Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. (But they totally should have hired me as a writer for them!)
A/N: This chapter was pretty easy to crank out fairly quickly because I had a ton of fun writing it. I think I love this chapter so much because it gives us a slightly different view of Daichi than what we've seen thus far. And while Dai might not be the most observant or emotional of the group, I think this chapter does a good job of showing us not only his more sensitive side, but also what his strengths are. This chapter shows us what Dai's greatest asset for the Digidestined team truly is. And I think it goes along with his Spirit Chip quite well!
Following the Footsteps of Destiny
Chapter 275: Synchronicity
Daichi 'Dai' Motomiya
Net, Northern Hemisphere, Digital World
Daichi Motomiya could feel a cold breeze stinging his cheeks as he struggled to see past Ryoko's shoulder, and while the large tunnel was dark and difficult for Tirimon to navigate, the glow from their Digivices created enough light to illuminate the passage up ahead. This prevented the speedy champion from running into any dangerous obstacles, but it didn't stop the wind from stinging the eyes of the passengers he carried on his back.
They had been traveling for most of the early morning, and holding tightly to his golden-haired friend, Dai glanced once more at his D-Coder Digivice, which he had been using to keep careful track of Matty's signal. At first, it had looked as if the younger twin was still sleeping, but some time back, Matty's signal had begun to move on the D-Coder's screen again. While that in itself wasn't necessarily alarming, there was one thing about the younger twin's behaviour that did confuse Dai. Not only were he and Ryoko awake and following after Matty, but as Tirimon had earlier noted when he was still Alopemon, their main group of Digidestined were also clearly awake. Tai and the others had been moving towards Matty's signal at a steady rate for quite some time now, and that wasn't exactly something the younger twin could easily ignore. Mickey and the others had obviously become aware of Matty's unexplained disappearance some time during the early hours of the morning, which meant the younger twin must have gone missing sometime during the night. Dai had been pleased to see that instead of coming after him and Ryoko, who had each other, Mickey's group had chosen to go after Matty, who was alone and currently the most vulnerable out of all of them.
But if the unanimous decision between all of the Digidestined was to go after Matty, then why was the younger twin moving in the opposite direction of all of his friends? Matty must have looked at his Digivice at some point and seen he was being followed. The younger twin was a smart kid. He would have realized that both groups had decided to come after him so he could reunite with them. And if Matty had realized that, wouldn't it make more sense for his signal to be moving towards either the main group of Digidestined or towards Ryoko, his cousin, instead of moving away from both groups?
Dai had no way of knowing for sure what had happened last night, but Ryoko's earlier explanation made the most sense. For Matty to have ended up so far away from the others so quickly meant there was really only one thing that could have happened. Somehow Matty must have ended up getting transported through one of the crystal mirrors, but how that could have happened completely baffled Dai. He had ended up getting sucked through the mirrors purely by accident, and because of his own stupidity, which he would rather die than admit to Ryoko, he ended up inadvertently bringing Alopemon and the golden-haired Digidestined with him. Matty, though, didn't have that excuse. Because of what had happened earlier with the mirrors, the younger twin would have been well aware of the dangerous consequences that could occur by interacting with the mirrors, and from what Dai could tell, the only way to get yourself transported through one was to physically touch it or to be in physical contact with somebody else who was touching the mirror. Or at least, that's what Royko had made it sound like.
Matty obviously wasn't pulled through accidentally because of being in physical contact with somebody else who had stupidly touched the mirror, since the younger twin appeared to be alone, which meant he would had to have touched the mirror himself.
But why would Matty do something like that when he would know by now the consequences of doing so?
While there was a possibility that Celestimon or some of the other digimon could be with Matty, Dai knew none of them would have touched the mirrors. Their digimon partners were loyal and did not often disobey the words of their human partners. Tai and the others would have instructed their digimon not to touch the mirrors, and the rookies would have been content to listen to their partners.
That meant Matty must have touched one of the crystal mirrors all on his own, but why would he have done something so idiotic?
He's usually a lot smarter than I am...
Dai had to admit he was worried, and he had a sneaking suspicion there was more going on with the younger twin than what he was currently aware of.
Just like with Ryoko...
The thought caught Dai completely off guard, and tensing he became suddenly very aware of the golden-haired Digidestined sitting in front of him. They hadn't said much to each other since Tirimon had left the cavern where they spent the night, and Dai was acutely aware of the painful rift that had grown between them.
There had always been a thick barrier separating them since they were toddlers, but in the last four weeks that barrier had grown into a giant, gaping rift. Despite that, though, Dai had always remained hopeful that one day they would sort things out between them, but now that giant cliff that separated them seemed impossible to cross, and he couldn't understand what had gone so wrong between them.
As far as he could tell, he hadn't treated Ryoko any differently over the last four weeks, so what had changed between them? Why was the golden-haired Digidestined acting like he hated him so much?
And why does he seem to want me to hate him in return?
Dai had never been good at figuring out this sort of stuff, and it frustrated him till the point where it was driving him crazy, but most of all he just felt angry and scared.
Scared that he was going to lose Ryoko completely.
What would I do if that ever happened?
The thought was like a stabbing wound in his heart, and he had to swallow a gasp to keep his emotions in check.
Though he had his arms around Ryoko's waist to prevent himself from sliding off Tirimon's back, there was noting comforting or pleasant about the experience.
Ryoko felt unnaturally stiff in his grip, and the golden-haired Digidestined's back was tense. Dai didn't need to hear the words to know that Ryoko didn't want to be that close to him, and as soon as the opportunity presented itself for them to separate, Dai knew the golden-haired Digidestined would shove him away and put as much distance as he possibly could between the two of them.
Maybe he wasn't always the most observant or intuitive, but even Dai could tell that Ryoko not only didn't want to be touched by him, but also didn't want to be anywhere near him, and the golden-haired Digidestined was doing everything he could to make it very obvious that his personal space was being invaded by somebody he disliked.
It's like I'm nothing but a slug to him. I'm like a piece of dirt beneath his shoe...
And yet...
For a moment there Dai was sure he had seen a different side of Ryoko. A side that had never before been revealed to him on such an emotional level. When he had seen those bruises on Ryoko's body, Dai had been unable to hide the feelings and emotions building in his heart, and for just a heartbeat it had seemed as if Ryoko was unable to do the same. As the golden-haired Digidestined had clung to him in a moment of weakness, Dai had felt something so powerful between them that it had almost taken his breath away. Ever since he was young, he had always felt a special connection to Ryoko, but unable to explore that side of their friendship for so long, he had done his best to bury those feelings to the deepest parts of his heart. At the time, he hadn't really understood what he was doing, but now it was only too clear to him. It had been his way of trying to protect himself from Ryoko's indifference towards him. That was the way things had always been between them, but those barriers had been dropped completely when Ryoko had not only failed to pull away from him, but had also returned his affection with a fierceness he had not been expecting. In that moment, Dai had felt the connection they share even more powerfully than ever before in his life, and he hadn't wanted the moment to end.
Even more surprisingly, Ryoko seemed to share his sentiment. The golden-haired Digidestined hadn't even attempted to pull away, as if he too wanted to make the most of the moment between them. For reasons Dai couldn't explain, Ryoko had accepted his offer of comfort, and the golden-haired Digidestined had clung to him with a desperation that he had never before displayed. It was like Ryoko had not only been seeking comfort from him, but the blond had also seemed to want some guidance and was looking for reassurance that everything would be okay.
Not just with Matty, but with the relationship between them, as well.
What had most caught Dai's interest, though, was the expression that had been in Ryoko's sapphire eyes. Dai had never seen the golden-haired Digidestined looking at him quite like that before, and he hadn't known what to think. Ryoko's gaze had been filled with so much emotion that Dai had been unable to look away from his friend's sapphire eyes. Those emotions had been so powerful and so conflicting that Dai had been unable to decipher the meaning behind that expression, but underneath the flood of emotions in the golden-haired Digidestined's haunted gaze, Dai had felt as if Ryoko had been trying to tell him something.
Not only that, but the look in Ryoko's eyes had also been lacking all of the usual contempt and indifference Dai normally saw directed at him. Usually, when it came to him, Ryoko's gaze appeared cold, calm, unenthusiastic, and unimpressed. Often Dai had felt as if the golden-haired Digidestined was looking down on him, but all of that had been missing from Ryoko's eyes, leaving the blond with nothing but raw and naked emotions shining through his frosty exterior.
The emotions that Dai had seen in that gaze had rekindled his hope. In that moment of weakness, Ryoko's blue gaze had been filled with what looked like fear, uncertainty, kindness, and a gentleness the golden-haired Digidestined had never before displayed. There had also been a glimmer of affection that was so deep and so powerful, if Dai hadn't known any better, he would have thought he was dreaming. There had been no hatred or dislike in that gaze, only a special fondness and a desperate desire to convey all the emotions that were buried deep inside a heart that seemed so far away from him.
But if those feelings were real, and that look in Ryoko's eyes was genuine, then what was holding the golden-haired Digidestined back from setting those emotions free from his heart?
Did something happen to him? Was it my fault? Is that why he doesn't want to be anywhere near me anymore?
Though that moment between himself and Ryoko had only lasted maybe a few minutes, to Dai it had felt as if time had come to a complete standstill. And as the connection between them seemed to spill over and draw them closer together, Dai hadn't wanted the moment to end.
But he should have known it wouldn't last.
Eventually Ryoko seemed to become aware of his surroundings again, and breaking the fragile link between them the golden-haired Digidestined had jerked away and withdrawn inside himself again. That in itself wasn't unusual for Ryoko, but Dai was worried that this time he wouldn't be able to bring the golden-haired Digidestined out of his shell again. Ryoko often closed up on him, but Dai had never worried too much about it in the past since sooner or later he had always been able to get a reaction out of the golden-haired Digidestined. Never before had he failed to get Ryoko to open up again, but this time was different.
When Ryoko had pulled away from him this time, something about that separation had seemed so final, and realizing all of a sudden the implications of the golden-haired Digidestined's odd behaviour, Dai felt a chill that seemed to settle right in his bones. Since the moment they separated, Ryoko had become withdrawn, and Dai had a terrible feeling that this time he had lost the golden-haired Digidestined for good.
No...No! I can't believe that! I refuse to believe that! We're friends! I just need to get through to him. I just need to find a way to bring him back to me...
Dai knew he couldn't stop believing in Ryoko. No matter what, he couldn't give up on his friend, even if the golden-haired Digidestined tried to push him away for good. He had to keep believing that the fierce look that had been in Ryoko's eyes when they embraced meant something. It had to be important somehow because if he let go of that belief, if he let Ryoko slip away from him, something inside of him would die and he would never be the same person again.
"It looks like it's getting lighter up ahead," Tirimon called out, splashing through a few puddles before skidding over a patch of ice.
"Keep going," Ryoko instructed, giving his partner a gentle pat on the head. "The breeze is also getting stronger. There must be a pretty large cavern up ahead."
Dai jumped at the sudden sound of voices, which hadn't been present for quite some time now, and leaning close to Ryoko's ear, he had to shout to be heard over the wind whipping past them. "I think it's the cavern where Matty must have spent the night!"
"Looks like it," Ryoko agreed, his tone lacking emotion.
The golden-haired Digidestined didn't even turn to look at him, and frowning, Dai had a sudden urge to do something he knew would make Ryoko mad, just to get a reaction out of him.
Keeping that thought in mind and knowing how much Ryoko would probably hate it, Dai dropped his head onto the golden-haired Digidestined's shoulder and closed his eyes to give himself a quiet moment to think. It had been four weeks since he'd really had a chance to not only be alone with Ryoko, but also to be this close to him, and letting his body relax against his friend's shoulder he realized just how much he had missed having the golden-haired Digidestined around. In front of him, he felt Ryoko stiffen, but he ignored the golden-haired Digidestined's reaction and kept his dark eyes tightly shut. There wasn't much Ryoko could do about the current situation anyways unless he was stupid enough to risk them both falling off and getting injured.
Ever since their visit to Highton View Terrace, something about Ryoko had felt different to him during the few times the golden-haired Digidestined had dared to be in his company. Normally when they interacted, Ryoko's presence always felt comfortable to him, despite their differences and the obvious barrier that existed between them. When he was around Ryoko, he would always feel that special connection they shared, which he often had trouble trying to put into words. It was sort of like a glowing warmth that seemed to hover in the air between them whenever they were in close proximity to one another, but all of those feelings were gone now.
Thinking on the matter, Dai realized that warm feeling between them had disappeared shortly after their visit to Highton View Terrace, and it had been replaced with something that was far more dark and alien. The foreignness of that feeling had become much more prominent after entering the Ice Caverns, as if Ryoko's heart was somehow feeding off the strange atmosphere of the cave.
It made him think back to the way Mickey, Matty, and Sam could feel the darkness so keenly, and suddenly he was finding it difficult to breath.
Is that...what's happening now? Is the darkness in this cave somehow affecting Ryoko?
It was no secret that Dai took after his father, and as a result he had always had a strong natural defense against the Powers of Darkness. It wasn't often that he could feel the darkness pushing against his soul or testing his heart, but something about his position now had his senses on high alert.
Keeping his eyes closed, he allowed his body to relax even more against the golden-haired Digidestined's rigid back, and he kept his head resting on Ryoko's shoulder as Tirimon continued to plunge ahead.
Something about Ryoko's touch definitely felt different. It seemed off somehow, like there was something not quite right about it. To Dai, it felt like there was a layer of shadow building beneath the golden-haired Digidestined's pale skin, and the residue from that darkness was seeping out of his pores. A shadow also seemed to lurk behind his sapphire eyes, and as Dai remained in close contact with his friend, he suddenly became aware of the fact that Ryoko's touch was starting to create a burning sensation on his skin. Though he could not physically see it, he had an uneasy feeling that the same shadow was lurking deep inside Ryoko's heart and twisting it into something that would eventually no longer be recognizable to those who loved him.
While Dai knew he might not be able to sense the darkness as well as Mickey or Matty, or even Sam for that matter, he knew he could feel something about his friend that wasn't right. And as he sat there with his arms around Ryoko, the truth came to him with such astonishing clarity that his dark eyes snapped open and his mouth fell open in shock. This time a gasp did escape his throat, and it echoed off the walls of the tunnel. Immediately he lifted his head, and jerking back from Ryoko, he felt his own body began to tremble violently with intense emotion.
While the boy sitting in front of him was still definitely Ryoko, this was a body that had been touched by the Powers of Darkness. And even now, the shadows lurking in that darkness were trying to consume the golden-haired Digidestined's heart.
"What's with you?" Ryoko snapped, having sensed his sudden movement.
No doubt the golden-haired Digidestined had heard his gasp, as well, and though he probably should have been embarrassed over his lack of control, he couldn't summon the energy to get himself worked up over it. At least he had the presence of mind not to release his grip on Ryoko's waist, since that would have resulted in painful consequences for both of them. Somehow he managed to keep his expression neutral, and adjusting the goggles on his head, he said calmly, "Nothing. Are we almost there?"
While it appeared the darkness had been building inside Ryoko's heart for quite some time, Dai had a feeling the Ice Caverns had somehow been the turning point for the golden-hared Digidestined's descent into dangerous territory. Ryoko hadn't seemed to like the place from the beginning any more than Mickey and Matty had, and it had obviously affected him deeply.
Was it the darkness that was making Ryoko act so cruel him? Could it be that the golden-haired Digidestined really did care about him after all, but the darkness was preventing him from expressing those emotions?
Something big had happened to Ryoko last night. He was sure of it.
Dai couldn't be certain, but someone or something must have physically hurt the golden-haired Digidestined pretty badly, and even thinking about it made his insides burn with anger and fear for his golden-haired friend. No doubt the encounter had also hurt Ryoko from an emotional perspective as well, and whoever had caused those bruises was probably partly responsible for the the blond's current behaviour. Dai couldn't deny he felt like he was fumbling in the dark for answers, but there was one thing he did know for sure. When he found out the truth about what had happened and who had hurt his friend, he was going to make sure somebody suffered the consequences for it.
I won't let them get away with what they did!
Dai had pretty much resigned himself to the fact that Ryoko was keeping things from him, and while that upset him he knew the golden-haired Digidestined would probably never tell him exactly what had happened. That meant only one thing. He was going to have to take drastic measures into his own hands and find out for himself what had happened. Somehow he was going to have to find the culprit all on his own or force the truth out of Ryoko.
Whichever came first.
"Should be any moment now," Tirimon called back, picking up the pace.
Dai wasn't a fool. He knew the Powers of Darkness were at work inside the Ice Caverns, and somehow he was going to have to free Ryoko from the despair that had claimed the blond's heart.
Because if he could save Ryoko, maybe their friendship would still stand a chance of surviving.
And I can't let whoever hurt him get away with it. All those bruises on his body. He looked so fragile and helpless...
A lump appeared suddenly in Dai's throat, and he shook his head to banish the image of Ryoko's battered body from his mind. He couldn't stand to look at those bruises anymore. He couldn't stand to remember them. That was something he never wanted to see on any of his friends' bodies ever again, and if he hurt himself or put himself in danger trying to stop something like that from happening a second time, he wouldn't hesitate to do so if it meant protecting somebody he cared about. He would save his friends from that kind of pain no matter what.
Even if it killed him.
"We're here," Tirimon announced, coming to a stop a few feet from a doorway that seemed to open into a spacious chamber. "The entrance is just up ahead."
"It's probably best if we go on foot from here," Ryoko said shortly, glancing at his glowing D-Coder with an unreadable expression on his handsome face.
Dai nodded in agreement, and slipping off Tirimon's back, he stood to one side to offer Ryoko his assistance. The golden-haired Digidestined was a little more cautious about his movements, and wincing slightly, he hesitated before sliding carefully off Tirimon's back. Dai caught his friend by the arm to prevent the blond's body from taking the brunt of the impact, but instead of a smile or a simple thank you, Ryoko merely shook him off and proceeded to head for the entrance in silence.
Dai followed after the golden-haired Digidestined with Tirimon bringing up the rear, and as they moved inside, he stopped to take in the impressive view. This particular cavern was huge, and there were purplish-pink crystals everywhere. Unlike the ones in the tunnels, though, these crystals were towering towards a ceiling that was so high it was almost completely out of sight, and there were stalagmites shooting out of the ground in large groups that obscured their path somewhat. Off in the distance, Dai could glimpse what looked like a small lake between the crystals, and he could detect a faint source of violet light coming from that direction. Though the air was chilly and there was a thick layer of powdered snow beneath his feet, it wasn't the cold that was making him feel uncomfortable. The atmosphere in the cavern itself felt heavy, and there was a spark of tension in the aura surrounding the cave. Even though Dai couldn't be sure exactly what was going on, he had a feeling there was a thick concentration of darkness in the air.
One look at Ryoko's uneasy expression confirmed his suspicions, and pulling on the golden-haired Digidestined's arm to get his attention, he said quickly, "It looks like we should be heading east towards the lake."
"To reach Matty?" Ryoko asked, sounding distracted.
The golden-haired Digidestined's gaze kept wandering towards the mirrors, and it made Dai remember Ryoko's question from earlier.
"When you look at those mirrors, what do you see?"
Dai himself couldn't see anything in the crystal mirrors, so they didn't seem particularly dangerous to him, but even though he wouldn't admit it, evidently Ryoko could see something in their purplish-pink depths. If the way he kept looking at them was any indication, then whatever he was seeing couldn't be very pleasant because there was fear in his sapphire eyes, and he looked like he expected some ghoul to suddenly pop out and scare him half to death.
That was a bad sign, especially since the mirrors were obviously distracting Ryoko from their mission to go after Matty, and Dai couldn't help wondering if the crystals also had something to do with the Powers of Darkness. The thought made him uneasy, but if he was right about Ryoko being affected by the darkness then that would explain the blond's fascination with the mirrors. And if the crystals were going to be a problem then he was going to have to make sure they didn't get in his way.
With that thought in mind, he once again tugged on the golden-haired Digidestind's arm to turn his attention away from the mirrors, and speaking more aggressively than he had intended, he said, "Come on, this way. We might have to take a bit of a detour to get around all of these crystals. Tirimon, you better watch our backs."
"Of course," Tirimon replied, his senses on high alert.
Dai cautiously began to move forward in a crouch, Ryoko trailing along behind him, and sneaking his way through the crystals, he kept his gaze sharp and watchful for any sign of movement. They still had no idea where their enemies were, so he knew they needed to be extra careful.
Can't let anybody spot us. Not when we're this close.
As they continued to make their way through the maze of crystals and large rock formations, Dai passed an opening to his right that gave him a decent view of the west side of the cavern. He was about to continue on with barely a glance when he spotted something dark out of the corner of his eye, and it made him stop short in surprise.
Curious, he dropped down behind a large boulder, and crawling on his hands and knees to take cover behind a glowing rock formation, he squinted at what looked like another entrance to the cavern. This doorway was clearly the left entrance, and as Dai watched he saw something move near one of the crystals that was standing in the path of the west doorway.
"What are you looking at?" Ryoko said irritably, crouching next to him and trying to see over his shoulder for a better look. This brought them into close contact with one another again, and Dai could feel that underlying sense of darkness radiating from Ryoko's body like a nagging injury that wouldn't go away. He tried to ignore it, focusing only on the warmth of the golden-haired Digidestined's closeness that warded off some of the chill, but it wasn't easy.
That uncomfortable presence he felt from Ryoko was distracting, and pointing discreetly towards the west entrance, he said, "I thought I saw something moving over there."
"Tirimon, stay where you are," Ryoko commanded, leaning forward slightly for a better look. "I don't want anyone spotting you."
"Just be careful," Tirimon warned, his fluffy tail swishing uneasily in the dim light.
Dai watched for a moment, and suddenly he saw it again, only this time the thing took on the shape of a digimon.
And not just any digimon. It was Vampiramon.
Ryoko must have seen it at the same time because the two of them gasped simultaneously before quickly ducking back behind the rocks.
"Do you think the others are here, too?" Ryoko whispered, his sapphire eyes growing dark with concern.
The two of them were sitting back to back, their shoulders touching, and moving slightly to peek his head around the rocks again, Dai murmured, "Let's find out."
Now that he knew what to look for, he could more accurately scan the area for any sign of danger, and sure enough he spotted Jestermon hiding behind some rocks, crouched and ready for an ambush. The fool was on the opposite side of the door from Vampiramon, and near him Spritemon was also hiding behind a crystal. The only reason Dai could see them at all was because he was watching them from the east side of the cavern, but anyone coming from the west door wouldn't see the three dark megas until it was too late.
And that was the door that the rest of the Digidestined would be using to enter the cavern once they arrived.
They're going to ambush my dad and the others!
"Well?" Ryoko demanded, shaking his shoulder roughly. "What do you see?"
Dai stared at the golden-haired Digidestined, and Ryoko suddenly seemed to realize that they were in close proximity to one another again. Upon discovering this large oversight, the blond's expression changed from cool indifference to one of alarm, and he quickly shuffled over a few paces to put some distance between them.
While that didn't exactly do much for Dai's confidence, he chose to let it slide for the moment. Right now, he couldn't afford any distractions. He needed to focus.
I have to figure out what's going on around here.
"Are you going to answer me, or not?" Ryoko practically hissed at him, his tone bordering on the verge of hysteria.
Dai quickly scanned the area once more, and spotting no other digimon, he said, "Vampiramon, Jestermon, and Spritemon are all here. They've positioned themselves to ambush the west door."
"That's the direction my parents and the others are coming from," Ryoko said slowly, glancing quickly at his D-Coder before shoving it back in his coat to avoid its glow being seen by any of their enemies. "But...how could Vampiramon possibly know they were coming here?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Tirimon interrupted, tossing his large head. "DarkAngelicmon would have told them."
"How though? He isn't even here," Ryoko replied, looking confused. "You didn't see him, right?"
Dai realized the golden-haired Digidestined was talking to him, and shaking his head, he watched Vampiramon with a sinking sensation in his heart. Although he didn't want to admit it, he had a feeling he knew exactly where DarkAngelicmon was.
We're being set up...
Ryoko must have come to the same conclusion as he had because the golden-haired Digidestined's sapphire eyes suddenly widened in horrified understanding. "You don't think he's with Matty, do you?"
Dai let out a deep sigh, and without looking at Ryoko, he said, "I hate to break it to you, but from the looks of it DarkAngelicmon must have Matty, and he's got these guys waiting to ambush our friends. There's no other way Vampiramon could know the exact location of our main forces and when they'll show up unless she was recently in contact with DarkAngelicmon. It's obviously a trap. A setup to subdue us. Since DarkAngelicmon and Vampiramon have got some kind of plan in motion and their whole group has finally decided to put in an appearance, it must mean we're getting pretty close to the Spirit Chip."
"And DarkAngelicmon must have found Matty because Celestimon is with him," Tirimon finished, shaking snow off his back. "He's probably decided to use Matty for one purpose or another."
"And he could track my dad and the others because of Halomon," Ryoko murmured, keeping his gaze lowered to the icy ground.
"What are we going to do?" Tirimon asked, his words coming out in a soft growl. "We can't let Tai and the others get caught in an ambush."
"But we can't leave Matty with DarkAngelicmon either!" Ryoko protested, sounding oddly desperate.
Dai sat quietly for a moment, which was unusual for him, his brain thinking the scenario through.
What would his father do in a situation like this? What would Tai have done? What even would Tal have done?
On one hand, they knew DarkAngelicmon was a good digimon, but that didn't mean he wasn't still dangerous. As long as he remained under the influence of the Powers of Darkness, he could still be considered a threat to them. And since Matty was all by himself, with presumably only Celestimon for help, technically the younger twin was the one in the most danger.
At least on paper.
On the other hand, Tai and the others were walking right into a trap, and they had three mega digimon to deal with. And while they also had more digimon partners with them to put up a decent fight compared to Matty, three megas wasn't exactly a walk in the park. There had been times before when they had been lucky to escape with their Digivices, Spirit Chips, and lives intact.
And in most of those cases there was some luck involved.
By the looks of it, this ambush seemed more like an attempt to capture the main bulk of Digidestined rather than kill them, and Vampiramon and the other dark megas were obviously heavily under DarkAngelicmon's influence. Clearly he was the one in charge, and while that was still dangerous, it could also be a slight advantage that might work in their favour. It made sense that DarkAngelicmon would be in charge of the mission, since the dark celestial digimon was the only one who could track them, and that meant he was the only one who could lead the bad guys to the Spirit Chip.
Dai was pretty confident Vampiramon wouldn't hurt anybody yet, since she would still need not only Kara and Mickey for their Spirit Chips, but also because of Matt, Mimi, and Joe, who were needed to break the first seal surrounding the Spirit Chip of Loyalty.
Matty was also in the same boat. Dai didn't think DarkAngelicmon would hurt the younger twin because he was still needed, which left both sides at a standstill.
But how much should I put my faith in that knowledge?
What was the right choice of action? Rescue Matty, or help the rest of the Digidestined? Whatever decision he made, he would have to deal with the consequences of it. Which meant it all came down to one thing.
What was most important in this particular scenario, and what choice would be the most beneficial to the group as a whole?
"Do you think they know the Spirit Chip looks like it's probably mine?" Ryoko asked, refusing to look at him.
Dai thought about the setup of the situation, and nodding his head slowly, he said, "I think they have their suspicions. DarkAngelicmon must have felt that Matty had become separated from Mickey, and like us he must have suspected Matty went through one of the crystal mirrors, leaving him most likely by himself and Mickey with the others. Since he knows how much you care about Matty, he's probably thinking to use him to get you to activate your Spirit Chip."
"And so he figured he could capture the rest of us and have us brought to the Spirit Chip to put his plan into motion without any of us interfering," Tirimon finished. "And then he would have Ryoko right where he wants him."
Something about the look on Ryoko's face caused a shiver to race down Dai's spine, and speaking quickly, he said, "Having DarkAngelicmon with him explains how Matty's moving so quickly, too. I know the situation looks bad, but we do have one thing working for us."
"Which would be?" Ryoko said dully, the light fading from his sapphire gaze.
Dai raised his eyebrows, and settling back down next to the golden-haired Digidestined, he said dryly, "I thought you were supposed to be the smart one, not me. We don't have any angel digimon with us, remember? So nobody can track us. We're free to move around as we please, which can work to our advantage."
"Vampiramon and her group might not know we've been separated from the rest of the group, but DarkAngelicmon will know if he's taken Matty's D-Coder," Ryoko shot back, his voice cold. "And how do you know he wouldn't have shown Vampiramon and the other megas?"
Dai hesitated for a moment, and speaking with a conviction he knew with a certainty was true, he said quietly, "He wouldn't have. And if he does know about us, I think he would want us to come to him."
"Huh?" Ryoko said, glancing uncertainly at him before quickly looking away again.
"If Vampiramon's group knew about us, they wouldn't be completely ignoring the north entrance and focusing all of their efforts on the west entrance."
It was only too obvious that DarkAngelicmon had set the whole thing up for Ryoko's benefit. The fallen angel really wanted that Spirit Chip, and he was making it very clear he was going to get his hands on it no matter what.
Which brought Dai back to the main issue at hand. What was truly most important if their mission to rescue everyone and to take the Spirit Chip was going to be successful?
The answer was simple.
If Ryoko didn't free himself from the darkness in his heart then both sides would fail and nobody would win, which was why it was so important that nobody could be put in harm's way yet. Dai hadn't failed to notice the recent changes that would overcome Ryoko every time Matty's name was mentioned, and it weighed heavily on his mind. He had only started noticing it the day before, and it made him wonder what the heck he was missing. Somehow he had a feeling that whatever was going on with Ryoko had something to do with Matty, and it was made even more obvious with the way the golden-haired Digidestined seemed so desperate to find his cousin.
As far as Dai could tell, everybody was relatively safe, at least until after the Spirit Chip of Loyalty was released.
Everybody except Ryoko, that is.
Going after Tai and the others wasn't going to help Ryoko release the darkness in his heart, but maybe going after Matty would, since the younger twin seemed to be playing a role in Ryoko's conflicting emotions.
And right now, Ryoko was the one who needed saving most of all.
Before it was too late.
And until we reach Matty, I'm the only one who can save him right now...
His decision made, Dai quickly got to his feet again and said shortly, "Come on, we're going after Matty."
"We are?" Tirimon asked, looking surprised.
Ryoko opened his mouth to say something, but before the golden-haired Digidestined could possibly protest, Dai cut him off and said sharply, "Don't argue with me this time. We're going after Matty, and that's final."
"I wasn't-"
"If my father or Tai were here, I'm sure that's what they would have done."
Ryoko snapped his mouth shut at those words, and regardless of what he might have been trying to say, Dai knew the golden-haired Digidestined wanted to go after Matty just as much as he did. Dai could see it in Ryoko's eyes, under the fear and dread that seemed to glimmer in his tortured gaze. Underneath all of those emotions was a deep sense of desperation to find and confront his cousin.
"Come on then," Tirimon said gruffly, turning and making his way back through the maze of crystals. "Be careful not to let Vampiramon and the others see you."
Dai followed after the champion in silence, Ryoko trailing along like a lost spirit at his heels, and as they came upon the lake he stopped dead in his tracks. The water was glowing a strange violet colour, and there on an island in the centre of the lake, he could see a strange glowing portal that was oozing purple goo.
"What is that thing?" Ryoko whispered, staring at it in horrid fascination.
Dai thought back to the stories he had heard from the last three groups of Digidestined, the one about Ken's base particularly standing out in his memories, and speaking in a surprisingly calm voice, he said, "I don't know, but I think it might be a gateway to the World of Darkness."
Ryoko went rigid beside him, the golden-haired Digidestined's face growing very pale, and somehow managing to find his voice, he whispered, "A what?"
"You heard me. It's funny. All of a sudden things are starting to make a lot more sense to me now."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryoko snapped, shivering in the violet light of the glowing portal.
Dai grabbed his friend's arm, and pulling Ryoko back from the edge of the water, he said shortly, "Come on. We need to get you out of here. Tirimon, think you have enough energy to swim across this lake and get us to the other side?"
"I've got plenty," Tirimon replied, his icy blue eyes studying his partner's face with concern. "Hop on."
Dai pratically had to manhandle Ryoko onto Tirimon's back, since the golden-haired Digidestined had become unresponsive, his sapphire gaze locked on the portal, and smacking the side of his friend's head with enough force to startle the blond, he said sharply, "Snap out of it, Ishida. We have a job to do."
"What?" Ryoko mumbled, looking back over his shoulder, his face a mask of confusion.
Dai had his arms around the golden-haired Digidestined's waist again, and jerking Ryoko's head to the other side so the blond's face was turned away from the island, he rested his own head against Ryoko's temple and said quietly, "Don't look at it."
I'm not going to let you hurt yourself anymore.
Tirimon seemed to sense it wasn't a good idea for Ryoko to hang around the portal too long either because he quickly leaped into the icy water and began to swim towards the opposite shore, doing his best to stay away from the island with the portal.
Dai winced as the cold water sprayed both him and Ryoko from the initial jump, and as Tirimon made his way across the lake, Dai made sure to keep Ryoko's head turned away from the portal, despite the fact that the golden-haired Digidestined was putting up some resistance.
The moment they reached the other side, Dai qickly climbed off Tirimon, taking Ryoko with him, and glancing at the east door up ahead, he noticed it was shining with blue light.
"Is that...from the Spirit Chip?" Ryoko asked hesitantly, having lost interest in the portal now that it was no longer in sight.
Dai nodded, and pulling out his D-Coder, he watched as the beam of red light from his Digivice shot down the tunnel. "Looks like it to me. Now that we're so close, it's probably better if we walk the rest of the way from here."
Ryoko pulled out his own D-Coder, and gazing at the Digivice as it shot a blast of blue light down the tunnel, the golden-haired Digidestined whispered, "How can the Spirit Chip be mine? The only person I've ever been loyal to is myself."
The anguish in those words caught Dai by surprise, and feeling a deep sense of emotion burning in his heart, he turned to deny those words. Just as he was about to open his mouth, though, the beam of red light from his D-Coder crossed with the blue light from Ryoko's Digivice. As the two lights came in contact with one another, there was a shower of sparks, and Dai cried out as the blue light from Ryoko's Digivice shot up his arm and seemed to explode into his heart. The same thing happened to Ryoko, except it was a burst of red light instead of blue, and crying out they both staggered backwards, gasping for breath.
"What...was that?" Ryoko panted, staring at his D-Coder as the red light slowly faded from around him.
Dai stared at his hands as the blue light drained slowly from his body, and finally finding his voice, he said uncertainly, "I...don't know."
As silence descended between them, Dai could feel his own heart pounding rapidly in his ears, and though he didn't say anything, his thoughts were racing chaotically in his mind.
For just a moment there, he was sure he'd been able to feel Ryoko's heart beating in sync with his own, and not only that, he was also sure that he had been able to feel every emotion in Ryoko's heart.
Fear, anger, jealously, darkness, self-pity, but also a sense of love, affection, friendship, and fierce loyalty.
Why can't you see how wrong you are about yourself? You told me you would follow me anywhere, and I still believe that. I have to believe it because I can't lose you...
"We...we need to go," Ryoko stammered, looking suddenly very vulnerable.
Dai didn't argue. Instead, he said lightly, "At times like this, I wish we had D-Terminals. At least then we could send my dad and the others a message to warn them about Vampiramon. These things can only send scanned images."
"Do you think it would have worked if we had scanned an image of Vampiramon and the other megas and sent that?" Ryoko wondered, clearly grateful for the change in subject.
"Too late to worry about that now," Tirimon informed them. "We'll just have to make do."
"We'll manage."
Tirimon looked at him for a moment, and watching him closely, the large champion said slowly, "You know, I'm rather impressed. You've got some great skills when it comes to battle tactics. No wonder you make such a fine leader. You've got a good head on your shoulders and a great eye for squaring off against your enemies."
Huh?
Tirimon's words caught Dai completely off guard, and scratching the back of his dark head in embarrassment, he said, "I do?"
"You do," Tirimon confirmed, his expression never changing.
Dai nodded, uncertain of how to respond to that, and quickly taking the lead, he said, "Let's move out."
As they entered the new tunnel in silence, Dai could feel Ryoko walking close beside him. He still did not know exactly what was going on with his friend, but he was going to do whatever he could to save Ryoko.
And I'm not doing it just for myself.
He was doing it for Ryoko's parents and for the blond's aunt and uncle. For Rina and Mickey, and the whole Kamiya family. For all of Ryoko's friends and for all of the the Digidestined.
But most of all for Matty, whom Dai knew cared more about Ryoko than the younger twin would probably ever fully understand for himself.
Because if there was one thing Dai would never do, it would be to let Matty down. Because Matty, more than anyone, deserved to be surrounded by people who knew the true value of his worth.