Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. (Boo! *sad face*)
A/N: I love writing in Matt's POV! Here's the latest chapter for you guys. Hope you all enjoy it!
Following the Footsteps of Destiny
Chapter 276: Crimson Voltage
Matt Ishida
Net, Northern Hemisphere, Digital World
There had been many times in his life when he had felt the taste of fear in his heart, but never before had it affected him quite as deeply as it did now. It was one thing to feel frightened for yourself or even for your friends and the many people who were close to you. It was another thing entirely to feel afraid for your own child. The one comfort he had was the fact that he knew he wasn't alone when it came to protecting his son, and that was the only thing preventing him from succumbing to the terrible fear that was threatening to overwhelm him.
Matt Ishida knew better than anyone the consequences of succumbing to the darkness in your soul, and it was something he had never wanted any child of his own to experience. But now that it had happened, he knew he couldn't allow himself to give in to the anxiety that was building in his own heart. He had to trust that his son was strong enough to fight against the darkness, but as a parent that was easier said than done.
And I'm not the only one who's afraid. After all, he's not just my son alone...
It was hard enough to deal with his own uncertainties, but the fear he felt radiating from the beautiful woman who had chosen him for a husband made his own emotions that much harder to deal with. Mimi's cinnamon coloured eyes were glimmering with a hint of tears, but somehow she had managed to hold them back thus far, though it was clearly an effort to do so. The determination that came along with the watery glow in her eyes was a testimony to Mimi's strength, and Matt suddenly found himself overwhelmed with a deep sense of respect for her. For many years Ryoko had been her only child, and because of that Mimi was often very protective of the young blond. Matt couldn't blame her, since he often felt the same way about Ryoko, and that was why it was difficult for him to see her in so much pain. While she was a strong woman, there was also a tenderness about her heart that made her vulnerable, and it was that warmth and sincerity she radiated that had captured his heart many years ago when they were teenagers. He had glimpsed that side of her often enough in the Digital World during their travels, but it wasn't until the challenges he had overcome with Tai, Sora, and the fate of the relationship he shared with his best friend that he had finally been able to see Mimi in a way he had never looked at her before. He considered himself lucky that he had managed to come to terms with his feelings for the rosy-haired Digidestined without letting the opportunity to be with her pass him by, and that was largely in part thanks to Tai and Sora.
He also knew how very lucky he was that Mimi had returned his newly discovered feelings with an intensity that still surprised him even to this day.
I still remember all those phone calls from New York. How could I have been such a fool not to see it from the beginning?
Now that they were older and Mimi was due to give birth to a second child, Matt was more in love with her than ever before, and looking back on his teenage years, he didn't regret the way things had turned out in the slightest.
Mimi was the optimism to his occasionally pessimistic side, and her loving and carefree personality never failed to bring him out of his shell. Matt had realized a long time ago that for whatever reason he was often attracted to people who were the opposite of him, and somehow they were always able to bring out the best in him. Both Mimi and Tai, and even T.K. to some extent, were all cut from the same mold in that sense, and their outgoing personalities were what had made them the closest people in the world to him.
Because they were the ones who had known just exactly how to reach his heart.
He was a lot like Ken in that respect. The former Emperor also seemed to gravitate towards those who challenged him to step out of his comfort zone, which was made very obvious by the fact that Davis was the raven-haired Digidestined's best friend, and Yolei was his wife.
And while occasionally it can be a bit on the annoying side having people like Tai and Davis hounding us all the time, the truth is we wouldn't have it any other way.
It was a simple and slightly random thought floating in his mind, but it brought a faint smile to his lips that went unnoticed by the rest of the Digidestined. Reaching out, he took Mimi's hand in his own, and giving it a reassuring squeeze, he said, "How are you holding up?"
Returning the gesture with a squeeze of her own, Mimi moved closer to him for comfort, her rosy hair brushing lightly against his shoulder. She glanced at him as if to measure his own strength, and somehow managing a smile, she said softly, "It's hard, isn't it? Trying to stay strong."
Matt nodded in agreement, and wrapping his arm around his wife's shoulders, he kissed her hair and said, "It's the same for all of us. It's never easy, especially when there are a lot of people you care about who are in danger."
"Maybe, but...you seem so calm. There used to be a time when you were more quick to react, like I am."
Matt shook his head, and thinking back on his childhood, he said, "Not really. I'm just better at keeping my fear under control now."
"Really," Mimi asked, raising her eyebrows. "That's a big change from the days when you used to let Tai and our enemies get you riled up so easily."
Matt let out a soft laugh, and once again leaning close to his wife, he whispered, "You want to know a secret? I might look calm on the outside, but don't let it fool you. I've never been so terrified in my life."
"Same," Mimi murmured, letting go of his hand to slip her arm around his waist.
"And somehow I don't think we're the only ones who are scared."
The rosy-haired Digidestined's cinnamon gaze settled on Kari, who was walking just ahead of them with Tai, Mickey, and Kara, and frowning, she said, "You're right. I'm so scared, not just for Ryoko, but also for our nephew. I can imagine what Kari's going through right now, and it hurts me just as much as my own fear does. Matt, we can't lose any of our kids. It doesn't matter, you know? They're all our kids, every one of them, and I just want to protect them all..."
Matt's blue gaze drifted to the young lady walking next to Kari, and letting out a deep sigh, he said quietly, "I know what you mean."
Takara Kamiya was a beautiful and vibrant girl who looked so much like her father there was no mistaking the resemblance. She was Tai's daughter to the very core of her being, and while there was no denying she had her father's courageous heart and his outgoing personality, she also carried her mother's softer side and graceful way of carrying herself. She had enough of Sora's level-headed mindset and sense of caution to balance out Tai's stubbornness and more fierce personality, and as a result she was a unique blend of both a lover and a fighter. While she happily admitted to the fact that she was a tomboy, she also had a softer romantic side, and that combination of love and courage gave her a deep sense of wisdom that often had a way of keeping her male friends in line. Kara was a smart girl, and while she was very much like both her mother and father, that combination of her parents' personalities gave her a unique identity and a special something that was all her own. At times, she seemed older than her age, and subconsciously that was probably one of the reasons why Daichi hadn't made any serious attempts yet to explore his feelings regarding the dark-haired girl thus far.
Takara was also a very strong girl, and she wasn't the type to doubt herself. But that being said, Matt had to remember that she was her mother's daughter every bit as much as she was Tai's daughter. Sora had suffered through her fair share of troubles in the past as a young girl, and during their own travels in the Digital World the female Digidestined had made it clear that she was not immune to the Powers of Darkness. Sora had become a victim herself once, and with a heart that was reminiscent of her mother's, Kara also carried a piece of that vulnerability within her own personality. Tai, too, despite his strength, was not immune to the darkness. He had proven that fact only too easily in the Digital World with his fear of the firewall and the birth of SkullGreymon.
Even the strongest of us aren't immune to the Powers of Darkness. Nobody is immune, not even our leaders, if they don't keep their guard up...
Matt knew Tai and Sora as well as he knew himself, and he had come to know Kara as if she were his own flesh and blood. Thus, he hadn't failed to notice there was something weighing heavily on her mind, and whatever it was it had the potential to put her in a lot of danger somewhere along the line. He had seen the look in her hazel eyes when they had talked about the mirrors. For reasons known only to herself, the strength in Kara's heart was fading, and Matt had no explanation as to why.
And he wasn't the only one who had come to that same conclusion.
Every so often Tai would glance uneasily at his daughter, and the conflicting emotions in the former leader's dark eyes weighed heavily on Matt's mind. And while he was anxious to go to his best friend's side and offer some support, he knew now wasn't the time for it.
Tai was hot-headed and stubborn sometimes, but he wasn't an idiot. He knew what was most important right now, and that was helping Ryoko and Matty. Tai was strong enough to put his own worries and feelings aside to do what was needed, and for that the former leader had earned Matt's loyalty and respect. He knew how much it cost Tai to put the matter of his daughter aside for the time being for the sake of his nephew and the son that was his in all but name, and for that he was grateful. In that moment, the fondness he felt for Tai was greater than anything he had ever experienced before in his life, and he made a vow to himself that he would return the favour in kind.
And in the meantime he would do what he could to keep an eye on Kara.
Because, after all, that was what best friends were for.
"You'll look after her, won't you?" Mimi said quietly, her warm breath tickling his ear.
Matt realized his wife was also gazing at Takara, and it caught him by surprise. Mimi must have picked up on the female Digidestined's behaviour the way he and Tai had, and he could tell she was worried.
Not that I blame her...
Seeing Mimi's reaction made him even more determined to keep his vow, and nodding, he said calmly, "I might be a lot of things, but I'm not one to break promises. We've all been through too much to just give up so easily now. I'm never going to let anyone hurt Tai or Sora ever again."
Mimi smiled at him, and as the worry faded from her sparkling eyes, she said softly, "I know. I believe you. It's just...with everything that's been happening lately, I can't help worrying that something might happen to Kara..."
Matt's gaze settled on the dark-haired girl once again, who seemed to be making a rather obvious point of avoiding him, and speaking with such force that it surprised even him, he said quietly, "Not on my watch, it won't."
"I'm a little confused," Sam suddenly spoke up, frowning at his D-Coder Digivice. "Why did Matty move in the opposite direction from us? And I don't mean just our group. He was also moving away from Dai and Ryoko. It's almost like he's running away from us. From anyone who's a Digidestined."
"Well, even if he was trying to run away, he won't get very far," Tai snorted, glancing at his own Digivice. "Dai and Ryoko obviously decided to go after him, and by the looks of it they've almost reach him."
"I take it you approve of their decision?" Joe asked, typing away on one of the D-Terminals as he conversed with Izzy. Matt was pretty sure it was the one that belonged to Davis, though the former leader hadn't protested when the doctor had stolen it from him.
Tai smiled at the cobalt-haired Digidestined, and nodding his head, he said, "It's what I would have done, only...Matty stopped moving some time ago. I wonder what that's all about."
"At first it seemed like he was running away from us, but now it looks like he's waiting for Dai and Ryoko to catch up with him," Sam said slowly, clearly perplexed. "I don't get it."
"That's because Matty isn't by himself anymore," Halomon said slowly, hovering next to his partner's shoulder.
The celestial rookie had been very quiet up until this point, as if there was something big weighing on his mind, and while Matt had suspected Halomon might know more about the situation than he had been willing to admit thus far, he hadn't pestered the little rookie about it. He had figured Halomon would tell them when he was ready, and it looked now as if that moment had come.
"What are you talking about?" Mickey asked, staring at his partner in surprise.
Halomon avoided the older twin's eyes, and zooming over to hide shyly behind Kari's shoulder, the celestial rookie sighed and said quietly, "Matty's with DarkAngelicmon. That's why he's not making an effort to join back up with any of us. I don't know if Vampiramon or the other megas are also with them, since none of them are celestial digimon, but I don't think they are. If I had to make a guess, I would say that DarkAngelicmon has captured Matty, and he's taking him to the Spirit Chip."
"What?" Mickey gasped, his eyes growing wide with fear.
"But DarkAngelicmon couldn't possibly know where the Spirit Chip is," Kari said slowly, exchanging a look with Gatomon. "How can he take Matty there if he doesn't even know where it is yet?"
"He must be close enough now that he can see its glow," Halomon explained. "Look at your Digivices and then look at the light coming from their screens. Matt, Davis, Mimi, Sam, and Joe all have Digivices that react to the Spirit Chip of Loyalty, and the light from their Digivices is pointing in the same direction where Matty's signal is coming from. In fact, it looks like Matty, Celestimon, and DarkAngelicmon have reached the Spirit Chip already, and they're waiting for the rest of us to catch up."
"He has a point there," Ogremon said, hefting his club over his shoulder. "The Digivices don't lie after all."
"But how can you be sure Vampiramon and the others aren't with them, too?" Agumon asked curiously.
Halomon blushed, and still avoiding his partner's eyes, he said, "Because earlier Lucemon was with them, and there's no way DarkAngelicmon would let Vampiramon or any of the other megas anywhere near Lucemon."
Matt raised his eyebrows at this sudden revelation, and holding tightly to Mimi's hand again, he said, "Are you telling me that Matty was with Lucemon earlier this morning?"
"That's right. Lucemon must have met up with Matty some time during the night. DarkAngelicmon joined them this morning. I don't know how to explain it, but...I get the feeling Lucemon actually let DarkAngelicmon take Matty away."
"But why?" Mickey gasped, looking shocked. "Why would he do such a thing?"
Halomon shrugged, and landing next to Gatomon, he said, "I don't know. I just know Lucemon's not with them anymore. He left a while back. In fact, I don't think he's even in the Ice Caverns at all anymore. I can no longer sense him."
"But if Vampiramon and the megas aren't with Matty and DarkAngelicmon then...where are they?" Glowmon asked curiously, hovering next to Sam's shoulder. "And why would DarkAngelicmon want to bring Matty to the Spirit Chip in the first place?"
Matt froze, and stopping suddenly in his tracks, he felt a spark of anger begin to build inside his chest. "I don't know where Vampiramon or the others might be, but I think I know what DarkAngelicmon is up to."
"And what would that be?" Embermon asked, stopping to stand with Davis and Veemon. The little rookie had mostly been quiet since the loss of his partner, but at those words his ears suddenly perked up with interest.
Matt slowly lifted his gaze from Gabumon, who was standing anxiously by his feet, and frowning, he said in a hard voice, "I think it's pretty obvious what's going on here. DarkAngelicmon's going to use Matty to help him steal the Spirit Chip. Matty's going to be his catalyst to get to Ryoko."
"But for that to be the case, wouldn't that mean DarkAngelicmon would have to know about what's going on between Dai, Ryoko, and Matty?" Palmon interrupted, glancing at her partner for confirmation.
Matt nodded in agreement, and narrowing his eyes, he said slowly, "DarkAngelicmon knows. I don't know how, but he knows alright. That much I'm sure of."
I can feel it. Something must have happened to Matty. That's the only way he could know...
For a moment there was silence, and then Mickey spoke, his words barely above a whisper. "Ryoko's heart is suffering in the darkness, which means he won't be able to release his Spirit Chip."
"But if DarkAngelicmon can use Matty somehow to do something about the darkness in Ryoko's heart then it'll give him a chance to steal the Spirit Chip," Gomamon finished. "It's actually kind of a genius plan, if you really think about it."
Joe looked a little uncertain for a moment, despite his partner's words, and pausing in his conversation with Izzy, he said, "That's still not going to help him, though. If Matt, Mimi, and myself aren't there to release the first seal around the Spirit Chip, it doesn't matter what Ryoko or Matty do."
"I don't like the way this is going," Embermon said slowly, glaring at the dark tunnel up ahead. "Something about this whole situation seems fishy to me."
"I actually agree with Embermon," Tai spoke up, frowning as he studied the screen on his Digivice. "Something doesn't feel right. We're going to have to be very careful from here on in."
Matt couldn't agree more, and motioning for the others to follow him, he said, "Everyone, stay on your guard."
"Wait, let me get this straight," Gatomon interrupted, crossing her paws over her chest. "Matty's been captured by DarkAngelicmon, and he was taken to the Spirit Chip while Lucemon, after meeting up with Matty, has left the Ice Caverns? Meanwhile, Dai and Ryoko are going after Matty, and we have no idea where Vampiramon and the other megas are?"
"That pretty much sums it up," Veemon agreed, nodding his head for emphasis.
Gatomon gave the blue rookie a disapproving look, and whiskers twitching, she said, "Embermon's right. Something definitely smells fishy, and it isn't the tuna I had for dinner last night."
"We have a pretty basic idea of where everyone is at the moment, except for the whereabouts of Vampiramon and the other two megas," Joe said slowly, a thoughtful look on his face. "Izzy agrees with Halomon's theory about why they can't be with DarkAngelicmon right now, and he says we should be wary of them most of all."
"How's everyone at home doing?" Kari asked, looking rather anxious.
Joe paused for a moment, and handing the D-Terminal back to Davis, he said, "They're concerned, for obvious reasons. Yolei's looking after T.K. and Rina. She says not to worry about them."
"That's good," Kari said, smiling softly. "I know I can always count on Yolei."
"I guess Ami's pretty upset, as well," Joe added, letting out a soft sigh. "Noriko's been beside herself over the whole affair, not just with Dai, but with her daughter, too."
Davis visibly winced, and looking sheepish, he said, "My wife is so going to kill me when I get home."
"That's what you're worried about?" Veemon said dryly, shaking his head at his partner.
"What's this about Ami?" Palmon asked, clearly interested. "She's upset because of Dai?"
"Well, yes and no," Joe replied, looking rather embarrassed all of a sudden. "Izzy mentioned something about her crying over Ryoko?"
"Ami?" Mimi asked, looking surprised.
"What?" Davis echoed, gazing stupidly at the doctor.
Matt glanced at his wife in surprise, and smiling, Mimi said softly, "Well, what do you know."
"Am I missing something here?" Davis asked, scratching the back of his head in confusion.
Matt wasn't exactly sure what was going on himself, but judging from Mimi's knowing look, he had a sneaking suspicion that Ami Motomiya might have a thing for his son.
Which really wasn't all that surprising, now that he thought about it.
It figures. Apparently my son shares my taste for the outgoing types...
"Guys?" Davis asked, glancing from one person to the next.
Matt chose not to respond, since Davis could be protective of his daughter and he didn't want the man threatening his son with various kinds of torture if the boy ever put a hand on Ami, and changing the subject, he said, "We should get going."
"Izzy's right about one thing, though," Dovemon spoke up, glancing anxiously at her partner. "We need to be extra careful."
"If we're not, we'll hear about it later," Tai laughed, motioning for Agumon to follow him. "Everyone keep your eyes open!"
Matt tugged gently on Mimi's hand, and together they join Tai at the front of the group. Matt could tell by the look on the former leader's face that his thoughts were far away, and he wondered if Tai was even aware of his company. Despite that, though, he didn't interrupt the former leader's thoughts. Whatever Tai might be thinking, Matt knew the former leader was strong enough not to be pulled in by the mirrors or the darkness within the cave.
Now if only my son could have learned a thing or two from Tai...
They walked on in silence for the most part, and after some time Matt noticed a large opening in the distance that seemed to glow with a faint source of light. Catching Tai's arm, he pointed to the entrance up ahead, and nodding to show he understood, the former leader stopped and said, "We're getting pretty close now. That looks like a huge cavern up ahead."
"This is where Matty spent the night," Halomon said quietly, hovering near his partner's shoulder. "I miss Celestimon. We should be together."
Mickey nodded, and looking very serious, he said, "Let's keep going."
"Watch your backs as well as the front!" Palmon warned.
Matt quickly passed through the entrance up ahead, and coming to a stop, he glanced around in surprise. The cavern itself had a high ceiling, and the ground seemed to stretch on forever, as if looking across a snowy wasteland. All around him there were giant crystal mirrors shooting into the sky, and in the distance he could see the shimmering waters of a small lake. Even from further away, the water looked off somehow, like there was something not quite right about the colour of it. Beneath their feet the ground was icy, and there was a layer of powdered snow covering its slick surface. Strange rock formations and large stalagmites also cluttered the ground's surface, and the air felt like it was charged with electricity. There was also a sense of intensity in the atmosphere surrounding the cavern that Matt was able to instantly recognize. The aura of the cave made the air feel thick and heavy, and the sensation was unmistakable. This was a chamber within the caverns that had been heavily touched by the Powers of Darkness.
Those mirrors. They're huge. The things Matty must have seen in them...
Matt felt his shoulders tense up, and he glared defiantly at the crystal that was closest to him. Ryoko had also passed through this chamber fairly recently. What must his son have seen with his heart in such a state of despair?
I'm not going to let you suffer, Ryoko. Not the way I did...
"It looks like we're going to have to cross the lake," Tai informed them, frowning with obvious distaste.
"I don't like the look of this place," Palmon complained, tugging on her partner's arm. "Let's get out of here as soon as possible."
"You don't have to tell me twice," Ogremon muttered, anxiously swinging his club. "I've got a bad feeling about this place."
Matt was about to respond when a sudden flash of red lit up the air just over his shoulder. Before he could turn to discover the source of the glow, something hit him right between the shoulder blades with enough force to knock him flat on his face. A flash of pain shot through his body, and the jolt sent a current of electricity running through his veins. It left him gasping for breath, and squeezing his eyes shut, he waited for the moment to pass. While the initial pain did eventually fade away, he could still feel a dull ache circling around his chest and upper arms.
What...happened?
A grunt escaped his throat as Mimi fell on top of him, and thankful that she hadn't hit the ice instead, he rolled over onto his side just enough so he could catch sight of the rosy-haired Digidestined, who had let out a scream of surprise that had ended in a gasp of pain.
Catching sight of Mimi's body lying across his hips, his eyes narrowed in anger. His wife's arms were pinned to her sides by what looked like glowing red ropes that were wrapped tightly around her chest. They were pulsing with light, and they looked like they were causing her some discomfort. As he inspected the phenomenon more closely, he realized they weren't even really ropes that were pinning Mimi's arms to her sides. They were actually glowing ribbons of blood-red light that were being used as an alternative to ropes.
What's going on?
The sense of discomfort Matt felt still hadn't gone away, and looking down at himself, he realized with some surprise that his own arms were also pinned to his sides by glowing red ribbons of light that were wrapped securely around his chest. The discomfort he felt came from the light, which seemed to irritate the skin beneath his clothes, like it was stinging him with faint jolts of electricity, and though she hadn't said anything, Matt was convinced that Mimi was experiencing the same sensation. Palmon had Gabumon had also been caught by the ribbons, and they were lying sprawled in a heap by Mimi's feet. Matt could also feel somebody sprawled on the floor against his back, the person's elbow digging into his ribcage, indicating that Tai had also been caught by the ropes.
A trap. This must have been a trap...
"What are these things?" Gabumon cried, struggling to free himself from his bonds.
Matt was able to turn and lift his head just enough to spot Agumon and Embermon tied up at Tai's feet, and a little further off he could see that the rest of the Digidestined and their digimon had also suffered the same fate. All of them were tied up by glowing red ribbons, and everybody appeared to be suffering from a sense of mild discomfort.
But who...
"That was way too easy," a female voice suddenly spoke up, a note of triumph in her tone. "And here I actually thought you guys might be a bit of a challenge after what happened to BlackWidowmon. Guess I was wrong!"
Matt somehow managed to twist around to face Tai, doing his best not to upset Mimi's perch too much, and glancing past the former leader's body he spotted Spritemon lounging against a crystal with her arms crossed over her chest. Vampiramon stood on the other side of the crystal, a scowl on her face, and sitting in the snow in front of the crystal, Jestermon was juggling his set of three black balls with finesse.
"You guys!" Embermon shouted, his green eyes smoldering with anger.
I guess this answers our question of where Vampiramon and the other megas are and what they're up to...
"Who else would it be?" Jestermon smirked, his balls disappearing into thin air as he leaped to his feet. "The fool is amused."
"What's the big idea?" Gatomon snapped, her tail twitching angrily. "And what's up with this light?"
"I have many talents," Vampiramon said smoothly, stepping away from the crystal to confront them. "My Crimson Light attack can be altered according to my will, and I used it to tie you all up. That light is coursing with electricity. I'm sure you can feel it?"
"It's not overly painful, but it sure is annoying," Sam groaned, attempting to sit up from where he lay sprawled next to Mickey. "What's the point of this?"
Vampiramon narrowed her eyes at the raven-haired Digidestined, and speaking in a low tone, she said coldly, "If any of you try to give me trouble or step out of line, I can send a jolt of electricity through those ropes that will leave you begging me for mercy. If you don't want to end up writhing in pain, I would suggest you behave and do exactly what I say at all times."
Matt could tell the vampire digimon was being deadly serious, and he didn't doubt for a moment that she would make due on her threat if they gave her any trouble.
DarkAngelicmon has to be the one in charge here otherwise they never would have let him go off alone with Matty. I wonder exactly what it is he's planning...
"Why?" Mickey moaned, making no attempt to move from his position curled up on the floor. "Why are you doing this?"
"Not that it's any of your business, but we have orders to capture all of you and take you to the Spirit Chip," Spritemon replied, shrugging her shoulders. "Your little friend Masato Takaishi should already be there by now with DarkAngelicmon."
"What are you planning to do to him?" Takara cried, glaring at the little pixie.
"You'll have to ask angel boy that question," Jestermon snorted. "I'm sure he's got something all figured out by now."
Matt had to fight down another surge of anger, and glancing at Tai he could tell the former leader was thinking the exact same thing he was. How could they have fallen for such an obvious trap so easily? With all the experience they had as Digidestined, they should have known better.
Then again, it's hard to focus when the ones you love are in danger...
"So now that we've got our hands on them, how are we going to get them across the lake?" Spritemon asked, glaring at Takara as she impatiently tapped her foot against the ice.
"Don't be stupid," Vampiramon snapped, giving the pixie digimon a withering look. "Obviously you're going to have to carry them across one by one until we have them all on the other side. From there they can walk the rest of the way."
Spritemon's mouth dropped open, and giving the vampire digimon a look of disbelief, she said in outrage, "Are you serious? I'm going to have to do all the work by myself?"
"At least it will make you useful for once," Vampiramon hissed, clearly not in the mood for arguing. "Stop your complaining and get to work. DarkAngelicmon is expecting us."
"Wait a minute," Jestermon said slowly, his red eyes studying the group more closely. "Someone's missing."
"Huh?" Spritemon asked, looking confused.
"More than one actually," Jestermon continued, ignoring the female mega. "Where's their goggle-headed leader and the Ishida boy? You can't tell me these jokers came to the Digital World without those two. Alopemon's also missing."
"Joker? You're one to talk," Ogremon muttered, letting out a soft snort.
Vampiramon's eyes suddenly narrowed in fury, and voice tight, she said with authority, "Collect all of their Digivices and bring them to me."
There was a series of protests, and Matt winced in sympathy as Davis let out a sudden cry of pain. Immediately everyone fell silent as they realized Vampiramon had made due on her threat by shocking the former leader with a jolt of electricity, and jumping into action Spritemon and Jestermon were quick to do Vampiramon's bidding.
Matt was careful not to react as Spritemon frisked him for his Digivice, and once the two megas had gathered them all they dropped them into a small black sack that Jestermon had mysteriously pulled from the sleeve of his tattered shirt.
All except for one.
Spritemon hung onto Tai's Digivice, and gathering around it the three megas studied its screen with careful scrutiny.
After a moment, Vampiramon straightened up, and standing there with no expression whatsoever on her face, she said calmly, "The Ishida boy and his companions have almost reached DarkAngelicmon."
"That's impossible," Spritemon blurted out, shaking her head in denial. "How could they have gotten past us without us noticing?"
"There are a lot of ways to get inside this cavern by the looks of it," Jestermon pointed out. "They could have come through any number of entrances to get by us."
"But that means they would have had to have been separated from the rest of these Digifools for quite some time for that to happen," Spritemon protested.
The three megas glanced at them, and receiving no response, they seemed to come to their own conclusions about what had happened.
"Do you think DarkAngelicmon knows about this?" Spritemon asked, looking rather annoyed.
"I doubt it," Jestermon said slowly, the bells on his hat jingling as he shook his head. "The Ishida boy doesn't have any celestial digimon with him. There's no way angel boy could have possibly known. At least, not until after the fact if he happened to catch a glimpse of the Takaishi boy's D-Coder."
"Indeed," Vampiramon murmured, her face revealing no hint as to what she might be thinking.
"This kind of changes things, doesn't it?" Spritemon asked, tugging angrily on her ponytail. "What do we do now?"
"This changes nothing," Vampiramon said shortly, taking Tai's Digivice and dropping it into the sack with the others. "We will continue as planned. I'm sure DarkAngelicmon has already compensated for the unexpected arrival of the Ishida boy. Gather the crests, as well. They'll be needed later."
Once again Matt didn't react as Jestermon tugged off the chain around his neck, and as Spritemon dropped the four crests currently in their possession into the sack with the Digivices, he once again berated himself for how easily they had gotten themselves into trouble. He should have known the large cavern would mean trouble, especially with the thick concentration of darkness hovering in the air, but he had been so busy worrying about Ryoko and Matty that he had let down his guard.
And now look what's happened. How are we going to get ourselves out of this mess?
"What are you waiting for?" Vampiramon snapped at the pixie, becoming brisk and businesslike once again. "Start flying our hostages across the lake."
"You're such a slave driver," Spritemon grumbled, leaning down to lift Takara into her arms. "The Ruler of Darkness owes me a raise, big time."
Takara had been fairly quiet throughout their ordeal, but as soon as Spritemon picked her up, something inside of her seemed to snap. Struggling in the little pixie's grip, her lower lip trembling in sudden anger, she cried, "You'd better not hurt Matty or Ryoko! You leave them alone, you here me?"
"Would you sit still?" Spritemon snapped, giving the female a rough shake. "If I drop you in the lake and you drown, I'm not going to feel the least bit sorry about it."
"No!" Takara screeched, struggling even more widely. She hadn't seemed to have heard the pixie's words at all. "I won't let you hurt them. I won't!"
Spritemon almost dropped the female Digidestined, and smiling in amusement, Jestermon turned to Vampiramon and said, "I think a little intervention is in order."
Vampiramon lifted her hand, and with a lazy flick of her wrist she sent a wave of electricity shooting through Takara's body. The female Digidestined let out an ear piercing scream that echoed off the crystal mirrors, and struggling into a sitting position, Tai said in a low voice that was deadly quiet but still audible over the noise, "You leave her alone right now."
Immediately Takara went limp in Spritemon's arms, and Vampiramon turned her attention instead to the former leader.
Matt could tell that the vampire digimon was using her powers on Tai like she had on Takara, but the former leader didn't even flinch. Even though his dark eyes were flashing from the pain, Tai did not cry out or shy away from the jolts of electricity running through his body. There was no fear in his eyes as he stared Vampiramon down, and the look he gave the mega was full of determination.
Though the situation was serious, Matt couldn't help feeling a sense of warmth in his heart. Tai had come a long way from the frightened boy who was unable to pass through the firewall that could have meant his death.
And so have I.
After a moment when it became obvious that Tai wasn't going to back down, Vampiramon ceased her attack, and watching the former leader closely as he panted from the effort of keeping himself from crying out, she said calmly, "Do as I say, Spritemon. Time is of the essence."
"I'm going to enjoy this," Spritemon smirked, giving the girl in her arms a triumphant smile. Clearly she still hadn't forgiven the female Digidestined for outsmarting her earlier in their travels.
Kara...
Takara was still awake and alert after her ordeal, but her eyes had lost their determined sparkle, and she had gone limp in Spritemon's arms. Taking advantage of the female Digidestined's good behaviour, the pixie had no trouble carrying her over the lake, and turning into a bat, Vampiramon went with them so she could watch over the prisoners on the far side of the lake while Jestermon remained behind to watch over the ones Spritemon still needed to transport. Because they had thought everything through so carefully, the megas had left no opening for a chance to escape.
Matt was the last one to be transported over, other than Jestermon, and as Spritemon flew him over the water, he spotted a small island down below. From his position where he had been thrown over the pixie's shoulder, he could see something that looked like a glowing purple portal, and it appeared to be leaking some kind of violet goo into the waters of the lake, which explained why something about the colour had looked off to him earlier. With his knowledge of the Digital World, it didn't take long for Matt to figure out what the portal was, and all of a sudden what was going on in the Ice Caverns was starting to make a whole lot of sense to him.
No wonder the darkness is so thick here.
As Spritemon set him on his feet next to Tai, the former leader leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Did you see it?"
"I saw it," Matt murmured in response, his gaze flicking over to Kara and Mickey.
The two were huddled together in the comfort of Sam's shadow, and their digimon partners were standing protectively at their feet.
Matt could feel the reassuring presence of Gabumon and Agumon by his own feet, and nodding for Mimi and Palmon to join them, he glanced over at Davis, Veemon, Embermon, and Ogremon, who were all looking disgruntled and ready for a fight.
Joe, Kari, Gatomon, and Gomamon were all glancing anxiously at Takara, but nobody seemed brave enough to ask the female Digidestined if she was okay yet.
"Makes a lot of sense now, doesn't it," Tai muttered, shaking his head.
Matt exchanged a meaningful look with his best friend, and turning to his wife, he said softly, "Are you okay? You're not hurt at all?"
"I'm fine," Mimi reassured him. "You broke my fall, and Vampiramon hasn't given me any shocks yet. I promise I'll be careful."
Matt quickly kissed her cheek, and smiling slightly, he said dryly, "Good. You just let us take the hits for you if any yelling needs to be done."
They waited in silence as Spritemon brought Jestermon over, and though the mega had a confident look on his ugly green face, Matt could tell the sight of the portal had unsettled him.
Even Vampiramon seemed a bit edgy, thanks to the portal, and Spritemon had shown obvious discomfort as they passed over it. None of them mentioned it, though, and instead they focused on the path up ahead.
"You know you're not going to get away with this, right?" Davis shouted, struggling uselessly in his ropes. "We'll find a way to stop you like we always do."
"I'm getting really sick of listening to these ungrateful humans," Spritemon complained, looking rather grumpy. "Isn't there anything we can do about it? Besides wasting valuable time by shocking them?"
"Actually, there is," Jestermon smirked, reaching into his shirt with an evil gleam in his eyes.
As Matt stood there watching with his eyebrows raised, Jestermon began to pull colourful strips of cloth out of his tattered shirt that looked as if they were meant to be used as blindfolds. Handing the pile to Spritemon, he took a bright green one from the bundle and stepped up to Mickey with a nasty smile on his face. Mickey tried to edge away from the mega, but Jestermon jerked the older twin closer and proceeded to tie the strip of cloth around his mouth. It made the perfect gag to prevent Mickey from talking, and looking quite proud of himself, the court jester said, "Next one."
Within moments Jestermon had all of them gagged, and nodding in approval at the male digimon's handiwork, Spritemon said, "Nice work. Now we won't have to listen to their incessant babbling."
"You could use a gag yourself," Vampiramon snapped, moving swiftly to the front of the crowd, her skirts swishing in the snow. "Now all of you follow me, and keep up. Anyone who falls behind will get a nice little lesson on the varying levels of pain my attacks can inflict."
Jestermon quickly took up position at the rear of the group, and remaining close to the centre, Spritemon said, "I'm tired now and very cranky, so none of you had better give me an excuse to hurt you."
Matt walked obediently in single file between Tai and Mimi, and frowning at Takara and Mickey, who were near the front, he shook his head in defeat. The two of them seemed close to the breaking point, and he had no idea what to do.
Somehow he needed to save his son, but he felt powerless to do so. At the moment, he was useless, and the fear in his heart was once again threatening to overwhelm him.
There was only one thing he could do, and that was to put his faith in those who could help Ryoko.
As he made his way through the entrance to the east up ahead that was glowing strongly with the light of the Spirit Chip, he closed his eyes and let his thoughts wander to his young nephew and the goggle-headed leader who was every bit as headstrong as Davis.
Matty...Dai...it's up to you now to reach my son's heart...