone floor beneath their feet. Due to the dangers of slipping on the ice in the dark, they had to be extremely careful of where they placed their feet. That too slowed their progress, and Ryoko was careful to pay attention to where he was walking.
Both the stalagmites and the stalactites looked as if they were emitting a strange green glow, and it cast eerie shadows across the stone floor. It also reflected off the snow, making the drifts look green in appearance. Small sparks of emerald dust floated in the air all around them, and it reminded Ryoko of the glow emitted by fireflies, though the colour was different. As he glanced around the tunnel he could see that the faces of his friends had a green tinge to them, and it made them look sickly in the darkness. Add in the glow from his D-Coder, and it made the entire cave glow with a faint bluish-green light. At the edges of the light, both behind and in front of them, he could see the darkness trying to creep in at the edges of his vision, and the shadows stretching across the ground seemed to move with a purpose.
A malevolent purpose.
Either that or I'm going crazy.
"See? We're still heading in the right direction," Ogremon announced, giving Matty a triumphant look. "The light from Ryoko's D-Coder is still pointing in this direction."
"For now!" Matty shot back. "And that's only because so far the path is a one way road. What if it branches off in several directions up ahead?"
"Then we go in the direction the D-Coder says, obviously," Ogremon countered.
"You still didn't answer my-"
"Will you two give it a rest?" Matt finally spoke up, sounding impatient. "I'm not going to listen to you guys argue the whole way there."
"But, Uncle-"
"Enough, Matty. It's giving me a headache. Doesn't help that this cave has an echo."
Matty gave his uncle a stubborn look, and crossing his arms over his chest he lapsed into sullen silence. Ryoko suspected the younger twin was behaving in a difficult manner simply because he was nervous and trying to distract himself, and judging by the look on Kara's face as she studied Matty, he had a feeling she was thinking the same thing. Mickey was walking next to Matty, and though the older twin nudged his brother gently in the shoulder, he did not speak up. Like Matty, Mickey also appeared nervous, but instead of being vocal about it like his twin he seemed to have withdrawn inside himself. The darkness was clearly having a negative effect on him, and that made Ryoko uneasy. Both twins were attempting to act as if the darkness wasn't there, but it was obvious that it was disturbing both of them.
Celestimon and Halomon were hovering in Glowmon's circle of light, and both digimon seemed reluctant to flutter out of the welcoming glow. Alopemon had taken it upon himself to walk with Gabumon, and Ryoko hadn't failed to notice that both of them were taking care to remain close to him.
Takara and Dovemon were sticking close to his mother, father, and Palmon, while Sam, Daichi, and Embermon were walking just behind him. Tai, Davis, Joe, Kari, and their partners were bringing up the rear, which made Ryoko feel a little more secure about their position.
But even so he was still very much aware of the goggle-headed leader walking just behind him.
I can still feel him watching me...
As if on cue, Dai spoke up, and laughing, the goggle-headed leader said, "You know, I just realized that I never did finish my story for all those digimon back in Modem."
"Well, maybe you can tell them our story after all of this is over and we've won," Takara called back over her shoulder, winking at the goggle-headed leader. "Then you'll have a real nice story to tell!"
"That's true," Daichi replied, his voice echoing in the tunnel. "Still feel kind of bad though."
Ryoko turned to glance at the goggle-headed leader, and speaking shortly, he said, "We can always go back and visit them once this is all over. They'll probably be looking forward to it."
Dai raised his eyebrows, and crossing his arms over his chest, he said, "You're speaking to me now?"
"Should I be?"
Ryoko could sense the tension between them, but something about it seemed different. There had always been a little bit of tension between them over the years, but it hadn't become a serious issue for either one of them, until now. It was always something they had been able to overlook, but now it felt as if they couldn't get past it.
This time it was something that seemed to go beyond the usual tension that radiated between them. Ever since talking with Tal and Kenji, the animosity between them had started to push them further away from each other. The tension between them now seemed much more personal, and there was a bitterness to it that had not been there before. With every day that passed, they were slowly growing further and further apart, and Ryoko knew in his heart that it was entirely his own fault.
Why can't I just admit how I feel? Why is it so hard to just tell the truth and be done with it? If I don't do something he'll be out of my reach forever...
"If this is about the paper airplane thing, I was just joking around," Dai said stiffly, looking away from him.
Ryoko turned his back on the goggle-headed leader, and speaking quietly, he said, "It's not that."
"So you're just being a jerk for no reason then?"
"Guys," Alopemon warned.
"Cool it, Dai," Davis said, stepping up and putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "We don't need a fight breaking out."
Dai abruptly pulled away from his father, and pushing past the former leader, he said shortly, "I don't want a fight. I just want some answers."
There was an uncomfortable silence, and Ryoko watched as the goggle-headed leader joined Takara closer to the front of the group. The female Digidestined leaned close and whispered something softly in his ear, but Dai just shook his head and reached out to give Dovemon's feathers a friendly scratch.
Ryoko was surprised that Embermon had stayed behind with him, and glancing at the rookie he gave Embermon a suspicious look. Instead of replying, Embermon just shrugged and continued to walk by his side without any hesitation.
"What's going on?" Kari asked quietly, sounding concerned.
Ryoko didn't know how to respond, and sensing his discomfort, Joe tactfully responded, "Maybe we should change the subject?"
"To what?" Gomamon asked, his tone sounding rather mischievous. "I thought our conversation was getting real interesting there!"
"Gomamon!" Joe scolded, giving his partner an exasperated look.
"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'd sure like to know what Vampiramon and the others are up to right about now," Tai said cheerfully, giving Gomamon and hearty whack over the head.
"Same for Lucemon," Agumon agreed. "I don't like the sound of him being where all that darkness is!"
Ryoko couldn't help giving Tai a grateful look, and eager to change the subject himself, he said, "Maybe Lucemon is with DarkAngelicmon."
"I doubt it," Sam spoke up, moving to walk next to him, since Dai had deserted them. "Not with Vampiramon and the others here. It's obvious by now he doesn't want them to know about Lucemon, which means he would have to sneak away from them to visit his old friend. I don't think he would risk that quite yet. You remember what happened last time. He was being really careful of where and when he would come in contact with Lucemon."
That was certainly true. Ryoko was actually surprised he hadn't realized that for himself. "Okay then, let's say your theory is right. If that's true then where is all that darkness around Lucemon coming from? And what exactly is he doing?"
"Maybe he's found the Spirit Chip and he's keeping watch over it?" Veemon offered. "With our luck the Spirit Chip is probably stuck in the darkest place this cave has to offer."
"Maybe he's come in contact with the World of Darkness again?" Gatomon suggested.
Sam let out an involuntary shiver, and speaking softly, he said, "I certainly hope not."
Ryoko didn't like the sound of that either, but they didn't have a lot of information to go on. As far as he could guess, trying to figure out what Lucemon was up to was a lost cause at this stage of the game, especially since they had no proof of where he was hiding out in the labyrinth. As a result, he decided to drop the subject of Lucemon for the moment, and focusing instead on Vampiramon and DarkAngelicmon, he said, "As much as I'm worried about Lucemon, I'm more concerned about Vampiramon and the others. Do you think they've realized yet that we've begun searching for the Spirit Chip?"
"It depends on if the darkness is obscuring our presence," Mickey finally said, coming out of nowhere to join their conversation.
It made Ryoko jump in surprise, and glaring at the older twin, he snapped, "Next time warn me, would you? You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"Sorry," Mickey said quietly, smiling softly at him before growing serious again.
"What do you mean anyways?"
Mickey hesitated, and glancing nervously over his shoulder, he said, "The darkness hides DarkAngelicmon well, but it might not be the same for us. Our celestial digimon emit a source of light, not darkness. Because of that, the darkness can't hide their presence as effectively as it can hide DarkAngelicmon from us. The darkness might obscure us a bit, but the light of our celestial digimon will be able to penetrate through it enough for DarkAngelicmon to feel it. Chances are he knows we're here, and somewhere out in the darkness he's waiting for us to come to him."
"How did you manage to figure that out so easily?" Embermon asked, gazing at the older twin in awe.
"Simple logic," Joe replied, adjusting the glasses on his nose. "It makes sense if you think about it from a logical standpoint. Izzy would be proud."
Mickey ducked his head in embarrassment, and shrugging his shoulders, he said, "I could still be wrong."
"But chances are you're right," Joe insisted. "Which means..."
"We're probably walking right into a trap, as usual," Tai replied, frowning.
"Or are we?" Kari countered. "I'm going to assume DarkAngelicmon is with Vampiramon and the other commanders. Would he really risk leading us into a trap with the others hanging around him? I'm not so sure of that anymore."
"He wants us to find out," Mickey said softly. "About his past. He wants us to know."
"And...he wants us to do something about it," Sam added. "His last words to us were a challenge. 'Uncover the secrets of the past. If you can save me, I will be yours to command.' Or something like that."
Every voice in the cave fell silent, and all eyes focused on Sam. Ryoko was shocked. Not so much by Sam's words, but the meaning behind them. If you looked past the surface, Sam's words were entirely true. DarkAngelicmon was their enemy, but he was giving them a chance to prove what they were worth. If they could bring him back into the light and do what nobody else had yet been able to do, then his loyalty would be there's.
Loyalty. It's your ability to put your faith in others no matter the challenges that await you. It's all about respect, and those who earn it must take on the responsibility of what it means to command respect. And those who give it are the ones who are willing to put their faith, and even their very lives, in the hands of anther...
"I know what was said. I know DarkAngelicmon used to be a good digimon, and I accept that," Matty suddenly spoke up, his amber eyes glittering in the darkness. "But that doesn't mean I trust him. We still don't know yet how deeply the darkness has penetrated his heart. And until we do, I wouldn't put it past him to ambush us as soon as the opportunity presents itself."
What about my heart? Is my loyalty to Dai as solid as I insist it to be? Does my faith in him remain firm, or is my heart wavering in the darkness? Do I even trust him? Do I truly believe that he will lead us to victory?
"Fair enough," Mickey said quietly, glancing briefly at his twin before turning away again. "It's always wise to be cautious."
"You would do well to remember that," Matty snapped, turning his back on the older twin and moving off to join Ogremon and Glowmon at the front of the group.
Mickey looked upset, but he didn't reply. Instead he moved to join Kara and Dai, both of whom placed a comforting arm around his shoulders.
"This...isn't exactly going as well as I had hoped," Davis said sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.
"Maybe we should talk about something else," Veemon suggested.
"Or just not talk at all," Gatomon said dryly.
"Well, whatever the case Vampiramon and the others are definitely waiting for us to get our hands on the Spirit Chip, so we need to be ready for anything," Joe said slowly. "And the closer we get to the Spirit Chip, the more important it will become not to let down our guard."
Once again everyone fell silent, and attempting to ignore the uncomfortable atmosphere Ryoko continued walking along with the others, his D-Coder directing the path up ahead. They traveled in silence for another half hour or so when Ogremon suddenly came to an abrupt stop.
"What's up?" Tai asked, his voice floating forward from the back of the group.
"The path splits up ahead!" Glowmon called back. "There are three different possible routes to take."
"Looks like we're going to need your help, Ryoko!" Celestimon called out, fluttering back to join him.
Ryoko let out a deep sigh, and following Celestimon back towards the front of the group he held out his D-Coder to direct their path. He hadn't failed to notice that for the most part the others were trying to avoid any conversations about the Spirit Chip belonging to him, and while he was relieved by that there was still a small part of him that wanted to bring it up again.
But if I do it will only make things worse!
"It looks like the light is going down the path on the far right," Ogremon commented, tapping his club against his thigh. "I guess that's where we're headed then!"
"Well, the D-Coders haven't yet led us in the wrong direction, so I don't see why this time would be any different," Takara said cheerfully, adjusting her scarf. "Let's get moving!"
They started down the path in silence, and Ryoko quickly fell back in beside Sam. Although he couldn't be sure, to him this tunnel felt colder than the last one, and something about the air seemed even more dark and dense.
They had only been walking for maybe twenty minutes when the scenery started to change.
This particular tunnel was littered with rock formations, and there were smaller rocks scattered all over the path. Those rock formations were covered in pink and purple crystals, which also appeared to grow out of the cave walls and ceiling. Strange specks of purplish-pink light floated in the air around them, and once again it reminded Ryoko of fireflies.
This tunnel feels strange, and I feel like I'm being watched.
Ryoko hadn't noticed a similar sensation in the tunnel they had left earlier, but in this tunnel he did feel like there were pairs of eyes watching him from every direction.
And this time those eyes did not belong to one Daichi Motomiya.
These particular eyes felt menacing and dangerous, and they gave off a malevolent atmosphere within the cave. He could not see those eyes, but he could feel them, and they were starting to make him feel very uneasy.
"I've thought a lot about Daemon over the past few weeks, and also about everything else that happened in the past," Takara suddenly said, her voice echoing off the crystals embedded into the walls. "And I think out of everything that's happened so far, Daemon is the real key to figuring out what's been going on lately in the Digital World."
"What do you mean, Kara?" Dovemon asked curiously, hovering next to her partner's shoulder. "And why bring this up now all of a sudden?"
Takara hesitated, and shaking out her dark hair to dislodge some of the glowing specks of light, she said, "I'm not really sure. I've just been thinking about it, and I guess...I just want to help somehow."
"Why don't you tell us what's been on your mind then?" Joe offered, giving the female Digidestned an encouraging smile.
"Well, I was just thinking about how much Daemon wanted the Data Cores in the past for his master," Takara said slowly. "And then years and years later he developed an obsession with the Dark Spores. He wanted them, demanded them in fact, which means he obviously had a purpose for them."
"Well yeah...but how are we supposed to know exactly what he wanted them for?" Dai asked, scratching his head in confusion.
"Doesn't it feel like the same thing to you? He treated the Dark Spores much the same way as he treated the Data Cores, and if he wanted the Data Cores to help his master gather the Demon Lords and bring them to full strength then...could he have possibly wanted the Dark Spores to do the same thing?"
"That's a possibility," Matt said slowly. "But without GranDracmon I don't see how his plan could have worked."
Takara hesitated again before saying, "Maybe he wanted to use the power of the Dark Spores to set GranDracmon free. They might have had enough power to counteract the Data Cores. Or maybe he didn't care about GranDracmon at all. Maybe he wanted the Demon Lords for himself."
There was a moment of silence where everybody stared at Takara, and taking a step forward, Ryoko said quietly, "You've been thinking about this a lot, haven't you."
Takara shrugged her shoulders, and looking a little embarrassed, she said, "I know we've all been talking about it over the last few weeks and bouncing theories off each other, but..."
"You haven't been," Sam pointed out, watching her closely.
"I just wanted a little more time to think about it," Takara replied, sounding defensive.
"And this is what you've been thinking about?" Alopemon asked.
"It's part of it. I...we don't know what happened to Daemon, and since we don't know it's best to assume he's still out there somewhere. And this whole thing with wanting our Spirit Chips...it's exactly like the Data Cores and the Dark Spores. If this Ruler of Darkness isn't Daemon then it's somebody who has definitely studied Daemon's history very closely."
"You say it's the same," Mickey said slowly, sounding hesitant to speak. "And in the beginning it was all for the sake of the Demon Lords. So...you think the Demon Lords might play a role in our future?"
Takara came to a stop, and bowing her head, she said quietly, "I don't think they will. I know they will. DarkAngelicmon gave us a hint when he recited the prophecy to us. A master who wants full control of the Demon Lords. Isn't that what we're being set up for right now? DarkAngelicmon might have lost his memory, but he spoke of the prophecy as if he was familiar with it. Tal and the others made it clear that Angelicmon did not know about what was going on back then, but it still had an effect on him. And somewhere down the line he lost his heart to the darkness. Why would that happen unless it was somehow connected to the past? As far as we know the only other survivors from that time period were Angelicmon's friends, Lucemon and Luciamon, and LadyDevimon and Daemon. These are the only five that we know of that played a role in GranDracmon's quest for the Demon Lords who have since made an appearance in the present day Digital World within the last twenty-five years."
"Which means?" Embermon asked.
"Only two of those digimon have a connection to the powers of darkness," Kara explained. "And therefore they're the only two from the past who would have had a negative impact on Angelicmon. We know he met LadyDevimon, but who's to say he didn't also come in contact with Daemon at some point in time?"
"What are you saying exactly?" Matty demanded.
Takara started moving again, and speaking quietly, she said, "I think one or both of those two are partly responsible for what became of Angelicmon."
"Are you serious?" Matty gasped. "Those two?"
"We don't know that for sure, Kara," Mickey said slowly. "Don't you think you're jumping to-"
"I don't want to talk about it anymore," Takara said shortly, turning her face away. "I still have a lot of thinking to do. I just thought I should let you guys know what I've been thinking about lately."
It was a clear dismissal, and Ryoko found himself staring at the female Digidestined in shock. It was so unlike her to act so cold, and it had taken him completely by surprise. Because of that, he didn't know what to think.
"What's up with her?" Matty complained.
"She has been a little more quiet lately," Mickey said slowly.
Ryoko didn't answer, and glancing to his left he jumped in surprise when he realized the walls had changed again. There were still crystals sprouting from their surface, but some of the crystals were now much larger, and they looked completely smooth. They were also round, and to Ryoko they reminded him of mirrors, except these mirrors were a purplish-pink colour and they seemed to glow with rose-coloured light.
I swear they weren't like that just a second ago...
"Hey, what's with the creepy mirrors?" Dai suddenly spoke up, his words catching Ryoko off guard.
"They weren't there a minute ago. Maybe we're getting close to a new path again?" Gomamon suggested.
Ryoko was relieved he wasn't the only one seeing mirrors, and leaning towards one to get a closer look, he studied it with a frown on his face.
It wasn't really a mirror since he couldn't see his own reflection in it, but the longer he stared at it the more he felt like there was something waiting for him just beyond its glowing surface. It was almost as if the crystal had a magnetic pull, and the longer he stared at it the more it tried to lure him in.
What is this thing?
As Ryoko continued to gaze at the mirror, he thought he saw something moving inside of it, and leaning even closer he caught what looked like a shadow shifting deep within its surface. The longer he stared at it the more pronounced the shadow became, and eventually it appeared to mold itself into the shape of a person. The shadow remained motionless for a moment, and gazing at it Ryoko felt like it was staring back at him.
What does it want from me?
Without warning it suddenly moved, and turning away from him it began to shift itself deeper into the crystal. As it continued to walk further away, other shadows began to materialize within the crystal. They too took on the shape of humans, and together the shadows began to move restlessly within the mirror. They seemed to wander aimlessly in circles, but Ryoko felt like there was a sense of purpose to their movements. The more he stared at them the more the shadows seemed to look familiar to him, and soon they began to take on faces that looked almost recognizable. Those faces began to whisper to him, and he could hear their voices in his head. But no matter how hard he tried to listen, he couldn't make out the words.
Who are these people?
He had a feeling if he watched them long enough they would reveal themselves to him, but at the same time it gave him a sense of dread. Why should he feel so afraid of faces that he was sure he knew? And yet he couldn't deny they frightened him. There was something about those shadows. Something not right.
No! Stop! Look away! Look away!
Ryoko blinked, and wrenching his gaze away from the crystal mirror, he found himself gasping for breath. Out of the corners of his eyes he thought he saw the shadows outside of the crystal mirror moving steadily across the floor, and he could still hear the voices of the ones within the mirror whispering in his head.
What was that all about? What's going on?
"These things are really weird," Dai said, reaching out a hand to run his fingers over one of the crystal mirrors.
Ryoko felt a sudden stab of sheer panic in his heart, and throwing himself forward he made a wild grab for the goggle-headed leader's arm. "Daichi, no! Don't touch it!"
"Ryoko, wait!" Alopemon cried, grabbing his leg.
Ryoko managed to grab Dai's arm, but not before the goggle-headed leader touched the crystal mirror.
There was a flash of purple light, and then Ryoko felt himself being pulled into the crystal with Dai and Alopemon. The light blinded him, and he could feel himself falling unconscious. As his mind shut down, the last thing he heard was the whispering voices of the shadows laughing in his ears.