Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
A/N: This chapter was a bit of work, but I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out! Hope you all like it! I will check the chapter again tomorrow to catch any mistakes I may have missed. I always find it easier to do that when my mind is fresh!
Following the Footsteps of Destiny
Chapter 274: Reluctant Allies
DarkAngelicmon
Net, Northern Hemisphere, Digital World
DarkAngelicmon had always considered himself to be rather unique compared to your usual average digimon, and while he did have a rather high opinion of himself, that did not mean he wasn't capable of recognizing his own faults. Of course, his many virtues outweighed his weaknesses, and because of that he could cheerfuly admit that patience was not one of his previously mentioned virtues. Thus, the constant complaining behind him was starting to get on his nerves.
It was now early morning in the Digital World, and though he had been traveling through the night to reach his elusive old friend, he did not feel the slightest bit tired. His body seemed to be full of adrenaline, and it was that burst of energy that allowed him to keep moving without rest. The need to reach Matty and Lucemon burned so painfully within him that he almost felt like it was scalding him from the inside out, and as he moved quickly along the dim passageway there was only one thought running through his mind.
I must protect them.
Not only from the enemies he was traveling with, but also from the very darkness itself.
I can feel him waiting for me. He knows I'm coming for him.
"Are we almost there?" Spritemon complained, hurrying along at the base of his heels. "We've been walking all night."
"I could always throw you through one of the mirrors if you think it would get you there any faster," Vampiramon snapped, glaring at the little pixie digimon.
Spritemon made a face at the vampire mega, and tossing her head, she said, "No thanks. Those crystal mirrors creep me out. It wouldn't be so bad if I could fly, but these tunnels are too narrow for that."
"The fool is tired of your whining," Jestermon interrupted, glancing irritably at the little pixie. "If you don't pipe down, I'll throw you through one of those mirrors myself!"
DarkAngelicmon ignored the exchange of insults echoing behind him, and catching sight of what looked like faint light coming through the doorway up ahead, he abruptly came to a stop, causing Spritemon to crash into his wings.
The female mega let out a squeak of protest, but DarkAngelicmon ignored her. He could feel a warm presence just up ahead, and it made his breath catch in his throat.
Lucemon and Celestimon were very close by. He could feel their presence just beyond the door, and while his body ached to burst into the cavern and make contact with his old friend, he forced himself to stay where he was.
Now that they had arrived, he needed to be extremely careful. If he was not, he risked putting the celestial rookie in danger.
I must keep him safe...
While he was desperate to speak with Lucemon, he knew he couldn't allow Vampiramon or the others to become aware of the celestial rookie's presence. That unfortunately complicated things quite a bit. How was he supposed to meet with Lucemon without the others becoming aware of what he was doing? Somehow he needed to get rid of them just long enough to give Lucemon a chance to escape.
This could prove to be rather tricky, I'm afraid...
"Why did we stop?" Spritemon demanded, giving him a dirty look.
DarkAngelicmon could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and narrowing his green eyes at the light coming from the doorway, he carefully rearranged his handsome features into a more neutral expression.
He needed to think.
Whatever I decide, it must sound convincing. I cannot allow them to suspect that something is amiss.
"You okay there, angel boy?" Jestermon asked, glancing at him with sudden interest.
DarkAngelicmon crossed his arms over his chest, and leaning against the stone wall, he said nonchalantly, "Masato Takaishi and his partner digimon are just up ahead."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Vampiramon snapped, a sour expression on her face.
"Yeah, let's catch them and have ourselves a bit of fun," Jestermon smirked, performing a little victory dance.
DarkAngelicmon closed his eyes, and blocking out the three mega digimon standing around him, he felt the warmth of Halomon moving towards them at a steady pace. It wouldn't be long before the main group of Digidestined came upon them, and he knew he needed to have Matty in his grasp before that happened. While there was no doubt he would be cutting it close, the fact that the rest of the Digidestined had obviously become aware of Matty's predicament was a bit of a blessing in disguise. It gave him the perfect opening he needed to separate himself from the other megas without arousing suspicion, and he had no doubt who was responsible for this lucky turn of events.
I should have known it wouldn't take you long to notice your brother's sudden disappearance, Makiya Takaishi. And while you may not know it as of yet, you might just have inadvertently saved my old friend's life.
The thought surprised him, and recognizing the truth of his own musings, he felt something begin to stir inside his heart.
Good deeds do not go unrewarded, Mickey. I shall repay your kindness in turn by ensuring your brother survives through this tedious ordeal...
"Hello in there! Are you with us?" Spritemon sang out, tugging on his wings and making a show of rolling her eyes. "Would you quit spacing out on us already?"
"You're wasting time," Vampiramon snapped, jabbing her finger at his nose. "Let's hurry up and get this over with."
Can you feel me, Mickey? Has Halomon told you I'm going after your brother?
DarkAngelicmon caught Vampiramon's arm, and pushing it aside with a mere flick of his wrist, he said easily, "I'm afraid it's going to be a tad more complicated than that."
"What do you mean?" Spritemon demanded, bouncing on her toes in annoyance. "Let's just grab the Takaishi kid and make for the Spirit Chip."
"Last I checked, we still don't know exactly where the Spirit Chip is," Jestermon said dryly, looking amused.
DarkAngelicmon nodded in confirmation, and studying the three faces that were gazing back at him, he said calmly, "The whereabouts of the Spirt Chip is the least of our problems at the moment. Contrary to what Spritemon may believe, I was not spacing out, as she so delicately put it. I was tracking Halomon's movements."
"And?" Vampiramon asked, placing her hands on her hips and giving him a rather suspicious look.
"Halomon and his friends have discovered that the Takaishi boy has gone missing. They're heading this way, and it won't be long until they come upon us. We cannot have them interfering while we're trying to take Masato and Celestimon hostage."
"Since you seem to have the answers for everything, what do you suggest we do then?" Spritemon said sarcastically, tugging on his wings.
DarkAngelicmon had to suppress a smile at how easily they could be manipulated, and keeping his face expressionless, he said, "There is only one sensible option. We need to take Masato hostage before the rest of the Digidestined arrive to try and rescue him."
"That should be easy enough," Jestermon smirked. "One human and his rookie partner won't be a problem for us."
"No," DarkAngelicmon agreed, keeping his words light. "It's the main group of Digidestined that will cause us problems. I'd prefer to have the Takaishi boy already in our grasp before they come upon us, otherwise it may jepordize our chances of using Masato to our advantage."
"And how will we go about doing that?" Vampiramon interrupted, scowling at him.
DarkAngelicmon paused for a moment, and stretching his wings, he said, "I cannot say for certain, but I suspect the Spirit Chip must be close by. As I said before, ideally it would be best if we could take the Takaishi boy hostage and reach the Spirit Chip with him before the others can interfere. In order to do that, though, we need some type of distraction."
"You mean we need somebody to stall them," Jestermon guessed, his blood red eyes lighting up with interest.
"That is correct."
"Let me guess, you have some sort of a plan?" Spritemon asked, raising her eyebrows.
DarkAngelicmon nodded, and stepping away from the wall, he said with authority, "It's a rather basic plan, but sometimes they can be the most effective. This is what we're going to do. I need the three of you to remain just inside the cavern up ahead to watch for the Digidestined while I proceed to take the Takaishi boy hostage. When you see the Digidestined arrive, do not hesitate to ambush them and take them all captive once I have Masato. I will continue east with him towards where I suspect the Spirit Chip may be waiting for us, as this looks like a central cavern where all the roads in this underground labyrinth meet. I suspect the large chamber up ahead eventually leads to the Spirit Chip. Once you have the Digidestined in your grasp, follow after me by continuing down whatever path you find that heads directly east. You will gain further instruction once you've reached me."
"Makes sense, but...shouldn't you at least take one of us with you in case there's trouble?" Jestermon asked, his crimson eyes narrowing into a frown.
DarkAngelicmon raised his eyebrows, and making a show of brushing the snow off his wings, he said in amusement, "You said it yourself, my slow companion. Catching one weak little human and his digimon partner who can't even digivolve past the champion stage should be easy enough for one dark digimon to handle. I don't foresee having any problems. I'd be more worried about leaving only two of you to handle the rest of the humans."
"What are you talking about?" Spritemon snorted, brushing off his concern. "We can take them easily."
"BlackWidowmon thought so too, and look where she is now."
That caused Spritemon to pause in the middle of her rant, and giving him a look, she said, "That was a fluke."
DarkAngelicmon shook his head, and speaking quietly, he said, "When the Digidestined are all working together as a team, they can be a powerful force to combat. Alone, it may be easy to overwhelm and subdue them, but together they can be a formidable opponent. Do not underestimate them if you do not want to end up like BlackWidowmon. I'm not taking any chances this time around. You three will stay in the cavern up ahead and capture the rest of the Digidestined while I go after the Takaishi boy. That is not up for debate."
"And why shouldn't it be?" Vampiramon countered, her voice growing cold. "Personally I think you should take somebody along to keep an eye on you."
DarkAngelicmon turned slowly to look at the vampire digimon, and for a moment they stared at each other, both of them refusing to back down.
DarkAngelicmon wasn't particularly concerned by her behaviour, since she was always suspicious of him, but it did cause a faint twinge of discomfort in his stomach. Did she suspect that he was hiding something? She couldn't possibly know about Lucemon, could she?
That's impossible. I doubt it would be anything as drastic as that. Most likely she is suspicious that I'm attempting to betray the Ruler of Darkness. She has already accused me numerous times before of such a thing, though never outright. That's probably what she's thinking now.
It was rather ironic, since his determination to protect Lucemon could in fact be seen as treason towards the Ruler of Darkness.
But if I don't protect Lucemon, the past will repeat itself. I cannot lose my friend to the darkness. Never again...
DarkAngelicmon couldn't explain it, but for some reason he found the thought of betraying the Ruler of Darkness particularly amusing.
That would certainly make Lucemon happy.
Pretending to look hurt, DarkAngelicmon placed a hand against his heart and said, "Why Vampiramon. If I didn't know any better, I would think you didn't trust me."
"I don't," the female vampire said bluntly, scowling at him. "Which is why I should go with you."
DarkAngelicmon narrowed his eyes at her, and speaking in a tone that chilled the air, he said quietly, "Be careful of your words, Vampiramon. Have you forgotten who is in charge of this mission? To accuse me of treason is to show disloyalty to the Ruler of Darkness, whom you know very well has placed his trust in me. He would not be pleased to hear you speaking ill of his decisions."
"I've done no such thing. I was merely suggesting someone should keep an eye on you, since you seem to have a bad habit of getting yourself into trouble," Vampiramon said smoothly, her expression suddenly becoming much more guarded.
DarkAngelicmon moved closer to her, and lifting her chin with a finger she had no choice but to look at him. As they stared each other down, he said in a hard voice, "I'm the one in charge, and quite frankly none of you can afford to disobey my orders. I am the only link you have to the Digidestined and the whereabouts of the Spirit Chip. Without me, you would all be fumbling around in the dark. If I truly wanted to, I could leave you all behind and go about my business without a second thought to how you would all manage to get out of these caverns without my guidance. Let me ask you something. Have you been paying attention to our path while we've been traveling through this place?"
Vampiramon's silence was proof enough that she had not bothered to map their route, and though he smiled at her, the sparkle didn't reach his eyes. "That's what I thought. Without me, you not only won't be able to find the Spirit Chip, which would greatly displease the Ruler of Darkness, you would also be miraculously lucky to somehow make it out of this place within the next ten years. You are nothing without me, so I would suggest you follow along like a good little girl and stop wasting my time."
There was no response, and shoving her roughly away, he turned to the other two and said shortly, "Come along. Time is catching up with us. We need to hurry if we want our plan to succeed."
Both Spritemon and Jestermon were staring at him with their mouths hanging open, clearly stunned by his uncharacteristic outburst, but they wisely kept silent and quickly scurried after him, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the cavern walls.
Vampiramon was a bit more slow to follow, and there was an intense hatred burning in her eyes as she clenched her hands into fists.
They entered the large cavern in silence, and DarkAngelicmon took a moment to study his surroundings. Everywhere he looked there were large crystal mirrors shooting up from the ground, and in the distance he could see something that look like a small lake. Unfortunately his view was obstructed by the many crystals and stalagmites stretching out in front of him, but perhaps that was a blessing, since it felt like Lucemon's presence was coming from somewhere close to the lake. He could also see what looked like a violet glow coming from the direction of the lake, and it made him feel cold inside. The darkness was a lot thicker in this cavern, and he could feel it tugging at his soul.
"Wow, this room is huge," Spritemon said in a hushed voice, as if afraid she might inadvertently waken something dangerous that was sleeping in the darkness.
"Can't say I'm really liking the look of those crystals," Jestermon said slowly, glancing uneasily at the one closest to him, the purplish-pink structure towering far above his head.
DarkAngelicmon wasn't particularly fond of the large crystals either, since he could see the shadow versions of his friends glaring at him from their dark depths, but he chose to ignore them for the moment and said, "Do not pay any attention to the crystals. They are not our concern. You three will wait here. There are plenty of places to keep yourselves out of sight while you wait for the Digidestined to arrive. Since I will not be with you, they will have no way of knowing you're planning to thwart their efforts to reach Masato."
"All part of the plan?" Spritemon asked, raising her eyebrows.
"It does make sense. We're killing two birds with one stone," Jestermon interrupted, frowning thoughtfully at the bells on his green shoes. "With angel boy on his own, our job becomes a lot easier, since the Digidestined will be focusing on him instead of focusing on us. They won't even know we're waiting for them. At the same time, it also gives us an easy way to grab the Takaishi boy. It gives angel boy a job to do instead of having him wait on standby, which would be a waste of his skills and our time. We're getting two jobs done at once while using clever manipulation tactics."
"You really did think this all through," Spritemon said slowly, looking rather impressed.
DarkAngelicmon couldn't help feeling amused at how wonderfully his plan was falling into place, and nodding his head, he said, "Now, I'm going after the Takaishi boy. Do not forget my instructions of what you are to do once you've captured the Digidestined. Am I clear?"
"Of course," Spritemon replied. "No worries, boss. We'll take care of our job. You just worry about your own."
"Piece of cake!" Jestermon agreed, giving him a hearty salute.
DarkAngelicmon was pleased to see he had effectively sacred them into submission, and he did not doubt the group of megas would follow his orders, including Vampiramon. The vampire digimon did not say anything, but DarkAngelicmon could feel her watching him as he headed towards the lake.
Once he was out of their sight, he began to move quickly between the crystal pillars, his wings fanning out behind him. He could have flown if he had wanted to, but he chose not to because he preferred to remain inconspicuous from any eyes that might be watching him. Instead, he raced towards the lake on foot, and heart pounding he weaved his way through the last of the crystals and came to a stop near the edge of the water.
What he saw made him pause, and breathing heavily he stared at the purplish-black portal that was hovering on a small island in the centre of the lake. It was a gateway to the World of Darkness, and all of a sudden he understood why this particular cavern seemed darker than the others. A quick glance at the channels leading out of the cavern told him all he needed to know, and all of a sudden his heart felt heavy.
It was in that place where he had almost lost his old friend. And it was in that place where his fate had been sealed.
"It's all my fault that you have become what you are," a voice said softly, startling him out of his thoughts. "You were only trying to protect me, and now you suffer in my stead."
DarkAngelicmon turned to gaze into the sad blue eyes of his dear friend, and as he did so he experienced a flash of memory. Daemon had tried to take his friend, but he had been determined not to let that happen. He had saved Lucemon, but he hadn't been able to escape the darkness...
So much pain. The light fading from my eyes...
Lucemon was sitting back on his knees at the edge of the lake, his head turned towards the dark portal in the distance, and cuddled up on the ground next to his thigh was the tiny mega digimon who seemed to be accompanying him on his journey. MarineAngemon was fast asleep, but he wasn't the only one dreaming at the moment.
Lucemon's golden head was bent over the sleeping form of Masato Takaishi, and next to the younger twin, Celestimon was snoring softly as he lay curled against his partner's ribcage. Matty's head was resting in Lucemon's lap, and though he was surrounded by the darkness of the portal, there was a gentle smile on his sleeping face.
"You finally made it," Lucemon said softly, his hand resting gently on Matty's golden hair.
DarkAngelicmon slowly moved towards his old friend, and kneeling next to the celestial rookie, he said quietly, "The others are waiting at the entrance to the cavern. I assume you can feel Halomon's presence? The Digidestined are on their way. Vampiramon and the others are going to attempt to capture them."
"I see," Lucemon said softly, lowering his eyes to gaze at the sleeping boy whose heart was still fumbling in the darkness. "So you still plan to take the Spirit Chip."
"I cannot betray my master."
Lucemon let out a soft sigh, and brushing the younger twin's hair out of his eyes, the celestial rookie said quietly, "You've come for Matty, haven't you."
"I am not going to harm him."
"I know. I believe you."
Their eyes met again, and placing a hand over his heart, DarkAngelicmon said, "Is he the one who activated the crystal mirrors?"
"No," Lucemon replied, shaking his head. "It was not him. I suspect it was Ryoko."
That could actually be a good thing, now that DarkAngelicmon had a chance to reflect on the matter, but it could also be a very bad thing.
"So Matty's heart still escapes the darkness."
"For now," Lucemon murmured, suddenly avoiding his eyes. "He's afraid of not only losing his best friend, but also everyone else he cares for."
"Explain."
"Of course."
DarkAngelicmon listened in silence as Lucemon told him about Matty's fears and what had happened to the younger twin with the mirrors, and when the celestial rookie was finished, he couldn't help reflecting on his own past, or what little he could remember of it.
"So the darkness has touched him, but he has not yet succumbed to its power."
"No, but I fear Ryoko has," Lucemon said with a deep sigh, his handsome face growing dark with concern. "I suspect he's overwhelmed by guilt, since he must feel as if he has betrayed his cousin. And for him to care so much about Dai all these years and being unable to express his feelings..."
DarkAngelicmon glanced sharply at his old friend, and though he could tell Lucemon was still avoiding his eyes, he ignored it and gently placed his hand on the celestial rookie's thin shoulder, his next words lacking the force he had used on his fellow dark digimon earlier. "When one cannot express their feelings, that is truly the greatest tragedy of all."
"Indeed," Lucemon murmured, his tone barely above a whisper.
DarkAngelicmon knew at this point that the celestial rookie wasn't talking about Ryoko anymore. It was obvious Lucemon was referring to himself, and the intensity of the rookie's feelings seemed to echo across the lake.
"Doesn't it pain you to touch me like that?" Lucemon suddenly whispered, once again refusing to look at him.
It was true that he could feel the celestial rookie's light burning his fingers as the pain shot up his arm, but for some reason it didn't seem to hurt him quite as much as it used to. The pain was mostly tolerable, and thus he was able to push it to the back of his mind.
"There are worse things that cause me pain, my friend. Much worse."
Lucemon finally looked at him then, and with a hint of pleading in his eyes, he said softly, "It's true though, isn't it? You can have more than one best friend. Nobody ever has to be a third wheel."
DarkAngelicmon wasn't sure what came over him, but all of a sudden he seemed unable to control his own movements anymore. Leaning forward, he placed his hand against Lucemon's pale cheek, and resting his head against the celestial digimon's shoulder, he said quietly, "Of course, my friend. You usually aren't so silly as to doubt your own words."
He heard Lucemon's breath catch, and after a brief hesitation he felt the celestial rookie reach out a hand to gently stroke his wings.
It was a pleasant sensation, despite the pain, and moving closer he allowed Lucemon to continue caressing his feathers. It had been a very long time since the two of them had been this close to one another, and somewhere deep inside himself, DarkAngelicmon could feel how much he had missed it.
"You called me friend," Lucemon whispered, his words trembling with emotion.
"I must be growing soft."
"You were always soft," Lucemon murmured in his ear, smiling slightly. "Towards both digimon and humans."
DarkAngelicmon was about to reply, but at that moment Matty's eyes suddenly fluttered open, and letting out a soft groan, the younger twin mumbled his troubled cousin's name.
"Did you sleep well?" Lucemon asked, giving the golden-haired Digidestined a gentle smile.
Matty slowly maneuvered himself into a sitting position, and blinking to clear the sleep out of his eyes, he said slowly, "What happened?"
DarkAngelicmon thought perhaps this might be a good time to intervene, and shaking his head, he spoke to the younger twin with a fondness that surprised even him. "You truly are a fool, Masato Takaishi."
Matty didn't seem at all surprised to see him, which indicated he must have been forewarned by Celestimon and Lucemon, and giving him a look that conveyed little to no emotion, the younger twin said dryly, "Nice to see you again, too."
"I apologize, Matty, but it was necessary to tell him your story," Lucemon said quietly, looking a little uncertain of his words.
DarkAngelicmon expected the younger twin to ask why that was necessary, but instead Matty merely looked at him and said calmly, "You're here to take me away, aren't you."
"It is necessary for me to do so. You will become useful later on."
"I can't go with you," Matty replied, avoiding his eyes. "I need to find Ryoko."
DarkAngelicmon raised his eyebrows, and fluttering his wings, he said easily, "I suspect you will be seeing Ryoko soon enough. Vampiramon and the others are waiting to ambush your fellow Digidestined. We need to reach the Spirit Chip before they can catch us."
"Why are you telling me this?" Matty asked, frowning suspiciously.
DarkAngelicmon was feeling rather impatient by this time, and crossing his arms over his chest, he said, "I was generous enough to ask you to come with me, but it seems you need more convincing."
Matty didn't respond. Instead, he looked at his D-Coder Digivice, and his amber eyes suddenly widened in surprise. His reaction immediately caught DarkAngelicmon's attention, and straightening his shoulders, he said briskly, "What is it?"
Matty didn't answer. Instead, the younger twin threw his D-Coder into the air, and DarkAngelicmon felt it land in his lap with a soft thump. Matty displayed no anxiety at the possible risk that his D-Coder would be stolen, and curious, DarkAngelicmon picked it up to have a better look at the screen. As predicted, the main group of Digidestined were heading towards the entrance where Vampiramon and her crew were waiting to ambush them, but there were also two glowing dots that were steadily moving towards the cavern they were in from a different direction. Judging from the colours of those dots, it appeared to be Daichi Motomiya and Ryoko Ishida. Somewhere along the line those two had managed to separate themselves from the rest of the group, but he had been unable to sense their presence. That meant only one thing. The two boys were not in the company of a celestial digimon, which meant if he hadn't seen Matty's D-Coder, he would have had no idea that they weren't still with the main group.
Well, these humans can be much more devious than I thought. Those two must also have gone through one of the crystal mirrors, but why? Is it because of the darkness in Ryoko's heart?
He should have been annoyed at the deception, but instead he found it quite funny. And not only that, it was actually a rather convenient miscalculation that he begun to quickly work into his grand scheme. If anything, having Dai and Ryoko separated from the rest of the group would work in his favour, and since they would reach Matty before Vampiramon and the main group, he could use that to his advantage to prepare himself for stealing the Spirit Chip once the seals were released on it. Or at least it would increase his chances of making sure Ryoko could activate the Spirit Chip so he could steal it later. Everything was working out rather perfectly, and because of that DarkAngelicmon felt rather proud of himself for his brilliant mind and excellent planning skills.
"You want to use me in your plan to make sure Ryoko gets his Spirit Chip," Matty said quietly, his eyes growing dark.
"That is the plan, yes. I know what you're thinking. While you may curse me for being unfeeling, if anything you should be thanking me. Ryoko can only activate the Spirit Chip if he overcomes the darkness in his heart. If you and I can work together, perhaps we can bring your cousin back into the light."
Matty let out a gasp, and jerking his head up, the younger twin's amber gaze filled with understanding. DarkAngelicmon could tell that Matty recognized the truth in his words, and it had caught the younger twin off guard. While it was true that DarkAngelicmon intended to steal the Spirit Chip, Matty recognized that meant they would have to find a way to save Ryoko from the darkness before that could happen.
Which, in turn, meant they would be allies and could possibly help each other. At least for the time being.
"Just don't hurt him," Matty mumbled, avoiding his eyes.
"I have already given Lucemon my word on that."
"He did," Lucemon confirmed, smiling at Matty.
DarkAngelicmon reached out to place a hand on Matty's shoulder, and watching the younger twin closely, he said quietly, "I don't believe you need to go rushing off to find Ryoko. The tracker on your Digivice does not lie. It appears your cousin is already on his way to find you. Perhaps he is just as worried for you as you are for him."
Matty nodded slowly, a spark of hope in his amber eyes, and handing back the Digivice, DarkAngelicmon said in amusement, "Now, are you going to come willingly or am I going to have to use force to persuade you?"
To his delight, Matty actually smiled, and leaning over to wake his partner, he said softly, "It's time to go, Celestimon."
"You too, MarineAngemon," Lucemon said, giving his small partner a gentle shake.
Both digimon woke with several protests, and spotting the newcomer, MarineAngemon let out a squeak of surprise before growing shy and hiding himself behind Lucemon's shoulder.
Celestimon let out an indignant huff, and pointing his small finger at DarkAngelicmon, he said, "I could feel you coming. You're going to capture us, aren't you!"
DarkAngelicmon pretended to look hurt, and placing a hand against his heart, he said, "You are much too quick to judge, my dear counterpart. I am merely here to ensure Ryoko escapes the darkness."
"And to steal our Spirit Chips," Celestimon grumbled, glaring at him. "I see what's going on. Are we really going to go with him, Matty?"
"We don't have much of a choice," Matty replied, letting out a deep sigh. "Besides, if it means saving Ryoko then it's worth the risk."
"But-"
"Come on," Matty interrupted, getting to his feet.
DarkAngelicmon turned to his old friend, and sounding a little more brisk than he had intended, he said, "You need to leave this place, both you and MarineAngemon. Vampiramon and the others will eventually be coming this way. You must disappear before that happens."
Lucemon seemed to hesitate, and frowning at him, Matty said, "What's wrong?"
"I will not let any harm come to Matty," DarkAngelicmon interrupted, watching his old friend closely. "I already gave you my word."
"It's not Matty I'm worried about," Lucemon murmured, reaching out to take his hand.
DarkAngelicmon bowed his head, and speaking in a low voice, he said, "I'll be fine. Now go. Ryoko's heart depends upon our success. We must put our plan into motion."
Lucemon nodded, and impulsively the celestial rookie hugged him tightly before leaping to his feet. Turning to Matty, he took the younger twin's hands and said softly, "Search for the truth, Matty. The key lies with Daemon. And please, save my friend."
"I will," Matty murmured, giving Lucemon's hands a squeeze. "I promise you."
DarkAngelicmon was well aware of the fact that they were talking about him, but he chose not to comment. Lucemon's words had caused a stirring sensation in his heart, and it took all of his willpower to ignore that unpleasant sensation. And not only that, but it made him remember something very important.
He needed to warn Lucemon.
He needs to know about her...
It was almost as if Lucemon had sensed his thoughts because the celestial rookie looked at him and said with sudden alarm, "Is something wrong?"
DarkAngelicmon pulled his friend close again, and speaking in a low voice so Matty couldn't overhear him, he said quietly in the celestial rookie's ear, "You must be very careful from now on. The Ruler of Darkness has enlisted LadyDevimon into his army, and unlike the others she will be able to sense you. Be wary, and be careful when you are following me or the Digidestined. If she senses you..."
Lucemon let out a soft gasp, and after a moment of silence, he murmured, "I will take your words to heart. Thank you, my friend. It seems I cannot escape the prophecy. He will stop at nothing to gain the power of the Demon Lords."
DarkAngelicmon held the rookie close for a moment longer, and speaking in a fierce whisper, he said, "Regardless, he will never have you."
"Angelicmon..."
DarkAngelicmon quickly pulled away, and ignoring the curious looks from one Masato Takaishi, he stepped off to the side to wait in silence.
More goodbyes were exchanged between Celestimon and Lucemon, and then Matty and his partner took a moment to say farewell to MarineAngemon.
Once they were done, Lucemon spread his wings and took to the sky, though he remained low so the towering crystals blocked him from Vampiramon's view in the distance. For a moment the two of them stared at each other, and then Lucemon gave him one last look that was filled with both longing and affecton before he disappeared from sight with MarineAngemon. DarkAngelicmon could tell his friend was lonely, and it created a large ache in his heart.
That surprised him. He had thought he'd left all of those feelings behind him a long time ago.
"Ready to go?" Matty asked, reaching out to stroke his partner's fluffy ears.
DarkAngelicmon quickly abandoned his stoic position, and lifting the younger twin easily with one hand, he felt the boy's arm wrap around his neck for support. Matty's cheek came to rest against his shoulder, and leaping into the air with Celestimon, they too remained just slightly below the tall crystals to avoid being noticed.
As he glanced at the younger twin to make sure the boy was comfortable, his vision seemed to alter slightly, and instead of seeing Matty, he saw a flash of raven hair and a pair of deep green eyes gazing out of a face that was familiar to him. And yet despite how familiar it was, he couldn't quite place it. The suddenness of the vision cause him to falter in the air, and catching his breath he steadied his wings and placed a hand on Matty's golden head to orient himself.
"Are you okay?" the younger twin asked, gazing back at him with sudden curiosity.
Matty's hair was blond. It had always been blond. And his eyes...They were a soft amber colour, not a deep green.
Yet this seems so familiar, like perhaps I held a human just like this once before...
"Hey," Matty said gently, tugging on one of his wings. "What's with you?"
"Are you hurt?" Celestimon asked, hovering close by.
DarkAngelicmon could feel Matty's heart beating against his chest, and the warmth of the boy's body seemed to be pushing against the wall of darkness he had surrounded himself with. Not only that, but he could feel the sharp angles and ridges of Matty's flesh and bones as the younger twin shifted in his arms, and it made him realize with astonishing clarity just how fragile humans were.
And yet somehow their hearts were so strong.
"What are you thinking?" Matty asked softly, settling back against his chest again.
As he had suspected earlier, the cavern they were in seemed to connect all the passageways in the Ice Caverns together, and he could tell it contained several entrances and exists. The path he had set for himself continued east towards a chamber opening that seemed to be seeping blue light, and as he passed over the portal to the World of Darkness, a shiver raced down his spine.
The evil of that place calls to me. I must not stop resisting, or I will be lost...
Matty glanced at the portal as they flew over it, as well, and shuddering the younger twin quickly looked away and said, "That blue light up ahead. Is that coming from the Spirit Chip?"
"Indeed it is. We are getting closer. Very close, judging by the stream of light. Once we leave this cavern, the Spirit Chip should be somewhere up ahead."
"Where we wait for Dai and Ryoko," Matty murmured, looking lost in thought.
DarkAngelicmon held the boy more securely in his arms, and gazing at the light up ahead, he said quietly, "You lament your friendship with Daichi, and yet you would be no further ahead if you lost your cousin, which is exactly what would happen if you deny him a friendship with Daichi. To choose one over the other means to lose both of them, and regardless of who you choose, you would not be happy."
"Not really," Matty agreed, looking miserable.
"That's because in your heart you cannot live without either one of them. And that is why you're so afraid of losing both of them. But there's one thing you do not seem to understand. That is more likely to happen if you separate them from one another rather than letting them share their friendship with you. The only way you will truly be happy is if you let them both into your heart, and if you deny Ryoko a chance to care for Daichi, you not only hurt them both, you also hurt yourself. It would be foolish and selfish to deny those you love the chance at happiness."
"Are you going to lecture me?" Matty asked quietly, refusing to look at him.
DarkAngelicmon kept a hand on the boy's golden hair, and speaking softly, he said, "Could you truly live with yourself for causing your cousin so much pain, just because you want to protect yourself? It is not only possible but probable for the three of you to share yourselves with each other, and only then will you truly be at peace."
"Just like Lucemon said," Matty whispered, his amber eyes filling with sudden understanding.
"He would know, but...I don't believe that is the only thing troubling you."
"I don't want to talk about Mickey," the younger twin said quietly, hiding his face.
"He really doesn't," Celestimon added, looking gloomy. "I wish he would, though."
"Celestimon!" Matty cried, looking both shocked and embarrassed.
"I don't know exactly what's going on, but I can tell you've been different around him lately," Celestimon mumbled, frowning at his partner. "You wouldn't tell me about it before, but I know something's not right."
Matty looked surprised at his partner's sudden revelation, as if he hadn't realized the celestial rookie had picked up on his innermost feelings, and blushing, he mumbled, "Maybe later."
And that, DarkAngelicmon suspected, was eventually going to end up being the true root of the problem, which he suspected would work in his favour.
You won't have a choice, Matty. Once I come looking for your Spirit Chip, you will have no other option but to face your fears about Mickey.
They traveled on in silence for a bit, their flight path bringing them slowly closer to the blue light up ahead, and resting a cheek against his shoulder, Matty leaned closer again and whispered in his ear, "I know the truth about you."
DarkAngelicmon was surprised at how calm he remained, and without looking at the younger twin, he said smoothly, "What truth would that be?"
"We went to visit the first Digidestined when we were waiting for Gennai to find the location of the next Spirit Chip," Matty explained, twisting slightly in his arms. "That's what you wanted, isn't it? You were telling us to find out the truth about your past. Mickey took your words pretty seriously."
"And you believed Kenji's Iwamoto's partner," he finished, fully aware of the sound of his own heart beating rapidly against his ribcage. A sensation he was sure the younger twin could feel as well.
Matty nodded, and reaching out to catch a strand of his dark hair, the younger twin said, "We still don't know everything, but I know the most important thing."
"Which would be?"
"I know you used to be a good digimon," Matty whispered in his ear, letting go of his hair. "I know you used to be one of us. One of the good guys."
DarkAngelicmon froze in the air, and all of a sudden he could see the face again very clearly. No longer was he holding Matty in his arms. Instead, he could vividly recall the young face of Kenji Iwamoto in his mind, those deep green eyes staring back at him in shock and amazement.
"You can't lie about it," Celestimon said stubbornly, fluttering along beside them. "You can't hide how you feel from Halomon."
DarkAngelicmon was silent for a moment, and frowning he tried to push the memory away. Though most of his early years were still a blur, he could now remember that day very clearly.
A day when he had been fighting against the darkness. A day when he and LadyDevimon had fought on opposite sides.
Ever since the day of the accident, he had dedicated his life to not only his study of humans but also to protecting Lucemon at all costs. Daemon had tried to take that away from him.
The Demon Lord who had almost ruined everything...
The thought made him gasp, and doing his best to keep his composure, he said, "The past was a very long time ago. Things change, Masato Takaishi."
"Not really," Matty countered, settling comfortably against his chest again. "If you don't want to talk about it now, that's fine. But no matter how much things change, the heart always stays the same. The true feelings in your heart never change, and one day you'll find that out for yourself."
DarkAngelicmon chose not to answer, and while a part of him was still reluctant to work with the younger twin to achieve his ultimate goal, he knew they were going to need each other if they had any hope of saving Ryoko. In his many long years of living, he had been convinced that the humans would play a major role in his life, and holding Matty now as he headed for the Spirit Chip, he couldn't help feeling as if one day the small human in his arms truly would end up being one of the keys to his salvation.