Following the Footsteps of Destiny

by Broken Angel01

It's not an easy road to follow the path of a legacy that spans over several generations of Digidestined, but when those who are innocent succumb to the darkness, that is when the pages of history reveal themselves in the prophecies of File Island. Their numbers are growing, and the time has come for Daichi Motomiya and his friends to harness the true strength of their hearts.

277. Violet Mist

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: Another difficult chapter to write, so I hope it turned out well! Sorry about the fairly long wait on this one! Not completely happy with it, but it's been a struggle, and this is about as good as it's going to get, I think.

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 277: Violet Mist

Masato 'Matty' Takaishi

Net, Northern Hemisphere, Digital World

Masato Takaishi was not the type to scare easily, but at the same time he didn't feel at all ashamed to admit to the fact that he was not immune to fear either. The dark shadows from the crystal mirrors were still on his mind, and they were proof enough that he had allowed himself to forsake his own rational thinking in favour of the fear that had eaten away at his heart, but that was not the reason why his nerves were currently on edge.

In fact, the terror coursing through his veins had nothing to do with his own experiences in the Ice Caverns thus far.

While Matty had recently suffered through a terrible ordeal, his thoughts were mainly focused on Ryoko. It was starting to become an obsession with him to look at his D-Coder about every two minutes to check on the golden-haired Digidestined's progress. As far as he was concerned, it was taking Dai and Ryoko far too long to reach him, and he wasn't sure how much more waiting he could stand. His mind was telling him that he was reaching his breaking point, and if Dai and Ryoko didn't show up soon, he was quite sure he would probably go insane.

How was Ryoko doing? Was his heart still free from the darkness or had he completely succumbed to its terrible pull already? Were he and Dai at each other's throats, or were they managing to get along?

There were so many unanswered questions, things the Digivice could not tell him, and it was driving Matty crazy not to know exactly what was going on. He needed to know the answers or he was sure he would lose his grip on reality altogether, but most of all he wanted answers because he needed to warn Ryoko.

He needed to warn his cousin about the darkness before it was too late.

I know I can help him if he would only hurry up and get here soon. If he doesn't and something happens to him, it'll be all my fault...

Or at least he hoped he would be able to reach his cousin's heart, but chances were he was going to need Dai's help to do it. And not only that, if he was going to have any hope of saving Ryoko at all then he was going to have to think of something pretty fast before the golden-haired Digidestined ended up falling so far into darkness that there was no reversing its effects.

That won't happen. I won't let it happen. It doesn't matter how far a person loses their heart to the darkness. I know we, as the Digidestined, can still save them. I have to believe that not only for Ryoko, but also for DarkAngelicmon...

Thanks to Lucemon, he now had the power and the knowledge to save Ryoko, but it would all be for nothing if his cousin didn't reach the Spirit Chip in time. He was starting to regret having let DarkAngelicmon talk him into hunting for the Spirit Chip instead of going after his cousin, but there was no turning back now. Dai and Ryoko would be arriving soon if they kept up their current pace, and thus the only thing he could do was wait as patiently as possible.

It wasn't easy for him because he knew Ryoko's fate was resting on his shoulders, and every inch of his body was screaming at him to go to his cousin, even if it meant putting himself in danger. Deep inside his heart, he knew he would never forgive himself if he failed to save the golden-haired Digidestined, and if that were to ever happen it would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Despite the pain and the amount of suffering he had endured, there was one valuable lesson his experiences in the Ice Caverns had taught him. No matter what Ryoko did to him and no matter what happened between himself and Dai, there was one thing in his heart that would never change. Above all else, he loved his cousin more than he would ever have the courage to admit in words, and right now that was the only thing that mattered. Because at the end of the day, even if everything else in life failed him, he would still have Ryoko's love and support, and that was a bond that could never be broken even if they tried to sever it. No matter how angry he might be or how jealous he might become of his cousin, he knew he could never stop loving the golden-haired Digidestined regardless of any tension or resentment that might exist between them. In his heart, love was the emotion that conquered above all the rest, and right now, that was the emotion he wanted to bestow upon his cousin, who was truly more of a brother than he had ever been or ever will be a cousin.

I've always loved you like a brother. And I always will.

If it hadn't been for the unsettling atmosphere of the current chamber that held the Spirit Chip of Loyalty, Matty might very well have succumbed to his fears, but thanks to the darkness running rampant within the cavern, he was so transfixed by the scenery that it was enough to make him momentarily forget how anxious he was to be reunited with his cousin.

Since arriving at their destination, Matty hadn't said much to DarkAngelicmon, and in return the fallen angel had been kind enough to give him some space. His reasons for keeping quiet actually had nothing to do with the celestial champion, who did not seem at all offended by his silence, and while that might have come as a surprise to some, it did not seem to bother DarkAngelicmon in the slightest. Matty was mostly silent because he had been unable to take his eyes off the Spirit Chip, hence the reason why his fear for Ryoko had been temporarily pushed to the back of his mind, and while the object of his attention might have seemed innocent at first glance, there was a hidden danger lurking just out of sight.

The cavern that contained the Spirit Chip of Loyalty wasn't quite as large as the one where he had spent the night with Lucemon, but even so it was still huge and very impressive looking. The stone walls were damp with moisture, and there were glowing patches of silver ice scattered all over the ground. Though there were strange icy rock formations hanging from the ceiling, the ground itself was mostly free of debris, and the walls sparkled with what looked like fine silver dust. Snowflakes drifted down from the high stone ceiling seemingly from out of nowhere, and the ground beneath their feet pulsed with faint violet light.

So beautiful, and yet so dangerous.

If it wasn't for the whereabouts of the Spirit Chip, the cavern itself would look quite unremarkable compared to some of the even more impressive tunnels and chambers they had passed though earlier, but because of where it was located, Matty couldn't stop staring with his mouth hanging open in shock.

The Spirit Chip of Loyalty was embedded into a small glowing monument that stood on a tiny platform surrounded by a huge chasm, and it looked as if it descended deep into the bowels of the Digital World's crust. There was no bottom to the vast circular trench that Matty could see, but that wasn't the most unsettling thing about the Spirit Chip's final resting place.

The creepiest thing about the giant chasm was the thick concentration of darkness that seemed to bubble up from somewhere down below, and though it wasn't yet strong enough to feed on the edges of Matty's heart, it still caused him quite a bit of discomfort. A faint violet mist was rising up from the unseen depths of the foreboding black pit, and hugging himself, Matty glared at the chasm in defiance.

Ryoko...You were caught by the darkness the same way I was, only worse. I see that now, and it scares me. How are you going to release the power of your Spirit Chip when it's completely surrounded by the darkness that's taking over your heart? I can feel you in that dark pit. This darkness...This is the darkness in your heart.

"Impressive, isn't it," DarkAngelicmon murmured, his emerald gaze studying the giant chasm with mild interest.

It was impressive alright, but not in a good way.

So much pain and suffering. And it's...I think it's because of me...

Matty stood next to the fallen angel with Celestimon hovering anxiously over his shoulder, and unable to take his eyes away from the terrifying image in front of him, he felt an unpleasant shiver race down his spine.

A reaction that wasn't caused by the dark chasm itself.

While waiting for Dai and Ryoko to arrive, Matty had been granted a lot of time to reflect on the events that had transpired over the last four weeks, and the more he thought about it, the more he could feel a sinking sensation growing deep inside his chest. It was common knowledge Ryoko hadn't been acting like himself for quite a while now, and though his cousin had been avoiding Dai for obvious reasons, Matty knew in his heart that the goggle-headed leader wasn't the only person Ryoko had been avoiding. There was no denying he hadn't seen his cousin over the last few weeks as much as he normally would have, and though on the surface it might have looked as if he was imagining things, somewhere deep inside his soul he could sense his instincts were trying to tell him something very important.

He must know. Somehow, Ryoko must have guessed how I'm feeling. I thought I'd managed to hide it well, but I should have known he would see right through me. He knows me too well. It's almost impossible for me to keep anything from him...

At some point, Ryoko must have felt the jealously and resentment directed at him that Matty wasn't entirely able to suppress, and being the wonderful cousin that he was, the golden-haired Digidestined had kept his distance out of respect for the friendship Matty had already established with Dai many years ago. While there was no doubt Ryoko cared about Dai, even if he would not admit it, he would never hurt a family member for his own personal gain.

Even if it meant losing someone whose friendship had eluded him since the day he was born.

But if that's true then...

That would mean Ryoko's reasons for avoiding Dai were maybe not quite as obvious as Matty had originally first believed. All this time, he had been under the impression that Ryoko was avoiding Dai because the golden-haired Digidestined was still convinced that the dark-haired boy hated him, but what if it was more than that? What if Ryoko was simply avoiding Dai because he didn't want to be in the way?

If Ryoko really has become aware of my feelings about him and Dai becoming good friends, then he might actually be avoiding Dai for my sake because he doesn't want to upset me or cause any problems between not only Dai and myself, but also between the two of us. He wouldn't want to ruin my friendship with Dai, and if he thought for one moment that trying to be friends with Dai would cause that kind of problem, I know he would back off immediately, even if it made him miserable. I can see him accepting that kind of pain and loss if he thought I would benefit from it. He cares about me, and I know he wouldn't want to lose me either. And knowing him as well as I do, I know better than anyone that he would be dumb enough to do something like that for me...

Ryoko might have a frosty exterior, but on the inside Matty knew his cousin was kind and caring. The golden-haired Digidestined was loyal to a fault, and while it was often his greatest weakness, it was also his greatest strength.

And it was that sense of loyalty Ryoko carried that made Matty feel suddenly guilty inside. If his theory was correct, and he was pretty sure now that it was, then everything that was happening to Ryoko truly was his fault. He was the source of his cousin's pain, and knowing how much his cousin was suffering, the shame and regret in his heart almost overwhelmed him. If Ryoko became a victim of the darkness, there was no denying now that he would be at fault, and having arrived at that sudden revelation, his knees almost gave out on him.

He couldn't let that happen. Ryoko deserved to be happy, and he deserved to have a chance at being good friends with Dai. And Matty knew he had no right to interfere in that, regardless of how it made him feel.

Ryoko deserves Dai's friendship every bit as much as I do. Maybe even more so. I've never struggled to make friends the way Ryoko always has. The only reason he even let himself join our group in the first place is because we basically forced him to. With the way his parents were always visiting their close friends and family, he got stuck seeing us all the time, whether he wanted to or not. Because of that, we didn't really much give him a choice. He ended up in the group sort of by default cause the rest of us had known him since we were babies, and he couldn't shut us out so easily. At school it's harder for him with the other kids. He's not like Dai, Takara, and I, who have lots of other friends outside of the Digidestined...

But there was something even more important than the relationship between Dai and Ryoko. While it was necessary for Ryoko to let Dai into his heart, Matty knew there was one other thing that Ryoko needed if he was to have any chance of escaping the darkness in his heart.

He needs to know that I love him and that I'll always care about him, no matter what happens with Dai.

"Matty, is everything okay?" Celestimon asked softly, his tone suggesting he thought otherwise. "I can tell you're thinking too hard again."

Matty could feel the celestial digimon's breath tickling his ear, and reaching out to absently stroke the rookie's soft, feathery wings, he said, "I'm fine. For now anyways."

This place is like something out of a nightmare, but I feel like there's something missing...

And that was when it hit him.

Unlike a lot of the other caverns and passageways within the Ice Caverns, there wasn't a single crystal mirror scattered throughout this particular chamber. Their lack of a presence near the Spirit Chip came as somewhat of a relief, but even though they weren't close by to cause a distraction, Matty knew that didn't mean he was safe from the shadows that lurked within them. Nor was he safe from the darkness seeping out of the portal back at the lake. Quite the contrary, in fact. Somehow he had a feeling that the giant chasm circling the Spirit Chip was even more dangerous than the mirrors, and his instincts were telling him that if he allowed the darkness rising up from its shadowy depths to slip inside his heat, it might mean even worse things would happen to him than what had happened with the crystal mirrors.

And yet, despite the thick concentration of darkness in the air, the Spirit Chip of Loyalty still emitted a steady blue light that leaked out of the protective shield that surrounded the monument. The shield itself was a glowing mass of green, blue, and grey mist, and there was an inscription carved into the monument that Matty couldn't read.

An inscription that more than likely described Ryoko's soul perfectly.

His heart is so full of warmth and friendship, but he tries so hard to hide it...

The Spirit Chip's location would have been a beautiful sight if it wasn't for the thick concentration of violet mist that was swirling up out of the chasm, and though the contents of that strange purple substance looked harmless enough, Matty knew instinctively that it was dangerous. He had made note of it earlier, and while his mind had turned to the more pressing matter of his cousin rather than focusing on the mist, he had not forgotten about it. His thoughts on the matter had merely been delayed. Until now. The violet gas had a strange eerie glow to it, and it looked like it was made up entirely of the Powers of Darkness. At times, it was so concentrated that it obscured his view of the Spirit Chip entirely, and yet the blue light from the small trinket never wavered in the darkness. Somehow it was able to penetrate through the mist, and though under the circumstances that was a small comfort, it still gave Matty hope.

The one thing he needed now more than ever before.

"I don't like this place. It scares me," Celestimon said quietly, nervously fluttering his small wings. "The darkness is thick here. It must somehow be coming from that portal we saw earlier that leads directly to the World of Darkness."

"That is the most likely scenario," DarkAngelicmon agreed, his expression unreadable. "This chasm runs deep, but somewhere down below the water from the lake must be flowing into the pit. I believe the mist is then generated by the violet substance that was leaking from the portal into the lake."

Matty stood relatively close to the edge of the chasm with his two companions, and nodding to himself, he allowed Celestimon to stroke his cheek in comfort. Even now, the World of Darkness had a hold over them, and since he could not think of any way to stop the purple goo from seeping out of the portal, there was only one other option left for him to take.

He couldn't obviously seal the portal up once and for all or find a way to close it even just temporarily, due to his limited knowledge on the Powers of Darkness, which meant he was going to have to take on the task of freeing Ryoko's heart from the darkness with his own strength and endurance, which was the inevitable truth he had pretty much resigned himself to earlier. And that was fine with him. In reality, he knew in his heart he wouldn't want it any other way, and he knew Dai would probably feel the same way. Besides, even if he could find a way to close the portal, he doubted at this point it would do his cousin any good. Ryoko was clearly at a point where there was no turning back, and the only thing that could save him now was the one thing he was trying so hard to run away from.

Friendship...

"You believe your cousin has turned his back on what's most important," DarkAngelicmon said softly, glancing briefly at him. "Let us hope he will take it upon himself to prove you wrong."

Matty had expected DarkAngelicmon to watch him closely upon their arrival, or at the very least he had thought the celestial champion would keep him confined to a certain area of the cavern so he couldn't attempt to escape or cause any trouble, but surprisingly DarkAngelicmon had done neither of those things.

Instead, Matty was free to wander to his heart's content wherever he chose within the cavern, and as far as he could tell DarkAngelicmon wasn't keeping a particularly close eye on him. The fallen angel's attention was mostly focused on the Spirit Chip, and though that might have annoyed Dai or Ryoko, Matty couldn't blame the celestial champion. His own attention also kept coming back to the Spirit Chip, and that overwhelming sense of darkness welling up from the chasm made it hard to look away. Because of that he unconsciously found himself keeping close to DarkAngelicmon, even though he didn't have to, and he felt a strange sense of warmth inside at the fact that the fallen angel apparently trusted him to remain close at hand instead of trying to escape. Not only that, at this point DarkAngelicmon had not yet objected to his closeness, and though the fallen angel hadn't said so in words, Matty had a sneaking suspicion he even welcomed it.

He's right there, inches away from me. If only I could find a way to make the darkness in his heart disappear...

Though their dreams and ambitions were entirely different, at the moment they were still allies trying to reach the same goal. While it was for entirely different reasons, though in some aspects it was still the same, their need to save Ryoko seemed to have created a mutual understanding between them. Until Ryoko was safe and the Spirit Chip released from the monument, they were on the same side, and thus they would not betray each other until those goals were met. Or in Matty's case, he didn't think he could bring himself to betray DarkAngelicmon regardless of what the fallen angel did to him. As long as Ryoko was safe, that was the only thing he cared about.

Ryoko, you need my help, but am I really strong enough to save you? I was able to do something about Sam, but that doesn't mean I'm any good at this...

At times, he was sure his strength was sufficient to take on any challenge that got in his way, as was the case only moments ago when his thoughts had been focused on wanting to be by his cousin's side, and yet he still had his moments where his confidence would falter, like now.

I am strong enough! I just...it's hard with someone like DarkAnglicmon standing right next to me. Looking at him, and knowing I've done nothing to help him so far, makes fighting the darkness seem like such an impossible thing to do.

As Matty stood there silently fighting with his own wavering confidence, the fallen angel continued to gaze at the Spirit Chip without any hint of what he was thinking reflected in his emerald eyes. There was no emotion on his handsome face, and even though Matty stood next to the fallen angel with his Digivice in plain sight, the celestial champion did not attempt to grab it. He didn't even remark on the fact that it was within easy reach.

It was just like before when Matty had thrown his Digivice at the fallen angel to show him what had become of Dai and Ryoko.

Weird...

Matty secretly suspected there was a reason why DarkAngelicmon hadn't tried to steal his D-Coder up until now, and a small part of him believed it might be because he was going to need it to help save Ryoko.

If that was even going to be possible.

Stop that! It will be possible! Dai will help you. Everything is going to be fine...

His thoughts turning suddenly to the goggle-headed leader, Matty took another quick look at his Digivice, and glancing at the screen, he sucked in a sharp breath.

Dai and Ryoko had almost reached the chamber where he was waiting anxiously for them to make an appearance, and from the looks of it the two would be arriving at any moment. Mickey and the other Digidestined were also moving in his direction, and it wouldn't be too much longer now until they showed up, as well. Though Matty was desperate to see Dai and Ryoko, as the chaotic thoughts churning within his mind had proved earlier, he couldn't deny he also felt very nervous. How was he supposed to face them when he had let himself be deceived by the Powers of Darkness so easily? It was not only embarrassing, it made him look weak and helpless, especially after what he had done to help Sam. How could he face them now after he had doubted both of them without giving them a chance to prove how much they valued his friendship?

Did he truly deserve to have either one of them in his life when he had been so quick to accuse them of forgetting about him?

Dai promised me, but even though he was being sincere, I continued to doubt his words in my heart...

And that was what he regretted him most of all.

How could I lose faith in my friends so easily? Ryoko, Dai, both of you value friendship more than I'll probably ever understand, but my heart refused to believe it. I was so convinced you would both betray me, but really I was the one who ended up turning my back on you. Dai...you've always just wanted to be friends with everyone, and despite how much it hurts you not to share a close friendship with Ryoko, all this time you've never forgotten about me. Even though he's always on your mind, you've never treated me differently or drifted away from me. And Ryoko...you just want to protect me, no matter how much it hurts you. I see that now, but I'm scared it's too late. Please hurry up and get here. I can't stand this waiting anymore...

It pained Matty to admit how much of a fool he had been, but even above his own stupidity and embarrassment, he was frightened for his cousin.

That was the part that made him crazy most of all. He had accepted the fact that Ryoko's heart had fallen deep into darkness, but even so, he knew there was nothing that could truly prepare him for what he would see once the two of them did finally meet again. Just how far had Ryoko fallen, and would the golden-haired Digidestined even recognize his own cousin anymore once they did come face to face?

That was the real question.

I'm sorry, Ryoko. I'm sorry I hurt you so much. Please let me make it up to you...

"It shouldn't be this thick," Celestimon murmured, almost to himself. "We've moved away from the portal itself, and the darkness should have been diluted as it makes its way to this cavern through the underwater channels that flow from the lake. The yucky violet stuff in the water should have been dispersed somewhat, since the lake splits into lots of separate channels, but that doesn't appear to have happened in this cavern."

"Yes, I have a theory about that," DarkAngelicmon said calmly, leisurely stretching his wings. "I believe the mist that is rising from the depths of the chasm has somehow attached itself to Ryoko's emotions."

At those words, Matty once again felt a sense of dread beginning to build inside his heart, and feeling a deep chill settle heavily in his bones, he said slowly, "And what exactly does that mean for us then?"

DarkAngelicmon glanced at him, and waving his hand in an offhand sort of manner, the fallen angel said, "It means the deeper Ryoko allows the darkness to build inside his heart, the thicker the concentration of mist becomes. In fact, it could very well be that the state of Ryoko's heart is what created the mist in the first place. His lack of faith in himself has caused the purple substance flowing from the portal to take on this form."

"So it's like a physical representation of the darkness lurking inside Ryoko's heart," Celestimon said sadly, shaking his head. "And the more he allows himself to succumb to the darkness, the thicker the mist becomes."

"Exactly."

Matty felt his breath catch in his throat, and somehow managing to find his voice, he said, "If that mist really is a physical manifestation of the darkness in Ryoko's heart, what would happen if his heart ended up getting completely consumed by the darkness?"

"I suspect at that point the mist would completely engulf the Spirit Chip of Loyalty, and if that were to happen, well...let's just say that wouldn't be good for any of us, and it most certainly wouldn't be good for your cousin," DarkAngelicmon replied, looking suddenly amused. "In fact, it would be bad. Very bad, I suspect."

Matty shuddered at the thought, his brain unwilling to even think about the possibilities of what might occur if Ryoko were to completely lose his heart to the darkness, and moving slowly closer to the chasm, he knelt at the edge of the huge pit and squinted into its dark depths. If there was indeed an underground channel filled with water flowing at the bottom of the chasm, he could not see it or hear it. The only thing he could see was the deep blackness down below and the swirl of violet mist as it floated up from the depths of the chasm, the wispy tendrils of purple fog caressing his cheeks with a soft touch that made his blood feel like ice in his veins. Though the cavern holding the Spirit Chip wasn't particularly warm to begin with, he suddenly felt a lot colder than he should have. He could feel the darkness within the mist crawling against his skin, and though there was no physical evidence of it, he was sure it was tying to find a way to get beneath the surface of his flesh and into his heart. The cavern itself was mostly silent, but deep within the pit he could hear the mist whispering faintly to him in the gloom of the cave. Is this what Ryoko's heart felt like now that the golden-haired Digidestined had allowed the darkness to creep inside his soul? Was that Ryoko's voice he heard whispering to him in the darkness?

Would the same thing have happened to me if Lucemon and DarkAngelicmon hadn't made me realize the truth?

The darkness was so enticing, it was no wonder Ryoko hadn't been able to resist it in his current state, but at the same time it frightened Matty.

Because even though he now understood what was going on in the Ice Caverns, without Dai and Ryoko, his heart was still vulnerable.

If he was left to depend on his own resolve, even for just a moment, he knew how easy it would be for the violet mist to consume him in his current state.

It wouldn't be hard at all to just let myself go and allow the darkness to take me...

Matty let out a gasp as a warm hand suddenly caught his arm, and jerking his head up, he found himself gazing into DarkAngelicmon's clear emerald eyes. The fallen angel was crouching next to him on the stone floor, and for the first time since entering the cavern, Matty had his full attention. He could tell the celestial champion was studying what was hidden in the depths of his amber eyes, and continuing to watch him closely, DarkAngelicmon said quietly, "I think perhaps it would be best if we moved away from the edge a little bit, lest you end up suffering the same fate as Ryoko. I cannot have you succumbing to the darkness when your cousin needs you, and besides, your brother would never forgive me if I allowed that to happen."

Mickey...

Matty's thoughts drifted back to Sam's earlier confession, and realizing something of great importance, he felt his heart rate speed up. DarkAngelicmon still didn't know that Sam had lied about Mickey hating him, since none of the Digidestined had seen the fallen angel since the raven-haired boy had told them the truth, and Matty knew if he was going to be allies with the celestial champion, even if it was just for the time being, then DarkAngelicmon needed to know about Mickey's honest feelings. Ryoko's heart might depend on it, and no matter what happened, Matty knew he would never forgive himself if he didn't do everything he could to help save his cousin.

Which is why I have to tell him.

There were some things he could control, Sam's confession being one of those things, and while it might not seem like much on the surface, Matty knew even the smallest things could make all the difference in the world.

"Matty?" Celestimon asked, tugging anxiously on his other arm. "You're drifting off again."

Matty chose not to respond, and without looking at the fallen angel, he said very quietly, "Sam lied to you, you know. He hadn't meant to, but you upset him pretty badly. Because his heart was covered in darkness, he wanted to get back at you for what you had done. He wanted you to feel his pain, so he felt like he had to hurt you in return for making him suffer."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," DarkAngelicmon said stiffly, instantly removing his hand.

The fallen angel's expression become suddenly guarded, his tone losing almost all of its warmth, and missing the sudden loss of physical contact between them, Matty said, "I think you do."

As if you could be anymore obvious.

"You flatter me. I have many talents, but as of yet I have not managed to master the skill of telepathy."

Matty ignored the uncharacteristic sarcasm in the fallen angel's tone, and leaning close, he whispered, "Mickey doesn't hate you. In fact, he's never felt like that before. He's always cared about you right from the beginning."

"It doesn't matter to me either way how one insignificant human feels about me," DarkAngelicmon replied, his tone unusually harsh. "I work for the Ruler of Darkness. The only thing I care about is power."

"Says the digimon who used to spend his free time studying humans," Matty shot back, raising his eyebrows. "You even went out of your way to help one of them. You can deny it all you want, but I know the truth. Lucemon told me about you. You love humans. You don't want to destroy or hurt us any more than you want to do those things to Lucemon."

"You truly are a fool," DarkAngelicmon said quietly, turning his face away. "You cannot possibly understand, no matter what lies Lucemon tells you."

"Lies? The only person lying here is you," Matty shot back, growing impatient. "You're lying to yourself about your past and about Mickey. If anyone would know how Mickey really feels about you, it would be me. You know it, and I know it, and nothing you say is going to change that. And you want to know another secret?"

DarkAngelicmon had put some distance between them, as if surprised by the sudden onslaught of accusations, and Matty could tell by the look in his eyes that he was conflicted. For some reason the fallen angel couldn't seem to meet his gaze, and turning his face away, the celestial champion said dryly, "Please do. Enlighten me, though I must warn you. I'm not easily impressed."

Matty didn't hesitate to close the sudden distance between them, and putting his arms around the fallen angel, he murmured softly in the celestial champion's ear, "I don't hate you either, no matter how misguided you are."

The response was instantaneous. DarkAngelicmon's body grew rigid in his arms, but then his limbs suddenly relaxed, his handsome face softening into a smile. Matty felt the fallen angel's gentle fingers brush against his golden hair, and shaking his head, the celestial champion said fondly, "Like I said, you truly are a fool, Masato Takaishi."

Matty didn't take offense to being called a fool, and refusing to let go, he said, "Who did this to you? Who hurt you like this? Please, tell me."

"I..."

Matty could tell the fallen angel was struggling to remember, and pulling DarkAngelicmon closer, he whispered, "I want to help you. I want to save you. I want to make you yourself again."

There was no response, and Matty let out a gasp as his D-Coder Digivice suddenly began to glow brightly in the darkness. As he watched in astonishment, brilliant ribbons of yellow light began to wrap themselves around both himself and the fallen angel, and his body began to tingle with strange electric vibrations. The golden glow of his Digivice felt warm against his skin, and the air around them seemed to crackle with intensity.

What is this light? It feels...amazing...

DarkAngelicmon slowly lifted his head, and staring down at his own body in confusion, he said quietly, "What are you doing? How is this happening?"

"I...don't know."

Suddenly their eyes met, and as they stared at each other in silence, something remarkable happened.

Matty was still holding onto DarkAngelicmon, and he could feel his own light seeping into the fallen angel's body. And somewhere in his mind, he was sure he could feel the celestial digimon's heart beating right alongside his own. As he watched in astonishment, DarkAngelicmon's hair began to turn a golden shade of blond, and the darkness started to fade from his wings and clothes. For just a moment, Matty found himself gazing at a celestial digimon who was a mirror image of his own partner, and at a loss for words, he merely sat there with his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Look Matty!" Celestimon gasped, having seen the change for himself.

Matty was so startled he couldn't even find the words to reply to his partner, and sensing the sudden change in his attitude, DarkAngelicmon frowned and said, "What is it?"

Matty was about to respond when there was a sudden commotion at the entrance to the cavern, and feeling embarrassed for reasons he couldn't immediately understand, he quickly pulled back and jerked his head towards the door, his heart still pounding rapidly in his chest. The moment he let go of DarkAngelicmon, the light faded away from the fallen angel's body, and once again the celestial champion's hair and wings turned pitch black.

Did I...really do that?

He didn't know, and now wasn't the time to dwell on the matter. There was something more important that required his immediate attention, and it came in the form of his golden-haired cousin.

Daichi and Ryoko had arrived.

Matty's heart leaped into his throat as Tirimon and the two humans came bursting into the chamber, and his eyes immediately went to his troubled cousin, whose current expression reminded him of a prisoner heading towards his own execution. The three newcomers stopped short when they spotted him crouching next to DarkAngelicmon near the edge of the giant chasm, and almost against his own will, Matty quickly climbed to his feet, his amber eyes gluing themselves to his cousin's pale face.

Ryoko...I...I

Though Dai was on the other side of the chamber from him, Matty could still just barely make out the concerned expression on the goggle-headed leader's face, and moving slowly towards him, Dai hesitantly called out, "Matty, are you okay?"

Matty didn't respond, the words he needed to say catching in his throat, and suddenly he found himself racing towards the goggle-headed leader, wanting desperately to reach his cousin. Having spotted him, Ryoko immediately took several steps back, and keeping his gaze averted, the golden-haired Digidestined proceeded to cower by the chamber door, his shoulders trembling with an emotion Matty couldn't immediately identify. He could hear the sound of his own heartbeat pulsing in his ears, and it seemed to beat in sync with the heavy sound of his footsteps pounding against the ice. His mind was screaming at him that he needed to reach his cousin as soon as possible, and though he stumbled several times, almost slipping and falling flat on his face, he kept going, his breath coming in short gasps. Ryoko's name was like a chant in his mind, and at the moment nothing else matter to him but reaching his golden-haired cousin.

Behind him, he was vaguely aware of the fact that DarkAngelicmon had also climbed to his feet, an unreadable expression on the fallen angel's face, but instead of chasing after him and trying to stop him, the celestial digimon merely stood there, as if content to simply leave the impending confrontation within the fickle hands of fate.

Somewhere in the back of his desperate mind, Matty had expected the celestial digimon to greet Daichi with his usual sense of humour and wit, but instead of doing so, the fallen angel merely stepped gracefully away from the edge of the chasm and proceeded to watch the scene unfolding in front of him in silence, the lack of expression in his emerald eyes a cause for some concern.

It's like he's waiting for something to happen.

"Matty!"

Matty looked up to see Dai hurrying towards him, and meeting him halfway, the goggle-headed leader grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him roughly into a hug, his dark eyes flashing with emotion. Exactly what he was feeling, Matty was unable to decipher, and as Dai pulled back, he struggled to break himself free from the goggle-headed leader's grasp, anxious to reach his cousin's side. Dai's hands were warm on his shoulders as the two of them held each other at arm's length, and though Matty appreciated the gesture of affection, he didn't have time for a much anticipated reunion at the moment.

Ryoko needed him.

"Matty, wait!" Dai said sharply, refusing to let go of him.

Matty shook his head, trying to push his way past the goggle-headed leader, but Dai wouldn't budge. Instead, the current Digidestined leader pulled him into another fierce hug, and unable to break free from his friend's embrace, Matty gave up on trying to escape and sagged against the goggle-headed leader in momentary defeat. "Dai, let go. I..I have to..."

I need to talk to Ryoko. I need to reach him. I need to make him understand. Why can't Dai see how important this is?

"I know," Dai said shortly, his dark gaze flicking to the trembling form of Ryoko before once again settling on his face. "Just wait a moment."

"But-"

"I was really worried about you," Dai interrupted, holding him out again at arm's length and watching him closely. "Just answer one question for me. What happened to you last night?"

Matty thought back to his encounter with the crystal mirrors, the bitter faces of his loved ones glaring at him in the darkness, and gazing directly into the goggle-headed leader's eyes, he said truthfully, "I was an idiot. That's what happened."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Matty ignored the question, and pulling Dai into a tight embrace, he whispered fiercely into his friend's ear, "I'm sorry, Dai. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"What?" Dai asked, pulling back slightly to stare at him in confusion. "I don't understand."

Of course you don't. Because you trusted me. You had faith in me that I would never doubt you...

"At the beach, when you said you would never stop being my best friend. I should have known better. I should have believed you."

Now Dai looked deeply concerned, his dark eyes flashing with emotion, and speaking quietly, the goggle-headed leader said slowly, "You...doubted me?"

"I doubted a lot of things, especially myself."

"Matty, what are you talking about?"

"Look, that's not important right now. I just...I want you to know things are different now."

"Different?" Dai said quietly, once again leaning into his embrace.

Matty could tell the goggle-headed leader was confused and had no idea what he was trying to get at, but he didn't have time to worry about it. His chance to work things out with Dai would come later. Right now Ryoko was the more pressing issue. "Something like that. It's...I don't really know how to explain it, but I...I think I'm okay with everything now."

"Matty, you're not making any sense. I don't-"

"I don't have time for this! Just forget about that for now. We need to help Ryoko."

"Not until you answer me!" Dai snapped, shaking him gently by the shoulders. "What are you going on about?"

Matty was starting to grow extremely impatient at this point, and shaking his head, he said shortly, "I'm not your only best friend. I don't think I ever was."

"Say what now?" Dai asked, staring at him as if he'd suddenly grown an extra head. "What in the Digiworld do you mean by that?"

Matty knew his friend wanted an answer, but he was done talking. There would be time enough to explain his words to Dai at a later time, but for now he really did need to reach his cousin.

I have to make Ryoko understand what's happening. Somehow, I need to get him to open his eyes and his heart...

"Matty?"

Matty clung to his dark-haired friend for a moment, and feeling the warmth of Dai's comforting presence, he said in a pleading voice, "Please, help me save Ryoko."

"Huh?" Dai asked, shifting slightly in his grip. "Wait a second. You feel it, too?"

Wait, what?

Was it possible that Dai could also feel the darkness lurking in Ryoko's heart?

He must feel it. What else could he possibly mean by that?

Matty quickly made his decision, and speaking quietly, he said shortly, "Dai, it's Ryoko. All along it was Ryoko. He's the one that activated the crystal mirrors. They're part of what's causing all the darkness in these caves. Whatever it is that's going on with him, we need to snap him out of it, and quick."

"What?" Dai gasped, looking shocked.

Obviously the goggle-headed leader hadn't yet considered the possibility that Ryoko was the cause of all their recent blunders in the Ice Caverns, but now that he knew, Matty could tell it surprised him.

That's because he's never considered the possibility that Ryoko would give up so easily. He's always had a lot of confidence in Ryoko. I bet he figured Ryoko would be fine, even with the darkness trying to get inside his heart. Not once would he ever think Ryoko wasn't strong enough to fight against it...

Matty could tell Dai knew there was something very wrong with Ryoko, which was evident from what the goggle-headed leader had said only moments ago, but clearly he hadn't realized the full extent of the problem yet. But now that Dai had a better idea of what was going on, even if there was still a lot he didn't know yet, Matty could tell he was both upset and angry that he hadn't done something to solve the issue earlier.

Not that he could have. Now that Matty had seen Ryoko for himself, he could tell this was something that was going to take both of their efforts combined.

"I know you think I'm not making a whole lot of sense right now, but I promise I'll explain everything later. Just please, help me."

Dai nodded, and giving him a gentle shove, the goggle-headed leader said, "Go on, get moving. I'll do whatever you want me to do. Just say the word."

"Same here," Celestimon said softly, fluttering protectively around his head. "You know I'm always here for you, Matty."

The little rookie hasn't hesitated to follow him as he went racing across the cavern to reach Ryoko, and for that Matty was grateful. He knew his partner would follow him anywhere, and he suspected the same was true for Dai. Overcome with emotion, he couldn't seem to find the words to thank his partner or his friend for their support, and unable to speak, he caught Celestimon in his arms and gave the little rookie a tight squeeze before turning to Dai and giving the goggle-headed leader a fierce hug.

Without a word, he let go of Dai and sprinted across the remaining distance to reach his cousin, both Celestimon and the goggle-headed leader right on his heels. Ryoko was still huddling by the door, Tirimon standing faithfully at his side, and while the golden-haired Digidestined was obviously still his cousin, there was something about him that made the blond look almost unrecognizable.

Ryoko's skin was almost pure white, and his sapphire eyes glittered strangely in the dim light of the cavern, almost like there was an abnormal light glowing just beneath the surface of his uncertain gaze. He was shivering badly, and there were dark circles under his eyes, making it look like he hadn't slept in a week.

Not only that, but he seemed to have lost all his confidence, and there was an odd expression on his face that suggested he was frightened of something. There was also a strong bitterness about his aura that had never been there before, and while all of those things concerned Matty, the one thing that caught his attention the most was the way he could feel a deep sense of darkness coming from Ryoko's heart. From where he stood, Matty could almost see it pulsing and twisting painfully like a deadly snake inside his cousin's body, and the whisper of the darkness throbbing deep inside the golden-haired Digidestined's soul made him shiver with anxiety and fear.

Something big must have happened to Ryoko to make him succumb so quickly to the Powers of Darkness during the time that they were separated, but what could it have been? And it wasn't as if Ryoko was only just starting to lose himself to the darkness. He was well on his way to reaching a level of despair that was dangerous, and if Matty didn't take matters into his own hands, his cousin might slip over the edge without giving him a chance to lend a supporting hand for the golden-haired Digidestined to grab onto to.

In just one night, something had hurt Ryoko so deeply it had caused a drastic change in the golden-haired Digidestined's behaviour, and while Ryoko had been acting strangely even before entering the Ice Caverns, as Matty had noted earlier, the darkness alone couldn't have caused such a harsh disturbance in his cousin's heart. The Powers of Darkness were harmless without a catalyst to work their dangerous machinations, which meant it was the trigger that had altered Ryoko's way of thinking, not the darkness itself. The darkness merely took advantage of the situation once the trigger was activated. It wasn't a question of what had caused Ryoko's decent into darkness, the important thing was discovering the identity of the catalyst that had allowed the darkness to weaken the golden-haired Digidestined's spirit. And while Matty didn't yet have solid proof as to what the trigger might be, he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.

It's me. I'm the catalyst. I'm the one who trampled all over his confidence and spirit. I'm the one who made him lose hope in ever having a solid friendship with Dai...

His fault. Ryoko's suffering was all his fault.

He couldn't even blame Dai for any of it. After all, it was only too obvious that the goggle-headed leader had no idea how Ryoko truly felt about him. Dai wasn't doing anything wrong. He was just looking to be close to both of them. How could anyone blame him for that?

Dai doesn't even realize the extent of how I was feeling. When we talked, I could tell he knew I was self-conscious about our friendship, but he had no way of knowing just how bad it was. And since he doesn't even know how much Ryoko cares about him...how can he be responsible for any of this? It's all me. I'm the one who had all the power to change things...

Matty knew he was the one getting in the way of Ryoko's chance for a friendship with Dai, and it wasn't because of his own friendship with the goggle-headed leader. The true problem was his petty selfishness and his unwillingness to share when he had no right to deny his friends the chance to get closer to one another. It wasn't his place to choose Dai's friends. Only Dai had that kind of power over himself.

Thinking over the last four weeks, it was all so clear to him now. How could he have been such a fool not to see it a long time ago?

Ryoko should hate me for what I've done to him, but...that's not really the vibe I'm getting.

Which in itself was odd.

Matty could now clearly see Ryoko's conflicting feelings towards him and towards the situation with Dai, and while he had managed to come to terms with the fact that those feelings must have been what triggered the mirrors, he still wasn't satisfied with that explanation. There must have been something else, something shocking and drastic to cause Ryoko to look so frightened, but what other events could had taken place since the golden-haired Digidestined got transported through the mirrors that would cause him to act like a completely different person?

I know my cousin. He would never want Dai to drift away from me. That's just not like him at all. Whatever he might be thinking, he couldn't possibly hate me for being friends with Dai, but if that's not the problem then why is he acting like this? Unless...could it be he's trying to protect me? Ryoko would want me to be happy, and he would want Dai to be happy too, even if it meant he was left out of the equation...

Was that what Ryoko had been trying to do for four weeks? Matty had originally thought it might be because the golden-haired Digidestined didn't want Dai to find out how much he cared, but what if it was more than that? What if Ryoko was avoiding Dai for his sake?

Could it be Ryoko didn't want to jeopardize my friendship with Dai, and that's part of why he's been avoiding Dai ever since our last trip to the Digital World?

And in doing so, Ryoko had also started avoiding him. It wasn't because the golden-haired Digidestined hated him or felt any resentment towards him. It was because Ryoko had been trying to hide the pain inside his heart.

The pain, and the love.

Ryoko, you...you idiot...

Matty suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of affection for the cousin who had spent the last four weeks avoiding his eyes, and in that moment he wanted nothing more than to hold his cousin tightly and reassure him that everything was going to be okay.

Seeing Ryoko in such a state was eating him up inside, and for a moment he forgot all about their issues with Dai. In their ignorance, both he and Ryoko had forgotten something truly important. Before either one of them could ever truly appreciate Dai's friendship and respect, they needed to appreciate each other first.

Because we're just as important to each other as Dai is to both of us.

Something terrible had definitely happened during the night, and whatever that something was, Matty could feel in his bones that it was big. Very big.

And it was clearly having a terrifying effect on Ryoko.

Look at him. I've never seen him looking so lost and frightened before. He seems so...so vulnerable. I have to stop this. I have to save him before it's too late!

The truth of those words immediately caused Matty to spring into action, and watching Ryoko, he quickly closed the last of the distance between them, his amber gaze studying his cousin's pale face. There was an uneasy silence in the air, and sensing the sudden lack of distance between them, Ryoko shrank back against the stone wall, a small gasp escaping his lips. How badly Matty had wanted to be by his cousin's side, and now that the moment had finally come, he felt suddenly shy and vulnerable around the golden-haired Digidestined.

He was also very nervous.

I should have spoken to him earlier. We should have talked about all of this a long time ago...

If they had, maybe Ryoko wouldn't be acting so strange around him now.

There was no deny anymore that Ryoko cared about him, of that he was certain, and it was clear to him now that the golden-haired Digidestined would never hurt him. That was the reason why his cousin was suffering so much, and it was most likely the reason why Ryoko had turned his back on Dai. The golden-haired Digidestined had done it out of respect for him, but even so, there was a small part of him that was still hovering on the edge of the darkness that needed reassurance. He needed to hear the words from Ryoko himself before he would truly be able to fix the gap that had grown between them over the last four weeks.

I need to hear him say he cares about me as much as I care about him.

It was something they both needed, that reassurance that they would never betray one another or cause each other pain.

And speaking of needing to trust others...

Matty glanced over his shoulder, and catching sight of his captor, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. DarkAngelicmon hadn't made any effort to follow him, despite the urgency to save Ryoko. Instead, the fallen angel had maintained his position near the giant chasm, as silent and unmoving as an elaborately carved statue.

Sensing he was the object of sudden scrutiny, DarkAngelicmon slowly lifted his head, his emerald gaze carefully searching the cavern to discover who was watching him. When their eyes met, the fallen angel studied him closely, the neutral expression on the celestial champion's handsome face giving no indication as to how he was feeling at the moment, and seemingly satisfied with his observations, he crossed his arms over his broad chest and proceeded to watch the scene playing out before him without comment.

He's probably enjoying this...

Matty made a face at the thought, and resolutely turning his back on the fallen angel, he took a deep breath and said, "Hey, Ryoko. I'm...I'm glad you're here."

To his surprise, the fear in his cousin's sapphire gaze suddenly intensified, and staring at him as if afraid he might be holding a deadly weapon, the golden-haired Digidestined shrank back against the stone wall again, as if hoping it would somehow hide him from view. The look Ryoko gave him was only a quick glance, but it still pierced Matty's heart right to the very core of his being. He had expected Ryoko to act differently around him, due to their issues with one other concerning Dai, especially with the Powers of Darkness creating a lot of chaos within the Ice Caverns, but he had not prepared himself for being treated like an enemy, and it caught him completely off guard.

What was that all about? He's never looked at me like that before...

It was almost as if Ryoko was afraid of him, but that was impossible. While they had fought on occasion, he had never once done anything so drastic as to instill fear into his cousin.

The way he's looking at me...It's like he thinks I'm going to hurt him.

Ryoko was not the type of person to give in so easily to his fears, and more often than not, he didn't hesitate to fight back if you tried to start something with him. It was not in his nature to act like a coward, and his personality usually wasn't so meek and hesitant. For Ryoko to behave in such a matter was definitely not normal behaviour for him, and frowning in confusion, Matty slowly took another step closer to his cousin and said calmly, "What's with you?"

"Nothing," Ryoko mumbled, avoiding his eyes.

Right...

"Listen, Ryoko, I'm not really even sure where to start, but..."

"Don't come any closer to me," the golden-haired Digidestined suddenly blurted out, his back hitting the wall of the chamber again as he tried to push himself further into the stone.

Definitely afraid, but why? I haven't even seen him since yesterday...

Matty once again came to a stop, and deciding the best approach would be to play it cool, he raised his eyebrows and said nonchalantly, "Not exactly the greeting I was hoping for."

"Stay away," Ryoko murmured, his sapphire eyes darting nervously around the chamber as he wrapped his arms around himself to ward off the chill.

Matty glanced at Dai in confusion, but the goggle-headed leader merely shrugged his shoulders and said, "Don't ask me. He's been like this ever since he woke up this morning."

"And when we ask him about it he refuses to tell us anything," Tirimon said gruffly, looking quite concerned for his partner.

That's weird. So, is he like this with everyone or just me?

Matty studied the goggle-headed leader more closely, and catching his friend's arm, he said slowly, "Dai, about what you said earlier...You feel something, right? About Ryoko? Something different?"

"I don't know how to explain it exactly, but there's something not right about him," Dai replied, gazing directly into his eyes. "He doesn't feel like the Ishida I know anymore."

Matty nodded slowly, and gazing back at the goggle-headed leader in silence, he suddenly felt the blood in his veins turn to ice. So he was right. Dai could feel the darkness in Ryokos heart, just like he could. That was not a good sign at all. Normally Dai had a strong natural defense against the Powers of Darkness, so if even he could feel the pain throbbing deep inside Ryoko's soul then that meant it was stronger than anything Matty had witnessed so far. There was a hard edge to Ryoko's emotions, along with the bitterness, that left a sour taste in Matty's mouth, and uncertain of how to proceed, he stared helplessly at his cousin, his mind racing frantically to come up with a solution to the problem.

"It's the darkness, isn't it," Dai said quietly, glancing uneasily at Ryoko's trembling form. "Somehow he let the darkness inside his heart."

It was like the goggle-headed leader had read his mind, and clearly Dai had taken it upon himself to say something because he wanted to confirm his own suspicions. Unfortunately, Matty had no choice but to agree, and shaking his head in despair, he let out a weary sigh. This was going to be a challenge unlike any he had faced so far. The question was, would he not only be strong enough to help Ryoko escape the darkness, but also clever enough, even with Dai's help?

Or could they possibly be too late?

He's pretty bad off at the moment. Where do I even start?

"You hurt me," Ryoko suddenly interrupted, refusing to look at him. "You were so angry, and then you...you..."

Huh? What in the Digiworld is he going on about? I've never done anything like that to him before!

For a moment all Matty could do was stare at his cousin in disbelief, and then growing indignant, he said hotly, "What are you talking about? Don't be dumb like that! You know I would never hurt you!"

Was I right then after all? Is this all because of the tension between us? Does he blame me for getting in the way of his friendship with Dai?

If that was true, Matty couldn't blame his cousin for saying such hurtful words to him. Deep down inside he couldn't deny that a part of him had felt like Ryoko was a threat to his friendship with Dai, and the spiteful side of him had secretly hoped nothing would happen between the two, allowing things to carry on as they always had. That way he and Dai would always be best friends, and there would be no one to interfere in the comfortable relationship they had. If Ryoko was out of the picture then he would never have to worry that someone was trying to take his best friend away.

But the softer side of him, the side that truly defined him as a person, wanted to see both Dai and Ryoko happy, and deep inside his heart he knew there was only one way that could happen.

Both Dai and Ryoko would never really be happy until they became close friends.

I've had that with Dai since the beginning, but it's not something I can keep just for myself. Not with the group of Digidestined I belong to. We're different because we've all been together since we were babies, and that kind of bond makes the dynamics of our team very unique.

And truthfully, that was one thing Matty loved about their team of Digidestined. He was so close to all of them, there was no distinguishing between family and friends, nor were there any other boundaries within their group. Ryoko deserved that kind of relationship with Dai because that was the kind of bond the rest of them all shared with each other.

Thinking back on all that he had been through leading right up to this moment, Matty wasn't afraid to admit that his jealous side and his caring side had been in conflict with one another for quite a while now, but despite the challenges that had almost overwhelmed him earlier, he could say with confidence now that the war inside his mind had finally come to an end, and the strength of his heart had won out.

Mickey would be proud of me.

Matty smiled at the thought of his brother, and dropping Dai's arm, he turned to face his cousin once again. No matter how much pain he had endured, his petty fears didn't matter anymore. The only thing he cared about now was saving his cousin. If anything were to happen to Ryoko, all the friendship in the world wouldn't matter one bit to him, and with good reason. Even if he still had Dai, nothing would ever be the same between them again if they failed to save the golden-haired Digidestined. The very core of their friendship depended on Ryoko's survival, and Matty knew that without his cousin, they would be lost.

Because the three of them were always meant to be together as one.

After chatting with Lucemon and DarkAngelicmon, Matty had come to realize something very important. Something he only now realized had been missing all along. Dai, Ryoko, and himself. The three of them together was the true strength of their bond, and if they failed to recognize that, their friendship with one another would never be complete.

He's right. I have hurt him...

Matty let out a soft sigh, and feeling guilty, he said, "Ryoko, there's a lot we need to talk about. I don't know what happened to you after you got separated from us, but-"

"You do know," Ryoko interrupted, his voice growing suddenly cold. "You were there. You hurt me. You...you.."

Huh?

Ryoko's words trailed off, and unable to form a coherant sentence anymore, the golden-haired Digidestined sank to the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees to protect himself. Though he was still trembling, Matty was relieved to see a slight flash of defiance in his cousin's eyes, and it calmed him somewhat. That was the Ryoko he knew, though it concerned him that the golden-haired Digidestined still wouldn't meet his eyes.

Why won't you let me see what you're hiding?

"What's he talking about?" Celestimon asked, settling himself on Tirimon's head and gazing at Ryoko in confusion.

"No idea."

"That's a lie," Ryoko mumbled into his knees, shaking his blond head in denial. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. I don't blame you, though. I deserved it."

At this point, Matty was completely flabbergasted as to what was going on, and glancing at Dai again, he said slowly, "Is any of this making sense to you?"

Dai slowly shook his head, and exchanging a look with Tirimon, he said, "Not really, except..."

"Except what?"

Dai crouched next to the golden-haired Digidestined, and jerking his head up, Ryoko flinched away from the other boy, his sapphire eyes once again growing dark with fear. Dai hadn't even gotten close enough to touch him, and yet Ryoko still shrank back from the goggle-headed leader, acting almost as if his dark-haired friend had tried to hit him. Matty could tell the golden-haired Digidestined's reaction upset Dai, but instead of commenting on it, the goggle-headed leader turned to Tirimon and said slowly, "You don't think he's talking about those bruises, do you?"

"What do you mean?" Tirimon asked, immediately growing suspicious.

"He keeps saying someone hurt him, and he's got the bruises to prove it. And from the way he's talking now, he's acting like Matty might be the culprit. You don't think-"

"Of course not!" Tirimon growled in return, looking completely outraged at the goggle-headed leader's suggestion. "Matty would never do something like that to his own cousin! And besides, Matty wasn't that close to us last night."

"Still close enough to have made the trip during the night," Dai replied, glancing briefly at his D-Coder before turning to gaze thoughtfully at the cowering blond.

"Are you actually accusing Matty of doing something so terrible to his own cousin?" Tirimon demanded, looking shocked.

Dai quickly shook his head, and giving the large champion a dirty look, he said, "No, of coures not. I'm not that stupid. But...what if something happened to make Ishida think Matty did it?"

"What are you guys talking about?" Celestimon asked curiously, glancing anxiously between the arguing duo.

"Last night, you mean?" Tirimon asked, ignoring Celestimon.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I mean. Just think about it for a moment. After he woke up this morning, every time we mentioned Matty, Ishida started to act even more strange than the already strange behaviour he's got going on today. I could see it in his eyes, the way Matty's name was like some kind of trigger, and he wouldn't talk about him either. There must be some kind of connection there."

"Like what?"

Matty was starting to grow rather impatient at this point, and tired of being excluded from the conversation, he snapped, "Is anybody going to tell me what's going on?"

"Maybe you should ask him," Dai replied, nodding his head at Ryoko. "I have no idea what's going on. I'm just guessing, for all the good that's going to do us. He's the one with all the answers."

How am I supposed to get any answers when he refuses to speak to me?

Matty motioned for the goggle-headed leader to give them some space, and kneeling in front of his cousin, he said quietly, "Talk to me, Ryoko. What's going on with you? I can't help you if you won't tell me what's wrong. And why won't you look at me?"

It's like he's purposly trying to avoid looking at me. I don't understand. Why is he so afraid to meet my eyes?

"Are you going to answer him, or not?" Dai demanded, stepping back to join Tirimon and Celestimon. "I'd kind of like to know myself."

Ryoko remained silent, and unable to stand it anymore, Matty gave the golden-haired Digidestined's shoulders a shake and snapped, "Hey, look at me!"

Let me see your eyes.

Ryoko let out a gasp at the sudden physical contact between them, and as he once again jerked his head up in fear, their eyes finally met.

At first, they simply stared at each other in silence, and then recognizing the look in his cousin's sapphire gaze, Matty once again felt his breath catch in his throat.

There was only one way to describe the emotion that was glittering within the depths of Ryoko's deep blue eyes, and the realization of what that expression meant left Matty feeling completely stunned. Earlier, he had sensed Ryoko's fear, but that was nothing compared to the sheer terror that was sparkling like bright chips of ice in the frosty eyes that were gazing fearfully back at him.

But that wasn't the worst of it. The most horrifying thing about Ryoko's expression was the fact that Matty knew with a certainty he was the cause of that uncontrollable fear. For reasons he couldn't understand, Ryoko was absolutely terrified of him, and the longer they remained in physical contact with one another, the greater his cousin's fear seemed to grow.

Ryoko, what have I done to make you so afraid of me? Look at you. Look at what you've become, and it's all my fault. I'm the reason you've fallen so far into darkness...

The thought was so horrifying that Matty immediately loosened the grip he had on his cousin's shoulders, allowing his touch to feel more gentle.

I know I've hurt you deeply, but even so... Something about this whole thing still doesn't sit right with me...

At first, Matty had taken Ryoko's words to mean that he had been hurt mentally rather than physically, but now he wasn't so sure. While it was true that he had caused his cousin a lot of psychological pain, something about Ryoko's accusations made it sound like it was more than just the mental strain that had taken a toll on the golden-haired Digidestined's psyche, but if that was the case, how could he have caused his cousin any other kind of stress when they hadn't even seen each other since the day before?

None of this makes any sense.

Ryoko continued to gaze fearfully into his eyes, and just as Matty was about to open his mouth, the golden-haired Digidestined's expression abruptly changed into a look of confusion. It caught Matty off guard, and staying as still as possible, he watched in tense silence as the terror slowly began to fade from his cousin's sapphire gaze, though the pain lurking deep within the blond's heart remained. The fear in Ryoko's eyes was replaced by a look of uncertainty, and he shook his head as if to clear it, his expression making it seem as if he was only now just realizing where he was. The difference was like night and day, and refusing to look away, Matty tightened his grip on Ryoko's shoulders, unwilling to let go of his cousin. Ryoko seemed to soak up the attention with an intensity that Matty had never before seen his cousin display towards him, and unsure of what to make of the sudden change in the blond's behaviour, he kept his mouth shut so as not to disturb the air around them. He had a feeling if he made any sudden movements, it would break the spell that seemed to have fallen over them, and not wanting to ruin the moment, he did his best to remain frozen in place. Ryoko seemed almost hungry and desperate for affection, and whereas before his cousin had refused to look at him, now the golden-haired Digidestined seemed unable to look away.

It was the strangest sensation, and when Matty made an attempt to glance over at Dai with raised eyebrows, Ryoko grabbed his arms and refused to allow him to turn away.

Because of that, Matty had no choice but to continue looking into his cousin's conflicted gaze, and speaking almost shyly, Ryoko whispered, "Your eyes. Those terrible eyes."

"Huh?"

"The eyes you have now. They're not like those other eyes. These are the eyes I remember."

Now Matty was really confused, and frowning, he said, "What about me? What do you mean?"

"I missed...your eyes," Ryoko murmured, the words catching in his throat. "Your friendly eyes."

"Ryoko..."

The golden-haired Digidestined seemed to hesitate, and then suddenly Ryoko was leaning into him, the strength having left his cousin's weary body. The sudden gesture of affection took Matty completely by surprise, and as the golden-haired Digidestined's cheek came to rest against his shoulder, he felt Ryoko's arms go around his waist in a loose hug.

Matty was both confused and a little embarrassed, especially since he had an auidence, but he was also rather concerned. Why the sudden change in Ryoko's bahaviour when only moments ago the golden-haired Digidestined hadn't wanted to come anywhere near him? And not only that, Ryoko wasn't usually this quick to show his affection. Normally, he made you work for it first before he would let you into his heart, but this time the blond had offered a vulnerable piece of himself without expecting anything in return.

It was so strange to see his cousin acting in such a bizarre manner when only moments ago the golden-haired Digidestined had clearly been terrified out of his wits, but Ryoko was often full of surprises. It was a relief to see that the fear had faded from the blond's eyes, but unfortunately it was replaced with a look of sorrow and regret, which Matty wasn't all that fond of either.

It was still better than being treated like the enemy, though.

But why? He was so scared of me, and now all of a sudden he's acting all...nice and stuff. I don't get it. I didn't do anything different. I just looked at him. What's so great about that?

Matty could sense his cousin was craving affection, and while that in itself was unusual, what was even more surprising was the fact that golden-haired Digidestined seemed to be craving it particularly from him.

But...why? If he wanted attention, I would have thought he'd go to Mickey or Dai, or even Takara, rather than me. We've never really been super vocal about our feelings for each other or anything like that, and we aren't usually this forward with one another either...

"You feel like you," Ryoko murmured, pulling him closer and hugging him tightly. "I'd know this feeling anywhere. It really is you."

Uh...what?

The words immediately caught Matty's attention, and for some reason he suddenly found himself thinking back on what had happened to him the night before. Ryoko's comment about what he had called 'terrible eyes' brought back memories of the way Mickey's amber gaze had burned with hatred, only it hadn't really been Mickey. That same hatred had been reflected in the eyes of the shadow versions he had seen of Dai and Ryoko, whose hard expressions had also reflected a similar sense of bitter resentment. In fact, all of the shadow versions of his loved ones had worn that exact same expression, and thinking back on it now, he felt a small shiver race up and down his spine. Ryoko's comment about how it felt holding him had also struck a nerve. It reminded him of the way the shadow versions of Taniko and the three Young siblings had felt so alien when he had come in physical contact with them, and the same was true for the shadow versions of Dai and Ryoko, who had pulled him through the crystal mirror. All of those people had felt so familair to him, and yet at the same time something about them had also felt dark and sinister. Ryoko's words were almost like an echo of the pain and suffering he had endured the night before, and that made him wonder.

Wait a minute...He keeps talking about my eyes and about the way I feel. Why would he do that, unless...Could something similiar to what I experienced have happened to him, too? Could he have seen the shadows the way I did? The shadows of people he cares about?

Underneath the warmth of his cousin's skin, Matty could feel the waves of darkness seeping out of Ryoko's body, and though it made him feel cold inside, he refused to pull away. That feeling alone made it obvious that something wasn't right with the golden-haired Digidestined, and he knew instantly the bitterness he was feeling was the same sensation Dai had tried to describe to him earlier. The darkness within Ryoko's body was so powerful, it was enough to create a sensation of slight discomfort, but instead of pulling away, Matty put his arms around his cousin's shoulders and held the other boy tightly against his chest. Ryoko's face was buried in his shoulder, and though he had no way of knowing for sure exactly what his cousin's words meant, he could sense that they were somehow important.

He's trying to tell me something, but I still don't get it.

"This is how it's supposed to feel," Ryoko said softly in his ear, the creases in his forehead softening into a more pleasant expression as he turned his head slightly to get more comofrtable. "This feels right."

Matty was distracted by his cousin's blond hair tickling his cheek, and as he turned to whisper something reassuring into the golden-haired Digidestined's ear, the words he was about to say died on his lips.

Though Ryoko seemed content to remain curled up in the safety of his arms, Matty's sense that something wasn't right was on high alert. Now that he was so close to Ryoko, he could see the redness circling around the golden-haired Digidestined's throat, and not only that, he could also see some bruising peaking out from the collar of his cousn's winter coat.

Lifting his head, Matty gently pulled back the collar for a closer look, and what he saw made his amber eyes widen in horror. The whole front of Ryoko's neck was red, and small, ugly bruises had begun to pop out on the sensitive skin of his throat. It almost looked like someone had tried to strangle him to death, and gazing at the offending marks, Matty felt his fear turn into anger.

Anger, rage, and fury at whoever had done such a terrible thing to his cousin.

Why? Who would do something like this?

As he held Ryoko's collar back, Matty realized his hand was trembling badly, and letting out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, he demanded in quiet voice, "What is this?"

"You did that," Ryoko mumbled into his shoulder, flinching slightly at his own words. "You hurt me."

Matty violently shook his head in denial, completely shocked at the accusation that he would ever lift a hand against his own cousin in such a brutal act of violence, and unable to put his thoughts into order, he was left momentarily speechless.

I would never do such a thing, not in a million years. What would possess him to think it was me?

Still holding onto Ryoko, whose entire body had grown limp against him, Matty turned to Dai and Tirimon and said in a shaky voice, "Where did these marks come from? How did this happen?"

"Look under his shirt," Dai said calmly, his expression oddly neutral, as if he was trying to suppress a surge of emotions that were threatening to burst free from his heart.

It was so unlike Dai to keep his feelings in check, and the fact that he was making an effort to do so meant something must be severely wrong. The same anger Matty felt in his heart towards whoever had hurt Ryoko was simmering within the depths of the goggle-headed leader's dark eyes, and Matty could tell those emotions were threaten to bust forth at any moment. It was so obvious to him now how much Dai cared about Ryoko. How could he have been such a fool to question it all those years?

But I'm not the only fool. We've all wondered, Ryoko most of all. And there it is, right in plain sight...

Ryoko didn't try to fight him as Matty quickly unzipped his cousin's coat. It was a bit of a struggle, since the golden-haired Digidestined was unwilling to let go of him, but once he managed the task, he carefully pulled up his cousin's shirt to glance at what was underneath.

At first, all he could do was stare, unable to comprehend what he was seeing, and reaching out a trembling hand, he gently ran his fingers over the dark bruises circling his cousin's ribs. "How?"

"He wouldn't tell me," Dai murmured, looking away from the horrible sight.

"Why not?"

Matty flinched at his own words, his voice sounding unrecognizable even to himself, and watching him closely, Dai said slowly, "I don't know. Every time I ask him, he avoids the question. He didn't have them when he went to sleep last night, that much I know, but they were there this morning after he woke up."

"I'm sorry," Ryoko mumbled, his voice muffled by Matty's shoulder. "I'm sorry I made you mad at me."

Matty shook his head in denial, and being careful not to injure his cousin further, he said quietly, "What? I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself."

Ryoko didn't seem to hear him, and Matty let his thoughts wander, trying desperately to figure out just exactly what was wrong with his cousin. It almost sounded like Ryoko was accusing him of being the one who had caused those bruises, but that was utterly impossible. He would never physically assault his cousin to such a horrible extent, not even when they were mad at each other. The most they had ever done in their lives was throw a couple punches during a spat, but that was normal for most boys their age.

But he keeps saying I hurt him somehow. I thought it might be because of all the emotional pain I've caused him, and while there's no denying I'm definitely at fault for that much at least, he's making it sound like I've done more than that. It's like he's accusing me of hurting him both mentally and physically.

Which wasn't true at all. For whatever reason, though, Ryoko seemed to feel the need to apologize to him. Was it because the golden-haired Digidestined knew he'd been upset about possibly losing Dai as a friend? Was that why the blond believed he had reacted with physical violence? What other reason would Ryoko be apologizing for, unless it was for trying to steal his best friend away?

Does he really think I'm such a horrible person?

There was no denying he had gotten into physical scuffles before with his friends, the fight he'd had with Dai when trying to recover the Spirit Chip of Bravery being a perfect example, but even then there had been no danger of either one of them causing any physical harm like the marks that decorated Ryoko's body.

Even if he had become strong enough to cause that kind of bruising, there was no way he would have been able to live with himself for causing his cousin that much suffering.

But if he wasn't the culprit, which seemed to be what Ryoko was suggesting, then who could it have been?

Unless maybe it wasn't me, but somebody who looked like me...

Matty thought back to the shadows that had attacked him, and all of a sudden Dai's half-formed theories came back to him with such force, he let out a gasp that almost knocked him flat on his back. In that moment, he was hit by a flash of clear understanding, and knowing instinctively that he was right, he felt his amber eyes widen in shock. The main reason he had believed the shadow versions of his friends were real rather than imposters was because other than the darkness that emanated from their bodies, they were exact carbon copies of the originals. Everything about them, from the way they looked and walked to the sound of their voices, was exactly the same, which was why it was so easy to allow yourself to be fooled by their manipulative presence. They even smelled the same, and the feel of their touch was still somehow warm and familiar, though the darkness somewhat diminished the pleasant sensation.

Not only that, even though the Ryoko sitting before him now had a heart that was wavering in the darkness, the feel of the darkness surging deep within the blond's body still felt different than the darkness that had been seeping out of the shadow version of Ryoko.

This Ryoko was no imposter like the one who had taunted him earlier, of that he was certain. This one was the real deal, and thanks to his new understanding of how the Ice Caverns worked, he was now able to differentiate between the two fairly easily.

Unfortunately, though, Ryoko didn't have that luxury, and that was proving to be a huge problem. Could it be possible, like he had thought earlier, that the golden-haired Digidestined had also been haunted by shadow versions of the people he cared about?

Uncle warned me about the crystal mirrors and the darkness in these caves, but I wouldn't listen to him. Because of that, I ended up getting attacked by the shadows, and since Ryoko's heart is trapped in the darkness even more so than mine is, he could have easily experienced some horrible things that were ten times worse than what happened to me with those giant crystals by the lake...

"He kept asking me weird questions about the mirrors," Dai suddenly said quietly, as if reading his mind. "He wanted to know if I could see anything in them, but there wasn't anything there. At least not that I could see. Any idea what that's all about?"

Matty exchanged a look with his partner, and letting out a deep sigh, he said, "I think I have an idea."

"Huh? What's that mean?" Dai asked, looking confused.

"Later."

So it was true then. Ryoko really had seen something lurking in the crystal mirrors, and whatever his cousin had witnessed, those visions had caused the golden-haired Digidestined to fall even deeper into darkness. And with the way Ryoko kept talking about his 'terrible eyes' and the way it felt to hold him, Matty was sure the golden-haired Digidestined had come across a shadow version of a boy he had believed was his cousin. That shadow must have been emitting waves of darkness, and unable to understand what was going on, Ryoko had panicked, allowing himself to fall into a trap. Without a doubt the golden-haired Digidestined had also seen a shadow version of Daichi, and now those two images were haunting the blond's memories, which would explain why he was acting so afraid of them.

Of course he would have seen shadow versions of myself and Dai. We're the ones who are hurting him. We're the reason he's fallen so far into darkness. But as much as it pains him not to have Dai as a friend, most of his suffering is because of me.

No doubt the face Ryoko had witnessed attacking him last night was the same bitter face Matty had seen of himself in the violet waters of the pool, and the memory alone made him shudder in fear. So while it was true he had not attacked Ryoko, something that looked like him had. That something was most likely a shadow version of himself generated by the darkness seeping out of the portal to the World of Darkness, and the golden-haired Digidestined's suffering had not only brought the dark doppelganger to life, it had also given it a name and an identity. That dark shadow must have then manifested itself within the crystal mirrors due to the darkness sleeping in Ryoko's heart, and eventually it was able to slip free from the mirrors to launch an attack against the one who had given it shape and substance.

And now he's frightened of me because he thinks I hurt him. He thinks I was the one who gave him those bruises...

The realization of what had happened hit Matty like a ton of bricks, and choking back a sudden rush of words, he dropped Ryoko's shirt and proceeded to carefully do up the blond's coat again to ward off the chill of the chamber.

Because his hands were shaking so badly, what should have been a simple task took him twice as long as necessary, and fighting back a wave of sudden tears, he pulled his cousin close and held the other boy carefully in his arms.

I can tell Dai still hasn't figured it out yet, even though he's the one who made me realize the truth, but once he does, what will he do? He'll know then how much I've hurt Ryoko, and once he realizes what I've done, he'll know I've hurt him too...

While Matty might not have been the one to physically attack Ryoko, he still felt responsible for what had happened, and voice shaking, he whispered, "Ryoko, listen to me. I know you're hurting inside, but you need to hear me out. You might have a hard time believing me, but I wasn't the one who did this to you."

"Yes, you did," Ryoko said slowly, a sudden chill entering his voice. "I saw you with my own eyes. It was you."

"What's going on here?" Dai demanded, immediately becoming suspicious to the sudden change in the golden-haired Digidestined's tone.

Matty impatiently shook his head, and without taking his eyes off Ryoko, he said urgently, "I'll explain later."

"I want an explanation now," Dai snapped, glaring at him. "Wait...does this have something to do with what I said before?"

Matty ignored the goggle-headed leader, and focusing his attention on his cousin, he said, "No, you're wrong. Ryoko, you know me. You know how much I...look, I would never do something like this to you no matter what's going on between us."

Ryoko suddenly pushed away from him, and blue eyes growing hard, he said slowly, "You wanted to hurt me because of what I did to you."

"No! That's not true! I-"

"I'm sorry," Ryoko said dully, his face becoming expressionless. "I'm sorry I tried to ruin everything for you. It won't happen again."

"You didn't-"

"Just stay away from me," Ryoko whispered, uable to look at him. "I won't get in your way anymore, I promise. Please, just don't hurt me again."

Matty was starting to grow desperate at this point, and not liking the words that were coming out of his cousin's mouth at all, he said fiercely, "Stop that! This isn't you! You're not thinking straight. I won't stay away from you. Not ever. You need me!"

"I'll always love you, even if you hate me," Ryoko whispered, a note of finality in his tone. "No one can take that away from me. Not ever."

"Guys, something's happening!" Celestimon suddenly cried out, pointing back towards the pit.

Matty jerked his head up in surprise, and glancing towards the chasm, he let out a gasp of shock. Earlier, the mist had been drifting almost leisurely up from the depths of the pit in wisps of purple smoke, but now it was twisting and turning in a fit of boiling rage. It swirled up violently from the chasm in thick clumps, and it seemed to pulse with an almost overwhelming sense of despair. It was also much thicker in concentration than it had been only moments ago, and as it began to fill up the chamber with violet mist, Matty felt his eyes start to burn. The density of the smoke sent him into a fit of violent coughing as it slowly encroached upon where he was holding tightly to his cousin, and grabbing Ryoko's soulders, he said desperately, "Please, stop this. Stop right now! Don't you see what you're doing? You're allowing the darkness to enter into your heart, and it's making the mist worse!"

"No!" Ryoko suddenly shouted, violently shaking his head in denial. "Stay away! All of you! Stay away from me!"

"Ryoko!" Tirimon cried, moving closer to comfort his partner.

Ryoko wasn't having any of it, though.

Matty cried out as the blond jerked free from his grasp, and letting out a choked sob, the golden-haired Digidestined began to run straight towards the chasm, the violet smoke swirling dangerously around his body.

He could hear Dai shouting Ryoko's name in fear as the goggle-headed leader immediately raced after the blond, and Matty was quick to follow with Tirimon and Celestimon right on his heels.

No, I'm losing him. I'm losing him to the darkness...

Dai was so worked up, Matty could hear him shouting Ryoko's first name, but the golden-haired Digidestined didn't seem to notice, which meant things were very bad. Instead, Ryoko kept running, and he would have tumbled headfirst into the chasm if DarkAngelicmon hadn't suddenly stepped in and caught him around the waist. Without any hesitation, the fallen angel lifted Ryoko right off his feet, and holding him tightly to prevent him from trying to escape, the celestial champion stepped away from the edge of the pit, his emerald gaze alert and watchful.

"Let me go!" Ryoko screamed, struggling in the fallen angel's strong arms.

The violet mist swirled dangerously around DarkAngelicmon, but the fallen angel ignored its presence, his attention elsewhere. Instead, he turned to the group racing towards him, and as Matty came to a stop several feet away from the fallen angel, his breath coming out in short gasps, the celestial champion looked at him and said quietly, "The final chapter is at hand, Masato Takaishi. It's up to you and Daichi now if you want to have any hope of saving your cousin's soul."

And with that he deposited Ryoko in a heap on the rough stone floor and proceeded to turn his back on them, his emerald eyes settling on something deep within the pit that appeared to have caught his interest.

It was a clear dismissal, and using a hand to shield his eyes, Matty plunged into the mist with his three companions, desperate to reach his cousin.

Ryoko was curled into a ball at the edge of the chasm, his whole body trembling with an overwhelming range of emotions, and just as Matty reached him, the mist deep within the pit exploded in a flash of violet light. The force of the blast was so powerful, Matty had to shield his eyes, and when he was able to open them again, what he saw made him freeze in terror.

Dai was kneeling next to him, and letting out a cry of terror, Matty fell back into the goggle-headed leader as something tried to grab his ankle.

"What was that?" Celestimon gasped, the intensity of the blast having knocked him right off his feet. Tirimon had managed to break the little rookie's fall, and standing protectively over both Celestimon and his human partner, he growled, "Something's coming. Look, there!"

Matty cried out again as the thing that had tried to snatch his ankle went for his wrist instead, and squinting to see through the smoke, he caught a glimpse of what looked like a shadowy arm rising up from the depths of the pit. At first there was only one arm, but then more and more of them began to rise up out of the chasm, their dark slender fingers reaching for something to grab onto.

As Matty watched in horror, the dark shadows that looked vaguely human in appearance began to pull themselves up out of the pit, and immediately their hateful violet eyes turned to gaze hungrily at Ryoko, who was now shrieking at the top of his lungs in terror.

The sound of his cousin's piercing screams sent chills down Matty's spine, and catching hold of the golden-haired Digidestined's arm, he proceeded to drag the blond further away from the edge of the pit. Dai was quick to jump in and help him, and shaking his head, the goggle-headed leader said, "This is bad. Like, really bad."

Matty was having a hard time blocking out his cousin's mournful wails, the lonely sound vibrating deep within his bones, and glancing frantically around the cavern, he said, "We have to calm him down somehow!"

"Got any suggestions?" Celestimon cried, letting out a startled squeak as one of the shadows made a grab for him.

Matty shook his head, and glancing at DarkAngelicmon, who was simply standing there watching the shadows surging up out of the chasm with interest and doing nothing to help, he whispered, "I...I don't know."

"Then you'd better think fast!" Dai snapped, kicking hard at a shadow that had made an attempt to drag Ryoko off by his hair.

There's only one thing I can do. I have to convince Ryoko somehow that it wasn't me who hurt him, and he needs to know how I really feel. And Dai, he needs to know about Dai...

But that was something only Dai could do. Somehow, the goggle-headed leader needed to find the courage to tell Ryoko the truth about his feelings.

And I need to find a way to make that happen.

Because if he didn't, they would all end up losing their hearts to the darkness.