Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

A/N: I'm sorry it's been a little while, but I've had a few really busy weeks! But despite that I've finally managed to finish this new chapter, so I hope you enjoy it! I will try to start the next one soon and write up another chapter for Trinity, as well!

Following the Footsteps of Destiny

Chapter 288: Maternal Instinct

YukiOnnamon

Cyber, Western Hemisphere, Digital World

"I don't understand. Where are we going, and why do you want me to come with you?" Spritemon asked, squinting at the early morning sunlight as they headed down an overgrown path that led away from the castle.

YukiOnnamon ignored the little pixie digimon's constant nervous fidgeting, and glancing suspiciously at the wide expanse of forest that stretched out for miles in front of them, she said shortly, "Our master has given us new orders."

"That's great and all, but why do those orders require us to wander around in the woods all day?" Spritemon complained, making a face.

YukiOnnamon felt a strong urge to violently attack the female mega walking along next to her, but knowing the loss of one of his servants by her own hand probably wouldn't go over too well with the Ruler of Darkness, she chose instead to focus on the trees up ahead. As she glanced over the grass, her icy blue skirts rustled as they brushed against her legs, and waving her hand at the trees, she said, "It isn't going to be all day. As you very well know, Gennai and his allies have found the next Spirit Chip. The faint glow of its light can be seen even at a distance, and since it is hidden right here on Cyber, we don't have terribly far to go to intercept the Digidestined."

"True, but what does that have to do with going into the forest?"

YukiOnnamon came to a stop at the edge of the trees, and glancing at the small sprite digimon, she said calmly, "You have seen the light of the Spirit Chip yourself. Judging from the colour of its strong glow, we're fairly certain we know who it belongs to."

"DarkAngelicmon's definitely certain, that's for sure," Spritemon agreed, her dark eyes glimmering with sudden excitement. "And if we're right, then I'll finally have my chance for revenge."

"If you want to play with her, I have no objections, but do not for one minute forget what our true mission is."

"I won't," Spritemon grumbled, rolling her eyes. "But that doesn't mean I can't have a little bit of fun once in a while."

YukiOnnamon gave the female mega a dismissive look and said, "You may do as you please as long as our master's wishes are fulfilled. As for the forest, LadyDevimon has informed me that one of our master's servants journeyed down here this morning for a dip in the dying waters of the Enchanted Spring. Her assistance is required for this Spirit Chip mission, as instructed by our master. Too easily he can see into the hearts of the Digidestined, and that inability to hide their true feelings will eventually be their downfall."

"I must say, I'm looking forward to this Spirit Chip mission," Spritemon said gleefully, clapping her hands together in delight. "The moment you informed me of the details, I knew this was my golden opportunity to pay back that upstart for humiliating me."

"Shall we carry on then?"

As the two female digimon stepped into the shadow of the trees, Spritemon said hesitantly, "You worked this whole plan out with just the Ruler of Darkness, didn't you?"

YukiOnnamon drifted through the dense forest with barely a sound from her light step, and nodding quietly, she said, "We worked out the main details last night after the Spirit Chip was found. I suspect Gennai will be contacting the one they call Izzy Izumi to let the Digidestined know, but since it is only Thursday, that gives us time to put our plans into motion."

"You mean because the Ruler of Darkness doesn't think they'll come searching for the Spirit Chip until Friday?"

"That is correct. The Digidestined children will have school on Friday, thus they will probably wait until Friday afternoon before coming to the Digital World, which will give them the whole weekend to grab the Spirit Chip."

"Our master is so smart and perceptive," Spritemon commented, looking eager. "Only...normally the Ruler of Darkness doesn't get too involved in what we actually do on our missions to steal the Spirit Chips, but this time..."

"This time he was involved in the planning."

"Yes...Why is that?"

YukiOnnamon ducked gracefully under a low hanging branch, and making her way through the shadows, she said slowly, "Our master seemed to take a special interest in this Spirit Chip. Perhaps because it deals with such tender matters of the heart. I cannot say for sure, but his assistance was invaluable. Together we've come up with a perfect plan to send the girl's heart spiraling into darkness."

"I couldn't agree more," Spritemon said, fluttering in the air just ahead of her. "Only there's still one thing that's bugging me."

"And what would that be?"

Spritemon hesitated before saying, "DarkAngelicmon. Usually, he's the mastermind behind our plans to steal the Spirit Chips, but as far as I know, this time he wasn't involved in the planning at all. In fact, now that I think about it, we haven't really seen much of him in almost three weeks, and he never once came with us on our search to find the location of the next Spirit Chip."

YukiOnnamon's dark eyes narrowed into angry slits, and growing tense, she said stiffly, "He'll be coming with us for the actual mission itself."

"True, but it's not like him not to be involved."

If I had my way, he would be dead, but unfortunately now is not yet the time. Sooner or later, though, he will suffer the consequences of my humiliation, and when that happens his data will become the trophy for my victory.

"Hey...you know how DarkAngelicmon went somewhere with the Ruler of Darkness a few weeks ago?" Spritemon asked, avoiding her eyes. "LadyDevimon, Phelesmon, and Persiamon also accompanied them. Where do you think it was they went? I tried to ask DarkAngelicmon, but he wouldn't tell me."

YukiOnnamon seethed with rage at the thought that her master was hiding something from her, but knowing instinctively that she must not allow her resentment to show, she said calmly, "I do not know where it is they might have gone, but I'm sure our master will inform us of the details once the time is right. Until then, we have our mission to perform, and seeing as how I am in charge, I will not accept anything but the utmost success. That is what we should be concentrating on at the moment. The rest can wait."

Spritemon glanced at her as they continued through the trees, and looking uneasy, the female mega said, "You seem different somehow since you came back."

YukiOnnamon brushed a stray strand of raven hair out of her eyes, and bored with the conversation, she said, "How so?"

"I'm not sure, but you seem somehow more...dangerous and in control of your emotions. The Digidestined are in for a surprise, I think."

"The darkness has given me more strength and energy, as I'm sure you're aware. Thanks to my new power, it will not be so easy for them to defeat me next time. I look forward to the day when I can freely slaughter them all without having to hold back."

I have not changed, you fool. In strength and power, yes, but my new form has not quelled my ambition. I have merely learned that for my own interests it is best to keep my thoughts and my anger in check. But once that angel has fallen at the hands of my wrath and I finally stand at my master's side as his most loyal servant, I will unleash my fury on the humans and digimon of this world with a force that will leave them screaming in agony and begging me for mercy...

Almost as if reading her mind, Spritemon slowly edged away from her and said warily, "You're a lot scarier now, you know that?"

"I'm flattered, really. Come now, let us find the servant I seek, and I shall explain the last few details of the mission too you."

Spritemon nodded slowly, and together the two of them weaved through the trees until they came across a gloomy clearing where a small pond stood in the centre, its edges overgrown with thick shrubs and tangled weeds. The water in the pond was dark and dirty, as if it had been contaminated by some sort of thick slug, and sitting leisurely within the pool's murky depths, there was a female digimon lounging at the edge of the water with her arms stretched out at her sides and her head resting back against the bank. Her dark, long green hair floated on the surface of the dirty water like a pool of wet moss, and sensing their presence, the female digimon opened her snake-like green eyes to gaze at them curiously, a spark of interest lighting up her pale face. "And to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

YukiOnnamon stepped towards the edge of the pond, her pale blue and silver dress glittering in the pockets of sunshine streaming through the trees, and fixing the female ultimate with her most commanding stare, she said, "The Ruler of Darkness has summoned you. We have need of your assistance."

The female digimon's slanted eyes glittered with sudden excitement, and getting to her feet, her scantily clad body glistening as the water fell from her leathery skin, she said, "And how may I be of assistance?"

"Come with me to the castle, and I shall explain the details to you."

"Trust me," Spritemon smirked, giving the snake digimon a devious smile. "If I've just guessed correctly what YukiOnnamon's plan is, then you're going to love this job."

Sora Kamiya

Odaiba, Japan, Earth

Sora slowly opened her eyes, and blinking at the early morning sunshine filtering through the crack in the curtains over the window, she frowned at the ceiling and stretched her arms over her head to ease the tight muscles in her upper back.

Beside her, she could hear her husband's soft breathing, and downstairs it sounded like someone was rummaging loudly in the kitchen. A quick glance at the clock told her she'd better get up and make sure her kids were getting ready for school, but something stopped her.

Other than the noises from the kitchen, the house seemed very quiet, and turning on her side, her eyes came to rest on the weary body of her husband, who still smelled faintly of smoke.

Tai was fast asleep, and though his back was turned towards her, she could feel the warmth of his body soaking into her skin. It made her smile, and moving closer, she settled herself against him and wrapped her arm around his chest, her hand reaching up a bit to rest on his heart, which beat steadily beneath her fingers. There had been a fire at a residence on the other side of town last night, and as a result Tai hadn't gotten home until the very early hours of the morning.

Despite the long night, though, and the fact that he was so tired upon coming through the door that he could barely stand on his feet, Tai had arrived home in a good mood, and who could blame him?

While she and her children worried about his safety, unable to sleep soundly throughout the night, Tai had saved an infant girl from the burning house, stopping only long enough on his way out to grab the household cat in the process, and due to his efforts nobody had been hurt or injured, not even the family pet. The father had been away on business, and the mother, who had been forced out of the house earlier by fellow colleagues of Tai's, had sobbed all over the former leader after her daughter had been handed over to the paramedics for evaluation.

The incident made Sora think of her own daughter, and feeling a sudden lump in her throat she quickly squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face between Tai's shoulder blades.

What would I have done if that had been Kara?

No doubt the firemen would have had to force her out of the house, as well, since her instincts would have been screaming at her to rescue her baby girl, and thus she felt a lot of sympathy and affection for the woman who had thanked Tai over and over for saving her young daughter.

If that had been Kara, Sora knew her husband would have been right there to save their girl, and for that she felt a deep sense of affection in her heart for Tai's strength and courage.

It scared her sometimes how much she loved her husband, and knowing the former leader was putting his own life on the line every day to save others often left her lying awake in bed at night wondering if he was safe, but despite the amount of stress and worry she often suffered at the hands of his job, not once had she ever tried to persuade him to move onto a different career. In her heart, she knew it was the job he was always meant to do, and the amount of lives he had saved over the years was the only proof she needed to know he had chosen the right profession. As much as she loved him, she had no right to deny him the chance to do some good in the world, and thus she had learned to find a little courage of her own and to put her faith in him every time he had to answer a call for help.

It's funny how he can face the flames so easily, and yet over the last few weeks I've watched him grow tense at the mere sight of our daughter. To lose something we love so much, that's a far greater fear than even death itself...

Sora jumped as a sudden sound coming from the bedside table next to Tai startled her, and realizing it was her husband's mobile phone, she quickly leaned over the former leader and grabbed the phone off the nightstand, hoping the noise wouldn't wake him.

A quick glance at the screen told her it was Izzy, and answering the call, she said softly so as not to wake her husband, "Hey, Izzy. What's up?"

"Oh, Sora," Izzy said, sounding a bit surprised. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

Tai shifted in his sleep, a soft sound escaping the former leader's throat, but luckily he didn't wake up.

After last night, the man deserved a good rest, and giving her husband a gentle kiss on the cheek, Sora carefully sat up in bed and said quietly into the phone, "It's fine. There was a fire last night, and Tai didn't get home until a couple hours ago. He's sleeping at the moment."

"I'm sorry," Izzy replied, sounding apologetic on the other end. "I hope it was a success."

Sora smiled softly, and even though Izzy couldn't see her, she nodded and said, "Very successful. You normally don't call this early in the morning unless something's up. I take it there's been some news from the Digital World?"

"That's right," Izzy agreed, sounding excited. "Gennai and the others have found the next Spirit Chip. I was thinking we should all get together at the Motomiya place this afternoon to discuss it. At least for anyone who can make it. I'd like to figure out our next course of action as soon as possible."

"I'll be at the store for most of the day, but I'll get one of the younger girls to watch it for me once school is out. Tai should be awake by then, as well, so we'll be there."

"Sounds good. Would you mind telling Kara and Tay for me, as well?"

Sora hesitated before saying, "I can do that. I'll see you this afternoon then."

"Definitely. I'll contact the others and let them know, too," Izzy replied before hanging up.

Sora stared at the phone in her hand for a moment before once again leaning over Tai and returning it to the nightstand, where it proceeded to rest next to the former leader's Digivice, and glancing at Biyomon and Agumon, who were both sleeping on a comfortable pallet beneath the window, she felt a stab of uneasiness in her heart.

She had a feeling Izzy knew a lot about the upcoming Spirit Chip, and for some reason the thought made her feel oddly frightened.

Kara...Why do I have this feeling that you're somehow in danger...

Not wanting to disturb her husband, Sora lightly kissed the former leader's forehead a second time before slipping quietly out of bed, and once again looking at their digimon partners, she chose to give them a little more time to sleep.

Besides, it made her feel more comfortable knowing they were right there to watch over Tai.

Now to find out where my kids are...

Sora quickly left the room, closing the door softly behind her, and making her way towards the stairs, she called out, "Tay, is that you?"

"It's me!" Tay's sweet voice called back, his head appearing around the kitchen doorway to look up the stairs at her. "Sorry, Mom. Was I being too loud?"

"It's fine. Just remember your father's still asleep, so we need to be a bit more quiet to let him rest."

"Right," Tay replied, looking sheepish. "I bet Dad was so cool last night. I'll have to ask him to tell me the whole story later."

Sora smiled at the way her son beamed at the mention of his father, and coming into the foyer, the young boy threw his backpack on over his shoulder and began to put his shoes on, his red hair glowing in the early morning sunshine streaming through the front door. Watching the boy from the top of the stairs, she said, "Are you heading out for school now?"

"Yeah, I'm going a bit early cause Ema and the others want to meet up before class," Tay explained, straightening up.

"Don't I get a goodbye hug?" Sora asked, laughing softly.

Her son blushed, and racing lightly up the stairs to put his arms around her, he said, "I'll see you this afternoon."

Sora gently kissed her son's red hair, and hugging the boy back, she said, "Izzy's found the next Spirit Chip. We're going to meet after school at Dai's house if you want to come."

Taysuke's face immediately lit up, and nodding, he said, "I'll be there with Ema and the others."

"Has Kara already left for school?"

Sora watched as a shadow seemed to pass over Taysuke's face, and avoiding her eyes, the young boy said quietly, "No, I think she's still in her room. I'll see you this afternoon."

And with that, Tay quickly pulled away from her and raced back down the stars, his bag thumping against his back as the door slammed behind him. Sighing, Sora glanced down the hall towards her daughter's bedroom, which was on the left overlooking the front of the house.

With a heavy heart, she quickly made her way down the hall, and easing her daughter's door open, she spotted a lump in the middle bed of the bed that could only be Kara. Her heart immediately melted at the sight, and taking a deep breath, she slowly walked over to find her daughter still fast asleep. Next to Kara, Fluttermon was sleeping peacefully on the bed, her body snuggled against her partner's slim body.

She looks so innocent. It's strange to think she's hurting inside, and there doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it...

Sora shook her head at her own depressing thoughts, and sitting down on the bed next to her daughter, she gently placed her hand on the younger female's dark hair, her thoughts returning to several weeks ago.

Determined to keep her promise to Matt, she had tried several times to talk to Kara in a effort to get her daughter to open up over the last three weeks, and although the girl had been receptive to her hugs and kisses, the female Digidestined had refused to let her in.

It was the same for Tai. Although the former leader hadn't stopped showing Kara plenty of affection, and the girl would return his hugs and kisses, there was no enthusiasm in her embraces, and she wouldn't open up to her father either.

Sora knew it was eating the former leader up inside, and she felt the same way. Watching her daughter slip away from her made her feel as if her heart was breaking into pieces, and it also made her feel like she had failed as a parent.

Taysuke has noticed, as well. I've seen the shadow in his eyes and the way he steps carefully around Kara now.

It was hard to watch, but even though Kara still wouldn't tell her what was wrong, she hadn't given up. She was still making every effort to speak with her daughter in the hopes that Kara would eventually feel comfortable enough to tell her what was going on.

I won't give up. I can't give up...

"Mom?"

Sora looked down in surprise, and realizing Takara must have stirred at the touch of her hand, she said gently, "I'm sorry to wake you, but if you don't hurry up you're going to be late for school."

Takara blinked in confusion, and glancing at the clock on the nightstand, her eyes opened wide in surprise. Without a word, the female Digidestined hastily threw back the covers, and giving Fluttermon a poke, she said, "We'd better get moving, Fluttermon."

"Do we have to?" Fluttermon groaned, reluctantly opening her eyes.

Takara nodded, and turning back towards her, the female Digidestined mumbled, "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You look like you needed a good rest."

Takara stared at her for a moment, and blushing, the female Digidestined looked around the room, as if not sure what to do with herself.

Recognizing her daughter's confusion, Sora quickly gathered up some clothes for the young girl to wear, and speaking in a light voice, she said, "It's starting to get a bit chilly out there now. I've got some warmer clothes here for you to wear."

"Thanks, Mom," Takara said softly, grabbing Fluttermon and quickly jumping out of bed.

The girl and her partner headed down the hall for the bathroom, and following after them, Sora set her daughter's clothes on the counter as Kara turned on the shower.

Stripping off her clothes, the female Digidestined stood staring at herself in the mirror for a moment, and noticing the dark circles under her daughter's eyes, Sora said quietly, "Izzy called this morning. Gennai has found the next Spirit Chip. We're going to meet at Dai's house later this afternoon to discuss it."

Still staring at herself in the mirror, Takara slowly nodded, and glancing at Fluttermon, who was snoozing on the counter next to the pile of clothes, the female Digidestined said quietly, "I'll be there."

Gazing at her daughter's tired face, it suddenly struck Sora just how vulnerable the girl looked, and quickly turning away, she felt her heart ache with sudden fear.

Takara was slim and taller than most of the girls in her class, and thanks to years of playing soccer, the young girl's body was strong and fit. Her muscle tone was excellent for a girl her age, and yet despite the fact that on the surface she looked as if she could handle herself in a dangerous situation, Sora was suddenly uncomfortably aware of her daughter's own mortality.

It frightened her, and stepping forward, she gave her daughter a quick kiss on the cheek, her fingers reaching out to give the girl's hand a quick squeeze.

Takara responded with a small smile, a shadow of her personality coming out for just a moment, before saying, "I promise I'll be quick."

With that, Takara quickly stepped into the shower, and staring at her daughter's silhouette from the other side of the curtain, Sora felt a tight fist clench around her heart.

After a moment, she couldn't stand it anymore, and quietly closing the door behind her, she stepped back out into the hall, her eyes falling on the closed door where her husband was still sleeping.

Though the corridor was silent, Sora couldn't help feeling as if the early morning shadows were watching her, but that didn't scare her. She wasn't scared for herself.

She was very afraid for her daughter.